Cunningham recalled later, "The MiG driver just didn't have the muscle to move that stick." While Grant chased off the second MiG 17, Cunningham reversed and fired a Sidewinder. The MiG 17 was within the missile's minimum range at launch, but due to the MiG's high speed, the distance had opened to 2,500 feet when the Sidewinder hit. The MiG 17 was blown apart. The whole engagement lasted only fifteen seconds.[663]
Cunningham evaded a MiG that attempted to follow him by using his afterburner to accelerate to 600 knots. Cunningham and his wingman then climbed to 15,000 feet. Below them were eight MiG 17s in a defensive circle with three F-4s mixed in. Cunningham later wrote, "The scene below was straight out of The Dawn Patrol." The F-4s had slowed to 350 knots and were vulnerable. Cunningham told Grant to cover him, then dove toward the circle.
As they did, one of the F-4s broke from the circle and nearly collided with Cunningham's plane. It was flown by Comdr. Dwight Timm, the second in command of VF-96. Following behind his plane were a MiG 17 about 2,000 feet away; a MiG 21, 3,000 feet behind; and, unseen by Timm or his RIO, Jim Fox, a MiG 17 in his blind spot below and to the outside of the plane.
As Cunningham closed on the three MiGs, Driscoll warned him, "Duke, we have four MiG 17s at our seven o'clock." They had broken out of the circle and were pursuing his F-4. For the moment, they were out of range, but Timm's arcing turn was allowing them to close the distance. Then Driscoll gave another warning, "Duke, look at two o'clock high." Cunningham looked up and saw two bright flashes — two MiG 19s beginning a diving firing pass on the F-4. Cunningham reversed and the two MiG 19s flew past.
Cunningham was in a lag pursuit with the MiG 17 on Timm's wing, but one of the MiG 17s was now within firing range of Cunningham's F-4. Flying at 550 knots, he could outrun the MiG, but he had to turn to stay behind Timm. This allowed the MiG 17 chasing Cunningham to close the range with his plane. Cunningham told Driscoll to watch the MiG 17 following them. When it opened fire, Cunningham straightened out to open the range.
He then turned back toward Timm's F-4 and yelled for him to break right.
Timm, thinking he had evaded the two MiGs (and still not aware of the third MiG), turned right. The fast-flying MiG 17 was not able to follow, and Cunningham had a clear shot.
Cunningham fired a Sidewinder, which homed in on the MiG 17's hot exhaust and destroyed it. Just as the missile hit, Timm and Fox finally saw the MiG 17. It turned into a fireball, and the North Vietnamese pilot ejected.
So far, only about two minutes had passed. It was Cunningham and Driscoll's fourth kill; they were now tied with air force Col. Robin Olds as top-scoring American aviators of the Vietnam War. But the day's events were not yet over.[664]
Now, two or three of the MiG 17s pursuing Cunningham had closed in.
Four more MiG 21s were also bearing down on the F-4. It did not seem possible they could escape. Driscoll yelled, "Break! Break! Give me all you've got." Cunningham turned toward the MiG 21s. Moments later, they were alone in the sky. Cunningham had become separated from his wingman, and it was time to leave. Cunningham turned toward the coast.[665]
As they headed east, Driscoll kept watch behind them for any MiGs that might try to catch them, so it was Cunningham who spotted the next MiG 17, ahead and slightly below them. Cunningham altered course to make a close, head-on pass. This prevented the MiG pilot from using the lateral separation to make a quick turn. Cunningham could then outrun the MiG.
As they closed the distance, the nose of the MiG 17 lit up as the pilot fired his guns. Cunningham hauled back on the stick and went into a vertical climb. He expected the MiG 17 would continue on. When Cunningham looked back over his ejection seat, it was with considerable shock that he saw the MiG 17, also in a vertical climb. Cunningham could see the North Vietnamese pilot's leather helmet, goggles, scarf, and even the expression on his face. Cunningham recalled, "There was no fear in this guy's eyes."[666]
The MiG 17 began to fall behind, and Cunningham lit the F-4's afterburner. As he rolled over the top, the MiG 17, on the verge of a stall, nosed over and fired its guns. Normally, North Vietnamese pilots would fire a continuous stream. This pilot fired only a brief burst, to conserve his ammunition. Driscoll recalled, "It was like, who is this guy?… He knew exactly what he was doing."[667]
Both planes began to descend and started a vertical rolling scissors. In this maneuver, the planes would go into a weaving climb whenever one flew lower than the other. This forced the opposing plane to overshoot.
Whenever the F-4 pulled out in front, the MiG pilot would fire a short burst.
Each time Cunningham made a maneuver, the MiG 17 would counter him.
Cunningham was holding his own, but the F-4 was losing speed faster than the MiG 17. It was now down to 200 knots, and Cunningham decided it was time to "bug out." He lowered half flaps, then made a looping turn at a right angle to the MiG's flight path. The F-4 dove away with full afterburner.
Before the MiG could follow, Cunningham had accelerated to 500 knots and was out of range.
He then turned back toward the MiG 17. The two planes met in a head-on pass, then went into a vertical climb. Again, as they descended, the planes began a rolling scissors. Neither plane could get enough of an advantage for a killing shot. Again, the F-4 slowed to 200 knots. When Cunningham saw the MiG's nose turn slightly, he extended his own turn to the outside of the MiG's flight path. Cunningham then pulled into a vertical loop.
Remembering the previous escape maneuver, the MiG pilot also pulled up into a loop to counter. The two planes passed each other going in opposite directions. Cunningham continued through the loop, extended out under the thrust of the afterburners, and was quickly out of range. With the F-4's speed back up, he turned again, into the fight. Neither pilot attempted to run; one plane would go home, the other would be shot down.
As the two planes headed toward each other in their final pass, Cunningham pulled up into a climb. The MiG 17 did the same, then turned toward the F-4. As it did, Cunningham pulled the throttles to idle, lowered the flaps, and popped the speed brakes. The F-4 went from 550 to 150 knots, and the MiG 17 overshot. The MiG 17 was now 500 to 1,000 feet ahead of the F-4, too close for a Sidewinder. Both planes were on the verge of a stall — at low speed and nose high. Cunningham had to use full afterburner.
Using only the F-4's rudder to avoid stalling, he rolled in behind the MiG.
The MiG pilot saw the F-4 cross into his plane's six o'clock position, then lost sight of the plane. He made a maximum turn to the right to keep the F-4 in sight, but the MiG 17 stalled. Its nose went down, and the pilot dove away to regain flying speed.
Cunningham, his own plane near a stall, pulled up the flaps and air brakes, dove, and swung to the right to increase separation. The MiG continued to dive away, attempting to run, and Cunningham pulled in behind the MiG. Now 3,000 feet behind the MiG, Cunningham fired a Sidewinder.
It homed in on the MiG's afterburner. There was a small flash, then a burst of flame and black smoke. The MiG 17 flew into the ground. The pilot did not eject.[668]
Cunningham and Driscoll were now the first American aces of the Vietnam War. But they were still far from home. As they headed toward the coast, an SA-2 missile damaged their plane. Both hydraulic systems failed, and Cunningham had to use the rudder, throttle, and speed brakes to control the plane. For twenty miles, he fought to control the F-4. Just as it crossed the coast, an explosion shook the plane. Cunningham and Driscoll ejected and landed in the mouth of the Red River. As American planes chased off patrol boats, junks, and a freighter, they were picked up by marine helicopters. They were soon returned to the USS Constellation, to be greeted by the entire crew.[669]
664
Don Hollway, "Showdown between Two Top Guns,"