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ARAB MIGS VOL. 1: MiG-15s and MiG-17s, 1955-1967, Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15 and MiG-17 in Service with Air Forces of Alge
Starting in 1955, and for the following 20 years, MiG-15 and MiG-17 formed the backbone of several Arab air forces. They played a prominent role in four major wars and dozens of minor incidents.
Covering the first decade of this period, this study - Arab MiGs, Volume 1, the first in a series of publications - provides a unique and previously unavailable insight into the service history of both types with five Arab air forces. Even more so, it tells the story of people that flew MiG-15s and MiG-17s in Algeria, Egypt, Iraq and Syria. Several of whom became dominant political figures in most recent history of these countries.
The reason why Arab countries began purchasing MiGs and thus became embroiled in the Cold War is approached and discussed from an entirely new and original - Arab - point of view.
Details about combat operations during three major wars between Arabs and Israel, as well as the war in Yemen of the 1960s, are reconstructed on basis of primary evidence, foremost in form of original documents and participants' recollections.
Covering the first decade of this period, this study - Arab MiGs, Volume 1, the first in a series of publications - provides a unique and previously unavailable insight into the service history of both types with five Arab air forces. Even more so, it tells the story of people that flew MiG-15s and MiG-17s in Algeria, Egypt, Iraq and Syria. Several of whom became dominant political figures in most recent history of these countries.
The reason why Arab countries began purchasing MiGs and thus became embroiled in the Cold War is approached and discussed from an entirely new and original - Arab - point of view.
Details about combat operations during three major wars between Arabs and Israel, as well as the war in Yemen of the 1960s, are reconstructed on basis of primary evidence, foremost in form of original documents and participants' recollections.
256 pages, Paperback
First published November 19, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 30, 2024
This is a tricky one to review. The data in this book is very hard to come by. That reason alone elevates the usefulness of this book (and this series for that matter). The illustrations are top notch. The writing quality is also good. The book contains very readable accounts with great anecdotes from Arab pilots. It’s very useful to balance Israeli (IAF) accounts with perspectives on the “other side.”
Having said this, the author does not conceal a certain…disdain (maybe even animosity) towards Israel. When the author (or authors) insert comments editorializing on things outside the scope of the historic narrative, it devalues the worth that I place on some of the writing. While the authors freely denigrate Israeli accounts of the Six Day War as propaganda, or the behavior of the Israelis as a whole as war-mongers, they fail to see how their own accounts in this book might be reinterpreted as the propaganda of Arab war mongers. I wish the authors at least pretended to be more objective on their writing. This is what keeps me from giving it 5 stars.
Ultimately, I recommend this series as useful, but use with caution. The truth is probably found somewhere between the pro-Arab extreme in these books and the pro-Israel extreme found in the IDF/IAF accounts.
Having said this, the author does not conceal a certain…disdain (maybe even animosity) towards Israel. When the author (or authors) insert comments editorializing on things outside the scope of the historic narrative, it devalues the worth that I place on some of the writing. While the authors freely denigrate Israeli accounts of the Six Day War as propaganda, or the behavior of the Israelis as a whole as war-mongers, they fail to see how their own accounts in this book might be reinterpreted as the propaganda of Arab war mongers. I wish the authors at least pretended to be more objective on their writing. This is what keeps me from giving it 5 stars.
Ultimately, I recommend this series as useful, but use with caution. The truth is probably found somewhere between the pro-Arab extreme in these books and the pro-Israel extreme found in the IDF/IAF accounts.
March 2, 2019
I've read enough books by Cooper and Nicolle to know what to expect. Serious research, claims backed by documents, narrative peppered with anecdotes and personal accounts (which may or may not be confirmed by later narrative). And most of all not being afraid to challenge existing myths, official (his)stories and claims. Of course these challenges often mean reinterpreting details that don't affect larger picture. whether Egypt lost 2 or 4 planes on certain day or whether certain Israeli plane was shot down or crashed due to pilot error makes no difference in large picture. Did Egyptian air force fly in later stages of 1956 and 1967 wars? And how much? Does it really matter? OK, yes, it's important from certain historical view to examine this and determine exact number of sorties and type of planes used. But that doesn't change the big picture and results. If Egypt flew no or some sorties Israel (and UK and France in 1956) still achieved such superiority that this hardly mattered and were, at best, pinpricks that made no difference on undisputed outcome of the war(s).
But it's a good book that deals in great detail with introduction of next generation of combat planes and transition of Arab air forces from propeller to jet planes. Looking forward to next books in series.
But it's a good book that deals in great detail with introduction of next generation of combat planes and transition of Arab air forces from propeller to jet planes. Looking forward to next books in series.
July 19, 2014
Superb documentation, photograph, picture selection and work of investigation. Highly recommended. The definitive work in the thema.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews