vietnam

The F-4 Phantom's sofisicated electronics suite practically dictated the use of a second crew member, the "Wizzo" or Weapons System Officer, who was not a pilot. During Vietnam, this created a problem in tallying dogfight victories. In WWI, the pilot and the gunner were given credit for kills scored by two-seat aircraft. After the war, this policy was changed and both the pilot and gunner were credited with only a portion of the kill.. During Vietnam, the policy was changed yet again. Air Force Chief of Staff General John J. Ryan declared that both the GIB (Guy In the Back) and the pilot would recieve full credit for each kill. When the F-4 entered combat duty in Vietnam the possibility that the "Wizzo" (Weapons System Officer), not a pilot, might become the leading ace became a reality when Capt. Charles de Bellevue, who was particularly talented as a Weapons System Officer, scored six kills. At the same time, Capt. Steve Ritchie was the leading Air Force ace pilot with 5 kills. De Bellevue was in the back on four of Ritchie's kills.

The result of this controversy was an adamant request by pilots that future fighters be single-seaters. In the F-15 and F-16 the work of the WSO is done by computers but, the F-14 is still a two-seat fighter.