Military Model Scene

Title: MiG-21 "Fishbed"
Author: Istvan Toperczer
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-4728-5756-9

Number 8 in the Dogfight series from Osprey, subtitled 'Opposing Rolling Thunder 1966-1968'. An 80-page soft-cover book in the now standard style for the series.
This one opens with an account of combat encounters between a pair of Mig-21 fighters, crewed by pilots that had been trained in the USSR, against USAF F-105s attacking targets in North Vietnam as part of Operation Rolling Thunder. It then moves on to set the scene, the background to the American offensive under the name of Operation Rolling Thunder. The threat from the SA-2 Guideline, the potent SAM system which defended many of the key target areas in the North, though they were also supported by NVA fighters including the Mig-17 and from 1966, the then new Mig-21. The remaining chapters cover the development and structure of the new Mig, the training of aircrew and groundcrews alike, even their bases in North Vietnam. Detail on the aircraft includes various drawings taken from the manufacturers manuals, and more on armament from cannon and missiles, even the ejector seat system. Among the things I learnt from this was how the forward opening canopy played a part in protecting the pilot in the event of the ejection seat sequence being activated. The North Vietnamese operational tactics are explained, accompanied by ribbon diagrams to help clarify the text. With that done, it moves back to more on the actual combat stories, and this gives details and photos of a number of individual pilots who took part. Operationally, the Migs were not without their own problems to contend with, and these are covered.
Put all this together along with plenty of archive photos and the fine artwork from 3 illustrators, Gareth Hector, Tim Brown and Jim Laurier. There are many books on the air war over Vietnam, but this is the first one I have read which really focuses on the aircraft and aircrew of the North Vietnamese defenders, in their fight against the overwhelming numbers of aircraft that were deployed against them by the USAF and USN the Rolling Thunder campaign. An interesting read and really good value for money I think.
Thanks to Osprey Books for our review copy.

Robin