Viper Pilot

The Autobiography of One of America's Most Decorated Combat Pilots

By: Dan Hampton

Narrated by: John Pruden

Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

151 combat missions

21 hard kills on surface-to-air-missile sites

Four Distinguished Flying Crosses with Valor

One Purple Heart

Sure to rank as one of the greatest aviation memoirs ever written, Viper Pilot is an Air Force legend's thrilling eyewitness account of modern air warfare.

From 1986 to 2006, Lt. Col. Dan Hampton was a leading member of the Wild Weasels, the elite Air Force fighter squadrons whose mission is recognized as the most dangerous job in modern air combat. Weasels are the first planes sent into a war zone, flying deep behind enemy lines purposely seeking to draw fire from surface-to-air missiles and artillery. They must skillfully evade being shot down - and then return to destroy the threats, thereby making the skies safe for everyone else to follow. Today these vital missions are more hazardous than direct air-to-air engagement with enemy aircraft. Hampton's record number of strikes on high-value targets make him the most lethal F-16 Wild Weasel pilot in American history. This is his remarkable story.

Taught to fly at an early age by his father, Hampton logged twenty years and 608 combat hours in the world's most iconic fighter jet: the F-16 "Fighting Falcon", or "Viper" as its pilots call it. Hampton spearheaded the 2003 invasion of Iraq, leading the first flight of fighters over the border en route to strike Baghdad. In the war that followed, he engaged in a series of brilliantly executed missions that earned him three Distinguished Flying Crosses with Valor; he notably saved a U.S. Marine unit from certain death by taking out the surrounding enemy forces near Nasiriyah. Two years earlier, on 9/11, Hampton's father was inside the Pentagon when it was attacked; with his dad's fate unknown, Hampton was scrambled into American skies and given the unprecedented orders to shoot down any unidentified aircraft. Hampton also flew critical missions in the first Gulf War, served on the Air Combat Command staff during the Kosovo War, and was injured in the 1996 Khobar Towers terrorist attack.

With manned missions rapidly giving way to remote-controlled UAV drones, Viper Pilot may be the last memoir by a true hero of the skies. Gripping and irreverently humorous, it is an unforgettable look into the closed world of fighter pilots and modern air combat.

©2012 Ascalon, LLC (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers

Great Military Listen.

I sat on this for most of the summer but once I started it, I couldnt turn it off. Makes me proud to say my tax dollars went to support the Wild Weasels. Thank You Lt. Col. Hampton for your service to our country.

F-16 Action

This audio book was exactly what I was looking for. The story and the performance were very good. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the aerial combat. Well worth the time.

Best aviation read in a very long time.

Excellency at it's best in the last 20 years I've been flying or reading of it, this book is defiantly on my all time top 10.

Pilot Porn, Plane and Simple

An absolutely wonderful performance of a great book. Any aviation enthusiast or fighter pilot-wannabe will find themselves more than satisfied with this one.

The only knock against it is the "non action" portions can be jarringly tedious if you're not already a bit of a military/flight nerd.

Wow!

Best narrator ever. hands down. story is incredible as well, one of the best audio books out there.

Excellent book

What did you love best about Viper Pilot?

As an F16 crew chief I loved the story

What did you like best about this story?

His indepth look at the missions

Which scene was your favorite?

really... All of them, they were all very interesting

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, but we did listen to it while travelling and it was wonderful

Excellent insights on many topics.

Excellent insights of being a Viper pilot.

And I loved the tidbit that they partially got that name to looking like the Vipers from Battlestar Galactica. I'm a geek for that show, especially growing up with the original so I like that fact!

Excellently told story of how the USAF has changes historically. Learning about the aircraft. Flying in a passenger jet does not give you the perspective of the G-forces, speed, distance, and maneuverability of a jet fighter. This was the best reality I have ever read/heard of what it's truly like.

I read some of the negative reviews.
Yes some swearing. I don't like it personally so wondered. it was not abundant. it had its place. Only 1 story really referred to F... a few times.
Someone says he picks on the French. He does but rarely and historically they really didn't excel militarily in many instances. To focus on these two items you are obviously missing out on the rest of the book.

First of all, he is highly intelligent. When you hear about every single test, preparation, flight knowledge, contingency, maintenance and equipment understanding that a pilot needs with the combat and training skills too - you will realize this.

To be of his caliber and successful you have to be smart. And to face "the elephant" ie face death and your mortality, you have to be a strong personality and a bit cocky. Being a soldier is the highest form of patriotism. I commend him. His bravery. And his service. (And no due to a birth hearing impairment I could never enlist. Not for lack of trying. So don't assume I'm saying so out of solidarity. )

I highly recommend this for a look of what it's like for a fighter pilot and some historical information too.

excellent listen

gives a point of view I could only hope to have had. ALWAYS loved the F16 growing up and this was just magical and the little laughs given were great as well

lively & interesting

awesome book giving a perspective from modern ariel combat that if never really gotten a glimpse of i wouldn't mind if it went over a few other missions too, but I spose Hampton covered the more interesting ones

Lots of detail, superb narration

The story is very well written and interesting with plenty technical detail, lingo, humor and both human an political reflection.
John Pruden's narration deserves standing ovations.
It just could not have been a better man for the job than him.