MiG-21 Aces of the Vietnam War

Author: István Toperczer
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472823575
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 113

Book Description
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

Author: István Toperczer
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782007490
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 96

Book Description
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-21 Units of the Vietnam War

Author: István Toperczer
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782006877
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 163

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

Author: István Toperczer
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782006869
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 100

Book Description
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. 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 Units of the Vietnam War

Author: István Toperczer
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Farmer (Jet fighter plane)
Languages : en
Pages : 184

Book Description

MiG-17/19 Aces of the Vietnam War

Author: István Toperczer
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472812573
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 100

Book Description
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.

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

Author: István Toperczer
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782007482
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 96

F-8 Crusader Units of the Vietnam War

Author: Peter Mersky
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1782006524
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 254

Book Description
Known to its pilots as the 'last of the gunfighters' due to its quartet of Colt-Browning Mk 12 20 mm cannon, 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.

B-57 Canberra Units of the Vietnam War

Author: T. E. Bell
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472800273
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 236

Book Description
The B-57 Canberra was the first jet-powered American attack aircraft committed to the Vietnam War. Involved in day-to-day interdiction missions as well as in classified “black” missions and a starring role in Operation Rolling Thunder; the B-57 evolved to become one of the most valuable weapons in the USAF inventory. The B-57E was involved in the Patricia Lynn missions, parts of which remain classified. This book also fully documents the role of the Australian Canberra B-20 in working alongside the B-57. Featuring scores of previously unpublished photographs; the story of the B-57 is the story of the Vietnam War.

Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig-21

Author: Theodore Gianna
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780645654806
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
The MiG-21 was the first supersonic fighter from the Soviet Union. It was first built in the mid-1950s, around the same time as the US Century Series jet fighters, the F-100, F-101, F-102, F-104, F-105, and F-106. However, the MiG 21 would outlive all those fighters. The three largest MiG factories in the USSR manufactured the MiG-21s in many variants. The Moscow Gorki plant (no.21) saw the most extensive production; 5,278 units. The second facility, also in Moscow, was the 'Znamya Truda' (Moscow Aircraft Production Association) plant, which produced 3,203 units, and the no. 31 plant in Tbilisi, Georgia, built 1,677 units. Production lasted 27 years, from 1959 until 1986. MiG fighters for internal and export use totaled an amazing 10,158 MiG-21s built, including the last of a great breed, 2,030 MiG-21bis fighters, and 1,133 MiG-21 UM 'Mongol' training versions. It was the most mass-produced supersonic fighter aircraft in aviation history, and it still holds that title.Although the MiG-21 was an excellent jet fighter, one aircraft had its measure, the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom. The air battles that took place between the two rival jets during the long Vietnam conflict are legendary. This book devotes a section on the MiG's operations in the Vietnam War.