Navy Sailor Recalls Soviet Bear Bomber Flying Below Carrier Flight Deck
A former US Navy sailor recounts a 1960s or 1970s incident where a Soviet Tu-95 'Bear' bomber flew beneath the flight deck of a US aircraft carrier. The pilot performed a low-altitude pass to monitor NATO movements, prompting a slow, fuel-burning intercept by an F-4 Phantom. The sailor later shared this experience with a former Russian Bear pilot in Texas.