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

This is a superb volume (with U.S Navy Phantom Migh-Killers 1965-1970) on U.S navy Phantom operations in Vietnam with many rare photos and first person accounts. It tells how the U.S navy having learnt it's lesson with the poor performance in the Rolling Thunder Campaign, created Top Gun and resulting in much better kill ratio for Linebacker I & II.

In 1972 and 1973 Navy F-4s ruled the skies over North Vietnam, downing 24 MiGs while racking up a 12-to-1 kill ratio. Statistically EVERY time Navy F-4s clashed with VPAF MiGs, they kiiled at least one MiG. The outstanding record set by Navy F-4s during the Linebacker I and II campaigns is vividly chronicled in Elward and Davies' volume. The Navy F-4 experience over North Vietnam in 1972 and 1973 was far different from the combats waged in the 1965-70 period. (See Osprey Combat Aircraft #26). During the Rolling Thunder years the kill-loss F-4 ratio steadily dwindled with many kills lost due to poorly peforming missiles, crews lacking in ACM training and poor radar controlling. Fortunately, the Navy responded to its poor showing and through a variety of measures - the Ault Report, Have Drill/Have Doughnut MiG testing, Topgun, etc. - produced F-4 crews that became MiG Masters in 1972 and 1973. Like their earlier Osprey volume on Navy F-4 MiG killers, Elward and Davies' book boasts many first-person narratives, rare photographs and great color profiles by Jim Laurier. Both volumes serve as useful and exciting introductions to Navy F-4 fighter ops over North Vietnam. For more exhaustive works on the air war over North Vietnam, readers should check out Marshall Michel's excellent CLASHES book and the reviewer's own MIG KILLERS OF YANKEE STATION.