The Phantom in Focus

THE PHANTOM is the original multi-role combat jet and one of the world's most iconic aircraft. Life on a Phantom squadron was fast, fun and exhilarating, but without the glamour portrayed in the Hollywood blockbuster Top Gun. This is the inside story, told by a veteran RAF navigator, of what it was actually like to fly in the cockpit of a Phantom at the height of the Cold War, when it stood as NATO's first line of defense with a record of 280 MiG kills. The mighty Phantom has an unrivaled service history. Fast, durable and deadly, it was a test bed for missile technology and held five speed records for an impressive thirteen years. But that is not to say it didn't have its faults - it was known (affectionately) among its crews as the 'Rhino', 'The Spook', 'Double Ugly', the 'Flying Brick' and the 'Lead Sled'. But despite this, its sheer power and lethal payload could never be ignored. With hundreds of spectacular, previously unpublished photographs - several taken from inside the cockpit - and many illuminating anecdotes that capture the truth behind the Hollywood glamour, The Phantom in Focus is a unique, honest and compelling tribute to a legendary aircraft.