Author(s): Tim McLelland
Have you ever wondered what it was like to fly the Phantom? This is not a potted history of an aeroplane, nor is it Hollywood glamour as captured in Top Gun. This is the story of life on the frontline during the Cold War told in the words of a navigator who flew the iconic jet. Unique pictures, many captured from the cockpit, show the Phantom in its true environment and show why for many years the Phantom was the envy of NATO. It also tells the inside story of some of the problems which plagued the Phantom in its early days, how the aircraft developed, or was neglected, and reveals events which shaped the aircraft’s history and contributed to its demise.
Anecdotes capture the deep affection felt by the crews who were fortunate enough to cross paths with the Phantom during their flying careers. The nicknames the aircraft earned were not complimentary and included the ‘Rhino’, ‘The Spook’, ‘Double Ugly’, the ‘Flying Brick’ and the ‘Lead Sled’. Whichever way you looked at it, you could love or hate the Phantom, but you could never ignore it for its sheer power and lethal payload.
BOOK ISBN | 9781781550526 |
FORMAT | 248 x 172 mm |
BINDING | hardback |
PAGES | 336 pages |
PUBLICATION DATE | 15 February 2013 |
TERRITORY | World |
ILLUSTRATIONS | 200 black-and-white and 50 colour photographs |
Tim McLelland was an experienced and recognised author specialising in military aerospace subjects. He was also the writer of numerous well-known titles and contributor to many leading aerospace magazines.
McLelland had flown in a wide range of military aircraft such as the Tornado, Harrier and Lightning, and had also taken part in four Red Arrows display routines. McLelland was a Vulcan specialist and had many contacts connected with the aircraft type including crew and designers.