Golden Crown History
The history of Imperial Iranian Air Force aerobatic team begins in middle of 1950's, when some pilots are detached to Furstenfeldbruk Air Base, Germany, to start training course for a brand new jet fighters delivered to Iran. One of these pilots is Capt. Nader Jahanbani who became a closer friend to Skyblazers leader at that time Maj. Smallen and fly in some practices in the backseat of the Skyblazers leader's plane. The Furstenfeldbruk Air Base is also a Skyblazers home base at that time. After the finishing its training Capt. Nader Jahanbani now promoted to Major, returns to Iran and formed an aerobatic team flying with four F-84G Thunderjet planes. In June 1958 the team became an official unit like Imperial Iranian Air Force Golden Crown AcroJet Team. Not long ago the fatal crash occurred taking a life of one of the team pilots. The planes are painted in white, red and green colors. This paint scheme is a little changed during team's existence.
In the next year the team increases to nine planes.
In 1960 the team planes are reduced to six.
In 1961 the Golden Crown begins to fly with six F-86 Sabre planes.
In 1963 during formation practice flight, two of the planes collided in mid-air and crashed, taking lives of the both pilots. The team finished the year with four planes.
In the next year Golden Crown display team begins to fly in five-ship formation.
In 1966 one of the pilots eject safely during practice, while he involved in bird strike accident.
In 1968 the team receives five new F-5A Freedom Fighter planes, but a year later they return to six-ship F-86's. Later in 1969 another fatal crash occurred causing one of the pilot's deaths.
The next year Golden Crown again returns to five-ship formation and for the last time flying with F-86 Sabre.
In 1971 the team starts again to use six F-5A, and again a crash occurred, killing one pilot. This crash leaves a team with a plane less for the next year season.
In 1973 the six-ship Golden Crown team, perform in Teheran airshow together with US NAVY Blue Angels.
Again fatal crash during 1974 kills one the team's pilots.
In 1976 the Golden Crown starts to use seven F-5E Tiger II planes, and eight planes for the last two years of team's existence.
In 1979 the Islamic Revolution in Iran puts to an end the Golden Crown, and later the "father" of the team Maj. Nader Jahanbani was punished to death.
