Gate Guardian ID

[KeMac]

Would anyone be able to give me the ID of this gate guardian? I am not sure if it is a MiG 15 or a MiG 17 but it is outside the old RAF base at Khormaksar in Aden. The photo was taken in 1996 or thereabouts
Many Thanks
KeMac

[India Four Two]

I've got a photo of that Mig that I took in the early 90s but it's in storage!

I think it's a 15, but it's not clear from your picture:

B9hfUoYnP6Q

I saw a Mig-17 at the night airshow at Oshkosh last year. No doubt it was a 17, because there was a 10' flame out the back!

[garyscott]

MiG-15, the inboard trailing edge of the wing on the 17 is different. :ok:

[DaveReidUK]

MiG-15, the inboard trailing edge of the wing on the 17 is different.

The leading edge is too (slightly cranked on the MiG-17).

But as you can't see either of those from the head-on photo, it's a bit academic. :O

The MiG is still visible on Google Earth at what appears to be the the same location, but the resolution is too poor to give many clues.

[Herod]

Go to Google Earth with photographs enabled. There is a much better picture there.

[DaveReidUK]

Go to Google Earth with photographs enabled. There is a much better picture there.

Pretty conclusively a MiG-15, then.

[KeMac]

I have been advised that it is a MiG 17 coded "03" and can be seen on Google Earth at

N12.81520, E45.02942

I am wondering is "03" is South Yemen AF though. Tom Cooper's book on Arab MiG 15s and MiG 17s does not give any answers. I ask because it looks like a Soviet number type system.

Regards,.

Keith

[DaveReidUK]

I have been advised that it is a MiG 17 coded "03" and can be seen on Google Earth

Yes, 03 red can be discerned (just) on the GE photo:

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/57343801.jpg

But if it's a MiG-17, then for some reason it appears to have been retrofitted with a MiG-15's wing. :O

[India Four Two]

It also looks like a Mig-15 rear fuselage.

The 15's airbrakes have an internal actuator, giving a smooth rear fuselage. The 17's airbrakes are bigger and the actuator is covered by a prominent bulged fairing.