Tom Cooper wrote:

"Ed Rasimus" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 22 Sep 2003 10:23:25 GMT, "Tom Cooper" wrote:

snip

What's an R-13? Do you mean SA-7 or Atoll?

That's the original service designation for the AA-2 Atoll (K-13 was the
design designation).

Tom, IIRR the AA-2A (K-13) was designated the R-3S in service, while the later
versions switched to R-13 (M and M2 IIRC) to bring the service designation in
line with the design designation. I've got an old Air International article by
Piotr Butowski around here somewhere; he was given access to Vympel's chief
designer as well as their museum, and the different models were described.
There was also a cutaway of what we would call an AA-2D, which IIRR was
designated the R-13M2.

I know the SA-7 was not that widespread nor as a serious a threat as some
other stuff at the time, and remember from reding Mitchel's "Clashes" and
few other books about the air war in SEA how often it happened that the
first warning from a MiG was either a Phantom or a Thud going up in flames.

But, in several cases the attacks were noticed when one of the crews saw
contrails from R-13s being underway behind them. Clear, the R-13 could't do
much against a maneuvering aircraft (AFAIK any maneuver beyond 2g was too
much for it to track), but, IMHO, perhaps the use of flare-dispensers
could've saved a crew or two more?

Carrying chaff dispensers would have been far more use in general, given the
relative likelihood of encountering MiGs and SAMs/AAA. The R-3S could be easily
outmaneuvered if seen in time, or decoyed by the sun, clouds, or the sun shining
on water.

Guy