"ECOMOG hired foreign mercenaries to flies those jets": Charles Taylor after suffering heavy air bombardment from one of the fighter Jets flown by AVM CN Chukwu during the ECOMOG Ops.
INTRODUCING “WINGS OF DISTINCTION: MEMOIRS OF A FIGHTER PILOT”
Wings of Distinction unveils the captivating biography of one of Nigeria’s foremost fighter pilots and ECOMOG veteran, Air Vice Marshal Christian Chukwu. The book chronicles his career of excellence as well as amazing escapades in life and in the line of duty. We have all heard about the stories of some people referred to as, “stranger than fiction.” The story of AVM Chukwu is definitely one of them.
There is a chapter of the book titled, “Liberia: The Smell of Death”. It was not once, not twice but several times that AVM Chukwu smelt death in the course of his hazardous career, particularly during the Liberian military campaign. In fact, the smell of death ran from his father, Albert Chukwu, through his eldest brother and mentor, the legendary Squadron Leader John Chukwu, down to himself. The story of the late Sqn Ldr John Chukwu, AVM Chukwu’s eldest brother and role model would require a book in its own right. Here was also one of the best trained Nigerian fighter pilots who had already showed his prowess but found himself on the side of Biafra during the Nigerian civil war.
The story of AVM Chukwu is laced with adventures. For example, in 1982 during his Undergraduate Pilot Training at Reese Air Force Base in the USA, he caused some anxiety for his instructors when he declined assistance and successfully landed a distressed aircraft during a solo night mission. That incident raised his profile but also earned him the sobriquet, “that Nigerian student who flies around at night without light”. Later in Nigeria came another case of smelling death by the AVM as recounted in “Aggressors in Thunderstorm”. His flight of four Alpha-Jets ended up in a terrible storm at low altitude with minimum fuel over the air field they had diverted to. The storm split the formation and while each jet zipped across and around to reacquire the runway, Chris almost collided with another aircraft. According to him, if he had stretched out his hand, he would have touched that aircraft. He decided to depart that airfield and practically glided to land in a small nearby aerodrome.
There are several of these near mishaps which would hold the reader spellbound. Most of these happened during his altogether nineteen months of participation in the ECOMOG operations on many occasions, between 1990 and 1994. They included what he calls, “Mysterious Spin over the Atlantic” and “Near Death at Omega Tower.” However, the climax of these near-death missions is titled, “A Date with the Rebels” the narration of an attack that led to him force-landing at Spriggs Airfield in Monrovia.
In his military career, he believed that one must go the extra mile if one wants to achieve extraordinary results. For this, he advised young pilots to operate “with the highest level of proficiency … they will need the survival instinct and the angel of good luck on their side.” Chukwu attained the zenith of his career in the Nigerian Air Force with promotion to Air Vice Marshal (Major General) and earned the conferment of two National Honours before disengaging from active Service in 2016.
Professor Mike Maduagwu
May, 2020.


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08R7NYT8L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_.i94FbZZ6CC73
Cc: Lalasticlala, mynd44, Dominique

Always the best.Nkea anyi bu nkea anyi.Just like those brave Biafran pilots during the civil war.Meanwhile, no sane ummunem should be with the terrorists infested military today.It is a one way ticket to untimely death after being set up.

Racoon:
Always the best.Nkea anyi bu nkea anyi.Just like those brave Biafran pilots during the civil war.Meanwhile, no sane ummunem should be with the terrorists infested military today.It is a one way ticket to untimely death after being set up.

n
Don't turn this thread to a tribal one

janedonez:
Don't turn this thread to a tribal one

It is a tribal one already because although the exceptional pilot served Nigeria, he and his equally pilot dad all have identity as an Igbo men. Had it been he pushed drug, would some people here have seen him in the prism of being a Nigerian or rather the usual derogatory "5%ter, "IPOB", or "developers". The hypocrisy is not it.

Nigerian military victories in liberia and Sierra Leone is always overhyped.

Just look at the way dey have been struggling against Boko Haram in the North East for the past 9 years.

The war in the NE no com get head or tail again.

Great man and i am also pleased to say my dad flew alongside him during Ecomog days.

Terrors of the sky with the Alpha Jet

I must say his brother, John Chukwu, was a legend.

Lalasticlala, Mynd44 Let celebrate our brother Nigerian pilot.