Strana 49
Le Thanh Dao, 927 Fighter Regiment, Lam Son AB,
Democratic Republic of Vietnam, May 1972
3 Squadron, 11 Fighter Aviation Regiment, Czechoslovak Air Force,
Žatec, Czechoslovakia, 1987-1991
No. 9 Squadron IrAF, Iraq Air Force, Saddam AB, Iraq, 1973
On May 10, 1972, Vietnamese pilots Le Thanh
Dao and his wingman Vu Duc Hop took off in
their MiG-21PFMs and intercepted an F-4J
Phantom II from a VF-92 heading for a target
west of Hai Phong. Le Thanh opened fire and
hit the Phantom, which crashed near Hai Duong.
The crew of the aircraft, Cdr. Harry Blackburn
and Lt. Steve Rudloff, managed to eject
from the burning machine. After leaving the
military service, Le Thanh served as Second
Secretary of the Central Executive Committee
of the Youth Union and was a member of the
Standing Committee of the National Assembly
(1975). Since 1992, he has been Chairman
of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate and
a member of the Executive Committee of the
Central Committee of the Communist Party of
Vietnam. The Mig-21PFM, with which Le Thanh
achieved the above-mentioned kill, was painted
dark green over its entire surface, which was
complemented by irregular fields of lighter
green on the upper surfaces. Le Thanh Dao
scored six kills during the Vietnam conflict.
Aircraft No. 7207 served from May 31, 1968,
until March 20, 1991, exclusively with
the 11 Fighter Aviation Regiment in Žatec.
The aircraft’s retirement under the Conventional
Disarmament Treaty in Europe is evidenced by
the yellow stripe around the fuselage. After the
breakup of Czechoslovakia into two successor
states, No. 7207 aircraft became Slovak
property and in 1994 it travelled by train to
the Slovak base at Sliač. On the surface of the
aircraft, which remained in natural metal finish,
one can see repairs covered with silver paint.
The Žatec town emblem is located only on the
left side of the nose, the masonry in the emblem
is painted white. The emblem does not display
hop branches therefore it can be concluded that
the aircraft belonged to the 3rd Squadron of the
11 Slp.
No. 9 Squadron of the Iraqi Air Force was
equipped with MiG-21PFMs acquired from the
former USSR in 1969-1970. After Egypt and Syria
started a new war with Israel in early October
1973, No. 9 Squadron IrAF was relocated to
Syria. It is noteworthy that the MiG-21PFMs sent
by the IrAF to Syria were originally unpainted,
they received their camouflage paint afterwards
and it was done in standardized SyAAF colors.
Later the pilots returned the aircraft to Iraq with
these colors and the livery was retained on the
aircraft until the end of their service with the
IrAF.
KITS 06/2025
INFO Eduard
49
June 2025