I had to dig deep into my files to find the most important things out, and
here it is.

The RF-4Es delivered to Iran and used for these flights were partially
"white tails" (or so-called "UKIs" = Unknown Iranians), and partially the
first six examples officially sold to the IIAF, namely the 72-0266 thru
72-0269 (which are strange FY-numbers, given that the first IIAF RF-4Es
arrived in Iran already in March 1971, replacing two USAF RF-4Cs that were
used for this task already since 1970). The project apparently run under the
code-name "Dark Genie" or "Dark Gene".

The first examples supplied lacked the ALQ-126, but this was mounted later.
What they have got nevertheless (and this already in 1971) was the AAS-118
IR-linescaner set, the ALR-69(V) RWR, and the ALR-17, plus a (still)
clasiffied HF radio transceiver (with secure voice communications), and then
the AN/ALQ-71, 72, and 87(V)4 ECM-pods. Later also the AN/ALQ-125 tac
electronic recce system was added, plus the ALQ-101(V)-10 and ALQ-119(V)-10
ECM-pods. One of the planes had its underside painted black (last noticed in
1986): I don't know why.

Re. the case of 28 November 1973: the plane was flown by Maj. Shokhounia
(executed by the Islamic regime in 1980), and the USAF officer known to me
only as Col. Saunders.

Although he later said he was not sure if these have indeed decoyed the AAMs
fired at them, Saudners fired all the 54 flash cartriges (27 were carried in
two ejector racks, one each on one side of the aircraft), that were aboard
and commented, "it looked like we were flying just ahead of the sun."

The MiG finally approached from the left bellow and hit the rear part of the
Phantom, somewhere in the area of the engine noozles, disintegrating in the
process and killing the pilot. The RF-4E fell into a nose dive, the crew
ejected and the plane hit the ground at supersonic speed, being completely
destroyed on the impact (one reason more why the Russians became pretty mad:
they could not recover anything from the "wreckage").

I have no additional data, especially not if this happened by day or night,
but my guess is that the weather was clear (it is usually in that part of
Iran and Turkmenistan), but if this is indeed such an interesting topic as
it seems I could try to get more (besides, this would certainly result in an
interesting article for some airspace mag.). One thing is su I'm
currently working on a book about the F-14s in Iranian service, and - while
this was not easy to prepare by any means - it costed my co-workers and me
far more efforts to learn even so little about the Iranian RF-4Es and that
mission than the whole story about the Tomcats (which includes dozens of
narratives about air combats in which the type participated).

Obviously, for reasons that are completely unclear to us, most of the
involved still consider these operations as _very_ sensitive...

Tom Cooper
Co-Author:
Iran-Iraq War in the Air, 1980-1988:
http://www.acig.org/pg1/content.php
and,
Iranian F-4 Phantom II Units in Combat:
http://www.osprey-publishing.co.uk/t...hp/title=S6585