Air War Vietnam

An in-depth history of the military campaigns fought in the skies above Vietnam—and the aircraft used in the war.

Martin W. Bowman's revealing narrative of the aerial conflict in South-East Asia—which had its beginnings in November one, 1955, engulfed Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia and only ended with the fall of Saigon on April thirty, 1975—has resulted from decades of painstaking fact-finding as well as detailed correspondence with surviving aircrew incorporating a wealth of first-hand accounts, some never told before, supported by dozens of rare and unusual photographs. Together they describe in adrenalin-pumping accuracy the furious aerial battles of a long suffering and bitter war in the skies over Vietnam.

Air War Vietnam serves as a tribute to the courageous pilots who flew the F-104 Starfighter in the "Widowmakers" war and B-fifty-two bomber crews on "Arc Light" and "Linebacker II" strikes and the eleven days of Christmas which ultimately ended the aerial campaign against North Vietnam. And as well, strike aircraft such as the USAF F-four "Phantom" and the F-105 "Thud" and the US Navy carrier-borne jet and propeller-driven strike aircraft and the Americans' sworn enemy, the North Vietnamese MiG fighters, feature large, from "Rolling Thunder" onwards.

These firsthand stories and many more cover not only the American missions and aircraft of the Vietnam War, but the Australian and New Zealand Air Force units and the Anzac Battalions whose valuable contributions are too often overlooked, revealing the high cost of the devastating conflict across several nations.

"Showcasing specific aircraft and highlighting significant missions illuminates the skills and emotions of the men who flew the machines. Bowman does an excellent job recounting stories about battles in the air and decision-making on the ground." —The VVA Veteran