There’s a definite sense of melancholy seeing the final flights of an aircraft that’s given so many years of service. The 1-300 channel captures that perfectly in his latest video, which saw the final F-4 flights for some of the pilots of the JASDF 301 squadron.
If machines could talk, what would these old warriors say? Would they tell of tense night flights during the Cold War, keeping an eye on possible provocations from the USSR, North Korea, or China? Perhaps they would remember cold, sunny days, where thick, clean air gets gulped into thirsty air intakes and made for spectacular unrestricted climbs into the heavens. Perhaps they warn their younger brothers: F-2, Eagle, and F-35 to be wary of birds, and mindful of new pilots fresh from training.
When does a machine become more than just a collection of metal, wires, and other components? We talk to them; name them; beg, cajole, and threaten them; they never respond, except when sometimes we swear that they do.
This really turned out a bit philosophical. Might as well end with a half-hour documentary about the end of the F-4 in USAF service.