MiG-21BIS, c/n 75084300, HävLLv 31, Kuopio airbase, Finland, 1980 – 1981 

This aircraft was accepted for service on July 17, 1980 and assigned to 31 Fighter Squadron (Hävittäjälentolaivue 31, abbreviated HävLLv 31). It became the last of six Finnish MiG-21BIS fighters to be modified for reconnaissance tasks. After the modification, the aircraft was assigned to TiedLLv (Reconnaissance Squadron) and following its end of service it was used as a teaching aid at the Technical School located at the Kuopio Air Base. The aircraft is shown as it appeared between 1980 and 1981 before being upgraded by western avionics, which included cockpit instrumentation. Unlike other users, Finland used capital letters for designation of their MiGs, that’s why it is written as BIS here as well.   

MiG-21bis, c/n 75080880, 1 Pucki DLMW, Lotnictwo Marynarki Wojennej, Gdynia-Babie Doły, Poland, late 1997

This aircraft was delivered to Poland on March 22, 1980 and was assigned to the 1 Pucki Dywizjon Lotniczy (Air Division) of the Polish Naval Forces. The emblem on the tail surface indicates service with the 2nd Eskadra (Squadron) of the Division. The look of the plane evolved over time, and in 2001 it flew with a sharkmouth and a tiger motif on the brake chute housing.

MiG-21bis, c/n 75061874, 47 Pápa Harcászati Repülő Ezred, Pápa airbase, Hungary, 1991

MiG-21bis, serial number 75061874, served with the 47 Combat Regiment (Harcászati Repülõezred). In 1991, it received a temporary white coloring on the rear of the fuselage and a portion of the bottom. In this guise, it took part in DACT (Dissimilar Air Combat Training) exercises, in which the opposing aircraft pitted againt each other were of differing types. Later, it was assigned to the “Sky Hussars” demonstration team. In 2006, it was mothballed and put in storage at Papa, and in 2007, it was sold into the private collection of Gerhard Neumann Museum at Niederalteich in Germany.

MiG-21bis, Tactics & Air Combat Development Establishment, Jamnagar airbase, India, September 1986

The aircraft coded C2305 was assigned to the Center for the development of tactics for aerial combat and served there during September 1986. The front of the aircraft referred to its former user, No. 4 Squadron of the IAF. This unit was dubbed “Oorials” after the local type of mountain sheep. Together with the unit’s motto, “Honor over Death” this symbolizes stamina, strength, and a fighting spirit. The colorful paint scheme of Indian MiGs was used during one of the military exercises.

MiG-21bisD, c/n 75002075, 22 eskadrila lovačkih zrakoplova, Pula airbase, Croatia, 2008

This aircraft was one of a number of MiG-21s purchased in the first half of the nineties despite a UN embargo from the Ukraine. The first unit to use the aircraft was the 22 eskadrila lovačkih zrakoplova (Fighter Squadron) based at Pula. In 2003, this was one of eight MiG-21bis aircraft to be modernized in Romania by Aerostar to MiG-21bisD standard. Later, the plane was observed at Zagreb, Tchakovec and Zadar. It carries a typical camouflage scheme for the modernized bisD aircraft.

MiG-21bis, No. 3 Air Base, Graf Ignatevo, Bulgaria, from 2002

MiG-21bis serial number 75094114 was delivered to Bulgaria in 1983. The first user of the aircraft was the 19 Fighter Regiment. From 2002, it served at Air Base No. 3 based at Graf Ignatevo, where the MiG-21s shared the base with the more modern MiG-29s. The last MiG-21bis delivered directly from the factory was retired from the Bulgarian Air Force in 2015, while the second-hand aircraft from the Soviet Air Force delivered in 1990 were retired in 2000.