Product Description

Every engagement that has resulted in an official 'kill' by all U.S. forces since the end of the Vietnam conflict is chronicled in this book. Not only is this the only complete work on the subject, but almost every one of the fifty-six accounts are told by the pilots involved. These engagements involve F-14s, F-15Cs, F-15Es, F-16s, F/A-18s, and A-10s. Many of these stories have never been told outside of classified reports, and many of the photos have never been previously published. Debrief is the first book from author and former USAF fighter pilot Craig "Quizmo" Brown. The foreword is by USAF Ace and legend BGen Robin Olds.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #444612 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780764327858
• Condition: USED - VERY GOOD
• Notes:
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Customer Reviews

A Must Have
Craig "Quizmo" Brown is a former US Air Force fighter pilot who has used his considerable connections and expertise to compile this complete list of US air-to-air victories dating back to 1981.

The beauty of this book does not lie with the reproduction or illustrations, although both of these are very pleasing, but with the authority of the text. The entire book has clout not because Brown has interpreted the engagements as he believes they occurred, but because he has tracked down and interviewed a great many of the pilots involved in the fifty-six different kills described within; what you read is almost always the recollection of the man in the cockpit at the time. There are only a few exceptions to this, and Brown is clear about the source and the timeline in which the information was obtained at the start of each narrative.

This is a great book for anyone interested in modern military air combat, and in particular the cutting edge technologies employed by the United States Air Force and Navy to achieve total air dominance in major conflicts since 1981, with Iraq and the Balkans being the two major theatres. There's no 'gung ho' attitude or blatant bias to the narratives - the candid nature of the fighter pilots interviewed means that many recall their kills warts 'n all. That means they highlight what went wrong as well as what went right, and for the reader it's a privilege to be treated without condescension.

The subtext to all of this is that there are acronyms in this book - there would simply be no way to write this book without incorporating them, and they are an integral part of modern air combat. They usually relate to some technical device or concept that are easy to understand. None are left unexplained, and they barely detract from the flow of the text since their use has been kept to a minimum. A full glossary is provided at the beginning to help establish what these all mean before you delve into the action.

In summary, Debrief is an excellent book containing what are effectively fifty-six short stories. That makes it ideal for those seeking a short read (or with short attention spans!), but does not alienate the more analytical and hard core of aviation enthusiasts and historians because there are a significant number of learning points to discover in each engagement narrative.

Debrief has certainly earned a prominent spot in my overcrowded book case, and I believe it is a `must have' reference work.

A MUST HAVE!
This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone interested in modern military aviation - it covers every successful Air to Air engagement by the US military since the Vietnam war through the present day. Full of first hand accounts and personal photographs of the aircrew and aircraft involved, this is the most comprehensive book on this topic to date. The only thing that would have made this book better would be the addition of the unsuccessful engagements during the same time period, like Michael O'connor's 'Mig Killers of Yankee Station' does. I also recommend - MIG Killers of Yankee Station, Aces Against Japan, Aces Against Germany

The latest and greatest book on US Air to Air Combat
I found Debrief to be a excellent collection of First hand accounts of US Air to Air Combat Victories covering the period of 1981 to the Present. The text and photos are first rate. A must have book for anyone interested in Military Aviation history. I am a proud and very satisfied owner of the Debrief book.