Qaher 313 "Conqueror"
Iran's "Hoax" Stealth Fighter (2013)
Production Run - 2013-2017
STATUS: RETIRED
Production Run - 2013-2017
STATUS: RETIRED
About the Design
Like the leadership of North Korea, Iran's ruling regime frequently attempts to gain international recognition by unveiling some form of "super weapon" that demonstrates its technical acumen. So it was on February 2, 2013, when President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi proudly rolled out their country's "next generation stealth fighter," the Qaher 313 “Conqueror.” The technical specs released to the world press claimed the plane could carry two 2000-pound bombs or at least six PL-12 category air-to-air missiles.
The Q-313 was immediately greeted with skepticism, and then outright derision. Many military aviation experts called it a “laughable hoax,” noting the single-engine aircraft was far too small to perform as Iran purported. In fact, it clearly resembled a Hollywood prop more than it did a 21st century jet fighter. Close-up photos of the cockpit were particularly damning, as the instrument panel was painfully simple, the cockpit canopy distorted and the the cockpit tub itself barely large enough to fit its pilot. Days later, Iran tried to legitimize its claim with a picture of the Qaher 313 in flight -- a picture that within hours was busted as being a crude Photoshop composite. Although an obvious fraud, the Qaher 313 remains noteworthy for its creators' chutzpah in attempting to bamboozle the world community with such a crude piece of flim-flam. |
About the Model
Iran's Qaher 313 on display (2013).
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What You Get