This hoax image is doing the rounds on an April Fool email.
Because it's April 1, I've had my ``defection detection'' filter switched on, so I had a hearty chuckle at this email received a few hours ago. The email claimed that the pilot of a United States Air Force F-22 has defected to China, where he is seeking asylum.
This ``picture'' (see above) that was part of the email purports to show an F-22 being escorted into a Chinese air base by a fighter with Chinese markings. The hoax email said the defection took place during the USAF's `Polar Foil' exercise and that a Chinese spokesman, Major Hu Benadd, said the F-22 had ``been quarantined''.
But look at your calendar. Check the date. And then you'll realise that ``Hu Benadd'' translates to ``You've been had''.
10 comments:
Confess, that would've slipped by me - oh, clever one..
Hi there Shrink,
I'm normally a very gullible human being - but the April Fool Detection Button just went ``boing'' as soon as I saw this one!
David
David,
So I guess this isn't the time to relate the time our squadron was on UFO Alert/Scramble standby during 1984? :-D No, it wasn't an April Fools joke...
Marianne
Hi Marianne,
I'm really intrigued ...
Are you in a position to reveal more, bearing in mind any relevant service regulations and restrictions?
I had a UFO post about a month or six weeks ago, with a picture - and I got some very intresting comments.
David
"Polar Foil" is an anagram of "April fool"
The original had a "Jim Shu" reporting it had done a runner (Gym Shoe)
The follow up was going to be the pilots name "Jai Row" who has been unstable lately and landed by mistake due to a navigation error!!.
How do I know all this.... I did it..
LOL happy April fools day
Cheers
John
Yup, David! That was fun while it lasted!!
I took it, with due permission, from the PPRuNe/Military posts.
Posted there by an Ozzie at 0002 hrs, Oz time!!
cheers
ck
Ah John, that was very clever.
Good work all round. I do apologise if I wrecked the story. You should have let me know what you had in mind - and I would have played along and given the yarn some publicity.
Take care, Jim Shu!
David
Dear CK and John,
Another gem from the inimitable Percy Prune, no less!
Keep smiling
David
David,
It's not a case of military restrictions. I just didn't know that much about it, despite my office being in the middle of the briefing rooms and classrooms at that time. Surprisingly, there were quite a lot of UFO goings on during the 1980s. Not sure if anyone knows why. However, I picked up the little I knew from some of the pilots. They were as excited and jumpy as a bunch of schoolboys on a field trip without a chaperone. They wanted to chase UFOs. Not sure what sparked the alert, but it lasted 24 hours; jets were left on the flightline on standby 'just in case' along with support crews; and a few of the pilots had to sleep in the wardroom or such to be on instant call. It's kind of funny to remember the thrill rippling quietly through headquarters at the time.
Nothing came of it, though. I think some of them were truly disappointed by that. :-) No, this isn't an April Fools Joke. It could have been just a drill at the time - but I never found out or heard say that it was.
Cheers
Marianne
Hi Marianne,
Thanks for that - what a great story. That subject is just one of the great unknowns, so it was wonderful to read of your experience.
Thanks for sharing it with us.
Cheers
David
Post a Comment