Reply #18: Luckily the crew had 'ditched' most sensitive electronics first...

[EVDebs]

from what I remember about the incident, which involved some hotdogging by a foolish Chinese pilot (who got himself killed by flying UNDER the planes wing, where, oops, the US pilot suddenly banked into his cockpit).

This was the same style mission that probes potential enemie's airspace and seeks to 'light up' air defenses, as with numerous Cold War missions into Soviet airspace, some resulting in downed aircraft and men taken prisoner. The history of this is fascinating. Diplomacy is sorely lacking.

Maybe the planes should have Wal-Mart markings on them instead, however.