On 2 January 1967, Operation Bolo specifically targeted the 15 MIG-21s then serving the North Vietnamese. A force of F-4 Phantoms masqueraded as F-105 Thunderchiefs, normally used in the bombing roll, to successfully draw the MIGs up to intercept. The 8th Tactical Fighter Wing F-4s shot down seven. The painting documents the destruction of a MIG-21 by the 8th TFW Commander, Colonel Robin Olds. The viewer can clearly see pilot and back-seater, both wing tips, nose and tail, all control inputs, the empty missile stations from a previous unsuccessful engagement, and the important detail of the F-105 electronic jamming pod carried for this mission. The greater distances between opponents, characteristic of the modern jet air-to-air combat, are apparent as Robin uses the vertical, rolling opposite and inside the MIG's turn to gain firing position for the first of Robin's four SEA victories.
