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American Combat Planes of the 20th Century is an incredible reference for anyone who is interested in any American Combat Plane History. There are 758 pages and 1700 b/w photos in this substantial labor of love by Ray Wagner, who has been passionately researching and writing about aircraft for over 50 years. Whether you are already familiar with his past works, or just discovering this accomplished author for the first time... This is the book that you've been waiting for!

If you'd like to see the book's Table of Contents ... Click here. You can also browse the entire Index Section to get an idea of the extensive amount of information that is covered within this book.

Search our site for other combat planes. A- 1 Eaton A- 4 Skyhawk A- 6 & A- 7 Air Weapons AV- 8 to A- 10 A- 20 Havoc A- 22 Martin Maryland A- 23 Martin Baltimore A- 24 Douglas A- 26 Douglas Invader Attack Planes B- 2A, F-111, F-117 Stealth B- 17 Flying Fortress B- 24 Liberator B- 25 North American B- 26 Marauder B- 29 Superfortress B- 32 Dominator B- 35 Flying Wing B- 36 B- 47 Stratojet B- 50 Boeing B- 52 Stratofortress B- 57 Canberra B- 58 Hustler Biplanes Biplanes, Army Pursuits Bombers, B- 70 to Stealth Bombers, First Big Curtiss Falcon CO- 1 DH- 4 De Havilland F3D- Douglas Skyknight F3H- McDonnell Demon F4D- 1 Skyray F4F Grumman Wildcats F- 4U Corsair F6F Grumman F7F Grumman F7U Vought F9F G. Cougar F9F G. Panther F- 16 Fighting Falcon F- 84 F- 86 Sabre F- 89 to F-94 F- 100 to F-108 First Fighters Flying Boats GAX Iraq to Afghanistan Martin Bombers Missile Era Fighters Navy Fighers Navy Flying Boats O- 2 Douglas P- 35 Seversky P- 36 to 42 Curtiss P- 38 Lightning P- 39 Airacobra P- 40 Line P- 47 Thunderbolt P- 51 Mustang Fighter P- 61 Black Widow P- 63 Kingcobra P- 79 to P-81 P- 82 Twin Mustang SB2C Helldiver TBF-TBM Avenger Thomas-Morse Torpedo Planes V- 11 Vultee XB -28 XP -48 / 77

Fighters For The Missile Era

F-15A, F-15B, F-15C

Page 16

Armament of the F-15A was essentially that of the F-4E Phantom: four Sparrow and four Sidewinder missiles and a 20-mm M61 gun. An APQ-63 radar provided long-range search up to 115 miles and semi-active homing for the 510-pound AIM-7F Sparrows carried below the engine nacelles. The 199-pound AIM-9L heat-seeking Sidewinders were below the wings and the gun with 940 rounds was in the starboard wing root, opposite the inflight refueling receptacle on the port side. Pylons provided for three 600-gallon drop tanks could also accommodate a variety of bombs and stores, although ground attack was not then part of the required mission. McDONNELL DOUGLAS F-15A for Israel McDONNELL DOUGLAS F-15C (1985 data)

Powered by two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-100 turbofans, the F-15A’s structure included 37.3 percent aluminum, 25.8 percent titanium, and 5.5 percent steel. Twin vertical fins were tipped with ECM antenna, and an air refueling receptacle was in the left wing.

Production go-ahead on a fly-before-buy basis was approved in February 1973 for the first 18 F-15A fighters and two TF-15A trainer development aircraft, and 23 F-15A and seven TF-15B production aircraft. The first two-seater flew July 7, 1973, and all the dual-control trainers were redesignated F-15B. They retained all the combat gear, excepting ECM. Deliveries to TAC’s training wing at Luke AFB began in November 1974. McDONNELL DOUGLAS F-15C (1979 data)

In January 1975, the stripped-down 19th aircraft set world climb records. That F-15A climbed to 12,000 meters (39,372 feet) in 59 seconds; the previous record by an F-4 was 77 seconds. A MiG-25 had set a 30,000 meter (98,430 feet) record in 243.5 seconds; the F-15A did it in 207 seconds, although the Soviet aircraft recaptured the latter record soon after.

The first operational unit delivery was made in January 1976 to the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing at Langley AFB, which formed three 24-plane squadrons during the year. Next came the 36th TFW, which deployed to Germany in April 1977, and the 49th TFW at Holloman, New Mexico. Annual increments to the production program followed regularly until 384 F-15A and 61 F-15B Eagles were built. The safety record was the best of any American fighter.

Israel was the F-15’s first foreign customer, buying 23 F-15As and two F-15Bs for $30 million each; the first four being refurbished pre-production F-15As aircraft delivered on December 10, 1976. The F-15’s first combat came on June 27, 1979, when Israeli F-15A AIM-9 missiles downed four Syrian MiG-21s. Continued conflicts cost 16 more Syrian aircraft and led to a great air battle over the Bekaa valley in Lebanon in June 1982, when Israeli F-15As were credited with 40 Syrian fighters without loss. Eight F-15As flew 1,280 miles, with air refueling, to bomb a PLO base in Tunis on October 1, 1985.

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