>>2195The story of Iran's Tomcats is an absolutely baller one. Pre-revolution the Shah's regime basically helped fund Grumman and the US Navy's project in exchange for receiving an exceptional amount of training, planes, parts and the unique AIM-54 Phoenix. Post-revolution a lot of pilots and mechanics were thrown into jail first on suspicion of Shah sympathies, then brought out of jail when the Iran-Iraq war kicked off and basically had to fight against incredible odds as machines and weapons dwindled due to the sanctions. Oh yeah, and in the process they produced a few actual fighter aces whose kills have been confirmed on both sides. Real fucking top guns those guys, none of that "Maverick and Iceman" MURICA BS.
Source is "Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat" from Osprey Publishing.
Side note, Don't really like the colour scheme though, a standard 50/50 brown/beige is just fine for the desert, what're does random streaks of green doing