Blueskies wrote:
The real issue is that if these planes are so dangerous then why did we stop
using them? Or, conversly, why are we scared of them? Are a few
operational planes that big of a threat?

Apparently Iran still has quite a few operational F-14s with all the goodies.

It is unlikely that any of Iran's F-14s remained operational for more than
a few months (if at all) after the Grumman crews bugged out. There's no
record of any of them having flown since the Shah abdicated in 1979. I saw
an interview with one of the Grumman engineers that had been in Iran. He
said that there were only a few operational before they left, there were no
Iranian personal trained to maintain them, and they made a few
"modifications" before leaving to prevent them from being put into service.

Without the parts, specialized maintenance equipment and trained personnel,
it's doubtful that any of them flew. Their complete absence during the
Iran/Iraq war would tend to support that theory.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

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