Just lighting the 'burners for a high G pull-up to end the flypast. On the intake is the badge of the Dowran avionics and navigation upgrade, that incorporates the two rather large white antennea as well. Abbas Dowran was a famous Iranian F-4 pilot.

Among the earliest Phantoms for Iran, registered in the USA as 69-7730 and delivered as 97730. Does not wear the old serial and has a slightly different colour scheme from the rest, as well as a somewhat different font for the titles. The serial in Farsi is on the small nose intake on this side, hardly visible in green on black.

Delivered in April 1977 as 00234 and equipped with TISEO, Northrop's Target Identification System, Electro-Optical. Had not (yet?) gone through the Dowran avionics and navigation upgrade.

It doesn't really get much better than this. The #1 is 3-6673 (٣-۶۶۷٣ / 00242) and the #2 is 3-6535 (٣-۶۵٣۵).

Given the reported construction number, this must be one of the oldest Iranian Phantoms, alive and kicking nevertheless in 2018. The encircled ۹ on the tail stands for the 9th Tactical Air Base in relatively nearby Bandar Abbas.

A total of five F-4Es took part in the flying programme of this show. Delivered early in the 1970s, this one had meanwhile received the Dowran upgrade, as indicated by the badge on the intake and the white antenna below it and the one on the spine.

With FMS serial 75-0242 this F-4 was among the last batches being delivered to the Shah, in this case as 00242 in June 1977. Equipped with TISEO system in the left wingroot, as many later F-4Es. The number 9 of Shahid Abdolkarimi Tactical Air Base is on the tail.

Iranian F-4s, the figurehead of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) since the 70s, such a great aircraft. Interesting to see in this pciture is that the lead aircraft (3-6673) is equipped with the Target Identification System Electro - Optical (TISEO), which is installed in the leading edge of the left wing. The TISEO allows to detect air targets at long distances. Wingman 3-6538 lacks this modicifaction.

Iranian Phantoms in the break

Two F-4Es low level over Kish. The right one is 3-6673 (00242)