“Viper Pilot is fantastic….A great read!”
—Dale Brown, former USAF Captain and New York Times bestselling author of A Time for Patriots
Action-packed and breathtakingly authentic, Viper Pilot is the electrifying memoir of one of the most decorated F-16 pilots in American history: U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Dan Hampton, who served for twenty years, flying missions in the Iraq War, the Kosovo conflict, and the first Gulf War. Both a rare look into the elite world of fighter pilots and a thrilling first-person account of contemporary air combat, Viper Pilot soars—a true story of courage, skill, and commitment that will thrill U.S. Special Forces buffs, aviation and military history aficionados, and fans of the novels of Tom Clancy and Dale Brown.
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"This non-fiction book was packed with action! I admit I skimmed through parts of it because of the technical language, however, it provided a great insight to US military air flying and tactics. I also appreciate that Hampton wrote this himself and never included any classified information regarding personnel, missions or locations. Bravo to him. I also liked his tone throughout the book - adding his perspective on how things ran stateside, what bases were like around the world and his sense of humor. This was a book a little outside my usual read, but I'm glad I picked it up and learned a few things about F-16 fighter jets. Oh - and Dan Hampton is not a bad looking guy - be sure to check out all of his flight suit pictures (think Maverick only taller) in the middle. :)"
— Judy (4 out of 5 stars)
“Viper Pilot is fantastic. Lt. Col. Dan Hampton offers a personal, irreverent, no-holds-barred look into the life of an Air Force fighter pilot. A great read!”
— Dale Brown, former USAF Captain and New York Times bestselling author“Viper Pilot is an awesome adrenaline rush. If you love action packed modern day war stories then strap yourself in and get ready for a gut-wrenching, g-force defying thrill ride!”
— Alex Kershaw, New York Times bestselling author“Dan Hampton’s Viper Pilot truly impressed me—if you’re a combat vet, it’s sweaty palms again; if not, strap in and get ready. Filled with lots of action, here’s a real and up-close look at modern fighter combat, told straight from the cockpit.”
— Colonel Jacksel Broughton (Ret.), recipient of the Air Force Cross for extraordinary heroism and author of Rupert Red Two: A Fighter Pilot’s Life“Offers a gripping cockpit view of modern air combat…Hampton is a vivid writer and an unabashed warrior…An outstanding work.”
— Booklist (starred review)“Viper Pilot is an instant aviation classic. Dan Hampton’s thrilling portrayals of combat missions kept me glued to the story, and he has captured the essence of Wild Weasel fighter operations as no one has before.”
— Brigadier General David L. Moody (Ret.)“A colorful memoir.”
— Kirkus Reviews" It's one of the best of many jet jockey books I've read. A lot of the details of flying a fighter in combat and getting down into the weeds on all the things pilots have to do to stay alive while completing their missions was fun and interesting. It's sure to become a classic. "
— Ned, 1/14/2014" Great read! Feels like you're right there in the cockpit "
— Mark, 10/29/2013" Although the author did a good job at explaining and his tone was quite humorous at times I still could not get into the book. So after 4 months I gave up trying to read it. "
— Kryssi, 10/9/2013" Interesting look at the advent of anti-missile missions and planes. Talk about a scary job. Fly around until an enemy radar lights you up, then try and kill the radar before the SAM's kill you. "
— Keith, 9/1/2013" Pretty good book about the history of SAM suppression and "Wild Weasels". Sometimes delves into a little too much pilot talk. SOme anecdotes reminded me of Jarhead... lots of lead up, but anti-climactic battles "
— Aric, 6/29/2013" Excellent personal account of modern war fighting from the cockpit of an F-16. "
— Ken, 3/23/2013" Great if you're another jet fighter pilot and speak the lingo. "
— Charles, 1/28/2013" Great book! If you feel the adrenaline rushing just by reading blow-by-blow descriptions of aircraft maneuvers, cluster bombs, and HUD displays, then this is the book for you. A fast pace, much humour, and colourful details add up to a very fun read. "
— Marc, 1/8/2013" Very well written, with lots of detail, definitely worth reading. "
— Paveiv, 1/7/2013" Awesome book. Really liked the video clips in the enhanced version of the book on iTunes "
— Lou, 11/21/2012Dan Hampton (US Air Force, Ret.) flew more than 150 combat missions during his twenty years as a Wild Weasel fighter pilot. For his service in the Iraq War, Kosovo conflict, first Gulf War, and elsewhere, Hampton received four Distinguished Flying Crosses with Valor, a Purple Heart, eight Air Medals with Valor, five Meritorious Service Medals, and numerous other citations. He is a graduate of the USAF and USN Fighter Weapons Schools and the USAF Special Operations School. A recipient of several awards for tactical innovation, Hampton pioneered air-combat tactics that are now standard and was named his squadron’s Instructor Pilot of the Year six times. A graduate of Texas A&M University, he has published articles in the Journal of Electronic Defense, Air Force Magazine, and Airpower, as well as several classified tactical works for the USAF Fighter Weapons Review.
John Pruden is an Earphones Award–winning audiobook narrator. His exposure to many people, places, and experiences throughout his life provides a deep creative well from which he draws his narrative and vocal characterizations. His narration of The Killing of Crazy Horse by Thomas Powers was chosen by the Washington Post as a Best Audiobook of 2010.