From that first time I saw one I wanted to fly them. Unfortunately for me, I grew to 6'5" in high school.. and there went any chance of being a pilot. (there was also that nagging little thing about fallin asleep so goddamn much. Little did I know what it was..) I remember seeing one up close and personal at Wright-Patterson AFB and seeing a mockup of the DU rounds. The things were the friggin size of one of those old school glass pepsi bottles!..
The first time I heard one doing an air gunnery range I thought, "What the fuck is THAT?.."
You win "The Understatement of the Day" Award, Doc.
Hey man, just trying to keep it real. My first room mate in Batt. said his dad worked on the design bureau at Fairchild-Republic. Aparently, they took the baddest piece of shootin' iron they could find and built the plane around it. He said the old school establishment didn't like it cause it was slow and "ugly".
I guess you can say that the concept has been validated.(not to be Mr. Obvious again..) Me? I'm glad be have that bad ass piece of aircraft keepin' the boys safe..