Yadollah Javadpour


Major Yadollah Javadpour was a fighter pilot in the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force, serving for the duration of the Iran–Iraq War. His record qualifies him as an ace and one of the most successful pilots of that conflict.

Career

He began his service as a pilot in the IIAF and was a member of the elite Iranian Air Force flying team, the Golden Crown, from 1975 to 1978. He continued to serve with the IRIAF after the revolution, at a time when it was dangerous for pilots to do so.

Iran–Iraq War

Javadpour's notoriety came while flying the Northrop F-5. He claimed 5 air victories, which makes him an ace, but only two have been reliably confirmed by western sources. His greatest fame came on August 6, 1983 when he claimed to have shot down an Iraqi MiG-25. This was a significant achievement for an F-5 pilot as the MiG-25 is a much bigger and faster aircraft with a substantial altitude advantage. His other confirmed kill was an Su-20 on 17 October 1980.
These results make Javadpour one of the most successful F-5 fighter pilots ever.