Originally posted by flex297
AFAIK, there are no external differences to MiG-23ML, maybe some datalink antenna was added, but do not know this for sure.

There are some slight differences in the antenna configuration around the tail, but these are pretty small and impossible to explain without a proper pic or drawing. And even more impossible to explain before i look it up again 😉

Originally posted by Flanker_man
Now, Arthur says that 800 were built, the guy in the motosport article – Jerry Schulte – who restored it says that it is one of only THREE built!!

Now, since we’ve already seem to have four individual ‘airframes’ on photographs in this thread, i’m afraid Jerry Schulte is on his way of being proven even more wrong. There is a short reference on the A-3 (or A-Z or S-3 or C003 or whatever it’s called, i’ve seen far too many designations which always seem to refer to the vehicle on the pics in this thread) in one of the early pages of ‘Tupolev; the man and his aircraft’ by Paul Duffy. The production run of some 800 is in that book, the first being built in Moscow but appearantly the bulk was made in Ukraine, at the Tyachivski Transcarpathian helicopter plant (link). Note that the factory claims ‘several thousand’ of these vehicles to have been built :rolleyes:

The American Aerosan is confirmed to be a Tupolev on http://www.discoverboating.com/boatshows/chesapeake/events.asp?user=0&bhcp=1

It’s incredibly hard to find information on the web on these things, i’ll try it from the boat-side. Will post if anything turns up, but it might take some time…

53-0280 has been with the Musee Aeronautique de Nancy for years, it’s sad it now ends up like this.

I don’t think it ever was a nightclub though. It was originally bought to be modified into a Super Guppy for Airbu, but this never happened as the Belouga (that broken-neck fat-back Airbus) was already under development. The KC-97 first was parked outside at the Le Bourget museum, but in the early 1990s it went to Nancy.

Me, a long time ago (still looking roughly the same, especially from a distance and when comparing with unclear shots). Probably long ago enough to be allowed in the Historic Aviation section? The parrafin burner was about to make it’s final flight when the pic was taken, if that is of any comfort.

Thanks for the compliment Google, but it’s not all that scary as it seems. You’ll get the hang of it…

Originally posted by google
“… Tornado GR.1 (ZA354) of the BAE Systems test fleet is one of only two remaining airworthy GR.1s and has been heavily involved in trials for the type. “

This can’t be true then. ZA326, ZA328 and ZA354 makes three, and there could be one or two more i think.

Originally posted by Distiller
Some sources say they were SA321H, some say SA321L flown between 1978 and 1988. Numbers vary from 15 to 40. It is also mentioned in “Warplanes of the World” 3rd Edition by DDr. Nikolaus Krivinyi.

Could they be in fact Changhe Z-8? Also very few actually built, a couple might have found their way into Syria, along with some from Libya and Iraq.

Still, not likely. The Z-8 wasn’t yet in production in 1978. What might be the case (DISCLAIMER: Arthur is making up theories again), is that the SA321G’s delivered to China in the late 1970s were mistaken to be Syrian. The delivery was a bit shady, the ‘official’ destination for the Super Frelons which went to Syria was Pakistan and appearantly the helos flew there under their own power. They could well have flown over Syria, which could have caused this mistake.

Originally posted by flex297
Syrian SA321G Super Frelon #3010

Uhhh…. a Syrian Super Frélon? You might want to explain that.
Syria never got them, unless they recieved some from Iraq or Lybia (not as far as i know) or, if you want me to stretch, captured Israeli examples.
And a SA321G is even more unlikely, since it is the ASW variant. The one on the picture shows a transport.

A Cobra is definately slower. An AH-1S/F redlines (never exceed speed) at 170kts/315 kph, and has a maximum level speed of 123kts/227 kph. I don’t know where the Hind redlines, but the maximum level speed of a Mi-24D is 168kts/310 kph. The A-10 record breaking Hind-A did a 25km straight course of 341,2 kph in 1975.

As for the ‘beatings’ the Cobras recieved in Vietnam, the bulk of that was rifle calibre. Still there were 180 Cobras (both Army and Marines) shot down, and 115 to other causes/unknown in Vietnam. Considering they only arrived in Vietnam in August 1967, and the last one left in late 1972 or very early 1973 (so about five years of service), their loss rate doesn’t add up too well compared to the 333 Hinds lost during the nine years of Mi-24 ops over Afghanistan against an enemy equipped with MANPADs.

The Cobra doesn’t fare too well against shoulder-fired SAMs either. On May 12 1972, the AH-1G met MANPADS during the siege of An Loc. In less than 30 minutes five Cobras were shot down by SA-7s.