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Summary: As real as it gets.
Review: Based on my experience as a 15-year veteran of the Air Force and Air National Guard this is the most accurate account of military operations I've read yet. Thanks for stirring many great memories for me.
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Summary: A great first-hand account of a fighter pilot's craft
Review: First-hand reports are always the best, and this book is certainly one of the top raters that I have read. Surprising detail is included, both of the airplane and the tactics employed. I would strongly recommend it to anyone interested in military aviation.
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Summary: Good book but no aerial combat
Review: I did enjoy the book but was disapointed to find not a single bit of aerial combat. I was of the impression that the F16 was an air superiority fighter, a roll it was not used for at all in the Gulf War. The technical details are good but the story becomes repetative half way through.
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Summary: one of the best book about the war in the gulf
Review: i find this book very interesting and i can hardly put it down, it makes you feel proud that America has defend the world.
Rating:
Summary: Very good.....but not great.
Review: I read this book probably faster then I've ever read another book. It was not complicated to read, but that's not the main reason. The main reason is I didn't want to put it down. Capt. Rosenkranz does an amazing job at putting you right there in the hot seat; almost as amazing a job as the actual missions he flew! You can learn a lot about your United States Air Force at it's best (and not-so-best) with this book. I highly recommend it.
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Summary: Awesome book, a good standard for modern war books.
Review: I read this book probably faster then I've ever read another book. It was not complicated to read, but that's not the main reason. The main reason is I didn't want to put it down. Capt. Rosenkranz does an amazing job at putting you right there in the hot seat; almost as amazing a job as the actual missions he flew! You can learn a lot about your United States Air Force at it's best (and not-so-best) with this book. I highly recommend it.
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Summary: Gritty, Honest, Inspiring
Review: In this book, Keith takes you on a jouney, both in his cockpit and in daily life on a remote base. The ups and downs of being stationed in a remote air force base in the UAE are chronicled in personal detail. The kind of detail you could not even get if you were there. The emotional ups and down, the internal conflict of war, as well as the pride of Freedom and the moral certainly of doing the right thing. The contradictory nature of emotions is not glossed over. This is not AIr Force propaganda, but on the other hand, this is not a Vendetta against the Air Force. This is a real life look behind the eyes of one of the proud american fighter pilots. Keith Rosenkranz has the right stuff.
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Summary: The man behind the machine
Review: Keith Rosenkranz has shown the human side to the awesome warrior that sits at the controls of the F-16 'Viper'. The bond that exists amongst squadron mates is there but also, and more importantly, his devotion to his family. His realistic and pragmatic call to duty was supported by his loving wife and unknowingly by his two young daughters. He heeded the call to arms like a lion out for the hunt: with dedication to his duty but at the same time concerned for his family. Mr. Rosenkranz's prose is excellent and makes from some excellent reading. The book was extremely difficult to put down and offered a close look at what a fighterpilot's life is like overseas. The technical jargon is there but accessible to everyone. The patriotism and devotion to God and Country abound with honor and humbleness. To many who could not be there in person, Keith Rosenkranz instills patriotism and love for one's country. This book is a must read for anyone interesting in the Air War over the Gulf or anyone interested in an "I was there" unbiased view about aerial combat. Thank you Keith and the rest of the Spiders!
Rating:
Summary: true hero
Review: Mr. Rosenkranz is somebody that was in love with his job and not war. this book takes a look at his experiences of the gulf war. one of the things i really liked about his book was his openess about his moral concerns of his job. he was the guy next door who was called upon to defend his country. a true hero. the thing that bumps this up to a five star book is the interactive website. i really suggest looking this site up when you start the book.
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Summary: Vipers in the Storm
Review: My son and I read Vipers in the Storm together. We were soon engrossed in Capt. Rosenkranz's training and preparation for action in Desert Shield & Desert Storm.Capt. Rosenkranz's book is not the typical "shoot `em up" war story. "Rosey," his Viper call sign, first describes his desert training and then gives the reader some background leading up to the Gulf War. I found this invaluable, as my son was not even born when the Storm ended. It's also a great review for us older folks who may have forgotten a thing or two, or maybe didn't know the rest of the story! Throughout the book, Rosey describes his personal feelings, his worries, disappointments, love for family, and sadness and horror. Nothing is left out. His attention to detail and accuracy is outstanding. When you finish this great book you, too, will have a new measure of appreciation for America's Viper drivers, which is personified here by Keith Rosenkranz. Although the book impressed me, it made even a bigger impression on my 10-year-old. With the current situation with Iraq, the book gave him cause to question current events with me and has impressed on him what we are transitioning to in the Gulf today. Rosey's love for his family, and separation from them, as well as the training, downtime, and losses he wrote of, vividly portray the struggles our pilots have faced and are facing today. When the "action" does start, Rosey pulls no punches and again accurately describes the entire mission from turning on the VTR and titling his tape to munching a granola bar at 36,000 feet on the flight home. In between those times, Rosey recounts some hair-raising incidents, again in great detail. Rosey's account of his 30 combat missions should dispel any doubts that America's fighter pilots "just push buttons." What makes Capt. Rozenkran's missions even more amazing is that most of them were flown at night, using LANTIRN! Rosey completed his missions in the finest tradition of the U.S. Air Force, and he does recognize the enemy were human beings doing their job for their nation. With a mixture of fear, exhilaration, sadness, relief, and joy when the ordnance was on target, each mission is professionally accomplished. Errors, when they happen, are not glossed over but spoken of honestly and learned from. For the flight sim pilot, veteran pilot, aviation enthusiast, young person interested in the USAF, or reader wondering what our Air Force did (or may do again) in the Gulf, Capt. Rosenkranz's work will leave you about as breathless as he was when he watched the SAMs launching below him. My thanks to the author, and all Viper drivers, for their dedication, and thanks, Keith, for instilling in my son a desire to fly with the best someday.
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