Jalil Zandi

Brig. General Jalil Zandi (Persian: جلیل زندی‎) (1951–2001) was a fighter pilot in the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force who served during all of the Iran–Iraq War. His combat record qualifies him as one of the most successful pilot of that conflict in air-to-air combat[1][2][3], as well as one of the best Iranian aces ever. It also made him the highest-scoring pilot in the history of the F-14 Tomcat.

Jalil Zandi
Native name
جلیل زندی
Born(1951-05-02)2 May 1951
Garmsar, Iran
Died1 April 2001(2001-04-01) (aged 49)
Tehran, Iran
Buried
Behesht-e Zahra cemetery, Tehran
AllegianceIran
Service/branch Imperial Iranian Air Force
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
Years of service1970–2001
Rank Brigadier General
Battles/warsIran–Iraq War
Awards 2nd grade Fath Medal
Spouse(s)Zahra Moheb Shahedin

Career

Jalil Zandi began in the IIAF and stayed on to serve in the IRIAF when it was somewhat dangerous for pilots to continue their military service. While a major, he often clashed with his superior Lt. Col. Abbas Babaei.[2] Abbas Babaei was "notorious for his merciless treatment of the pilots and officers" considered disloyal to the new regime[4] and because of this Jalil Zandi was condemned to ten years of imprisonment. When he was in prison, he was threatened to be sentenced to death, but by demand of the then-air force commander and many other air force pilots, he was released after six months.[5]

Iran–Iraq War
Zandi with an F-14 Tomcat

He earned his fame as an F-14 Tomcat pilot during the Iran–Iraq War. He has been reliably credited with shooting down 11 Iraqi aircraft (eight confirmed victories[6][7] through examination with US intelligence documents released according to FOIA inquiry and three probable victories).[8] The victories include four MiG-23s, two Su-22s, two MiG-21s, and three Mirage F1s.[9] This makes him one of the most successful Iranian fighter ace ever, & the most successful F-14 Tomcat pilot worldwide.[9]

Post-war

His last official post, before his death, was deputy for planning and organization of the Iranian Air Force.

He died with his wife Zahra Moheb Shahedin in 2001 in a car accident near Tehran.[2] He is buried in Behesht-e Zahra cemetery in the south of Tehran. He had three sons: Vahid, Amir, and Nader.

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See also

References
  1. Imperial Iranian Air Force: Samurai in the skies
  2. Fire in the Hills: Iranian and Iraqi Battles of Autumn 1982, by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, Sept. 9, 2003
  3. Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, 2004, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, p. 79, ISBN 1 84176 787 5
  4. Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, 2004, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, p. 23, ISBN 1 84176 787 5
  5. Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, 2004, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, pp. 23-24, ISBN 1 84176 787 5
  6. http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_210.shtml
  7. http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_211.shtml
  8. Herbert, Adam (January 2015). "Air Power Classics". Air Force Magazine: 76.
  9. Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, 2004, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, pp. 85–88, ISBN 1 84176 787 5
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