Modern Elmo

Georgia Strikes Back With Air Defenses

Aug 11, 2008
By David A. Fulghum and Douglas Barrie


If the land war in Georgia so far seems to be going decidedly in favor of the Russian army and navy, the Georgians seem to be racking up a lopsided score with their air defenses.

Over the weekend, the Russians made a successful advance on land through South Ossetia to the outskirts of the Georgian east-west transportation hub of Gori. There also was a one-sided naval battle - that resulted in the sinking of a Georgian gunboat - in the Black Sea off the coast of the second breakaway enclave of Abkhazia.

However, Georgian air defenses appear to be taking a steady toll on Russian aircraft. Russia has admitted to losing a total of four aircraft (the Georgians claim 10) in the conflict. So far they've admitted to the destruction of three Su-25 Frogfoot strike aircraft and a Tu-22M3 Backfire bomber that was flying a reconnaissance mission.

Photos from the combat area show the wreck of the Tu-22 and a Frogfoot as well as a picture of the Backfire pilot in a Georgian hospital. The pilot was Col. Igor Zinov, a 50 year-old Tu-22M3 instructor pilot stationed at the Russian Flight Test Center at Akhtubinsk. (See Aviation Week's defense photo gallery for photos.)

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http://aviationnow.com/aw/generic/st...08118.xml&head


Can't tell from the photo whether or not Col. Zinov's hair is gray.

eastern wiseguy

Duff link?

Lono

mr fish

anybody seen anything of medvedev yet, all i seem to see is putin putin putin, and the excuse for russian action seems awfully similar to hitlers and the sudentan germans.
bet the ukraine troops in the crimean are worried

Modern Elmo

Try http://aviationnow.com/aw/ or simply aviationnow.com, and click on

"Georgia Strikes Back With Air Defenses
In contrast with Russia's ground and sea strengths, Georgian air defenses appear to take steady toll on aircraft"

effortless

Do we have any 50 year olds still flying combat ops?

Gainesy

There was a Jag pilot in GW1 who was about 53-54, name escapes me. Wonder what they nabbed the Backfire with?

BEagle

That was Sqn Ldr David Bagshaw, who was 54 years old at the time; he logged his 4000th hour on the Jaguar a week or so before GW1 kicked off.

There's an aged old fart of 57 still flying C-17s, to my certain knowledge.... Holder of the Order of Lenin* or something from the Russians as well!





*Just checked - it was the Order of Friendship and was presented personally to him by Vladimir Putin for his efforts during the Kursk tragedy .

GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU

Do we have many Gp Cpts flying Ops? or has etiquette removed the "Lt"?