by John M. Dibbs, with text by Lt. Col. Robert “Cricket” Renner, USAF (Ret.)
Hardcover, 8.5 x 10. 875
Hardcover, 8.5 x 10. 875
192 pages, 200 color photos
ISBN: 978-0-7603-4032-5
$40.00 / $44.00 CAN / £30.00 UK
ISBN: 978-0-7603-4032-5
$40.00 / $44.00 CAN / £30.00 UK
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"...the thrill of strapping on a Viper during training ay Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, as well as the challenges of flying the USAF’s most versatile multirole jet in an operational fighter squadron are brought into sharp focus."
—Tucson Citizen
To most civilians, a fighter pilot is anyone who flies a fighter aircraft. But simply filling a seat and operating the stick and throttle doesn’t make one a fighter pilot. In the fighter community, there’s a saying: “There are those who have a thousand hours in the jet, and there are those who have one hour a thousand times.”
For many within this small and demanding community, the pinnacle of modern fighter aircraft was the F-16 Fighting Falcon—better known simply as the Viper by any pilot who flew it and any ground crew who worked on it. The Viper wasn’t just any fighter aircraft, and those who flew it weren’t just any fighter pilots . . . they were Viper Drivers.
With stunning aerial photography from John M. Dibbs and including numerous personal interviews with Viper Drivers conducted by fighter pilot Lt. Col. Robert “Cricket” Renner, USAF (Ret.), Viper Force brings to life the thrills of strapping on a Viper during training at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, as well as the challenges of flying the USAF’s most versatile multi-role jet in an operational fighter squadron. From training to combat, Viper Drivers share their experiences in their own words, proving Luke AFB’s motto: Training Fighter Pilots Second to None.
About the Authors
John M. Dibbs is an award-winning air-to-air photographer, who has flown in more than 120 different aircraft types, undertaken 850-plus air-to-air sorties, and authored eleven books including his widely acclaimed Flying Legends series. He lives in Redmond, Washington. Dibbs’ work can be found online at www.planepicture.com
Robert “Cricket” Renner is a 1988 Air Force Academy graduate who retired in 2010 following twenty-two years of active duty service, almost all of which involved flying combat aircraft. With over 3,200 hours in the F-15 Eagle, Lieutenant Colonel Renner flew thirty-seven combat sorties over northern and southern Iraq, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, and has been rated as an instructor pilot since 1994. He resides with his family near Anchorage in Eagle River, Alaska.
For many within this small and demanding community, the pinnacle of modern fighter aircraft was the F-16 Fighting Falcon—better known simply as the Viper by any pilot who flew it and any ground crew who worked on it. The Viper wasn’t just any fighter aircraft, and those who flew it weren’t just any fighter pilots . . . they were Viper Drivers.
With stunning aerial photography from John M. Dibbs and including numerous personal interviews with Viper Drivers conducted by fighter pilot Lt. Col. Robert “Cricket” Renner, USAF (Ret.), Viper Force brings to life the thrills of strapping on a Viper during training at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, as well as the challenges of flying the USAF’s most versatile multi-role jet in an operational fighter squadron. From training to combat, Viper Drivers share their experiences in their own words, proving Luke AFB’s motto: Training Fighter Pilots Second to None.
About the Authors
John M. Dibbs is an award-winning air-to-air photographer, who has flown in more than 120 different aircraft types, undertaken 850-plus air-to-air sorties, and authored eleven books including his widely acclaimed Flying Legends series. He lives in Redmond, Washington. Dibbs’ work can be found online at www.planepicture.com
Robert “Cricket” Renner is a 1988 Air Force Academy graduate who retired in 2010 following twenty-two years of active duty service, almost all of which involved flying combat aircraft. With over 3,200 hours in the F-15 Eagle, Lieutenant Colonel Renner flew thirty-seven combat sorties over northern and southern Iraq, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, and has been rated as an instructor pilot since 1994. He resides with his family near Anchorage in Eagle River, Alaska.
