THE MISSION FROM HELL: KHORAMSHAHR, April 1982.

(As told by Colonel Y. to the author)

     Sometime in the spring of 1982.  We were a flight of F-4D Phantoms detached to support the Iranian Counter-Offensive to lift the Iraqi seige on Khoramshahr. There were seven aircraft in the detachment, although only four or five could be flown on any particular day.  I was lucky, my aircraft still had an operational radar which means that I could still use AIM-7 Sparrows.

    On this day in April, we were tasked to bomb a concentration of anti-aircraft guns defending a logistics area. We knew that it was suicidal, but we had no choice.  The logistics center was supplying an Iraqi Division which was pummelling the northern part of the beseiged city.  We were to fly four F-4Ds all fully loaded with twelve snakeye Mk-82s. We were tasked to fly very low (200 feet) and drop our load in the middle of the anti-aircraft  area. This was dangerous because sometimes the Mk. 82 snakeye fins fail and would blow up the delivery aircraft.  I would be flying with three AIM-7 and an ECM pod--the only operational pod in the detachment.

   When we were near our objective, we were expecting to find only guns.  But when we got there, we were surprised to see four SAM-6 launchers defending an area along our route.  As we were ingressing I could see all four frantically raising their launchers.  I flew so near one of the launchers that I could see that the middle missile in the launcher was colored light gray --while the two other missiles were green.  

  Several missiles flew, as I turned my head I saw my wingman hit by a SAM-6.  He was flying so near that parts of the fuselage were thrown to my aircraft damaging my tail.  I immediately called on the other two Phantoms to follow me. We crested a hill, but we were met by anti-aircraft fire.  I then heard on the radio that No. 3 was hit and crashed.  I rallied the remaining Phantom--No. 4.

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We turned around, I told No. 4 that we were attacking the SAM sites.  He frantically yelled on the radio that during the bout with the anti-aircraft that he had dumped his bombs and fuel tanks.  We then crested another hill.  I pressed to 150 feet, we outflanked the SAM site, I dumped 12 Mk.82 on the formation, there were multiple explosions.  I could see one SAM red hot out of the launcher, destroyed by the secondary fire.  One launcher survived the attack and managed to fire all three of its missiles, but the explosion probably destroyed the guidance van and they all missed.

I egressed and called on No. 4.  There was no answer.  I flew back to base and we never knew what happened to No. 4.  A few days later, we were told that No. 4 was accidentally shot down by own troops in Khoramshahr.  

THE MODEL:

The model is a Tamiya 1/32 F-4D.  I added Eduard's PE set and made my own IRIAF decals.  I did not bother to remove the damage patch that bedeviled the Tamiya kit.   For an Iranian bird fighting the Iran-Iraq war, the battle damage patch looks OK.

I also modeled the SAM-6 launcher as described in the article---with the middle missile colored gray (perhaps a quick reload).

I would like to thank Coloney Y., a long-time Manila resident, for sharing this incredible story 

Vinny (IPMS-Phils BA) 

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