Russian Sukhoi Su-27s + Iranian F-14s + Iranian F-4s = the most exotic formation ever!

January 31, 2012 Iran, Military Aviation

David Cenciotti

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)

A Sukhoi Su-27. At Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. (theaviationist.com)
Another day, another Iranian drone. Tehran reveals the new “A1″ UAV. (theaviationist.com)
Once in a while a genuine video from Iran: Iranian Air Force F-5 nose-gear-up landing (theaviationist.com)
From Greece with love: Russia’s aircraft carrier flight ops in the Mediterranean sea (theaviationist.com)

About David Cenciotti

David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.

Al Clark says:

January 31, 2012 at 10:43 PM

Very cool!
Hawkeye says:

February 1, 2012 at 12:14 AM

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?).
- Hawkeye says:
  
  February 1, 2012 at 12:16 AM
  
  and AIM-54 Phoenix too!!!
- broper says:
  
  May 3, 2012 at 7:06 PM
  
  Grasshopper, the master asks you to “see” again. F-14s they are not.
  - Al says:
    
    June 28, 2012 at 3:10 AM
    
    The bottom three photos all have F-14s in them. You’re not a very good “master”.
Axel Pliopas says:

February 1, 2012 at 1:04 PM

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
- 11 says:
  
  February 1, 2012 at 4:11 PM
  
  they can’t carry the AIM-54, for sure! =P
  :
  whit what reason??
Jonathan says:

February 1, 2012 at 5:08 PM

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.
- Hawkeye says:
  
  February 1, 2012 at 5:30 PM
  
  then we should better look after US ones…
  - Jonathan says:
    
    February 2, 2012 at 8:59 PM
    
    There aren’t any anymore.
Ugo says:

February 2, 2012 at 9:30 AM

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