Book Review of
Migs in the Middle East
Vol 1: Soviet-designed Combat Aircraft
In Egypt, Iraq and Syria, 1955-1964
Authors: David Nicolle & Tom Cooper
Helion & Co. Middle East @ War Series no. 33
ISBN: 978-1-913336-36-3
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $29.95
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $29.95
When Egypt and Czechoslovakia signed the so-called “Czechoslovak Arms Deal” in the mid-1950’s, they initiated a unique era of close cooperation between Arab military powers, the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics and its allies.
Within a few years, the air forces of Egypt , followed by those of (in chronological order) Syria and Iraq, were all equipped with dozens, and then hundreds, of Soviet-made fighters designed by the Mikoyan I Gurevich Design Bureau-the same swept-wing jets that had taken the Western powers by surprise during the Korean War.
While the first generation of MIG jet fighter – the MIG-15 – saw only a relatively brief service in Egypt, its more efficient and uprated successor, the MIG-17F, entered service in bigger numbers, and then formed the backbone of all three air forces. In similar fashions, Egypt, followed by Syria and Iraq, purchased large numbers of Ilyushin IL-28 light-bombers , while the MIG-17PF became their first radar-equipped combat aircraft, and the MIG-19 became their first supersonic fighter.
Un-surprisingly, MIG-15’s, MIG-17’s and MIG-19’s thus served with many different units and wore a wide range of very different, and often very colorful unit insignia and other markings. These aircraft saw extensive combat service in the war’s with Israel, internal coups and many crisis, often flown by pilots who would go on to play crucial roles in the future of their nations.
Based on original documentation and extensive interviews with veterans, and richly illustrated, “MIGS in the Middle East, Vol. 1” is a unique source of reference on the operational history of the IL-28, MIG-15, MIG-17 and MIG-19 jet aircraft in Egypt , Iraq and Syria from 1955 until 1963.
Within a few years, the air forces of Egypt , followed by those of (in chronological order) Syria and Iraq, were all equipped with dozens, and then hundreds, of Soviet-made fighters designed by the Mikoyan I Gurevich Design Bureau-the same swept-wing jets that had taken the Western powers by surprise during the Korean War.
While the first generation of MIG jet fighter – the MIG-15 – saw only a relatively brief service in Egypt, its more efficient and uprated successor, the MIG-17F, entered service in bigger numbers, and then formed the backbone of all three air forces. In similar fashions, Egypt, followed by Syria and Iraq, purchased large numbers of Ilyushin IL-28 light-bombers , while the MIG-17PF became their first radar-equipped combat aircraft, and the MIG-19 became their first supersonic fighter.
Un-surprisingly, MIG-15’s, MIG-17’s and MIG-19’s thus served with many different units and wore a wide range of very different, and often very colorful unit insignia and other markings. These aircraft saw extensive combat service in the war’s with Israel, internal coups and many crisis, often flown by pilots who would go on to play crucial roles in the future of their nations.
Based on original documentation and extensive interviews with veterans, and richly illustrated, “MIGS in the Middle East, Vol. 1” is a unique source of reference on the operational history of the IL-28, MIG-15, MIG-17 and MIG-19 jet aircraft in Egypt , Iraq and Syria from 1955 until 1963.
THE BOOK:
Helion & Co. is based in the UK.
This book is soft-cover of 67 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format. Three pages are blank.
The cover art shows a color photo of 3 Egyptian MIG-15’s in flight over a color side-view profile of an Egyptian MIG.
The back cover shows 2 color side-profiles. At the top is a MIG-17 with the Iraq Air Force. At the bottom there is an Egyptian IL-28.
The book holds 88 black and white photos of aircraft, 27 are of officers and pilots. There are 5 maps (one in color), no color photos other than the one on the front cover, 4 information tables, ABBREVIATIONS, NOTES, BIBLIOGRAPHY, DATA LISTS and ABOUT THE AUTHORS and 15 color side profiles.
This is a neat book about these MIG variants. It will be of great interest to modelers planning to build one of these MIG types and to aviation historians alike.
I wish to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers, the N. American distributor of Helion & Co. books. All Helion titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web-site at:
Helion & Co. is based in the UK.
This book is soft-cover of 67 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format. Three pages are blank.
The cover art shows a color photo of 3 Egyptian MIG-15’s in flight over a color side-view profile of an Egyptian MIG.
The back cover shows 2 color side-profiles. At the top is a MIG-17 with the Iraq Air Force. At the bottom there is an Egyptian IL-28.
The book holds 88 black and white photos of aircraft, 27 are of officers and pilots. There are 5 maps (one in color), no color photos other than the one on the front cover, 4 information tables, ABBREVIATIONS, NOTES, BIBLIOGRAPHY, DATA LISTS and ABOUT THE AUTHORS and 15 color side profiles.
This is a neat book about these MIG variants. It will be of great interest to modelers planning to build one of these MIG types and to aviation historians alike.
I wish to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers, the N. American distributor of Helion & Co. books. All Helion titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web-site at:
Highly recommended.