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Osprey Aircraft of the Aces #60
Israeli F-4 Phantom II Aces
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. The decision to create such teams may have appeared an odd one and it certainly led to a number of interesting experiences but proved, ultimately, to be so successful that by 2010 the Israeli air force will have more two-seat combat aircraft than single-seat fighters. The F-4 experience was, therefore, crucial to moulding the future of the Israeli air force.
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. The decision to create such teams may have appeared an odd one and it certainly led to a number of interesting experiences but proved, ultimately, to be so successful that by 2010 the Israeli air force will have more two-seat combat aircraft than single-seat fighters. The F-4 experience was, therefore, crucial to moulding the future of the Israeli air force.
96 pages, Paperback
First published April 27, 2004
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July 8, 2017
Predictably good. This isn't the first Aloni's book I've read, and like the others, it's full of great detail, personal stories, and a wealth of hardcore combat. The storyline is simple - Israeli F-4 pilots tackle on the Arab enemy over a period of roughly 15 years. Their biggest gripe - the rivalry with the Mirage III pilots, and who gets most prestige and glory. But the Phantoms were essentially used as ground-attack platforms due to their superior range and payload, so they got a limited share of air kills. Still, they did perform remarkably well during the Yom Kippur war (17:1 kill ratio). The SEAD part of their role was difficult, and they didn't execute it well. Air superiority wasn't achieved until the last days of the war, but the lesson was learned well, and implemented flawlessly in the 1982 conflict.
I expected to hear a little more about the F-4 ground-attack roles, especially in the later years, but the author deliberately focused on the 'ace' side of things. In that regard, he did a good job, and the pilots' stories are colorful, funny and thrilling.
If you're interested, a few other Osprey reviews of mine:
Israeli Mirage III and Nesher Aces
Israeli F-15 Eagle Units in Combat
Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat
Igor
I expected to hear a little more about the F-4 ground-attack roles, especially in the later years, but the author deliberately focused on the 'ace' side of things. In that regard, he did a good job, and the pilots' stories are colorful, funny and thrilling.
If you're interested, a few other Osprey reviews of mine:
Israeli Mirage III and Nesher Aces
Israeli F-15 Eagle Units in Combat
Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat
Igor
Displaying 1 of 1 review