On June 2, 1972 , flying an F 4E Phantom II at over 1.2 mach, United States Air Force pilot Maj. Phil "Hands" Handley shot down a MiG 19 with 20mm cannon fire. It was the first victory for an F-4 with internal cannon, the only MiG-19 shot down by cannon fire during the course of the Vietnam War, and believed to be the highest speed gun kill in the history of aerial combat. In the back seat was WSO 1/Lt. Jack Smallwood. Phil's best friend and partner on many combat missions, Smallwood was the last rated officer to die in the War of 1000 Days, when his F-4 was shot down over Cambodia as the war ended. limited edition print 500 s/n by the artist 17.25" x 20" all prints co-signed by Col. Handley USAF (Ret.) |
|
|
|
|
