Russian Sukhoi Su-27s + Iranian F-14s + Iranian F-4s = the most exotic formation ever! January 31, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in Iran, Military Aviation.Tags: F-14 Tomcat, F-4 Phantom, Iran, Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, Russia, Russian Air Force, Russian Knights, Sukhoi, Sukhoi Su-27
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Although some pictures of this unbelievable formation have been already published on aviation website, the Russian Knights, Russian Air Force aerobatic display team has released some more images of the weird formation of Russian Su-27s (with the supporting Il-76), IRIAF (Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force) F-14 Tomcats and F-4 Phantoms taken during the ferry flight that took the the team home from the Bahrain International Air Show 2012.
A unique opportunity to see some really “exotic” planes flying in (quite loose) formation over Iran, in a quite tense period.
Image credit: Sergei Shcheglov Russian Knights via http://sergeydolya.livejournal.com/423952.html (visit this site for more pictures)
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Very cool!
Even if in Ahmadinejad hands,good to see some Tomcat in flight, since the end of US ones… On two pics we can see their AA missiles, russian type (R-27/AA-10 Alamo?not sure, maybe with higher resolution?).
and AIM-54 Phoenix too!!!
Grasshopper, the master asks you to “see” again. F-14s they are not.
Really interesting!!!!!! And completely different for someone like me, who has just got a Private Pilot license and flies small Cessnas and Pipers……….. they can’t carry the AIM-54, for sure! =P
they can’t carry the AIM-54, for sure! =P
:
whit what reason??
Whenever all this ends, I really hope that there will remain some F-14s in flyable condition that could be purchased and rehabilitated for the airshow circuit.
then we should better look after US ones…
There aren’t any anymore.
Recently overhauled by the Iranian Aircraft Industries at Mehrabad the F-14 can now be armed with AIM-23C Sejil air-to-air missile, which is a locally-manufactured variant of MIM-23B I-HAWK SAM and what’s left of AIM-54s
a sample here:
http://www.aviationgraphic.com/sparta/index.php?pg=showprint&pid=11544
and here
http://www.aviationgraphic.com/sparta/index.php?pg=search&categoria=-1&operator=2053&sort=-1&model=-1&display=1
This Tomcat http://www.aviationgraphic.com/sparta/index.php?pg=showprint&pid=2073
has been used for testing of AIM-54 “Phoenix” missiles reverse-engineered in Iran, in the spring of 2005
Even if they are Iran’s those F-14′s sure look good flying next to the Russian Su-27 Flankers (wonder hwo many of the 79 Tomcats we sold Iran back in the seventies are still airworthy)?
approx 20 are still in service, one was loast few days ago in crash, both pilots died
That info. is too old,on parade 2008 in Teheran there was 34 tomcats in the air, today noumber of F-14 is betwen 40-45.
With google maps you can see about 25-30, in Teheran only on 3 air port they have 140 helicopters and anyone shoud do some reserch before began talking about any noumbers.
Sory for bad english