MiG-21 Units of the Vietnam War
Author | : István Toperczer |
Publisher | : Bloomsbury Publishing |
Total Pages | : 163 |
Release | : 2012-11-20 |
ISBN-10 | : 9781782006879 |
ISBN-13 | : 1782006877 |
Rating | : 4/5 (79 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: Having honed their piloting skills on the subsonic MiG-17 and transonic MiG-19, the Vietnamese Peoples' Air Force (VPAF) received their first examples of the legendary MiG-21 supersonic fighter in 1966. Soon thrown into combat over North Vietnam, the guided-missile equipped MiG-21 proved a deadly opponent for the USAF, Navy and Marine Corps crews striking at targets deep into communist territory. Most of the VPAF's 12+ aces scored their bulk of their kills in the MiG-21, which was then the best fighter produced by Russia's premier fast jet manufacturer, Mikoyan Gurevich. Well over 200 MiG-21s were supplied to the VPAF, and the numerous models and the schemes they wore are chronicled in great detail in this unique volume.