Did Finnish MiG-21F13 even have guns?:confused:

Wikipedia can be a good source of information – if they quote reliable and credible sources.

If I recall, the first complete MiG-21s exported from the Soviet Union were delivered to Yugoslavia in 1962?:confused:
I doubt if the Chinese would have received MiG-21s before then…

When were the drop tanks available for the F-14? ISTR Iran never received any, so possibly 1980s?

What was the drop tanks fuel capacity. Either 280 or 267 USG?

http://www.tomcat-sunset.org/forums/index.php?PHPSESSID=b2b0c367a4247c6c2284a20dbc2bf242&topic=950.0

Any use to you?

The norweigans sure where happy when ‘friendly’ Russia decidided to park its carrier group in just outside Norways largest gas field (Troll) and hold an exercise in Norways EEZ, shutting down helicopter transportations (food, personel) from and to the platform.

I.e out of all places they decided to park their carrier group for training here:

Similarily, the reemergance of cold-war style russian bombers around the national borders in the Baltics/Scandinavia sure sends a friendly message.

If you think that’s bad, look what the Kuznestov did of the coast of home-sweet-home!!:eek::eek:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29433203/ns/world_news-world_environment/t/russia-admits-causing-oil-slick-ireland/#.TuEmfbLcLJM

what was the bigger priority, securing the secrets of the EP-3 or securing the lives of all those on board (I think there was around 20 or so, on board?)?

just for a start, USAF Col John Boyd, one of famous combat pilots ever.

copy&paste
Boyd was famous for a maneuver he called “flat-plating the bird.” He would be in the defensive position with a challenger tight on his tail, both pulling heavy Gs, when he would suddenly pull the stick full aft, brace his elbows on either side of the cockpit, so the stick would not move laterally, and stomp the rudder. It was as if a manhole cover were sailing through the air and then suddenly flipped 90 degrees. The underside of the fuselage, wings, and horizontal stabilizer became a speed brake that slowed the Hun from 400 knots to 150 knots in seconds. The pursuing pilot was thrown forward and now Boyd was on his tail radioing “Guns. Guns. Guns.
http://www.aviation-history.com/airmen/boyd.htm

I don’t think Boyd’s experiences flying the F-100 “Hun” with guns only in the 1950/1960s can be directly applied to today’s combat scenarios. I don’t think slowing down to 150 knots is normally recommended by today’s combat instructors.
Can the F-100 perform a “Cobra maneuver”?

Also, what was the life expectancy of a tactical fighter over Europe, even in a non-nuclear WWIII scenario. I read the average life expectancy of Sturmoviks in 1941 were 13 missions.

Of course a prop plane flying into 88mm flak is an extreme example, but still. (RAF pilots on Malta during WWII lived for 2-3 months on average.) If you’re building for a big peer war, what’s the point of 1000 hours TBO if you expect to lose 70% of your frontline aircraft by that time anyway. You’re going to need new airplanes more than you need replacement engines.

what “big peer” war? In war time the life-span of airframes and engines is not too critical, but most air arms around the world are not at war – thay have to think about life-cycle costs over a typical 30 year life-span of modern aircraft.