American MiG Pilot: Inside the Top Secret USAF “Red Eagles” MiG Squadron by Lt. Col. (Ret.) Rob “Z-Man” Zettel is a book detailing his experiences flying Soviet MiG-21 and MiG-23 fighters in the USAF’s secret “Constant Peg” program during the Cold War.
On Saturday July 11th the Commemorative Air Force Southern California Wing at the Camarillo Airport will host “Z-Man” as he recalls his first-person, cockpit-level account of the risks and realities of training against these adversary aircraft, providing an insider’s view of the top-secret unit that trained U.S. fighter pilots to fight the MiGs they would face in combat.
Weather, operations, and maintenance permitting, CAF SoCal will fly one of our warbirds for you. So, come join us on July 11th to hear author Rob Zettel share his “I was there” story of his intimate involvement in this highly classified (at the time) fighter pilot training program. Recently published in February 2026, “Z-Man” will have copies of his book available for sale.
Date: July 11th, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM
Venue: CAF Museum, 455 Aviation Drive, Camarillo Airport, Camarillo, CA 93010
The Commemorative Air Force of Southern California is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and while admission to the museum is always free, donations help us preserve aviation history.
