KITS 02/2022

29th GIAP, Dachang Air Base, Shanghai, China, spring - summer 1950

29th GIAP (Guards Fighter Air Regiment) moved from Soviet Union to Shanghai in spring 1950. Soviet pilots helped to protect Chinese town from the Taiwanese aircraft and to present Taiwanese ships from entering the Yang-tze river delta. The Dachang was

selected as a their homebase. The regiment was active in China from April to October 1951 and MiG jockeys downed two enemy

aircraft in this period – F-5E Lightning recce airplane and B-24 bomber.

The Chinese national insignia were painted on the 29th GIAP MiGs and all of them were overhanded

to the Chinese armed forces when the Soviet unit moved back to its homeland in October 1950.

From November 1950 to early February 1951 the 29th GIAP fought in Korean War.

The upper part of the wings is not visible in the photos, we suppose that

the national insignia was not painted here.

c/n 108023, 176th IAP, Antung Air Base, Korea, April 1951

This aircraft took part in the air battle on April 12, 1951. The photo of this aircraft with no wings and upper part of the tail was taken

shortly after the battle. Soviet pilots managed to shoot down three B-29 bombers at the cost of five MiG-15 fighters damaged. „823“

was one of them.

The distinctive red nose wore the MiGs from 324th IAD (Fighter Air Division). The 176th IAP (Fighter Air Regiment) was a part of this

division that was based in Korea from early April 1951 till the end of January 1952. The famous WW2 fighter

ace Ivan N. Kozhedub (64 victories) was appointed the CO of the 324th IAD.

c/n 120077, Major Alexei A. Mikoyan, the Deputy CO of 274th IAP, Kubinka Air Base, Soviet Union, early fifties

This aircraft was flown by Maj. Alexei A. Mikoyan who was was appointed the CO of the 274th IAP in 1951. This unit was established

in this year and former Deputy CO Mikoyan became its second CO in succesion.

Alexei Mikoyan was a member of the elite communist family. His father Anastas I. Mikoyan was one of the top leaders of the Soviet

communist political party. Beside other posts he was the chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet in mid 60ties, de jure

the head of the Soviet Union. Alexei´s uncle Artem I. Mikoyan lead the aircraft design bureau MiG, where many famous aircraft

were developed – MiG-15 among others. Thus Alexei flew the aircraft developed by his uncle´s team.

INFO Eduard - FEBRUARY 2022

eduard

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