KITS 01/2022

c/n 0320138, 1st Squadron, 101st Reconnaissance Regiment, Szolnok, Hungary, 1972

This MiG was delivered together with another 29 aircraft in April 1962. These originally served with the Soviet Air Force and after

the overhaul were supplied in the natural metal finish to Hungary. During the overhaul the aircraft c/n 0320138 had the upgraded

wing installed featuring the landing light located at the left wheel well. The light was later covered with a sheet aluminum.

In August 1968 this particular airplane participated in the Warsaw Pact armed forces invasion (except Romania and Albania) to,

at that time, Czechoslovakia. Before the invasion it was marked with the red stripes which were later deleted. In March 1970 the

aircraft was overpainted in the camouflage colors including all stencils. In September 1975 the airframe was struck off charge

having logged 1535 flight hours and was abandoned at the Szolnok airbase.

Maj. Mikhail Ivanovich Mikhin, 518th IAP, North Korea, May 1953

Mikhail Mikhin was born on October 25th, 1923 and right after the graduation from the high school he started his pilot training

finishing it in the end of 1944. He did not manage to participate in any combat during the World War Two, however he participated

in the air combat over Korea where he was deployed in July 1952 with the entire 518th IAP. The unit remained in the combat zone

until the end of hostilities, Major Mikhin shot down 9 enemy aircraft in total (7 x F-86, 2 x F-84) for which accomplishment he was

awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on July 14, 1953. He remained in the active service of the Red Army Air Force after the

Korean War and retired with the rank of Major General in 1980. He passed away on March 25, 2007 in St. Petersburg.

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eduard

INFO Eduard - January 2022