Overview

A gripping account of the mighty F-4 Phantom II, icon of the Cold War and ultimate American fighter of the 1960s, versus the nimble, agile and abundant MiG-21, which was a communist icon of the period. Influential leaders and tacticians are profiled to provide a comparative evaluation of their contrasting skills. This book also reveals the technical specifications of each jet with an analysis of the weaponry, avionics and survival devices of the F-4 Phantom II as flown by the USAF and the MiG-21. The fighters' strengths and weaknesses are also compared, including turn radius, performance at altitude, range and structural integrity. Featuring first-person extracts reflect on the dangers of these aerial duels, as USAF pilots and their counterparts struggled to overcome each plane's shortcomings, this book draws us into the dangerous world braved by American and North Vietnamese airmen in the skies over Vietnam.

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9781846033162

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Reviews

Davies writes in a very clear, straightforward style that makes certain complex technical info- about radar and electronic warfare- very easy to follow. The most important aspect of the book is the large amount of data about the VPAF, which is missing from the vast majority of works out there. He goes into detail about capabilities of the MiG-21's radar and weapon systems (again almost always missing) and the effectiveness of Vietnamese Ground Intercept Radar, which is often misunderstood and biased by cold war propaganda... This is by far one of the best books on the subject and is more than worth the $17.95 list price. Also included are brief yet thorough biographies on two famous pilots from each side for your comparison... If you want to learn how a small third world air force could hold its own against the most advanced aerial armada in the world, this is the book for you. -Brett Allen, Review Fix - reviewfix.com (July 2009) <p> The format of this 'Duel' series differs

Davies writes in a very clear, straightforward style that makes certain complex technical info- about radar and electronic warfare- very easy to follow. The most important aspect of the book is the large amount of data about the VPAF, which is missing from the vast majority of works out there. He goes into detail about capabilities of the MiG-21's radar and weapon systems (again almost always missing) and the effectiveness of Vietnamese Ground Intercept Radar, which is often misunderstood and biased by cold war propaganda... This is by far one of the best books on the subject and is more than worth the $17.95 list price. Also included are brief yet thorough biographies on two famous pilots from each side for your comparison... If you want to learn how a small third world air force could hold its own against the most advanced aerial armada in the world, this is the book for you. -Brett Allen, Review Fix - reviewfix.com (July 2009) The format of this 'Duel' series differs somewhat from the familiar Osprey presentation. There are the expected photos and knowledgable text, but there is a very limited number of profiles. Instead, artwork includes several illustrations showing various engagements, as well as cockpit layouts and armament packages. All are highly interesting and enhance the well-versed reader's understanding, while educating the neophyte. - Naval Aviation News (June 2009)

Author Information

Co-author of the two Combat Aircraft titles on the US Navy MiG killers and the author of the USAF F-4 MiG Killers books in the same series, Peter Davies is a recognised authority on the F-4 and the Vietnam War. This is his fifth book for Osprey. Jim Laurier is a native of New England and lives in New Hampshire. He attended Paier School of Art in Hamden, Connecticut, from 1974–78, and since he graduated with honours, he has been working professionally in the field of Fine Art and Illustration. He has been commissioned to paint for the US Air Force and has aviation paintings on permanent display at the Pentagon. Gareth Hector is a digital artist of international standing as well as an aviation history enthusiast. Gareth completed the battlescene artwork and cover artwork. This is the second book he has worked on for Osprey Publishing. Gareth completed the cover and battlescene artwork for this title. Tom Tullis has illustrated a number of books in Osprey’s Aircraft of the Aces and Combat Aircraft series. Tom completed the profiles, wing and gun armament artworks.

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