Weaponization of Nostalgia: The F-15 & F-16

How did a small group of pilots and civilians try to influence the design, development and procurement of two famous USAF fighters? I talk with Dr. Michael Hankins about the Fighter Mafia and it's impact and legacy on the F-15, F-16 and USAF/DoD.

- Flying Camelot -
Check out Flying Camelot here:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Flying-Camelot-Weaponization-Nostalgia-Battlegrounds/dp/1501760653
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flying-Camelot-Weaponization-Nostalgia-Battlegrounds/dp/1501760653
Cornell: https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501760655/flying-camelot/

- Check out my books -
Ju 87 Stuka - http://stukabook.com
STG-44 Assault Platoon - http://sturmzug.com
German Panzer Company 1941 - http://www.hdv470-7.com/

- Support -
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/join/MilAvHistory
Channel Memberships: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmpahmxWXajV0-tuMMzSzAg/join
PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/MilAvHis

- Social Media -
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MilAvHistory
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milaviationhistory/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MilitaryAviationHistory/

- Sources -
Dr. Michael Hankins

- Recommendations -
Hankins, Michael; Flying Camelot, Cornell University Press: 2021

Fino, Steven; Tiger Check, Johns Hopkins University Press: 2017

Hammond, Grant; The Mind of War, Smithsonian Books: 2004

Schultz, Timothy; The Problem with Pilots, Johns Hopkins University Press: 2018

- Timecodes -
00:00 - Intro
00:40 - Expert
00:51 - Who & What was the Fighter Mafia?
02:05 - What influenced the Fighter Mafia?
04:52 - Technology vs. Fighter Mafia?
08:36 - F-15: A 'failed' Fighter?
11:57 - F-16: Not good enough?
15:46 - Using the public to pressure the Department of Defense.
19:55 - F-35: The Legacy of the Fighter Mafia
23:22 - Recommendations
26:06 - Outro

- Audio -
Music and Sfx from Epidemic Sound

#militaryhistoryvisualized #fightermafia #usaf