Rupert Red Two: A Fighter Pilot's Life From Thunderbolts to Thunderchiefs

I first read "Thud Ridge" in high school, and have regularly re-read it since. It still stands as the single best book on aerial combat ever written, and its author, Colonel Jack Broughton, towers over other pilot-authors (though Ed Rasimus comes close). Broughton followed up with "Going Downtown", another winner (which I have also read multiple times), and now with the long awaited "Rupert Red Two". In a word, it is a triumph.

"Rupert Red Two" takes a longer view of Broughton's career than his earlier works, from young boy to Rockwell employee working on the Space Shuttle "Endeavor". For an Air Force pilot of my generation (1980s-1990s) it is truly astounding the number of aircraft Broughton got to fly, and reading his appraisals of all of them was stunning. His range of experiences was truly amazing, and any historian of air power needs to read this book.

The book is filled with powerful and funny moments, sometimes intertwined. His recounting of the abject failings of the civilian government of Johnson and McNamara in Vietnam (pp. 324-326, in particular) is as sharp and accurate as ever, and is especially relevant today with all the instabilities in the world. I am impressed with Broughton's leadership and ability to do the right thing for his men at all times, from spearheading a replacement program for the F-106 ejection seat, to the "Turkestan" incident (which is well detailed in his earlier books). This is the man I would want leading me in a shooting war.

I have been fortunate enough to correspond with Colonel Broughton on occasion over the years, and I encouraged him to write this book. It was well worth the wait. I cannot recommend a book more highly, and I recommend it to absolutely everyone.

Colonel Jack Broughton is a true American patriot, a gifted pilot, an amazing leader, and an inspired writer. I have only two autographs displayed in my study. One is from Medal of Honor winner Leo Thorsness; the other is a photo of Colonel Jack Broughton in his Thud. I could not respect any man more.

This is the third book by Colonel Broughton that I have read (the first being "Thud Ridge" and the second, "Going Downtown"), and as always, I found it extraordinarily well written. His previous books provided us with the real soundtrack of flying combat missions over "The North". With "Rupert Red Two", Col. Broughton gives depth and colors to a true Air Force warrior pilot. I couldn't put that book down and, in fact, ordered several copies for friends and family members alike. All in all, I found the book thoroughly enjoyable and learned a lot about the 50's and 60's U.S. Air Force. Honor, Duty, Country - those aren't just words for men like Broughton, they are the very meaning of their lives. And they all paid a price for it, sometimes, at the hands of their own chain of command... A must read!

Col. Jack Broughton has followed his " Going Downtown" and "Thud Ridge" with another brilliant book on flying the clasic jets in the Cold War era. If you are a fan of and want the feel of how these early fighters were flown, this is the book for you. His story on the formation of the Thunderbirds and his tour as the Commander of an F106 ADC Squadron are dead on. I would recomend this book to all historians, and students of aerial warfare. I would also say you need to read his two previous books on the F-105 in Southeast Asia. Along with Robin Olds, Jack Broughton was a fighter leader with no peer.

Col. Broughton has done a superb job sharing the rest of his aviation career with aviation enthusiasts. This book details the MANY assignments he was fortunate (and unfortunate enough, in some cases) to have throughout his incredible career as a warrior/fighter pilot and HERO.

Those who have read the classics "Thud Ridge" and "Going Downtown" know well of his efforts for this country in the Thud. This latest treasure will leave you shaking your head with amazement and, yes, envy, at the roads he has traveled.

Of particular interest are the no-frills details of many of the difficulties higher echelons created. Common sense had no relevance to many of these "superiors" as they sought to get the necessary boxes checked with little regard for common sense or even, their men.

As ex-AF, I can say the book is a truly endearing no-nonsense, genuine description of life in the AF -and against- the powers-that-be, both in and out of the military.

Many thanks for sharing these stories of an incredible career.

I met "Thud Ridge" in the Grand Forks AFB library while in high school, just before Dad retired at nearly 22 years and that many thousand hours, most of them spent telling tanker pilots where to go. It was a long wait for "Going Downtown", and this latest was also worth the wait. Col. Broughton tells it like it was, and unfortunately often is, and after all, that's bureaucracy. One great anecdote concerns...heck, they're all good reading.
From a shop steward in another bureaucracy, fighting to improve efficiency despite the "overhead", as we in the field called them in the USFS...

Really enjoyed this - maybe because I'm an old fighter pilot from the Vietnam/NATO era also. This remembrance doesn't have the riveting narrative of the first two tales from Thud Ridge, but the anger is no longer so strong all these years later.

I still chafe with the repulsive attitude of senior USAF leaders that sacrificed Broughton and his Wing Commander for politics. Only the traitorous Congress that deserted the RVN when Nixon's attention was diverted by Watergate was worse. Shame, shame. Never forget, never forgive this disgrace to American history.

I am a retired fighter pilot with over 5000 hours of fighter time including 1200 in the Thud. I find Col Broughton's books to be required reading for those wanting to be a fighter pilot or for those that think they are. While his books are outstanding narratives of fighter pilot action they are more than that. They talk about leadership, loyalty, professionalism and a personal code of standards. I was a Fighter Wing Commander and I hope I exhibited some of those traits that Col Broughton expoused. Well done - Col Broughton!

Jack Broughton "flew West" recently as pilots say of their departed fellow airmen. This is his third and final book, the other two being "Thud Ridge" and "Going Downtown: the War Against Hanoi and Washington."
Broughton graduated from West Point in 1945 along with James Salter and "Boots" Blesse. Salter would go to an award-winning career as a writer. Blesse would become a double ace in Korea, fly the F-4 Phantom in Vietnam, and retire as a two-star general. (See the many books by Salter, and Blesse's books "No Guts, No Glory" and "Check Six.")
As the title suggests, Broughton flew the Republic-built P-47 "Thunderbolt" at the end of WW II and the Republic-built F-105 "Thunder Chief" in Vietnam. Both were designed by Alexander Kartveli. Consequently, both were big, tough aircraft. The Thunder Chief remains in the record book as the largest single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft in Air Force history.
Broughton's writings are must-read for any student of military aviation history. It is truly amazing how quickly the breed evolved from the radial engine of the P-47 Thunderbolt to the nuke-carrying, Mach 2 capable F-105 Thunder Chief. Highly recommended.

I'm an aviation buff, and especially military aviation. I found the book entertaining, but not nearly as some of Jack's earlier works. He strayed a little too much for my taste, but maybe others will enjoy. I'm still a huge Jack Broughton fan. More flying and yanking and banking Jack, less of the other stuff.

Very good read, I very much like the "rawness" of it. Different times.