Originally Posted by G-Capo

F-14 is an interceptor.In With in Visual range combat even the old Su-22 would of cut it to pieces.

lol, you bet!



-----------------

http://www.simhq.com/simhq3/sims/interviews/snodgrass/migshootdown.wav

I think it was definitely within visual range. My recollection of the maneuvering is that the lead Su-22 fired an Atoll just as they were going abeam, and that the F-14's each made one single turn to reverse in behind them and stuffed Sidewinders up their tailpipes. I believe the range was inside 2 miles for each of the kills, and possibly at about one mile.

EDIT: we'll find out soon enough, I shot an email to my old NROTC commander (who was XO of VF-41 at the time of the incident) to get the details.

EDIT #2: damn, I was close. Here's his take (verbatim email, I'm not even correcting his typos, etc.):

The Libyan fired an atoll prior to the "pass", that is to say that he fired before the two pairs of aircraft passed each other head on. (As soon as the missile was fired, the U.S. Tomcats had clearance to shoot, based on the prescribed rules of engagement.) The Libyans turned southward as soon as they passed the Tomcats. The Tomcats did a high turn to the Libyans six o'clock positions and fired sidewinders at 0.5 to 1.0 mile range. One missile per kill.

The flight involved my squadron, and in fact I was en-route to relieve the two aircraft when it happened, so I heard the entire thing on the radio.

Of the four F-14 aircrew who were involved, one pilot was killed in an aircraft accident in an F-18, one pilot is currently flying commercial airlines, one RIO was killed in a skiing accident, and one RIO was re-trained as a pilot and is currently on active duty as a two-star Admiral.

Oy, this is going waaaaaay off-topic. Sorry.

A piece from Flight Journal magazine on the Iranian F-14As