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Hey Mudd can we assume that is pretty old ? I thought all the Iranian 14's were pretty much paper weights.

By this time tomorrow I shall have gained either a pearage or Westminster Abbey........Nelson

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YGBSM !

I heard it was actually kinda recent, and that some magazine like Air Forces Monthly said they had 25-30 still flyable and good to go. I have my doubts though.

"Ocifer, i am not as think as you drunk i am"

Against all odds, and some help in less than conventional means...Iran has been able to mantain a viable F-14 commitment. You have to remeber that despite the maintence a F-14 requires (alot) these birds have zero carrier traps or cat shots, thus a USN F-14 capable of in excess of 7500 hrs should be able to do more than that in the pampared confines of long runways and soft landings, no corrosive salt water, and an operation tempo that even durring the Iraq/Iran war did not appraoch that of a typical USN deployment. The F-14 represents a sense of pride for the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, and they see it as a means to show the west that they can still field a first class air arm without their support (or direct support)...A recent flyby durring the revolution anniversary in Tehran had 16 F-14's in formation. So a force of 20 of the 79 delivered is not a reach. Wish we could get our hands on those birds and use them.

I dont remember where I read it (sorry) but I thought that all of the F14's had fallen prey to an unknown sabateur making them unairworthy. I will see if I can find that and post it.
I also distinctly remember back in the late 80's the NIS broke up a ring of guys selling F14 parts from NARF in Norfolk on the black market to the Iranians.

By this time tomorrow I shall have gained either a pearage or Westminster Abbey........Nelson

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YGBSM !

That happened, and then the Iranians fixed them. That's what i've heard numerous times.

"Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle, and quick to anger."

they even tried hanging Hawk SAMs in place of the Phoenix !!!

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us". George Orwell

Fighting For Justice With Brains Of Steel !
<img src="http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/atengun2X.GIF" border=0>

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The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

Yup, i've heard that too.

They were I Hawks...much better system than the original HAWK.

"Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards, for they are subtle, and quick to anger."

[quote]
I dont remember where I read it (sorry) but I thought that all of the F14's had fallen prey to an unknown sabateur making them unairworthy. --------

Yeah me too.

Now a major source of Tomcat parts are the ones in musuems and on static display or even in salvage yards. Moi was at Camarillo, CA couple of years back and they had a couple of beat up Tomcats awaiting transport to the dump somewhere. I know the one was missing half a mainmount damn if I recall what was wrong with the other one. Might had been one rinky dink fence surrounding them.

Big black market in Huey parts too. No doubt in Phantoms also. Lots of those flying and we have lots parked all over the country.

They probably picked up some sweet Tomcat parts during Iran/Contra and the US was cutting deals.

Jack

I saw a pic of the Hawk Sandcat combo, I'll try and find it again

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us". George Orwell

Fighting For Justice With Brains Of Steel !
<img src="http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/atengun2X.GIF" border=0>

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The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

I was skirting around the Iran/Contra situation some, but one of the reason that the success of the F-14 has been obscured in the west, IMHO is to avoid shedding additional light on the Iran/Contra situation, and its players.

Yeah, the Iranians did mount the HAWK for additional BVR capability. But the most probably the most critical situation was parts for their PW-TF30 powerplants, according to a few sources they where able to aquire such items as turbine blade sections through aftermarket sources Israel provided. IRIAF Tomcats still operate the Tomcat with the PW TF-30P-12 version of the powerplant, which lacks containment for the shedded fan blade sections in a catostrphic turbine failure, and other band-aids that PW incorporated into the later TF-30P-14 to make it a marginal powerplant, vice a complete diasaster that the P-12 proved to be.

That INS sting operation on the airdales at Norfolk was just the tip of the iceberg, Iran operated many weapons that were unique to US inventorys meaning that we did not export them en masse to our allies due to security concerns, and they had vast amounts of UH-1's...F-5's, F-4's that countries such as Israel or Pakistan or Turkey could provide parts and support for.

Also have read about potential life extension programs for the Iranian F-14's, such as integration of Russian powerplants, avionics, etc...But that seems out of the capabilitys of both the Iranian aerospace industry, and the Russians, though Israel could potetially handle that endeavor, considering what they have been able to do with the F-4. What an irony if the Iranians where able to upgrade their Tomcats to something that we wish we had the funds for.



Edited by - chadrewsky on Oct 19 2003 2:22 PM

Phoenixs, Hawks and Sparrows?
<img src="http://homepage.eircom.net/~steven/images/F-14_IRAN2.jpg" border=0>



"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us". George Orwell

Fighting For Justice With Brains Of Steel !
<img src="http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/atengun2X.GIF" border=0>

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The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

I believe, just checked FAS.org and cant find it. Anyway I believe the TF30-12 was either out of the original F-111 or the A-7 Corsair II. When I went through plane captain school I remember them alluding to the problems with the original engine. At that time in early 85 the fleet was still getting -414A's with the even beefier fan casings.

By this time tomorrow I shall have gained either a pearage or Westminster Abbey........Nelson

_________________
YGBSM !

Anyone here know anyone that can speak Farsi(?)
I want to know what they said.

"I dont remember where I read it (sorry) but I thought that all of the F14's had fallen prey to an unknown sabateur making them unairworthy. I will see if I can find that and post it."

The CIA only sabatoged a handful of AIM-54As which were in a HAS.

"I heard it was actually kinda recent, and that some magazine like Air Forces Monthly said they had 25-30 still flyable and good to go. I have my doubts though."

58 airframes all flyable and with intact weapons systems but they only keep 29 flying at a time to save air frame life and money.