US Marine Corps and Raaf Hornet Units of Operation Iraqi Freedom

By Tony Holmes

Some 84 of the 250 Hornets committed by Central Command to Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-present) proudly bore MARINE titling on their rear fuselages. A further 14 were marked with the distinctive kangaroo roundel of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The exploits achieved by the units that flew these jets into combat is detailed in this volume, the third of three titles published in the Combat Aircraft series on what has been dubbed by many TACAIR insiders the 'Hornet's War'. Although the bulk of this book deals with the major hostilities phase of OIF I, which ran from 20 March to 20 April 2003, the decade of pre-war OSW missions and ongoing post-war OIF II operations are also covered in significant detail from the Marine Corps perspective. Profusely illustrated with rare frontline photography and more than 30 specially commissioned colour artworks, this book also features the combat experiences of 24 pilots and Weapons Systems Officers.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1841768472
• ISBN13: 9781841768472
• Release Date: February 2006
• Publisher: Osprey Publishing (UK)
• Length: 96 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 7.1" x 9.8"

Customer Reviews

In-the-Cockpit View of USMC/RAAF Hornets at War!

Osprey's multi-talented editor/author Tony Holmes concludes his coverage of F/A-18s in action over Iraq with this volume covering Marine Corps and RAAF Hornets. Holmes had unparalled access to Hornet pilots, WSOs and ground crew. As a result, this book, like the two preceding volumes on USN Hornet units in action, is brimming with first-person narratives of air-to-mud ops. Lots of color photos of aircrew and aircraft along with 10 pages of USMC/RAAF F/A-18 color side-views complement the text in typical Osprey style. Good reading for those that prefer the current crop of fast movers!

Very Authentic

Tony Homes did a great job putting this book together. If you want a detailed, authentic account of what fighter pilots are thinking and feeling during combat operations, this is the book you need. The stories are accurate and straight from the aircrew's mouth.