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Jalil Zandi (; 1951–2001) was a fighter pilot in the
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 through examination with US intelligence documents released according to FOIA inquiry and three probable victories). The victories include four MiG-23s, two Su-22s, two MiG-21s, and three Mirage F1s.''Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat'' by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, 2004, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, pp. 85–88, This makes him one of the most successful Iranian fighter aces and the most successful F-14 Tomcat pilot worldwide.
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF; ) is the air force, aviation branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army. The present air force was created when the Imperial Iranian Air Force was renamed in 1979 following the Iranian Revoluti ...
(IRIAF) who served during all of the Iran–Iraq War. His combat record qualifies him as one of the most successful pilots of that conflict in air-to-air combat,''Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat'' by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, 2004, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, p. 79, as well as one of the most successful Iranian aces ever. It also made him the most successful pilot in the history of the F-14 Tomcat.
Career
Jalil Zandi began in the Imperial Iranian Air Force and after the 1979 Islamic revolution 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 Lieutenant Colonel Abbas Babaei. Abbas Babaei was "notorious for his merciless treatment of the pilots and officers" considered disloyal to the new regime''Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat'' by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, 2004, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, p. 23, and because of this, Jalil Zandi was condemned to ten years of imprisonment. While in prison, he was threatened with execution, but by demand of the then-air force commander and many other air force pilots, he was released after six months.''Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat'' by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, 2004, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, pp. 23-24,Iran–Iraq War
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 through examination with US intelligence documents released according to FOIA inquiry and three probable victories). The victories include four MiG-23s, two Su-22s, two MiG-21s, and three Mirage F1s.''Iranian F-14 Tomcat Units in Combat'' by Tom Cooper & Farzad Bishop, 2004, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, pp. 85–88, This makes him one of the most successful Iranian fighter aces and the most successful F-14 Tomcat pilot worldwide.
Post-war
His last official post 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 nearTehran
Tehran (; , ''Tehrân'') is the capital and largest city of Iran. It is the capital of Tehran province, and the administrative center for Tehran County and its Central District (Tehran County), Central District. With a population of around 9. ...
. He is buried in Behesht-e Zahra cemetery in the south of Tehran. The couple had three sons: Vahid, Amir, and Nader.
See also
* F-14 Tomcat operational history * Iranian aerial victories during the Iran-Iraq war * List of aces of acesReferences
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zandi, Jalil 1951 births 2001 deaths Iran–Iraq War flying aces Iranian flying aces Iranian military aviators Islamic Republic of Iran Army personnel of the Iran–Iraq War Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force personnel Road incident deaths in Iran