Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter Book Review
By Rachel E. Veres
| Date of Review | January 2014 | Title | Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Paul F. Crickmore | Publisher | Osprey Publishing |
| Published | 2014 | ISBN | 9781472801166 |
| Format | 64 pages, softbound | MSRP (USD) | $18.95 |
Review
From its debut over Panama to an infamous shoot-down during Operation Allied Force over former Yugoslavia, Osprey's Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter highlights an iconic 'Skunk Works' aircraft.
As in other "Air Vanguard" titles, author Paul Crickmore dedicates the first two-thirds to the Nighthawks's design evolution and technical parameters. A couple useful graphs compliment this portion.
The book's heart beats within the remaining third. Here Crickmore focuses on the F-117's relatively brief, but critical, operational history. Even though Nighthawks first saw action during Operation Just Cause over Panama in 1989, the F-117 proved its mettle during Operation Desert Storm one year later in the skies over Iraq. F-117s flew 1,247 sorties in nearly 7,000 fight hours, achieving bombing results never before recorded – and without loss of or damage to a single Nighthawk!
The author finishes the publication with a short conclusion reiterating the aircraft's revolutionary history. A bibliography and index completes this account.
Over forty photographs and artwork by Adam Tooby complement Osprey's account. Need modeling ideas? Eleven color profiles provide plenty of inspiration.
Decidedly recommended.
My sincere thanks to Osprey Publishing for this review sample!