Military AircrewA forum for the professionals who fly the non-civilian hardware, and the backroom boys and girls without whom nothing would leave the ground. Army, Navy and Airforces of the World, all equally welcome here.
I thought that the posters on this forum would be interested in some photographs of MiGs operated in secret by the USAF's 4477th TES during the late 1970s and much of the 1980s.
Most of the Fishbeds pictured there are Chinese built examples (F-7/J-7). Some of those Fishbeds and the Floggers would have come from examples originally supplied to Egypt.
I was told just after the Cold War that Boscombe Down was home to a couple of non-flyable MiGs and the odd Sukhoi. I suspect it was was probably true, since the information was relayed to me by a senior ETPS test pilot.
Location: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
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Well, in its latter days before the grunts took the place over, RAF Abindon saw a MiG 21 arrive! I believe it was being donated to the UK by its previous owners to celebrate the fall of the Wall.
The thing landed and then taxiied at a fair old clip round the taxiway - with the pilot waving enthusiastically to everyone.
I'd heard it was intended to fly again in civil hands - but the good old CAA decided it was 'too complex'?
I was told just after the Cold War that Boscombe Down was home to a couple of non-flyable MiGs and the odd Sukhoi. I suspect it was was probably true, since the information was relayed to me by a senior ETPS test pilot.
During the 1980s the Germans obtained two Egyptian Air Force Su-20 Fitter Cs. They also obtained a lot of East German Su-22s after the Berlin Wall came down.
I believe that at least one of the Su-20 Fitter Cs was borrowed from the Luftwaffe test establishment by the boys at Boscombe.
I was taking a tour of Boscombe and asked to see inside a hardened shelter. When I pointed the nearest one and said, 'that one will do', my guide hastily suggested an alternative. When asked why, he responded with a wink: 'Because there's a Sukhoi fighter stored in the shelter you just pointed to'.
I was told just after the Cold War that Boscombe Down was home to a couple of non-flyable MiGs and the odd Sukhoi. I suspect it was was probably true, since the information was relayed to me by a senior ETPS test pilot.
I seem to remmember, although I may be wrong, driving around the perimeter road having just had a AEF flight a few years ago and being certain that I had just seen a MiG-21 on the grass somewhere around the airfield. Pity you're not allowed cameras....
I seem to remmember, although I may be wrong, driving around the perimeter road having just had a AEF flight a few years ago and being certain that I had just seen a MiG-21 on the grass somewhere around the airfield. Pity you're not allowed cameras....
There is a MiG-21 at Boscombe in the museum. It does get moved out of HAS now and again. This Slovak MiG-21MF flew into the UK during 1994 and was presented to the RAF Benvolent Fund. Does it fit in with your time frame?
I remember back in 1999, ex-USN pilot Doug Schultz was killed when the civvie owned/operated MiG-21 he was flying while under a Canadian Military contract broke up in the air off Vancouver Island.
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