More on MiG-23s, mostly according to a Russian book "MiG-27":
#164 MiG-23M - first variant exported to Syria was MiG-23MS. According to this Russian page
http://airbase.ru/hangar/planes/russ...23/livan-1.htm the first plane was delivered on 14 Oct 73, but it's doubtful, if it was able to see action by the end of 1973. More reliable starting date would be 1/74. Better picture is 29125 (fighter variant).
#165 MiG-23BM - it should be named BN. Speed of attack variant should be 17 (see in Soviet OOB). In rocket-only configuration, a standard was 128 x 57 mm rockets (4x32), so weapons #186 should be fitted with 11, 11 and 10 shots, or we should introduce weapon 8x57mm S-5, from a Soviet oob, with 6,5,5 shots.
By the way, in weapons' part, weapon #186 4x 57mm S-5 should be in my opinion changed to 4x57mm S-5K, with reduced (real) range and AP HEAT (eg. weapon #185 from Russian OOB), compatible with #185 2x57mm S-5K. Is there any reason to create HE-only 4x 57mm S-5 with extended range, which is not compatible with Soviet OOB? (this problem concerns also Polish, Egyptian and maybe some other oobs).
#166 MiG-23BN - Speed should be 17. I don't know, if the Syrians received missile-armed Migs eventually (at least first batches were in simplified "third world" variant), but in addition to missiles it could take 2x32 57 mm rockets or two bombs up to 500 kg.
#167 MiG-23MF - Better picture is 29125 (fighter variant).
#169 MiG-27 - according to a quoted book, Syria didn't use MiG-27. Could be changed to MiG-23BN, but it didn't use guided bombs. There was a variant instead with 4 x 500 kg conventional bombs (or maximum load 6 x 500 kg).
Re: Syrian OOB
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