F-15C/E Eagle Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom (Combat Aircraft) [Paperback]

Steve Davies (Author), Chris Davey (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 25, 2004 | Series: Combat Aircraft (Book 47)

The F-15C/E has formed the backbone of US and Coalition operations in the Middle East for over a decade, patrolling the skies over northern and southern Iraq as part of Operations Northern Watch and Southern Watch. F-15Cs policed the skies for Iraqi aircraft operating in contravention of no-fly zone agreements, whilst the F-15E was constantly dropping weapons onto the Iraqi SAM and AAA emplacements that engaged Coalition aircraft undertaking this mission. The USAF’s use of the F-15 in the region culminated with Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-present), which was launched in order to liberate the people of Iraq and ensure the destruction of Saddam Hussein’s alleged weapons of mass destruction. In doing so, the F-15C was used to protect friendly troops and aircraft from any last-ditch attempt to use the Iraqi Air Force. In the event, the F-15Es of the 4th Fighter Wing saw most prolific use, engaging Iraqi armour before Coalition ground troops moved forward, and providing close air support to soldiers and Special Forces as they came into contact with the enemy.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Osprey's Combat series combines the best archival photography available with specially commissioned artworks and first hand accounts, making these books favourites amongst historians, modellers and aviation enthusiasts everywhere.

About the Author

Steve Davies is ‘Air Forces Monthly’ magazine’s UK correspondent, a contributor to several other worldwide aviation publications (‘International Air Power Review,’ ‘Combat Aircraft,’ ‘Aircraft Illustrated,’ ‘Air International’ etc.), and is widely recognised as a leading authority on the F-15. He is well placed to extract stories and anecdotes that might otherwise remain untold and this is his first book for Osprey.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (May 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841768022
• ISBN-13: 978-1841768021
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 0.2 x 9.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,140,633 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Steve Davies is a military and commercial aviation photojournalist based in Cambridge, England. He began writing in 2001, and has since authored seven critically acclaimed books and co-authored four more. His freelance writing includes a plethora of articles penned for the world's leading monthly and quarterly aviation publications, and he has also worked on a range of aviation supplements that have sold millions of copies globally. He has worked as a subject matter expert for a range of military aviation documentaries commissioned by terrestrial television channels in the UK and North America, and by the History Channel. His photography has been used not only by the aviation press, but also by leading defence contractors and aviation corporations.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for all F-15E fans, February 21, 2005

By 

Lutz Gretschel - See all my reviews

This review is from: F-15C/E Eagle Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom (Combat Aircraft) (Paperback)

`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.

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.

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'.

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!