Don Logan's latest book ""his tenth with Schiffer Publishing, and the first in a planned multi-volume set on F-4 Phantoms chronicles the service of the McDonnell-Douglas F-4 and RF-4 Phantom II in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard. The book is organized by AFRES and ANG units and illustrates the F-4's service, colors, and markings with over 700 color photographs and 100 unit patches.

Shortly after the US Navy put the F-4H-1 Phantom II into service in 1960, the US Air Force in turn took an interest in it. After a successful comparison with the best machines of the period, it was decided at the beginning of 1962 to use it as the standard tactical fighter. It was in May 1963 that the first USAF F-4C, overall similar to the Navy version, made its first flight and exceeded Mach 2. Several versions and variants of the twin-engine fighter were produced over almost ten years, taking advantage each time of the progress made in avionics, power plants and armament, with the original “all-missile” concept being eventually put aside in the light of the fighting in South-East Asia in which the aircraft took an active part, in exchange for an on-board weapon which turned out to be very effective both in the aerial combat and ground attack roles. Apart from the USAF and the various units of the Air National Guard, or the United States Reserve which used the 2 600 F-4s up to the middle of the 90s - especially for recce or electronic warfare - the Phantom IIs were also very successful in the export markets since more than 1,200 examples were flown by ten or so countries, especially NATO ones. Some, like Japan, even built them under license in large numbers and many, like Israel and Iran, often used them successfully in combat.

A definitive technical guide to the USAF and foreign variants of the McDonnell–Douglas F4 Phantom. In many respects the most successful, versatile and widely-used combat aircraft of the post-war era the F-4 Phantom II was quickly adopted by the USAF after its spectacular US Navy introduction. Its introduction to USAF squadrons happened just in time for the Vietnam conflict where USAF F-4Cs took over MiG-fighting duties from the F-100 Super Sabre. Although the F-4 was never intended as a dog-fighter to tangle with light, nimble, gun-armed MiGs it was responsible for destroying 109 MiGs in aerial combat. At the end of their careers many of the survivors from the 3,380 'land-based' Phantoms were converted into target drones for training purposes. New aircraft were also built for West Germany, Iran and Israel. As Peter Davies outlines in this illustrated history, the USAF's experience with the Phantom showed clearly that the air-to-air fighter was still a necessity. Its decision to fund its successor, the McDonnell-Douglas F-15 Eagle (as well as the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-22A Raptor) was heavily influenced by the lessons of US and other Phantom pilots in combat.

A pictorial tribute to a famous jet. Encompasses everything F-4 from brand new J-models trapping back aboard ship through to forlorn old hulks reposing on the fire dump in the tropical climes of Hawaii.

Understand the growth and evolution of American air power with this overview of the history of the world's most successful aviation force. The United States Air Force: A Chronology captures the sweep of U.S. Air Force history from the service's inception to present times. Concise entries, arranged by date, touch upon military events such as victories and defeats; significant political, administrative, and technological changes affecting the service; and significant events in the careers of noted leaders. Daily occurrences are described within the context of greater historical events such as wars. The chronology covers all aspects of the U.S. Air Force and its historical antecedents (U.S. Air Service, Army Air Corps, and Army Air Force), commencing with the Balloon Corps in the American Civil War and extending through Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan. Events of note, major and minor, are listed in the order of occurrence. The book includes all major air campaigns in all major conflicts, as well as such noteworthy events as record-breaking flights and the introduction of new aircraft.