This month's book vote sees five Dogfight titles battling for your vote. Read the full descriptions and cast your vote by clicking on the link below. Plus, check out the results of last month's Raid book vote.
MiG-17 ‘Fresco’ (Vietnam 1965–68)
Bf 109 (Legion Condor 1937–39)
F4U Corsair (Okinawa 1945)
MiG-15 (Korea 1950–53)
F-4C/D Phantom II (Vietnam 1965–68)
MiG-17 ‘Fresco’ (Vietnam 1965–68)
Although considered obsolescent by US pilots at the start of the Vietnam War in 1965, the diminutive MiG-17 proved to be more than a handful when encountered in the skies over North Vietnam particularly during the Rolling Thunder campaign. The MiG-17’s unequalled low-speed manoeuvrability, small size and powerful cannon armament allowed the inexperienced Vietnamese People’s Air Force pilots to take the fight to their gun- and missile-equipped foes of the USAF and US Navy.
Bf 109 (Legion Condor 1937–39)
The Legion Condor represented the ‘unleashing’ of the Luftwaffe in a battleground environment, and its fighter units equipped with early models of the superlative Bf 109 from March 1937 were at the spearhead of its operations. The sleek Messerschmitt fighters soon proved themselves formidable in aerial combat, and by the end of the Spanish Civil War, 29 of the Legion Condor’s fighter pilots had accounted for more than 150 confirmed Republican aircraft shot down in combat.
F4U Corsair (Okinawa 1945)
The clashes over between the US Navy and US Marine Corps F4U Corsair squadrons and Japan’s hastily created Kamikaze units were some of the last large-scale aerial engagements of the Pacific War. Kamikaze tactics came to the fore during the Okinawa campaign in April–May 1945, when mass attacks were made. The less experienced Japanese pilots were no match for the Corsair-equipped counterparts, who were at the peak of their game. On numerous occasions following these uneven contests, F4U pilots would return from combat having shot down up to six Japanese aeroplanes during a single mission.
MiG-15 (Korea 1950–53)
Soviet fighter pilots from 64th Fighter Air Corps, equipped with MiG-15s sporting North Korean People’s Air Force markings, engaged American, British and Australia aircraft in aerial combat on a near-daily basis from November 1950 until July 1953. More than 50 of them scored five or more victories. Their story is almost unknown outside of the USSR.
F-4C/D Phantom II (Vietnam 1965–68)
The USAF introduced the F-4C Phantom II to the war in Southeast Asia in April 1965 as its principle fighter in the defence of strike aircraft attacking targets in North Vietnam. Claiming its first MiG kill three months later, the F-4C/D would destroy 85 North Vietnamese fighters by the end of Operation Rolling Thunder in November 1968.
Last month, we asked what you would like to see published in our Raid series. Thank you to everyone who voted and provided feedback. The results saw one book stealing the lead. Check out the full results below to find out more!
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