Golden Crown

The Golden Crown (Persian: تاج طلایی‎‎) was the national aerobatics display team of Iran and part of the former Imperial Iranian Air Force.

The Golden Crown was officially founded in 1958. Fourteen Iranian pilots were sent to Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base, Germany, in order to learn aerobatics in jet aircraft. Nine of them returned to Iran after a couple of months and the remaining five went on to undergo further flying training. After 72 training sessions, the team performed its first aerobatic display in 1958. It was equipped with four Republic F-84G Thunderjet aircraft. By 1959, it had nine F-84s.

The team performed near Mehrabad International Airport and later, at Kooshk Nosrat 100 kilometres from Tehran.

During the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the team was disbanded after the dissolution of the Imperial Iranian Air Force.

IIAF ace, Yadollah Javadpour, was a member of the Golden Crown from 1975 to 1978. Other notable members include Mohammad Amir Khatami, Nader Jahanbani, Amir Hossein Rabii, Bahram Hooshyar, and Yadollah Sharifirad.

F-5Es taking off from the Mehrabad Airport; 1950s F-5Es taking off from the Mehrabad Airport; 1950s  Right to left: Asghar Imanian, Abdolhossein Minoosepehr, Nader Jahanbani (leader), Nader Yoosefi, Bahman Bagheri, Ayat Mohagheghi, Fariborz Bayvar Right to left: Asghar Imanian, Abdolhossein Minoosepehr, Nader Jahanbani (leader), Nader Yoosefi, Bahman Bagheri, Ayat Mohagheghi, Fariborz Bayvar  Joint airshow with US Navy Blue Angels, 1973 Joint airshow with US Navy Blue Angels, 1973  Mohammad Reza Pahlavi visiting the Golden Crown members, 1976 Mohammad Reza Pahlavi visiting the Golden Crown members, 1976  An F-84G Thunderjet of the Golden Crown aerobatic team.  An Imperial Iranian Air Force F-86 Sabre, of the Golden Crown aerobatic display team.

See also

• Yadollah Sharifirad

External links

• Golden Crown year by year