Download or read book The Men Who Flew the F 4 Phantom written by Martin W. Bowman and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2017-09-30 with total page 489 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Phantom was developed for the US Navy as a long-range all-weather fighter and first flew in May 1958, before becoming operational in 1961. The US Air Force then realized that the Navy had an aircraft that was far better than any tactical aircraft in their inventory and ordered 543 F-4C variants. There then followed a spate of orders from around the world. In Britain, it was ordered for the Navy and Air Force, but was modified to take the Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan. One of the Royal Navy's Phantoms stole the record for the fastest Atlantic crossing, a record that stood until taken by the remarkable Blackbird. Phantoms have been used in combat in many conflicts throughout its long service history. It was one of America's most utilized aircraft during the long Vietnam War and has been flown in anger in the Middle East by a number of different air forces.This is the perfect book for the general reader, enthusiast or modeler wishing to find a succinct yet detailed introduction to the design of the aircraft that has made history. It features a multitude of stories as relayed by USAF and Israeli airmen who actually flew this remarkable aircraft in wars in SE Asia and the Middle East, detailing just what it was like to fly the F-4 in combat. Many of the dozen or so chapters include combat testimonies of the Phantom design and durability in SE Asia and in the wars fought between Israel and her surrounding Arab enemies throughout the 1970s and beyond.The book also features a wealth of technical data along with stirring images that supplement the text perfectly, enhancing its visual appeal.

Download or read book From F 4 Phantom to A 10 Warthog written by Steve Ladd and published by Air World. This book was released on 2020-09-30 with total page 269 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This behind-the-scenes account of a USAF career is “an absorbing read, written with the classic humor fighter pilots seem to have” (Flight Line Book Review). From Baron von Richthofen to Robin Olds, the mystique of the fighter pilot endures. The skill, cunning, and bravery that characterizes this distinctive band of brothers is well known, but there are other dimensions to those who take to the skies to do battle that have not been given the emphasis they deserve—until now. You don’t have to be an aviation aficionado to enjoy Colonel Steve Ladd’s fascinating personal tale, woven around his twenty-eight-year career as a fighter pilot. This extremely engaging account follows a young man from basic pilot training to senior command through narratives that define a unique ethos. From the United States to Southeast Asia, Europe to the Middle East, the amusing and tongue-in-cheek to the deadly serious and poignant, this is the lifelong journey of a fighter pilot. The anecdotes are absorbing, providing an insight into life as an Air Force pilot, but, in this book, as Colonel Ladd stresses, the focus is not on fireworks or stirring tales of derring-do. Instead, this is an articulate and absorbing account of what life is really like among a rare breed of arrogant, cocky, boisterous, and fun-loving young men who readily transform into steely professionals at the controls of a fighter aircraft. “This book will appeal to a variety of readers with its Vietnam War combat stories and accounts of flying the Warthog in Cold War Europe. Fun, flying, international experiences—you won’t want to put it down.” —Aviation News

Download or read book Sherman Lead written by Gaillard R. Peck, Jr and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-03-21 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written by a pilot who flew near-daily combat missions, this engrossing book is the story of one man, his colleagues and his machine, the mighty F-4 Phantom II, at war. Sherman Lead is the gripping story of a year flying the F-4 in combat during the Vietnam War, told through the eyes of a fighter pilot. Operating out of Ubon Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand in 1968–69, Gail Peck and his squadronmates in the 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing were tasked with flying combat missions into North Vietnam and Laos at this time as part of Operations Rolling Thunder and Steel Tiger. The F-4 was heavily involved in the air-to-ground mission at this time, with targets being well defended by enemy anti-aircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles. Gail Peck's arrival in-theatre coincided with the beginning of electro-optical and laser guided 'smart' bomb combat operations. There were periods of fierce combat interspersed with lulls, and the fighting was intense and unforgettable to those who participated. Some men lived through it, and others died without a clear understanding of why.

Download or read book F 4 Phantom II Society written by and published by Turner Publishing Company. This book was released on 2001 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Iranian F 4 Phantom II Units in Combat written by Farzad Bishop and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-11-20 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An illustrated combat history of the jet, different versions of which have provided the backbone of the frontline strength of the Iranian air force since the 1970s. Whole generations of Iranian pilots and ground personnel have been trained to fly and maintain the versions of this aircraft. Indeed, the type bore the brunt of active combat operations during the long war with Iraq. Iranian F-4 Phantom IIs were also some of best equipped examples ever exported by the USA. Some Iranian Phantom II pilots gathered immense experience on the type, flying it in combat for more than ten years. This book removes the veil of secrecy surrounding Iranian Phantom II operations since the war with Iraq.

Download or read book Israeli F 4 Phantom II Aces written by Shlomo Aloni and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-02-20 with total page 149 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The American manufactured F-4 Phantom II was used by the Israelis in air-to-ground missions, as an attack aircraft, and air-to-air missions as a fighter. Despite performing both roles with equal success the Israeli reliance on the Mirage III and Nesher delta fighters meant that the F-4 was used most regularly in its air-to-ground role. The kill total of the Israeli F-4 community was, consequently, a modest 116.5; significantly lower than that of other Israeli aircraft types in service between 1969 and 1982. A handful of aces were, nevertheless, created and, using first hand accounts, this unique book tells their stories. Many F-4 pilots had previously flown the Mirage III but most of the navigators were either inexperienced flying school graduates or had been transferred from transport aircraft. As Shlomo Aloni explores in this detailed volume, the decision to create such teams may have appeared an odd one and it certainly led to a number of interesting experiences. However, it proved, ultimately, to be so successful that the Israeli air force planned to have more two-seat combat aircraft than single-seat fighters in the coming years. The F-4 experience was, therefore, crucial to moulding the future of the Israeli air force.

Download or read book Sierra Hotel flying Air Force fighters in the decade after Vietnam written by and published by DIANE Publishing. This book was released on 2001 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In February 1999, only a few weeks before the U.S. Air Force spearheaded NATO's Allied Force air campaign against Serbia, Col. C.R. Anderegg, USAF (Ret.), visited the commander of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe. Colonel Anderegg had known Gen. John Jumper since they had served together as jet forward air controllers in Southeast Asia nearly thirty years earlier. From the vantage point of 1999, they looked back to the day in February 1970, when they first controlled a laser-guided bomb strike. In this book Anderegg takes us from "glimmers of hope" like that one through other major improvements in the Air Force that came between the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. Always central in Anderegg's account of those changes are the people who made them. This is a very personal book by an officer who participated in the transformation he describes so vividly. Much of his story revolves around the Fighter Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB), Nevada, where he served two tours as an instructor pilot specializing in guided munitions.

Download or read book My Enemy My Friend written by Dan Cherry and published by Dan Cherry. This book was released on 2008 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A true story of reconciliation from the Vietnam War.

Download or read book Fox Two written by Randy Cunningham and published by Champlin Museum Press. This book was released on 1984 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the fans of the increasingly popular category of Vietnam nonfiction comes a fighter pilot's bird's-eye view of air combat. Navy flyer Cunningham takes the reader on a heart-stopping flight of daring and strategy, portraying the Navy's air war over Vietnam.

Download or read book Once A Fighter Pilot written by Jerry W. Cook and published by McGraw Hill Professional. This book was released on 2002-05-17 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: * The true adventure tales of a U.S. Air Force fighter who flew more than 400 combat hours while on duty in Vietnam * Provides a rare insider's glimpse into the world of the flying elite, detailing their education, training, emotions, and day to day experiences * Poignant, sometimes funny, brutally honest, always exciting, and an eye-opening look at one of the most tumultuous eras in U.S. history.

Download or read book Warriors at 500 Knots written by Robert F. Kirk and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2011 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the ground war struggled for success in Vietnam, it became intensely clear that the skies had to be owned by the allies for victory to have a chance. It was the F-4 and its pilots that made that possible. The author, a Phantom pilot himself, details intense stories of undaunted and valiant American pilots with their legendary fierce Phantom. These are personal stories of intrepid courage and self-sacrifice to get the mission done - whatever the cost. Fierce, unflinching battles to save friendlies and destroy a ruthless enemy are all recorded 40 years later. True tales of war at 500 knots!

Download or read book Phantom Leader written by Mark Berent and published by Mark Berent. This book was released on 1991 with total page 235 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: January 1968. The full fury of the communist Tet Offensive is about to explode, forever chaning the lives of America's bravest warriors: FAC pilot Toby Parker, shot down over the jungles of Vietnam and trapped in the middle of a tank attack. Major "Flak" Apple, a prisoner of the North Vietnamese and about to undergo torture. Special Forces Colonel Wolf Lochert facing criminal charges for murdering an enemy agent, and USAF Major Court Bannister who has the opportunity to become the Air Force's first ace in Vietnam-but at the possible cost of his career. "Berent is the real thing!"-Tom Clancy "Berent tells it like it was!"-Chuck Yeager, Brigadier General, USAF (Ret.)

Download or read book F 100 Super Sabre Units of the Vietnam War written by Peter E. Davies and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-11-20 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Featuring first-hand accounts from the men flying it, and the men on the ground relying on it for protection, an illustrated history of the unique role played by this aircraft in the war in Vietnam, right up to its possible role in a tactical nuclear strike and as a mobile nuclear deterrent. The F-100 Super Sabre may have been superseded by the superior technology of the F-105 Thunderchief and the F-4 Phantom, but by the Vietnam War it remained in service. The Super Sabre was deployed as an air defence fighter, and was later given nuclear capability. The F-100's toughness, adaptability and reliability made it ideal for the incessant missions that were demanded by close support and counter-insurgency missions. 242 Super Sabres and 87 aircrew were lost during the war but their role, particularly in developing the tactics used for discovering and destroying SAM sites, was invaluable. This book describes some of the most important actions that the F-100 took part in, looks at the pilots who flew it and analyses the impact of the aircraft on the war.

Download or read book Warriors at 500 Knots written by Robert F. Kirk and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2017-01-17 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a sequel to the authors first book about the F-4 and its pilots during the Vietnam War. It adds ten additional stories. These stories show the commitment to duty of the brave men who flew the F-4 and the pain that duty cost them. As the ground war struggled for success in Vietnam, it became intensely clear that the skies had to be owned by the Allies for victory to have a chance. It was the F-4 and its pilots that made that possible. The author, a Phantom pilot himself, details intense stories of undaunted and valiant American pilots with their legendary fierce Phantom. These are personal stories of intrepid courage and self-sacrifice to get the mission donewhatever the cost. Fierce and unflinching battles to save friendlies and destroy a ruthless enemy are all recorded over forty years later. These are true tales of war at five hundred knots.

Download or read book Thud Ridge written by Jack Broughton and published by Crecy Pub. This book was released on 2006 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the story of a special breed of warrior, the fighter-bomber pilot; the story of valiant men who flew the F-105 Thunderchief 'Thud' Fighter-Bomber over the hostile skies of North Vietnam. From the briefing rooms to the bombing runs, Vice-Wing Commander Colonel Jack Broughton, recounts the tragedy and heartache, the high drama and flaming terror, the exhilaration and thrill of life on the edge. He relives the incredible feeling of high-speed, low-level sorties where SAM missiles, flak and MiGs were all in a day's work. The bravery of the pilots and their commitment to each other in times of extreme fear, crisis and catastrophe are highlighted by vivid, fast moving flying sequences. Thud Ridgeis a fascinating and graphic memorial to the courage of the men, the power of their machines and their dedication to their mission.

Download or read book Firehammer written by Ric Hunter and published by . This book was released on 2014-01-01 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: FIREHAMMER is a novel based on a true story about the final battle of the Vietnam War. Written by Ric Hunter, a fighter pilot who participated in this event, this book educates, entertains and excites the reader. It also honors those who served including the author's high school friend, Tim Davies, USMC -- who died earlier in the war.

Download or read book The Vietnam Air War written by Dennis M. Ridnouer and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2016 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As Dennis M. (Mike) Ridnouer writes in the foreword of his new oral history, The Vietnam Air War: First Person, over five million missions were flown in the Vietnam War. The many pilots, crew, and support personnel who risked their lives daily don't deserve to fade into obscurity. Unhappy with the lack of first-person retellings of the war, Ridnouer made it his new mission to preserve these men's tales of bravery and duty. The result is more than one hundred stories from the front lines of the war. Air Force Fighter Pilots, Weapon Systems Operators (WSOs), and Electronic Warfare Officers (EWOs), recount their stories of air-to-air engagements, near misses, successes, and failures. A pilot explains why he buys a drink for every tanker driver he meets. An airman explains what a Thud is. A veteran vividly describes his homecoming. These stories and others provide a much different account of the war than those found in history books. The pages come alive with perilous missions and skilled maneuvers. Airmen from all walks of life were united during the war, and their tales include stirring accounts of friendship and comradery.