F-4 Phantom II vs MiG-21: USAF & VPAF in the Vietnam War (Duel)

From difficult weather conditions to unreliable missile armament to unequal rules of engagement, this book tells the story of the challenges faced by the F-4 and MiG-21 pilots. Using first-hand accounts wherever possible the author draws us into the dangerous world experienced by American and North Vietnamese pilots. Influential leaders and tacticians will be profiled to provide a comparative evaluation of their contrasting skills. This book will also reveal the technical specifications of each jet with an analysis of the weaponry, avionics and survival devices of the Phantom and MiG-21. The fighters' strengths and weaknesses will be compared also, including turn radius, performance at altitude, range and structural integrity. This was an intense and deadly duel between vastly different rivals. In the Phantom, a second crewmember and good radar compensated for the difficulty of providing command and control at long distances from the targets. However, the F-4's smoky engines and considerable bulk made it visible at much further distances than the small, clean MiG-21 and Phantoms were often hit by unseen MiG attacks. On the other hand, the F-4s eight-missile armament compared favorably with the two-missile provision of the MiG. Often pilot skill, if not luck, would be the determining factor between the smaller, faster MiG and bigger, better-gunned Phantom. First-person extracts will reflect on the dangers of these aerial duels while graphics based on records of engagement and technical manuals will illustrate the experience of air combat as they struggled to overcome their shortcomings and survive their deadly duels. "This book draws us into the dangerous world braved by American and North Vietnamese airmen in the skies over Southeast Asia. By detailing the technical specifications of each jet and analyzing their weaponry, avionics and survival equipment, the author reveals the strengths and weaknesses of two of the Cold War's most iconic combat aircraft. Influential wing and regiment commanders and tacticians are profiled, providing a comparative evaluation of their contrasting skills, and how they exploited the fighters' strengths and minimized their weaknesses in combat. First-hand accounts place you in the midst of these epic aerial engagements that were fought over the jungles of North Vietnam, as USAF Phantom-II crews attempted to defend vulnerable fighter-bombers from the aggressive attacks of the well-trained MiG-21 pilots."--Back cover 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. 0......Page 1 00......Page 2 02......Page 3 04......Page 4 06......Page 5 08......Page 6 10......Page 7 12......Page 8 14......Page 9 16......Page 10 18......Page 11 20......Page 12 22......Page 13 24......Page 14 26......Page 15 28......Page 16 30......Page 17 32......Page 18 34......Page 19 36......Page 20 38......Page 21 40......Page 22 42......Page 23 44......Page 24 46......Page 25 48......Page 26 50......Page 27 52......Page 28 54......Page 29 56......Page 30 58......Page 31 60......Page 32 62......Page 33 64......Page 34 66......Page 35 68......Page 36 70......Page 37 72......Page 38 74......Page 39 76......Page 40 78......Page 41 80......Page 42 82......Page 43