MiG-21 Units of the Vietnam War
MiG-21 Units of the Vietnam War

Author: István Toperczer

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-11-20

Total Pages: 163

ISBN-13: 1782006877

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Having honed their piloting skills on the subsonic MiG-17 and transonic MiG-19, the Vietnamese Peoples' Air Force (VPAF) received their first examples of the legendary MiG-21 supersonic fighter in 1966. Soon thrown into combat over North Vietnam, the guided-missile equipped MiG-21 proved a deadly opponent for the USAF, Navy and Marine Corps crews striking at targets deep into communist territory. Most of the VPAF's 12+ aces scored their bulk of their kills in the MiG-21, which was then the best fighter produced by Russia's premier fast jet manufacturer, Mikoyan Gurevich. Well over 200 MiG-21s were supplied to the VPAF, and the numerous models and the schemes they wore are chronicled in great detail in this unique volume.

MiG-17 and MiG-19 Units of the Vietnam War
MiG-17 and MiG-19 Units of the Vietnam War

Author: István Toperczer

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-11-20

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 1782006869

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A detailed history of the MiG-17 and MiG-19 units of the Vietnamese People's Air Force, packed with first-hand accounts and colour profiles. The erstwhile enemy of the USAF and US Navy during the nine years of American involvement in the Vietnam War, the Vietnamese Peoples' Air Force (VPAF) quickly grew from an ill-organised rabble of poorly trained pilots flying antiquated communist aircraft into a highly effective fighting force that more than held its own over the skies of North Vietnam. As this book explores, flying Soviet fighters like the MiG-17, and -19, the VPAF produced over a dozen aces, whilst the Americans managed just two pilots and three navigators in the same period.

MiG-21 Aces of the Vietnam War
MiG-21 Aces of the Vietnam War

Author: István Toperczer

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2017-09-21

Total Pages: 113

ISBN-13: 1472823575

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Having learned their trade on the subsonic MiG-17, pilots of the Vietnamese People's Air Force (VPAF) received their first examples of the legendary MiG-21 supersonic fighter in 1966. Soon thrown into combat over North Vietnam, the guided-missile equipped MiG-21 proved a deadly opponent for the US Air Force, US Navy and US Marine Corps crews striking at targets deep in communist territory. Although the communist pilots initially struggled to come to terms with the fighter's air-search radar and weapons systems, the ceaseless cycle of combat operations quickly honed their skills. Indeed, by the time the last US aircraft (a B-52) was claimed by the VPAF on 28 December 1972, no fewer than 13 pilots had become aces flying the MiG-21. Fully illustrated with wartime photographs and detailed colour artwork plates, and including enthralling combat reports, this book examines the many variants of the MiG-21 that fought in the conflict, the schemes they wore and the pilots that flew them.

MiG-21 Units of the Vietnam War
MiG-21 Units of the Vietnam War

Author: István Toperczer

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-11-20

Total Pages: 96

ISBN-13: 1782007490

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Having honed their piloting skills on the subsonic MiG-17 and transonic MiG-19, the Vietnamese Peoples' Air Force (VPAF) received their first examples of the legendary MiG-21 supersonic fighter in 1966. Soon thrown into combat over North Vietnam, the guided-missile equipped MiG-21 proved a deadly opponent for the USAF, Navy and Marine Corps crews striking at targets deep into communist territory. Most of the VPAF's 12+ aces scored their bulk of their kills in the MiG-21, which was then the best fighter produced by Russia's premier fast jet manufacturer, Mikoyan Gurevich. Well over 200 MiG-21s were supplied to the VPAF, and the numerous models and the schemes they wore are chronicled in great detail in this unique volume.

MiG-17/19 Aces of the Vietnam War
MiG-17/19 Aces of the Vietnam War

Author: István Toperczer

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2016-10-20

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 1472812573

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At the beginning of the Vietnam War, the Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) were equipped with slow, old Korean War generation fighters – a combination of MiG-17s and MiG-19s – types that should have offered little opposition to the cutting-edge fighter-bombers such as the F-4 Phantom II, F-105 Thunderchief and the F-8 Crusader. Yet when the USAF and US Navy unleashed their aircraft on North Vietnam in 1965 the inexperienced pilots of the VPAF were able to shatter the illusion of US air superiority. Taking advantage of their jet's unequalled low-speed maneuverability, small size and powerful cannon armament they were able to take the fight to their missile-guided opponents, with a number of Vietnamese pilots racking up ace scores. Packed with information previously unavailable in the west and only recently released from archives in Vietnam, this is the first major analysis of the exploits of Vietnamese pilots in the David and Goliath contest with the US over the skies of Vietnam.

F-8 Crusader Units of the Vietnam War
F-8 Crusader Units of the Vietnam War

Author: Peter Mersky

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-11-20

Total Pages: 254

ISBN-13: 1782006524

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An illustrated combat history of the 'last of the gunfighters', due to its quartet of Colt-Browning Mk 12 20 mm cannons. The F-8 Crusader was numerically the most populous fighter in the US Navy at the start of America's involvement in the Vietnam conflict in 1964 – some 482 F-8C/D/Es equipped 17 frontline units. It enjoyed great success against North Vietnamese Mig-17s and Mig-21s during the Rolling Thunder campaign of 1965-68, officially downing 18 jets, which represented 53 per cent of all Mig claims lodged by Navy squadrons during this period. This book explores the history of this fighter and its pilots during the Vietnam War, alongside an array of contemporary photographs.

F-100 Super Sabre Units of the Vietnam War
F-100 Super Sabre Units of the Vietnam War

Author: Peter E. Davies

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-11-20

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 1782006990

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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.

F-4 Phantom II vs MiG-21
F-4 Phantom II vs MiG-21

Author: Peter E. Davies

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2013-05-20

Total Pages: 183

ISBN-13: 1472803930

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This book draws us into the dangerous world braved by American and North Vietnamese airmen in the skies over Vietnam. 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. First-person extracts reflect on the dangers of these aerial duels, as USAF pilots and their counterparts struggled to overcome each plane's shortcomings.

F-105 Thunderchief Units of the Vietnam War
F-105 Thunderchief Units of the Vietnam War

Author: Peter E. Davies

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-11-20

Total Pages: 96

ISBN-13: 1849082553

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The combat history of the F-105 Thunderchief units during the Vietnam War, detailing the strengths and weaknesses of the aircraft, and the difficulties it faced during many months of dangerous combat. Facing the most formidably concentrated air defences in history, pilots of the F-105D flew against North Vietnamese targets day after day during the 43 months of Operation Rolling Thunder. Despite its limited maneuverability and the lack of self-sealing fuel tanks, which made it susceptible to combat damage, the 'bombers' shot down 27 MiG fighters in 1966 – 67. This book illustrates the importance of the Thunderchief in the Rolling Thunder campaign, including the pioneering suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD) methods developed by the F-105 'Wild Weasel' crews. Discussing the aircraft's strengths and weaknesses and using first-hand narratives, Peter Davies captures the essence of flying the 'Thud' against heavy defences, and describes the development of wartime tactics and the heroic accomplishments of a selection of its aircrew.

US Navy F-4 Phantom II MiG Killers 1972–73
US Navy F-4 Phantom II MiG Killers 1972–73

Author: Brad Elward

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-11-20

Total Pages: 235

ISBN-13: 1782006591

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The second of two books on the Navy's Phantom II MiG killers of the Vietnam War, this book covers the numerous actions fought out over North Vietnam during the Linebacker I and II operations of 1972-73. No fewer than 17 MiGs were downed during this period, five of them by the Navy's sole aces of the conflict, Lts Randy Cunningham and Willie Driscoll of VF-96. Drawing on primary sources such as surviving Phantom II aircrew and official navy documentation, the author has assembled the most precise appraisal of fighter operations involving US Navy Phantom II units and those elusive MiGs ever seen in print.