Olds' plane is on the Terrazzo (Quad) at USAFA. Legend is that he used to hang around it and ask passing cadets what they knew about it.

He died when My Favorite Pilot was in Basic Cadet Training at USAFA in 2007. He was buried at the Academy, and if memory serves, they managed to get a four ship of Phantoms to do the missing man at the burial.

Each USAFA class picks an Exemplar, a person from Air Force history who they would choose to emulate. Class of 2011 (MFP's class) picked Olds. The name "Olds" was on the shoulder of their jackets.

One tradition they have is to respond with your Exemplar's name when you hear your class number. Just like my buddies and I would have whooped if someone said "77" in any context, they would respond with "Olds!" if anyone said "11".

Funny to hear 1,000 cadets yelling "Olds!"

There's a podcast called "cold war, prelude to the present" or something close to that done by bill wittle.

It's 8-10 episodes that are really good and one of the episodes has a decent segment on this topic. I've probably listened to the whole series 4 times through as I run.

Just found this 2021 article about the installation of a memorial to fighter pilots in general, and Olds in particular, at USAFA



https://www.usafa.af.mil/News/News-Display/Article/2800443/academy-honors-air-power-ace-pilot-robin-olds-with-memorial/

Quote:

---

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - A $1.4 million memorial celebrating the first 100 years of aerial combat was unveiled at the Air Force Academy, Oct. 1.

The Air Warrior Combat Memorial near North Gate and Stadium boulevards features a bronze statue of former commandant of cadets and pilot Brig. Gen. Robin Olds, a F4 Phantom aircraft model, and displays highlighting the advances of air power since World War I.

In all, 368 donors paid for the memorial in its entirety, with the class of '71 donating 90% of the cost, according to Greg Knedler, vice president of class and constituent development for the school's fundraising arm, the Academy Foundation.

Retired Col. Frank Morgan, a 1971 Academy graduate and project chair, said the memorial is the end-result of an 11-year fundraising and design effort organized by the Class of '71.

After the class's 40th reunion in 2011, "We were eating pizza and having a beer," he said. "That's how this started. We all knew we needed to do something."

Raising funds was a team effort, Morgan said, that included graduates from the Academy's classes of '63, '69 and private donors.

Brigadier Gen. Paul Moga, the Academy's commandant of cadets and a fighter pilot, is a 1995 graduate of the Academy. Olds, he said, is the archetype of air power. Photos of every Academy commandant hang near his office but the photo the commandant pays the most attention to is of Olds.
"I feel his eyes tracking me," he said with a laugh.

Moga said Olds' "deep commitment to the Air Force, air power and Airmen" is an example for every Airman and cadet. The memorial, he said, is an example of the "grit, discipline, innovation and courage" cadets need to be successful war fighters.

Olds was a "triple ace" with 17 victories in World War II and the Vietnam War and commandant of cadets from 1967-1970. He retired from the Air Force in 1973 after 30 years of military service.
The Air Warrior Combat Memorial is open to the public during base visiting hours.

---

And apparently, the legend is wrong, the F-4 at USAFA was not Olds' plane.

The Collings Foundation remarkably acquired an F-4, maybe 30 years ago. It was restored to flying condition and housed at Ellington in Houston. Initially, it was painted with the markings of Steve Ritchie's Mig kill aircraft depicted in the video. He was associated with the Collings Foundation and flew it regularly. I don't know the full story but heard that Ritchie treated it as his personal aircraft and there was a parting of the ways. Never knew him, but did meet him a couple of times. The consensus was that he was an Arschloch.

The Collings Foundation then repainted the jet as Robin Olds tail number 680 and FP for Ubon and believe that continues to today. In reality, the real tail number is 65-0749 or 749. On a personal side note, I flew this aircraft. Usually, only the last three numbers are highlighted. When I was assigned to the 49th TFW at Holloman, 749 and 949 were designed at the Wing commander and Vice Wing commanders aircraft. The reason I remember these two jets were the 7 and 9 were smaller and the 49 was done in block letters. When we got F-4Ds at Ellington, 749 was one of them.

It does not matter if the AFA F-4 is the real 463 or another tail number just painted as 463 and OY for Udorn, but I'd be curious.

Saw Olds speak at the Air & Space Museum in early 2Ks. It was an amazing evening listening to him speak of his various experiences.

I purchased a huge framed print of his P51 that evening. It has his autograph as well. It has been my main piece of art in my office to this day.

He was an inspiration to listen to.

In reply to F4GIB71 The video seems to claim the Terrazzo aircraft is the aircraft that Ritchie flew.

Side note, MFP was in PIT training at Randolph in 2012 or 2013, and saw an F-4 sharing airspace with her. I believe it was an F-4 that is currently in private hands and is flying.

We had a monthly TGIF meeting at the O'Club. Normally it was about safety, but at least we got to drink beer. Our wing commander, Bill Kirk, had been Olds' IP when he checked out in the F-4 so he brought the General in to speak to the troops. Olds had everyone's fangs hanging out. What an inspiration.

Kirk related a story in the introduction. One of the F-4 prohibited maneuvers was intentional spins. On one of the training flights, Olds said to Kirk, "let's spin this SOB". Kirk did not object. After they recovered, Olds said, "that was fun. Let's do it again." This time Kirk objected strongly.