F-4 Phantom II vs MiG-21: USAF &
VPAF in the Vietnam War (Duel) by
Peter Davies
Face-Off: Phantom Vs. Fishbed!
From difficult weather conditions to unreliable missile armament to unequal
rules of engagement, this book tells the story of the challenges faced by
the F-4 and MiG-21 pilots. Using first-hand accounts wherever possible the
author draws us into the dangerous world experienced by American and
North Vietnamese pilots. Influential leaders and tacticians will be profiled to
provide a comparative evaluation of their contrasting skills. This book will
also reveal the technical specifications of each jet with an analysis of the
weaponry, avionics and survival devices of the Phantom and MiG-21. The
fighters strengths and weaknesses will be compared also, including turn
radius, performance at altitude, range and structural integrity. This was an
intense and deadly duel between vastly different rivals. In the Phantom, a
second crewmember and good radar compensated for the difficulty of
providing command and control at long distances from the targets.

However, the F-4s smoky engines and considerable bulk made it visible at
much further distances than the small, clean MiG-21 and Phantoms were
often hit by unseen MiG attacks. On the other hand, the F-4s eight-missile
armament compared favorably with the two-missile provision of the MiG.
Often pilot skill, if not luck, would be the determining factor between the
smaller, faster MiG and bigger, better-gunned Phantom. First-person
extracts will reflect on the dangers of these aerial duels while graphics
based on records of engagement and technical manuals will illustrate the
experience of air combat as they struggled to overcome their shortcomings
and survive their deadly duels.
Personal Review: F-4 Phantom II vs MiG-21: USAF & VPAF in
the Vietnam War (Duel) by Peter Davies
Now, I introduce a Review on this book which was sent from
Young Ki Moon, a amateur Miltary Aviation Researcher,Seoul,Korea.
Ihave personally many interests on Air Battles during WW11,
korean War and Vietnam War.
During Vietnam War,there were many crucial Air Battles
between US representative fighter,F-4 series and Soviet's representative
MIG-21 series which had backup of their National mobilizations,such as
most advanced Technology of Raders, missiles,AAA and GCISystem,etc.
Also, this Air Battle compairing between powerful,heavy, missile oriented
F-4 series and light,small,cannon oriented MIG series.
MIG serie beame easily revised from MIG-15,MIG-17 and MIG-19, to
different
delta winged MIG-21.
In F-4 srriesdesin development,USN's attention started from successor of
navy fighter F3H-G/H Demon to F-4 for Carrier based intercepter against
attacking enemies for Carrier protection. on the otherhand, At that time,
USAF seeked successor of F-101 Vodoo. NAVY accepted F-4 PhantomII
from
prototype,F4H-1. Army accepted F-4C modification of Phantom II.
After collision of US destryer Maddok from attacking from N.Vietnamese
torpedo boat on 2,Aug,1964,Crucial Air Battle started.
F-4C/D became ground use after slight modifications.
F-4D is 2-enginned, 2-seat interceter,grounnd attacking,deffense,
multipurpose fighter.
engine power 2x17,000lbs( MIG-31MF 1X14,307lbs)
Max. speed: 1,75knots/40,000ft(MIG-21MF 1,204 knots/42,640ft
Range: 429 nautical miles with 2xexternal tanks(MIG-21MF 400 nautical
miles with 2x external tanks)
climb: 49,oooft/min. (MIG-21MF 21,1000FT/min)
service ceiling: 59,650ft (MIG21MF 56,740ft)
Armament: at first USN oriented Air-to-air missile 4xAIM-7E Sparriow
missile(infrare red to Rader guided, long ranged)
Air-to-Air missile 4xAIM-9 Sidewinder(heat seeker,
shorter range missiles)
**** they persistet missile oriented reason mighty from
endanger from additional cann.

From commbat experience such as missile failuere, failure from fast
tlght turn of enemy fighters,and
inability of shooting missiles within sort range, F-4C/D needed
Cannon or machine guns.
F-4C,from 1965,The lack of an internal gun,M6 IAI vulcan rotary
cannon into SUU-16/A gun pod on to the central pyron.
F4D:put into a 6 baralled 20mm vulcan rotaey cannon->SUU-23A
gun pod.this extra gun pad with existing gun sight made incomplete effect.
F4E:Finally 1XM61A1'"Gatling" 6 baralled vulcan rotary cannon in
the nose part of fuslage.
F-4D has good maneuverbility with tight turn( but inferior than
MIG-21PF),using superior low level maeuver and superior
vertical flighing(MIG-21MF has superior high altitude maneuver and
superior horizontal fligt), loweraltitude Air Combat
is neccessary.
In MIG-21 series,MIG-21F-13 was only the type of Soiet deliverd. in
MIG-21F-13 Type,R-3S 'Atool",S-5 and S-24 are used
in MIG-21PF with more powerfule engines.MIG-21MF and MIG-21bis has
2x extra wing pylons at first, MIG-21 had only 1x 30mm NR-30
cannon, later changed with 1x2barreled GSh-23.
Generally, MIG-21 waited at low levei, then maximum approaced to
bombing bombers, then escape for avoiding escorted fighters
--so called "Hit and Run"technique.
i
I like introduce a brilliant,respectful,festy characterd,his feisty
character,intolerance toinappriate USAF polices,-Col. Robin Olds.
He try to improve for depressed pilots,teaching 1)Revvenge ! engagement
of battle-> Fighting-> kILL !.
2)`Team work
3)Individual training of "Dogfighing"-US
Thougt no more 'Dogfighting on missile oriented war.
compare with rouine "Dogfighting"traing
of Soviet pilots.
****note: "Top Gun"Training with small,
maneuverable fast fighters.
Col.Robin Old's "Operation Bolo"--1) F-105D fighter- bomber group
formation start flying with a QRC-160(Electric Counter Measure) attached
F-105D.
2) F-4C/D/E fighter's( with same Call Sign, same
flight location, same Radio frequency) regular time intervaled
formation start
**QRC-160's made malfuntions of AAA,SAM missie,
GCI controlled Intercepters.

3) scheduued bombing without enemy's proper
counter measures.
( Quoted from 1)"DOGFIGHTS",complete
series,DVD, History Channel,2008.
2) MIG-17 and MIG-19 units of the Vietnam
War,by Istvan Toperczer.
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