Title:
F-15C/E Eagle Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom
Author:
Steve Davies
Publisher:
Osprey Publishing
ISBN:
1841768022
Published:
June 2004
Size:
7.2" x 9.7" (18.5 cm x 25 cm)
Notes:
Paperback , 96 pages, more than 120 photographs, drawings and
illustrations, many previously unpublished photographs taken by F-15 pilots or
the author, Clear focus on the F-15E Strike Eagle units that participated in
Operation 'Iraqi Freedom', for a signed copy of the book contact the author via
his email at
steve.davies@f-15estrikeeagle.com
Comments:
a must-have for all F-15E enthusiasts, a welcome addition to any aviation
enthusiast's library, very highly recommended!
List
Price:
USD 19.95 / GBP 12.99 / EUR 18.50
The
Author
Steve
Davies is a freelance aviation journalist from Cambridge, England. Living near
RAF Lakenheath, home of two F-15E Strike Eagle squadrons, he has studied the
F-15E intensively for many years; he has even flown the jet twice - an honor
bestowed to few civilians.
Besides
this latest publication in his series of F-15C/E books, Steve has written two
other books on the subject: 'Boeing
F-15E Strike Eagle - All-Weather Attack Aircraft' and 'Combat
Legend: F-15 Eagle and Strike Eagle'. He is also the author of tens
of articles on the F-15C Eagle/F-15E Strike Eagle and other military aviation
subjects for aviation magazines like 'Air Forces Monthly', 'Combat Aircraft' or 'International
Air Power Review'.
His
close ties to the F-15E community - mostly the 4th Fighter Wing and the 48th
Fighter Wing - make him the #1 civilian expert when it comes to the mighty
Strike Eagle.
Steve
is also an respected aviation photographer. Many of the photographs used in his
books were taken by himself and have never been published before, making his
books even more valuable.
The
Book
‘F-15C/E
Eagle Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom’ is Osprey Publications’ latest
volume
(No.
47) in their Combat Aircraft Series and Steve Davies’ third book on the F-15
subject.
Like
the title says, the book decribes the operational environment of both the F-15C
and the F-15E during Operation ‘Iraqi Freedom’ but the focus is clearly on
the F-15E Strike Eagle. Which is no surprise, since the author has outstanding
connections to the Strike Eagle community at Seymour Johnson AFB (which is the
home to the two F-15E squadrons that participated in the conflict) and because
it was the F-15E Strike Eagle that played the dominating role in the theatre.
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With
its more than 120 photographs and illustrations the book is also very useful for
modeling reference
©
2004 Osprey Publishing
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His
direct access to the men and women of the 335th Fighter Squadron ‘Chiefs’
and the 336th Fighter Squadron ‘Rocketeers’ enabled the author to write a
description of the units’ operational environment in the theatre of unparalled
accuracy. Interviews with those involved describing their experiences during the
conflict give the book a ‘thrilling’ component, bringing back memories of
reading William L. Smallwood’s fascinating Operation Desert Storm books.
‘We
were already climbing up to conserve fuel on the way home, and I had barely
finished my turn when the RWR (Radar Warning Receiver) screamed its stuttering
wail in my headset. The noise chilled me to the bone – it was the missile
launch tone. Before I looked at the RWR itself, my eyes cued in on the blazingly
red warning light on the instrument panel, located just below the glareshield at
eye level. It is only the size of a dime, but the black words backlit on the
square red light jumped out at me larger than life – “SAM”. At the same
time my WSO “Maddog” shouted “ROLAND!”.
Hairraising
quotes like this one from an interview with ‘Hacker’, a F-15E pilot who was
shot at with two ‘Roland’ surface-to-air missiles ripple-fired one after the
other by Iraqi ground forces south of Bagdad, make it almost impossible to lay
down the book before the last page. All 6 Chapters of the book are incredibly
interesting to read and contain highly accurate and informative text plus more
than 90 photographs, mostly taken by aircrews during their deployment or the
author himself.
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7
pages of full-color aircraft profiles are included in the book
©
2004 Osprey Publishing
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The
book's first chapter ‘Eagle Genealogy’, gives a short introduction into the
F-15 Eagle history and technology providing the not up-to-date reader with the
level of information on the aircraft he needs to continue with the following
chapters. As for the F-15E Strike Eagle, the chapter is a very brief summary of
the author’s previously released book ‘Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle –
All-Weather Attack Aircraft’.
After
this little update on (Strike) Eagle technology, the reader is well prepared for
the following chapters of the book. Chapter two "Watchful Eyes"
summarizes the activity of
F-15C
Eagle and F-15E Strike Eagle units in the theatre during Operations 'Northern
Watch' and 'Southern Watch'. This gives the author the opportunity to discuss
the final deployments of F-15Cs to
the Persian Gulf, since it was the F-15E that played the main role once
Operation ‘Iraqi Freedom’ began.
Chapter
three ‘The “Dirty” Deid’, deals with the Rocketeers’ and Chiefs'
deployment to Al-Udeid, Qatar, which would be their home in the theatre for the
month ahead. The author describes the new operational environment at Al-Udeid,
the squadrons' practicing for their new tasks and their preparation for upcoming
Operation 'Iraqi Freedom'.
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The
book's 'Colour Nose Art Gallery' features 19 of the most beautiful 335th
FS and 336th FS nose arts.
© 2004 Osprey Publishing
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All
aspects of F-15E Strike Eagle activity during Operation 'Iraqi Freedom' are
covered in chapter four 'Non-traditional Warfare'. With its 47 pages alone, it
is the main chapter of this book, describing the various types of missions F-15E
crews were flying during the conflict including AGM Strikes, FAC, SCAR, KI, CAS,
Urban CAS, airfield attacks, SCUD Hunting, or DCA and Escort. Besides the
already mentioned photographs, the author illustrated this chapter with aircraft
profiles (by artist Chris Davey) of no less then 18 different 335th FS and 336th
FS F-15E airframes (plus 3 F-15C airframes) mostly with colorful nosearts, not
missing to describe the background of each aircraft. Talking of nosearts,
photographs of many F-15E nosearts carried by 335th FS and 336th FS aircraft
during the conflict are featured in a 'Colour Nose Art Gallery'. The most
thrilling part of the chapter is when F-15E pilot 'Hacker' tells his hairraising
story of his double Roland encounter (see qoute above) adding a cockpit voice
recording transcript of the incident.
In
the fifth and last chapter of the book, Steve Davies makes us 'Looking to the
Future'. He describes new avionic and weapon systems which are waiting to be
introduced to the F-15E, making the mighty Strike Eagle even more powerful.
Conclusion
Without
a question, 'F-15C/E Eagle Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom' is a very well-done
book that I can't recommend highly enough. If you are interested in the most
recent middle-east war, state of the art US air power and the mighty F-15E
Strike Eagle than this book is a must-have for you. With its very high number of
photographs and illustrations, the book is also a great piece of reference that
all F-15E modelers should have on their bookshelves.
Very highly
recommended!
Lutz
F-15E Strike Eagle.com
Editor and Webmaster
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