tiopilotos

Old photo of HAF F-4E stationed at Skyros ΑΒ

EAF MiG-21MF over Sinai 1981

NVA 9K31M Strela-1M (SA-9B "Gaskin") propaganda picture

@Stratos AI tried to reproduce a Mirage F1CZ but failed and ended up with this, so instantly it seemed like one of these mysterious prototypes which actually never flew and it gave me the idea of an interesting futuristic what if. @Gepard No... It actually has an enlarged nozzle.

Atlas Giraffe fighter aircraft program By 1984 SADF thought that Cheetah aircraft which was then under develpoment would not be ready to conduct operations on the ongoing border war. Atlas officials estimated that Cheetah will make its first flight sometime in 1985 with possible introduction to service date sometime in 1987 for the Cheetah E. The latter was regarded by many observers as an interim solution before Cheetah C become operational sometime in the early 90s. Cheetah E was actually a Mirage IIIEZ airframe conversion with some upgrades applied. It was fitted with a relatively simple avionics suite and radar but retained Atar 9C-3 engine. SADF decided that while avionics were good enough to counter FAPLA MiG-23s, lack of medium range air to air missile capability and engine performance were critical problems. With international embargo still active, South Africans decided to launch a parallel program code named "Giraffe". Giraffe's goal was to acquire/produce a small number of relatively modern fighters with BVR capability and newer engines at low cost within minimum time so that the first airframes enter service the same time with Cheetah. There was no budget nor time for development of a completely new aircraft so the Giraffe team inside Atlas took into account that SAAF was already very familiar with French aviation technology so they decided to apply upgrades to existing aircrafts. Atlas officials came up with the idea that the RDM radar (with ground mode removed) and the M53-5 engine of the early Mirage 2000C could be acquired and fitted to older Mirage IIICZs. Also Giraffe team gained some access to early stage of Rafale program. On January 1985 development team presented to government and SADF the characteristics of the upgraded prototype which would be ready to make its first flight as soon as possible. The aircraft should be able to accelerate fast, carry at least 2 medium range AAMs and 2 short range AAMs, detect/track fighter size targets at 50/25 nautical miles, use defensive countermeasures and finally eqquiped with an internal jammer. RDM and M53-5 would be delivered through third countries while the medium range Super 530F missile would be acquired in secret cooperation with France. Short range AAM would be the domestic V3C Darter. The first flight was estimated to take place sometime in September 1985. On May 1985 with the Cheetah on development stage and with the increase of military expenditures due to the ongoing conflict on Southern Angola, government prioritized Cheetah program as more important and terminated Giraffe. An artistic representation of how Giraffe could look like was published on Air International magazine (with little help from AI).

Hellenic Air Force An-12BP "Cub" - Elefsis AB 356 Tactical Transport Squadron 1979 In late 1974 Greece withdrew from NATO military command due to the fact that an another NATO member invaded Cyprus. Turkish invasion forced Hellenic Army to redefine its doctrine. At the time highest rank military officers made it clear to the government that since turkish occupation forces were still on Cyprus keeping their positions and with no intention to withdraw, hellenic air force needed a new military transport aircraft. Existing C-47s (Dakota) were very old (introduced in 1947) and their operational capability was very limited. Noratlas were second hand airframes coming from German surplus with deliveries starting in 1967 but during service many problems appeared and operational capability was in doubt. General Staff of National Defense decided that in the post invasion age a military transport aircraft being able to take off at night from Elefsis AB to Nicosia flying some meters above sea level, dropping at least 50 paratroopers and head back to Elefsis without midair refuel was urgently needed. Now Greece had the option to import non-NATO military equipment. On November 1974 Greek government requested 10 An-12BPs from USSR. Initially soviets were cautious believing that exporting even a relatively old transport aircraft to Greece, more likely western experts would be able to analyze soviet transport aircraft technology. Turkey tried to prevent the request but finally USSR officials saw a historical chance of destabilizing the south-eastern NATO unity. On mid February 1975 the first An-12BP serial 38 landed at Tanagra AB. All An-12BPs landed at Tanagra AB for post delivery evaluation before transfer at their home in 356 Tactical Transport Squadron in Elefsis AB.

Interesting scenario!

PVO Su-15TM circa 1983

67-329 over Nam 1972

9 June 1982 - A pair of Syrian MiG-23MF armed with AA-2 and AA-7 missiles prepare for take off for air patrol over Syrian-Israeli border.

Egyptian SA-2C missiles. Propaganda picture taken in summer of '73

Rare photo of German F-104Gs during interception training circa 1979. On the left of the pic you can see tracer rounds fired by a third F-104G whose pilot left master arm ON by mistake. Ηe fired only a short burst before he realize his mistake and turned master arm OFF immidiately. Luckily all rounds gone ballistic and there was no friendly fire hit reported.

Algerian Su-7BMK

SAAF Mirage IIIRZ modified to carry AS-30 en route to attack a radar station on southern Angola One of the attackers was hit by SA-7 and soon FAPA MiG-21bis were scrambled to intercept them. On the background you can see the Fishbed while looping