Davies emphasizes stories involving hunting and killing MIGs, the premier accomplishment of fighter jocks. In addition to normal survival concerns, crewmen coped with problems ranging from frustration due to complex rules of engagement to the dealing with the rationale behind awarding medals. Along with striking targets in South Vietnam, carrier-based planes bombed North Vietnam and Laos. Vivid accounts by fliers who fought the war support theories and practices of the time-again, for both good and ill.ĭavies presents a clear picture of what it was like for F-4 II crewmen when they hit problems in air-to-air, interdiction, and close support sorties. Ronald “Mugs” McKeown, who says, “It’s like a knife fight in a phone booth.” For example, when discussing a Phantom-MIG Fresco duel, he quotes Lt. Comments by pilots provide an insider’s view. He examines changes in the F-4 II airframe, its missiles and tactics, as well as the political climate-for good and for bad. Captions provide related facts to enhance readers’ knowledge of Navy operations.ĭavies first explains the fighter aircraft environment before the 1969-73 period that he concentrates on. Nearly every page of the book contains a photograph of crewmen or an airplane.

A history of each plane complements his artwork.

Illustrator Jim Laurier, who has worked with Osprey since 2000, contributes thirty color profile paintings of F-4 Phantom IIs with distinct markings of their aircraft carriers.

For it, he interviewed Navy and Marine Corps fliers who operated from aircraft carriers. $23, paper $18.40, Kindle) is author Peter E. US Navy F-4 Phantom II Units of the Vietnam War 1969-73 (Osprey, 96 pp. The series authors and illustrators are historians who focus on specific models of aircraft and their crews during a narrow period of warfare. Fans of military aircraft cannot ask for more than what Osprey Publishing provides with its Combat Aircraft Series.

Us navy f 4 units of the vietnam war