The problem was that the Civil Aviation Bureau regulated ticket prices. The Concorde entered limited service in '76 with BA/AF so 1972 would be too early as the aircraft was still undergoing modification and testing. PA was also going through a big overhaul in operations, trimming excess...
PA did have orders for both Concorde and the 2707. The 2707 was axed by Nixon I believe because of costs.
As for Concorde Pan Am was disappointed with the aircraft for two reasons:
It only carried 100 passengers and it carried no freight. PA wanted a plane that carried close to 200 pax with...
Eastern was first with the A300 in 1978. PA was given a deal for the A300/A310/A320 aircraft.
I remember seeing one of PA's first A310s at Frankfurt in July '85. Quite a surprise.
Pan Am had quite a few problems including management or rather needless micromanaging from the CEOs after Trippe most notably William Seawell and Ed Acker. Both of them helped drive PA into disaster.
The number 747 was excessive, 32 in the fleet by 1972. PA bargained on traffic going up by 1970...
What some are leaving out is the mindset of those in decision vis a vis Soviet/Western counterparts.
The Soviets were paranoid and suspect not to mention being quick to fire first and ask questions later. This attitude was born out of decades worth of authoritarian rule.
In the West it's a...
At most a South Korean fighter crew in a F-4C fly towards an Aeroflot jet and attempt to shoot it down. The problem is they'd have to fly to the Sea of Japan to intercept an Aeroflot flight to Tokyo(risking Japanese lives) or they try to intercept an airliner in Soviet airspace (Vladivostok)...
Had the operation gone ahead we might've gotten the hostages out. We had enough assets on the ground and in the air to have made any resistance from the Iranians very painful. A definite WI scenario for certain. We would've dropped hell on earth to get our people out.
http://wiki.scramble.nl/index.php/McDonnell_Douglas_F-4_Phantom_II
"...the Spey equipped Phantoms were slower (especially at altitude), had a lower service ceiling and a worse rate of climb than the J79 powered versions."
It goes on to say that they RR powerplants offered better fuel...
The RAN would've had F-4J's with P/W engines. They already had experience with the F-4E and it's systems. The P/W engine was by far superior to the underpowered RR powerplant.
We obviously know what happens when nukes are used. However, which WP forces attempt to stick it out in those few days?
I'd imagine the first tac nukes used by both sides would mean complete dissolution of the Polish, and Czech forces. Regular East German units would likely stop fighting...
I recall reading somewhere, a Soviet general in the GDR stated that he had enough assets to fight both West and East Germans should the need arise.
Even if no nukes are used, the Polish forces would see their own country struck by NATO airstrikes, this might unite them in the short run but the...
In any TL dealing with a conflict in Europe the reliability of the Warsaw Pact armies would have to come into question.
I'm certain that Romania would not participate as long as Ceausescu is leader.
East Germany would be a willing ally to a point. Same for the Czechs, and Bulgarians.
The...