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Informationen zum Autor Peter Mersky is a retired Navy Commander with 23 years service on active duty and in the reserves. He has flown in many of the aircraft he has written about, including the A-7, and was a writer then the editor of Approach , the Navy and Marine Corps aviation safety magazine. Jim Laurier is a native of New England and lives in New Hampshire. He attended Paier School of Art in Hamden, Connecticut, from 1974–78, and since graduating with Honours, he has been working professionally in the field of Fine Art and Illustration. He has been commissioned to paint for the US Air Force and has aviation paintings on permanent display at the Pentagon. Klappentext Seeing considerable combat in the nearly 50 years since its service introduction, the Skyhawk was involved in the Vietnam War (1955-1975) from the very beginning. Navy and Marine Corps A-4s quickly established a presence in Southeast Asia, flying from aircraft carriers and land bases in South Vietnam in thousands of sorties against the entrenched communist forces from Hanoi to the communist supply lines along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. This book includes details of missions including the siege of Khe Sanh, Lam Son and the contentious invasion of Laos and Cambodia in 1971 and gives a fascinating account of the variety of missions pilots were asked to perform. These operations were not without risk, and large numbers of A-4s were shot down and their pilots killed or, like Edward Alvarez, imprisoned as POWs for up to eight years in appalling conditions. Officially endorsed by the Skyhawk Association and including first-hand accounts from veteran pilots who flew one of the greatest attack aircraft ever, Peter Mersky provides an insightful account of some of the most thrilling aerial combat missions that took place during Vietnam and the pilots who flew them. The first book to focus on the A-4's Vietnam service, this title is supported by previously unpublished colour and black and white photographs with 30 detailed colour profiles. Zusammenfassung The Skyhawk was involved in Vietnam from the very beginning! including the first offensive operations in 1963 into Laos! and the Pierce Arrow operations immediately following the Tonkin Gulf Incident of August 1964. Navy and Marine Corps A-4s quickly established a presence in south-east Asia participating in thousands of sorties against the entrenched communist forces in the South and the heavily defended targets in North Vietnam. A-4 pilots also struck targets along the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail! working with ground-based and airborne forward air controllers to interdict the flood of supplies to communist forces in the south. This book will include many first-hand accounts from the pilots who flew one of the greatest attack aircraft ever built and will provide an insightful account of some of the most thrilling aerial combats that took place during Vietnam. Inhaltsverzeichnis Chapter 1 Heinemann's Scooter: A brief resume of the A-4's design Chapter 2 Patrolling the Gulf: Increased American presence in Southeast Asia Chapter 3 PTs Attack and the War Builds Chapter 4 1966-1968: the sustained bombing campaign of North Vietnam Chapter 5 Leatherneck Skyhawks: The Marine A-4 units Chapter 6 Lam Son 719: Into Laos and Cambodia Chapter 7 The North Invades the South ...
