Sidewinder

Sidewinder

In this 1991 novel, Mike Dunn describes a confrontation between the Iran and it's neighbor Oman. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard has initiated a scheme to gain control of oil passing through the Persian Gulf. To do this, they begin attacking international tankers and smaller Omani craft moving through the Straights of Hormuz, downing an airliner and attacking and military aircraft patrolling over the Gulf, including an US Navy F-14. As tensions escalate, the Iranians make a move to invade Oman, causing the US Navy to get involved. The story focuses on two F-14 pilots who fly on opposite sides of the confrontation—one, Ali Abdul Rajani, is an arrogant but very talented six kill ace. The other Lieutenant Dirk Buzzell, a young but gifted US Navy pilot. Rajani runs his score up to eight (downing one US Navy F-14 and one RAF mercenary Hawker Hunter) before being destroyed in a final dogfight by Buzzell. These three fights are the basis for the scenarios included here.

Rajani7.btl

Fictional Iranian F-14 six kill ace Ali Abdul Rajani ambushes and destroys one of two USN F-14s that have intercepted and are escorting an Iranian F-4 Phantom that has ventured too close to an E-3 AWACS. One of the USN F-14s has suffered an electrical systems failure and cannot launch missiles.

To simulate the systems failure on one of the USN F-14s, one F-14 has no missiles.

Rajani's F-14 was armed with two heat-seeking missiles Magic missiles.

I have substituted the AIM-9L for the Magics.

This scenario is derived from the 1991 novel Sidewinder by Mike Dunn.

Rajani8.btl

Fictional Iranian F-14 seven kill ace Ali Abdul Rajani is escorting a bomb-laden F-4 Phantom on a strike mission nto Oman when they are intercepted by two Hawker Hunters flown by RAF mercenary pilots. The Hunters are badly outmatched by the F-14 and it's pilot, and one is destroyed in a short dogfight.

Rajani's F-14 is supposed to be armed with two heat-seeking Magic missiles. I have substituted 2 AIM-9L for the Magics.

Since the Hunter is not modeled in FC2, I have substituted the A-7E, an airplane with similar flight characteristics. Each Hunter is armed with two Sidewinders.

This scenario is derived from the 1991 novel Sidewinder by Mike Dunn.

F14vF14.btl

Fictional Iranian F-14 eight kill ace Ali Abdul Rajani, with his F-4 wingman moved to intercept a strike package heading into Iran from the Strait of Hormuz. This precipitated an encounter between the two Iranian fighters and two US Navy F-14, piloted by Lieutenant Buzzell and Lieutenant Mark Caine. Rajani was downed and killed, while the F-4 was damaged.

While both Iranian aircraft are supposed to be armed with French Magic missiles, I have substituted AIM-9Ls for the Magics.

Since the Hunter is not modeled in FC2, I have substituted the A-7E, an airplane with similar flight characteristics. Each Hunter is armed with two Sidewinders.

This scenario is derived from the 1991 novel Sidewinder by Mike Dunn.

F14vF14b.btl

Fictional Iranian F-14 eight kill ace Ali Abdul Rajani, with his F-4 wingman moved to intercept a strike package heading into Iran from the Strait of Hormuz. This precipitated an encounter between the two Iranian fighters and two US Navy F-14, piloted by Lieutenant Buzzell and Lieutenant Mark Caine. Rajani was downed and killed, while the F-4 was damaged.

While both Iranian aircraft are supposed to be armed with French Magic missiles, I have substituted AIM-9Ls for the Magics.

Since the Hunter is not modeled in FC2, I have substituted the A-7E, an airplane with similar flight characteristics. Each Hunter is armed with two Sidewinders.

In the actual encounter, the US Navy F-14s are armed with 4 Sparrow missiles each, but these are not used, as the ROE in this case does not allow their use. In this version of the scenario, I have removed the Sparrows from the US F-14s to reflect this. The Sparrows are present in F14vF14.btl.

This scenario is derived from the 1991 novel Sidewinder by Mike Dunn.