I have a couple questions I'm hoping some knowledgeable Military Channel viewer can help answere:

1) M-18 Hellcat -- I saw on a restoration special the radial aircraft engine had to be turned before ignition lest oil built up in the cylinder could mess things up. Was this every time? Can't imagine a crew in combat having to get out, hook up the crank and spin the engine just to fire it up and drive to safety. Any old M-18 crew or expert know?

2) Just wondered if the amazing Phoenix missle had ever been fired in anger, and did it ever score any kills? I was thinking all Tomcat kills I heard of with Lybians, Gulf War, etc had all been Sidewinder, Sparrow, or guns...no Phoenix. Anybody know?

I don't know about the hellcat, but I do know about the phoenix. The U.S navy only fired the phoenix twice, with no comfirmed kills. Iran, however has claimed several kills with the missle during the iran-iraq war