The SU-15 Flagon Was The Psycho Killer Of The Cold War

[@sixstringedthing]

I look forward to falling asleep to this in about an hour or so and then enjoying it again in full with my Saturday morning coffee. Cheers mate

[@bilalsadiq1450]

Same, I love these videos but I always seem to fall asleep whilst watching them because I start them when I'm in bed or drowsy, I swear Not A Pound probably gets 3-4 views out of me per video lol.

[@sixstringedthing]

All wonderfully well organised into playlists for convenience. High Quality. 👍

[@ryanpeck4691]

I'm not alone with this channel being ASMR? LOL I'm good for 2 views for this reason

[@ddviper8813]

Dude same, puts me right to bed. Go to work. Come home smoke a bowl and watch again fully. Best Friday ever

[@chriskortan1530]

Just like Drachinifel ! He's absolutely not boring but has such a calm well measured speaking voice. The only drawback is he dryly slips in a fair number of witty sarcasms that grab my attention, lol.

[@j.mangum7652]

Flagon was the first..."Oh hey, look! A civilian airliner!"

[@ShortArmOfGod]

Those are worth the most points.

[@mrkeogh]

Easy pickings, Comrade!

[@mrkeogh]

​@@ShortArmOfGodHero of Soviet Union for you, Comrade!

[@andyf4292]

USN did too

[@shaider1982]

​@@andyf4292 uhhh, no.

[@릴드-j7v]

As a South Korean, i feel a deep fear in genetic level whenever I see this aircraft.

[@jameshastey3058]

They're only dangerous if you're flying in a high flying airliner. Lower flying aircraft (especially civil propeller driven aircraft like Cessnas) are relatively safe due to the Flagon's inability to shoot down lower flying aircraft and inability to do air combat maneuvering.

[@newdefsys]

As an American Southerner, I would love to personally see an SU-15 up close, but would approach cautiously, observe quietly, and depart quickly.

[@epikmanthe3rd]

Is that fear multiplied if you are aboard a Boeing?

[@brealistic3542]

Me too It's a very pretty aircraft.

[@AdurianJ]

A Swedish Viggen got an unintentional maneuver kill on an Su-15 in the 80's

[@julianmorrisco]

Fantastic!

[@christianpethukov8155]

Never heard of that!

[@AdurianJ]

@@christianpethukov8155 An armed Su-15 tried to follow a Swedish sea recon Viggen in a split S at low altitude. Bad idea !

[@christianpethukov8155]

@AdurianJ Oops. Thanks for letting me know!

[@shootbat]

I remember reading about this, thanks for reminding me

[@manuelkatsos5104]

How about a video on the Tu 128 Fiddler interceptor..an absolute giant of a heavy fighter. Also a video on Mig 25 Foxbat operations in the Middle East would be great.

[@trickyricky-n2o]

Yep the 128 and the 15 when viewed from above are perfection in aviation aesthetics

[@seapickles5762]

This is the most comprehensive piece of media on the Su-15 I’ve ever seen… the jet is practically forgotten by everyone else

[@dbeasleyphx]

I'd say similarly forgotten as USAF bomber interceptors (eg Delta Dagger/Dart) as they had limited use after ICBM proliferation and functioned mostly as technology test subjects. Seems the Su-15 suffered similarly as American and GB interceptors for range, radar and missile limitations.

[@EvilTwinn]

The first two minutes of this were a fantastic hook. I appreciate that.

[@manuelkatsos5104]

Love the title Psycho Killer ......are you a Talking Heads fan? Another great video 😊😊😊😊

[@shaider1982]

Definitely failed the No-Airliner challenge, plus , supposedly, "maneuver-kill" against a cosmonaut

[@jameshastey3058]

The Su-15 was a notoriously difficult aircraft to fly, even the later variants with the cranked wing. As mentioned, the aircraft had a high takeoff and landing speed. This was compounded by the fact that as a tailed delta design it could not use the high angle of attack landing approaches used by pure delta aircraft like the Mirage III or F-106 due to the need to maintain airflow over the horizontal stabilators. Even if a high AoA approach had been aerodynamically feasible, the Flagon's long nose would have made it impractical due to visibility concerns. I've seen a few comparisons made where it is stated that the Flagon's western counterpart was the F-106 but that is not quite true. Even though the F-106 entered service earlier than the Flagon, it was still a better aircraft in terms of serviceability, reliability, and effectiveness in the intercept role. I've often thought that the only reason the Su-15 entered production at all given that the MiG-25 was a superior interceptor is simply as a "keep-busy" measure to keep the Sukhoi OKB open. The Flagon's only kills against live targets were scored against unarmed (and unaware) airliners - KAL flight 902 (a Boeing 707), an Argentine Canadair CL-44 propliner, and KAL flight 007 (a Boeing 747). It is questionable how well a Flagon would have done in intercepting/shooting down a B-52 given the B-52's ECM capability in the late 70's. All in all, the Flagon was a disappointment and I've read one Flagon pilot's interview where he said that being assigned to fly them was a sort of punishment - when one pilot told his relatives that he was assigned to fly the Flagon his father (who had flown MiG-15's and 17's during the 1950's) asked him who he had pissed off.

[@svinche2]

You named all bad things about flagon and not a single good one? It is well known Interceptor for excellent rate of climb 230m/s and supersonic acceleration Surpassed only by MiG-25. With two R-98MR missiles was capable of 1.9 Mach and without armament 2.1 Mach. Also when engines are redlined (it have that Redline throttle stick ability like most of PVO strany interceptors) it was able to reach max speed of 2.5 mach in clean configuration. Radar Taifun-M RP-26 have two separate working frequencies (it is a derivative of RP-25) and have a range of 70km which is a good performance at a time. serviceability, reliability, and effectiveness in the intercept role between F-106 & Su-15TM... we can not compare this two because all available information are covered with propaganda fog of war ,where one side mock another side. But Su-15 because of its acceleration (1/3 faster rate of climb - 230m/s vs 150m/s) will catch its target much faster than F-106, especially if we compare armament of Su-15 with R-98MR/MT missile (23km range) with F-106 with unbelievable unreliable AIM-4F Falcon (9.7km range) !!!

[@FishFlys]

@@svinche2You are ignoring the context, the Su15 was an interceptor that wasn’t as capable in the pure interceptor role as the MiG-25. The comparison between F106 and Su15 is not the main point the person commenting was making, rather that the Flagon was simply considered a lesser jet in the Soviet inventory compared to its contemporaries. Ergonomics matter more than you’d think lol, a pilot needs to be able to safely take off and land to get their flight hours in.

[@svinche2]

@@FishFlys Ignorant is you in this topic, because i read so many books about Su-15 and soviet jets from authors like Yefim Gordon and others. And all that Soviet Lesser jet is Invented by Western Propaganda outlets ! If this jet is in any way Lesser jet they will not built 1,290 pieces of it ! At first (before MiG-25 entered production) it is considered a elite PVO strany fighter jet ! Soviets didn't considered even obviously less capable Yak-28P lesser jet. And Su-15 production continued even after MiG-25 entered production told us that story, because Su-15 is much cheaper for production and exploitation. Only Su-9 is considered failed project and quickly updated in Su-11 version. Crampy not spacious cockpit, well all soviet jets have small cockpits but you should know that average height of soviet pilots are 1.65. They choose small bodied people for pilots !

[@FishFlys]

@@svinche2 I never called the flagon “failed”. I said, truthfully mind you, that it is objectively inferior to its contemporaries that the Soviets already had access to. Your anecdotal evidence is worthless and adds nothing to the general context of the jet. It just wasn’t as good as the alternatives so it never saw much use.

[@TheGranicd]

Actualy plane was quite reliable. Landing speed was nothing new compared to contemporary 21 for example. Video is bit spiling bile on the plane like its some kind of serial killer not a machine. But I guess in current age its a norm on videos of this type.

[@sangomasmith]

I love the Flagon - one of those weird mutants that can only exist in an isolated, resource-rich environment where the niches haven't yet been filled to capacity. Basically it's the jet equivalent of a Moa.

[@rm6330]

Australian Flagon is a 2 litre plus bottle of wine 🍷

[@samspeed6271]

21:40 - "It turned out that although Factory 500 in Moscow could make the engines properly, Factory 26 in Ufa could not. "In June 1969, PRESUMABLY AFTER A ROUND OF 7.62MM CALIBRE HR AND QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS, the Ufa factory did manage to produce engines that met the design specifications." Heavens that was dark but it was also witty. Interesting video on the Flagon. Didn't know much about it apart from it's homicidal tendencies against civilian airliners. Very interesting.

[@johnwatson3948]

For 007, articles and TV dramas spent years speculating on why the plane went off course, usually having it due to some technical problem as the pilots could not be at fault. Some surprise when the later release of the recovered FDR’s showed the pilots had simply forgotten to switch from Heading Mode to INS Mode after leaving Alaska.

[@trickyricky-n2o]

Another conspiracy that may be true 🤔 did you know about the congressman that was on board?

[@ssyn6626]

That opening, now I am imagining every Flagon pilot flying with that Michael Myers Halloween theme blairing in their helmets.

[@richardmartin8998]

21:50 is probably the darkest double entendre you've put in a video yet.

[@MarijnRoorda]

I can think of a few places who could use such a effective HR department...

[@ryanpeck4691]

I’d love to see a video on the Su22Fitters. This channel is great

[@NefariousKoel]

Also looking forward to Su-17/22 and the precursor Su-7 video(s). Those Cold War Sukhoi jets seemed to be quite prolific around the world but don't get as much exploration as MiGs.

[@ryanpeck4691]

@@NefariousKoel exactly

[@Sturminfantrist]

Su-15TM (and MiG-19`s) are my favorite , cold war era , Soviet aircraft, when Trumpeter released a 1:48 Su-15TM modelkit i was happy until i opened the box and saw that the Nose wasnt angled downwards slightly, but no Problem a modelmagazin came to help how to rebuilt the downward angle by scratch. Thx for the Flagon video

[@michaelogden5958]

21:50 "...7.62 caliber... quality improvement..." quite possibly. 🙂

[@LuqmanHM]

We are still waiting for this plane to be added into War Thunder!!!

[@razor1uk610]

... surely it's too structurally weak & also too weak in interception capabilities for WT to be useful?

[@LuqmanHM]

@razor1uk610 well that doesnt matter much to me, but i get your point

[@JSDFEnthusiast]

5:00 Forgive my language. But GYATT

[@razor1uk610]

...erm, ..do you get a Yacht with that Gyatt , you know, a Gyatt Yacht ??

[@peterbrazier7107]

The Soviets used the unused film from the Ballons on their spy satellites, because it was better than they could produce.

[@artificernathaniel3287]

Have you done a video on the early F-16 Vipers? I recently found your channel and dont know much about the early years of 4th generation jets, and would love to learn about it all from you!

[@Archie2c]

That opening was Gold

[@jwenting]

Seen and heard them scramble. Very impressive (and LOUD). No photos of course, not in the USSR while waiting for our flight to depart somewhere in Siberia.

[@Brett-fn6ks]

Evidently lead poisoning via 7.62mm rounds worked as a potent quality control method.

[@ThePilot4ever]

Hard to believe they still keep some in storage for emergency activation, though I doubt they'd get many (if any) to operational status should russia choose to do so. Not only would they have to find technicians that remember how to service them but also re-train pilots on 60s soviet hardware. Makes one wonder just how much mothballed soviet aviation lies around. Has to be massive.

[@Damien-q8t]

Anyone else find it Ironic the Soviets thought the Korean Air 747 was a spy plane while Korean Air gave it the call sign 007......as in James Bond....the most famous spy,fictious or real

[@edgy_dabs9167]

“Airliner hate him, Find out how this Soviet interceptor shot down 3 airliners and go away with it”

[@Tadeas_Plachy]

One of my favorite Cold War jets!

[@slimyjimmy1589]

Finally I've been waiting for a flagon video for yearsssss.

[@poggyfroggy_isntmine4596]

Would love to see some videos on British air to air missiles such as the red top and fireflash

[@thelittlehooer]

21:56 "A round of 7.62mm HR quality improvements" Fantastic statement. HR and facisim haven't changed since.

[@1KosovoJeSrbija1]

Essentially a long range SAM that had a human to navigate it to near its target

[@yurinator4411]

The psycho killer sat inside the cockpit, the Flagon was the gun...

[@sasha022]

I can't understand how the Su-27 came out of the same design bureau as this atrocious (literally) piece of...

[@godlugner5327]

*watching the production numbers on the aircraft slowly increase as the video goes on* 19:12 almost there 19:15 Nice.

[@RB-bd5tz]

Are you a 12-year-old?

[@charlesrousseau6837]

Looking into the SU-15 cockpit, I wonder why western gauge designers never got to make a combined vertical speed indicator / turn coordinator instrument, which gives all info you need to complete a level turn within the blink of an eye.

[@johantoll650]

Great episode!

[@CosmooFoX]

Жаль мало сказано было о системах автоматизированного управления и наведения перехватчиков, начиная с "Вихрь-1". Ведь самолет Су-15 являлся частью сложнейшего комплекса, в этом и стоит искать причины достоинств и недостатков этой, несомненно, контроверсивной машины.

[@MM22966]

That intro had me rolling on the floor! "Yo, Flagon! Take care of dis guy! Make sure he sleeps with da fishes!"

[@2uiator325]

Very interesting video. I remember the 1986 KAL shoot down and ensuing outrage very well. I’ve also noticed that you used “RC One-Three-Five” when reading “RC-135”; in the USAF, however we say “RC One-Thirty-Five”.

[@uingaeoc3905]

As for AAMs in US, UK and Soviet designs - all claimed in 1959 they were HITilles but all were USEless even by 1970.

[@Jack2Japan]

Greatest introduction ever!

[@sski]

There were certain angles in certain photos you showed where, from one third of the fuselage behind the wing root to the tip of the tail looked like the F-105 Thunderchief. I know it was a trick of the camera, but damn, looked just like it. Thanks for this long vid. I love Russian/Soviet aircraft. So exotic from the usual Western fair.

[@jamesmonks]

having only just discovered this channel, the one thing I’ve come to realise is how useless both sides' interceptors were in the Cold War. If only they had known nobody would have bothered with those massively complex and expensive ICBM programs

[@riverinesqn3]

This is your best work ;)

[@AC_702]

Awww Man...love the intro!😊

[@Darren-vf2qw]

Loved the video.

[@BLD426]

Great vid. Tks.

[@Genoan01]

Great video about an ugly plane. Thank you for making it, I would love to see one about the U-2.

[@MM22966]

Idea: Do a overview video on the Voyska PVO. I don't think many people outside hardcore Cold War nerds understand there were TWO Soviet air forces. (well, three, counting Naval Aviation, but you know what I mean)

[@dindrmindr626]

almost an hour of pounding! yay!

[@CathodeRayNipplez]

That's what she said.

[@richardmartin8998]

I see what you did there fellow man of culture.

[@jimsvideos7201]

Engaging work as always, thank you.

[@chxyz1048]

These Nato Codes for Soviet aircrafts are always so nice

[@billenright2788]

Hell yeah!!!!! Many thanks for this.

[@HiImSeanIPlayBass]

But for the larger delta wing, canards, and overall length difference, the Eurofighter Typhoon seems to have taken quite a few cues from the Flagon. Kinda cool.

[@2lotusman851]

And in turn, the Eurofighter took its styling cues from the 1965 Ford Mustang fastback.

[@shlomz]

Great wotk, as usual. Do the Fiddler!

[@roo72]

Yay, Friday evening so NAPFATG and because it's summer a bottle of sparkling shiraz. Yay. Life is good.

[@thefrecklepuny]

I read some years ago a detachment of Si-15's was sent to Egypt in the 1970s. Don't think they ever tangled with Israeli F-4's and Mirages, though.

[@harblewarble6427]

KAL 007 is a wild story

[@seanmcardle]

7.62 quality improvements. Ouch!

[@guaporeturns9472]

Love this plane

[@Iffy350]

I still think the Su-17 was underrated but the MiG-27 was more or less unnecessary. The MiG-23BN already had air to ground capabilities. The 30mm GSH-30-6 wasn’t really justified.

[@cap.meruwkateklimana8321]

Solution to Su-15 psycho killer problem: Have F-14 Tomcat disguised as civilian airliner.

[@michaelwest4325]

Although I do think these incidents show the weaknesses and vulnerability of the PVO and Soviet airspace, the use of an interceptor shows that high command was not certain of the target or else why not just use a SAM? GCI really showed no true awareness and once it was said to be a civil airliner they shot anyway versus pursue a forced landing. In fairness Aeroflot is said to have been used to conduct covert intel gathering so Soviet thinking was likely these were either camo or carrying out recce, either way they chose to take the shot. In the end I suspect the Flagon would have done little to impede any true penetrations or forestall the bombings to come. Another more paper than substance system the USSR put up.

[@Mac_Diddy]

Oh hell yeah, almost an hour long.

[@MrBozo3d]

impressive how people forgot about us navy and IDF shooting down civilian airplanes...

[@super_slav91]

Mig-15 never had afterburners the 17 was the first i believe.

[@Iffy350]

MiG-17 No MiG-17F Yes

[@andyf4292]

those 2 barrelled cannon... are they Gast guns?

[@Tjecktjeck]

Why did it have targeting pod and with what weapons was it used?

[@ivancho5854]

At 16:22 ? It's an IFF interrogation system (Identification Friend or Foe). I hope that this helps. All the best. 👍

[@efzahmed6311]

The su-15 , the Ralf cifaretto of fighters

[@jamesbugbee9026]

A beauty ❤

[@brealistic3542]

The Su-15 gets a bad rap. It was actually a pretty good fighter. It was the crappy Soviet interception system and the people running it that are totally at fault.

[@user-gj9cn7tn5r]

If it could barely shoot down a 707, B-52s would have flown right past them.

[@yes_head]

Bet Ukraine wish they had those Flagons now...

[@madkoala2130]

Thats interesting theory you got there in intro, shame that it wasnt uncontrollable spin that MiG-15 is known for causing most of his accidents.

[@tipwilkin]

1:26 "he drives a Volvo sedan" well EXCUSE YOU

[@rdjhardy]

0:38:38 Alright, I heard you the first time.

[@Tal-q3r]

pimp flagon intro! 😄

[@malusignatius]

There's something unquestionably 'Cold War' about the Flagon, it's slab-sided, brutalist looks make it in my mind maybe the most soviet fighter aesthetically. There's nothing graceful or elegant about it's appearance, just raw purpose and function. The Flagon cares not for cool looks or popularity, it's here to do it's job and nothing else.

[@kittyhawk9707]

Yak 28p would like a word ... .

[@malusignatius]

@@kittyhawk9707 The Firebar's more 1950s Stalinist IMO.

[@kittyhawk9707]

@@malusignatius yeah ..but they stayed in service well into the 80's .... last ones retired 1986 .. same sort of design details as the Su15 .. chuck missiles out at long range - then get the hell out of dodge :) The Yak 28P ..just looks badass ..no matter what .... very Flash Gordon ..hahah

[@lebenlarge5282]

4am vibes!

[@Mob1us0ne]

Oh hell yes

[@ashifabedin]

this plane make GPS free for us

[@Migman141]

Can you be my dad?

[@andyf4292]

I always wondered, did the Soviets/ Russians ever like the NATO reporting names, ?

[@mathewkelly9968]

Funny thing is the US has downed as many civilian airliners as Russia but crickets about that

[@lucasottile6982]

PVO INTERCEPTOR VIDEO RRAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

[@alexanderlawson1649]

Yes, the SU 15, did become a momentary thing of interest when I was a teenager. I marveled at its soviet looks. Maybe we could have been a thing, God the USSR produced some desireable planes. Sex with aeroplanes? is it possible.

[@Damien-q8t]

Almost an hour long.....dont hear much on the SU-15

[@jonniez62]

The USSR just hated KAL.

[@dmacpher]

What, an, opening

[@amitnachman3840]

are we gonna get a fiddler video?

[@2IDSGT]

Cranked delta, not double delta.

[@simonharris6705]

Love it 😂

[@amitnachman3840]

yes yes yes

[@gideonmorton1825]

Hey I drive a Volvo sedan...

[@avus-kw2f213]

41:04 ♥️🇮🇱🤝🇮🇷♥️

[@avus-kw2f213]

1:54

[@CanuckWolfman]

Qu'est que c'est?