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Iran's newest warplane something from 'GI Joe?'
First it was monkeys in space (or not) and now it’s “GI Joe” fighter jets. Not the best of times for Iran’s aviation and aerospace programs, at least if you listen to the skeptics.
First there were doubts about Tehran’s claim it sent a monkey into space in late January. After photos of two different monkeys that were aboard the alleged one-monkey space shot surfaced, Iran media said there was a photo mix-up and, yes, there was just one Iranian monkey in space.
Then this week Iran unveiled what it said was its new high-tech stealth fighter plane. The jet shown in pictures on the website of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been the butt of jokes all week from aviation bloggers.
“This aircraft looks a lot like an old GI Joe toy,” wrote one blogger.
And from another, “This has to be a joke, right?”
Click through the gallery above to see the bloggers' comments and evidence in the photos.
On Twitter
If this is any indication of the caliber of their nuclear weapons program, I think we're safe.
hahahahahaha........ good one!
Jeez, hand me a fly swatter.
I guess the space monkey is supposed to fly this thing, becasue a normal-sized pilot doesn't seem to fit....
I guess Iran doesn't have any good movie special-effects people either. I've seen high school kids build a better stage set.
Not really a GI Joe or Cobra looking plane, but that does remind me of the plane in Firefox.
Coming soon to an Toys R' Us near you.
At least the pilot will have good music while he sits immobile on the runway or in the hangar – I say this because it looks like he has a nice Alpine CD unit installed at the top of his console display. Apparently he installed himself due to the ridiculously exposed wires coming out the back of it. C'mon – did they run out of money for a molded covering? If you're going to make a fake, make a good fake!
Maybe monkeyman is planning to throw them at Israel like a boy would throw a paper air plane.
Why is the writing on the plane in English?
Where does Goose sit?
Ooops, seems that someone put a dent on the underside of it.
Whoa there. Dont underestimate your enemy as usual.
Instead of volunteering to be the first Iranian on the moon, Ahmadinejad should volunteer to be the first test pilot for this super-ultra-mega-advanced F-313.
Either this is a mock-up, or just a propaganda prop. Notice that there is no locking mechanism on the front end of the canopy? In essence the only thing holding the canopy down in-flight would be pressure from the back-hinge. Pull 2xnegative G's at any sub-sonic speed and that canopy would flap open and rip off.
Also, because of the canard and wing position, there are no outer hard-points for weapons, and little internal fuselage storage for missiles. You would have ZERO armaments on this aircraft!
I am CERTAIN this is a fake craft.
The pilot can use his shoes as misiles
The plane seems very small. How much thrust can its engine have, if it has to fit the supposed plane? This thing would be as slow as a helicopter. The intakes are tiny
So after closer inspection, did anyone notice DANGER written in english?
LOL... good eyes.
I just noticed something.
It's a jet, right?
WHERE'S THE ENGINE?
You could probably shoe-horn a tiny one in the back section, but if you did, WHERE WOULD THE FUEL GO?
The wings? Well, I hope they aren't planning to fly that thing far – like maybe to the end of the runway and back....
I think the article said it rides on a magic carpet.
LOL, you could say the same thing about US jets
all modern jets have lift-generating bodies and engines integrated within the fuselage...see the air intakes near the canopy
and all modern aircraft store fuel in wings, even civilian aircraft (where else would you store the fuel?)