The loose deuce formation, which presented a variation of the famous ‘Thatch Weave’ developed during World War 2, was vastly different…
AIM-7 Sparrow
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Aviation HistoryCold War EraMilitary Aviation
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Cold War EraMilitary Aviation
The story of Abbas Dowran, the Iranian F-4E pilot who was shot down while trying to conduct a low level attack on Baghdad during the summit of non-aligned nations
by Tom CooperThe Iraqi air defences lost the track of Dowran’s jet until it entered the zone covered by their low-altitude radars, about…
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Aviation HumorCold War EraMilitary Aviation
RAF Avro Arrows: The Story of British CF-105 All-Weather Fighters that Never Were
by Dario LeoneIt was on the basis of the CF-105’s future potential, more than its then-current design, that it was considered as a…
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F-14 TomcatLosses and Aviation SafetyMilitary Aviation
The Story behind this Photo of An F-14 Tomcat Shooting Itself Down while Firing an AIM-7 Sparrow Air-to-Air Missile
by Tom CooperOne of the most complex parts of the F-14 Tomcat testing were firings of AIM-7 Sparrows from stations on the belly…
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Cold War EraMilitary Aviation
This Iraqi Mirage F.1EQ-5 made an Emergency Landing in Saudi Arabia after being Hit by an AIM-7E Fired by an IRIAF F-14A Tomcat
by Tom CooperThe Iraqi said that their Mirage F.1EQ-5 was hit by a ‘Strela’ MANPAD, fired by the IRGC: actually, there was no…
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Cold War EraMilitary Aviation
The spy planes that Israeli F-4 Phantom fighters were never able to shoot down
by Dario LeoneThe most worrisome MiG-25 reconnaissance flight occurred on Oct. 10, 1971 when a pair of Foxbats flew parallel to the Israeli…
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Aviation HistoryCold War EraMilitary Aviation
Spirit of the Phantom: emotional poem describes the ethos of the mighty F-4
by Dario Leone“I am the spirit of the Phantom. My spirit will live long in the minds and hearts of those in whom…
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Aviation HistoryCold War EraMilitary Aviation
The strange case of the first kills scored by RSAF (or USAF?) F-15 pilots
by Dario LeoneFollowing the interception of radio traffic between the F-15s and the AWACS, Iran later claimed — logically — that the pilots…
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The process to upgrade the F-14 fighter jet began in February 2017. The Tomcat has now joined Islamic Republic of Iran…
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Cold War EraF-14 TomcatMilitary Aviation
HOW F-14 AND F-15 FIGHTERS WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE (SIMULATED) KILLS AGAINST THE SR-71 MACH 3 SPY PLANE
by Dario LeoneF-14 and F-15 fighters were able to achieve simulated SR-71 kills, but only under certain conditions During its 24 years of…