KITS 01/2022

c/n 613234, kpt. Oldřich Paldus, 15th Fighter Regiment, Czechoslovak Air Force, Cottbus Airfield,

German Democratic Republic, August 30, 1957

A group of three MiGs-15bis of 15 Fighter Regiment from Žatec Air Base took part in the 2nd Cultural and Sport Celebration organized in Cottbus, German Democratic Republic from late August to early September 1957. The distinctive blue marking was applied

on these aircraft especially for this event. During the display two aircraft, this No. 3234, and another MiG-15bis No. 3233 collided.

No. 3234 lost the tip of its left horizontal stabilizer, but the pilot managed to keep control of the aircraft and was able to land safely. After the 15th FR was disbanded, two pilots of its display team, Oldřich Paldus and Václav Polášek were transferred to 11 FR

in 1958. Capt. Jaromír Palečný joined them in 1959 and as all of them were not tall at all, the display team was unofficially dubbed

“Trio Prckos”( “The Three Shorties” in English).

No. 20 Squadron, Egypt., Late 1950s / Early 1960s

Egypt purchased a total of 110 MiG-15bis aircraft from Czechoslovakia. This particular one served with No. 20 Squadron of the United Arab Republic Air Force. The United Arab republic was a federation of Egypt and Syria that lasted from 1958 to 1961. Egypt kept

this name untill 1971. No. 20 Squadron was based at Deversoir, El Qabrit and Inshas air bases.

c/n 1315376, ex 64th IAK, Soviet Union, Mid 1950s

This aircraft took part in the Korean War – the communist attempt to occupy the entire Korean peninsula. At the time it was marked with red number 1976 on its fuselage. Back in the USSR, the number was simply overpainted with the yellow 30, as well as the

fading North Korean insignia was freshly overpainted. As the North Korean national insignia was simply an extension of the Soviet

red star, removing the white outline and adding the red and blue circles, only these circles (rather faded) were visible. The original

star was simply overpainted with fresh outlined one. Based on photographic evidence, the insignia was applied on the fuselage

only, but it is possible these were painted on the lower surface of the wings as well.

INFO Eduard - January 2022

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