Osprey

F-15C/E Eagle Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom book

Product # 

Product Article by Lutz Gretschel on Nov 20 2004

 

 

Title:   F-15C/E Eagle Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom

Author: Steve Davies

Publisher:  Osprey Publishing

ISBN:      1841768022

Published:    June 2004

Size:                7.2" x 9.7" (18.5 cm x 25 cm)

Notes:             Paperback , 96 pages, more than 120 photographs, drawings and illustrations, many previously unpublished photographs taken by F-15 pilots or the author, Clear focus on the F-15E Strike Eagle units that participated in Operation 'Iraqi Freedom', for a signed copy of the book contact the author via his email at steve.davies@f-15estrikeeagle.com

Comments: a must-have for all F-15E enthusiasts, a welcome addition to any aviation enthusiast's library, very highly recommended!

List Price: USD 19.95 / GBP 12.99 / EUR 18.50

The Author

Steve Davies is a freelance aviation journalist from Cambridge, England. Living near RAF Lakenheath, home of two F-15E Strike Eagle squadrons, he has studied the F-15E intensively for many years; he has even flown the jet twice - an honor bestowed to few civilians. 

Besides this latest publication in his series of F-15C/E books, Steve has written two other books on the subject: 'Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle - All-Weather Attack Aircraft' and 'Combat Legend: F-15 Eagle and Strike Eagle'. He is also the author of tens of articles on the F-15C Eagle/F-15E Strike Eagle and other military aviation subjects for aviation magazines like 'Air Forces Monthly', 'Combat Aircraft' or 'International Air Power Review'

His close ties to the F-15E community - mostly the 4th Fighter Wing and the 48th Fighter Wing - make him the #1 civilian expert when it comes to the mighty Strike Eagle. 

Steve is also an respected aviation photographer. Many of the photographs used in his books were taken by himself and have never been published before, making his books even more valuable. 

The Book 

‘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.

With its more than 120 photographs and illustrations the book is also very useful for modeling reference
© 2004 Osprey Publishing

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.

7 pages of full-color aircraft profiles are included in the book
© 2004 Osprey Publishing

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'.

The book's 'Colour Nose Art Gallery' features 19 of the most beautiful 335th FS and 336th FS nose arts.
© 2004 Osprey Publishing

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!

Lutz 

F-15E Strike Eagle.com
Editor and Webmaster

Photos and text © by Lutz Gretschel