F-15C/E Eagle Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom Book Review
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | July 2004 | Title | F-15C/E Eagle Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Steve Davies | Publisher | Osprey Publishing |
| Published | 2004 | ISBN | 1-84176-802-2 |
| Format | 96 pages, softbound | MSRP (USD) | $19.95 |
Review
This title looks at the F-15 Eagles and the crews that participated in the months before and during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). In fact, this is a nice look into the past, present and future of the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15 Eagle, centered around the events of OIF.
The Eagle is a product of the cold war, with many of today's crews younger than their aircraft (at least in the case of the F-15C). The Air Force has progressively modernized the aircraft to keep it capable in the current threat environment, though the next generation fighters are starting to exploit the limits of the Eagle.
The table of contents maps out the coverage of this well-illustrated title:
- Eagle Chronology
- Watchful Eyes
- The 'Dirty' Deid
- Non-Traditional Warfare
- Looking to the Future
In addition to the operational summaries, the book is also has a nice selection of color photos of Eagle nose art, color profiles, line drawings, as well as color and B&W coverage of the action. The author has particular coverage of the crews and F-15E Strike Eagles of the 4th Fighter Wing from Seymour-Johnson AFB, as they received the brunt of the Eagle workload during OIF. Recommended!
My sincere thanks to Motorbooks International for this review sample!