One of the more written about aircraft is the F-4 Phantom II. You can find books on the aircraft from a variety of sources, but for the first time, there is a series of books about the Phantom II in service with the various nations of the world. A history of the type in the sort of depth that we have not seen before.

Double Ugly Books, a subsidiary of Air Doc, has started this series with one of the more interesting services to use the Phantom II, the IDF/AF, and this is the second volume. I think it would be fair to say that with the force they have, the Israelis have made the greatest use of the F-4 in the time it has been in their service. Probably no one else has flown them as hard, and certainly they have been a major factor in the conflicts in which they have been used.

This edition covers the 'Kurnass' from 1989 until the present day. Though it has been eclipsed in the air to air role by the F-15 and F-16, it continues to be a viable ground attach and reconnaissance platform. . Throughout the 160 pages of this hardbound book there are a copious number of photographs and large, page width, full color profiles. Most of the photos are in full color. Those that are not are not in grey shades, but have a very slight brownish tint to them. It is different and seems to work rather well.

Within these pages is the story of the Kurnass 2000, a major upgrade of the F-4 designed to not only enhance its ground attack abilities but to keep it in service as a viable attack aircraft. The story of the RF-4E in Israeli service is also covered as well as the unique HIAC equipped F-4E(S). This is followed by a look at the six squadrons that flew the Phantom plus a walk-around of all three versions described in the book.

It is followed by a section on the cockpit and armament used, a set of scale drawings, camouflage schemes used, and the cockpit layout of the later production block F-4E. To conclude, there is an appendix of serials and an attrition listing.

The book is truly a fascinating read as the IDF/AF did things with the F-4 that no other country did. For instance, they often scrambled on one engine, air starting the second one on the takeoff run. They had superlative turnaround times of 7 minutes to reload and rearm the F-4, something that even the USAF F-15 units during Desert Storm could not match. There are the usual aircrew stories and the book tells of many of the operations in which the planes were involved.

It makes for the best book on Israeli Phantom IIs that I have yet read and I'm looking forward to other editions in the series. It is one that I can easily recommend to you for enjoyable reading, superb photos and illustrations as well as an excellent reference for the modeler and history buff alike.

February 2010

My thanks to AirDoc for the review book. You can find these at your local hobby shop and if not, ask them to order them for you. You can also order direct by e-mailing them at www.airdoc.eu

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and quickly, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.