KITS 09/2021
MiG-21M, 1st Squadron, 4th Fighter Air Regiment, Pardubice air base, Czechoslovakia, June 1989
The relaxing of the political strictness through 1989, along with the disbandment of Pardubice’s 4th slp, gave rise to something
as yet unheard of. Two more or less clothed ladies graced the noses of a MiG-21M. Greater scorn was provoked by the markings
denoting ‘Pardubice’ and ‘4.slp’ (translator’s note: typically, the period behind the number is the equivalent to the English ‘st’, ‘th’
or ‘nd’, so that the 4. is equivalent to 4th , the 1. to the 1st, and so on), since these bits of information were still strictly classified.
The inspiration for the artwork on ‘1113’ was pin up on B-24 „Barbara Jean“ from the Second World War. The image was projected
and transferred onto the aircraft with the use of a Meotar apparatus, and this aircraft made it into the air at least once with the
pin-up in place.
These aircraft were updated to MF standard likely during their general overhaul in 1987. They were given the rear view periscope
mounted in the canopy and had the small wing fences added adjacent to the auxiliary air intake doors. The R-13 power egg was
added already during the midlife upgrade. Aircraft after general overhauls in April 1986, retained their original look without paint,
the wheel wells were a grey-green color, and the air brake interiors were painted their usual dense yellow color.
MiG-21MF, No. 23+15, Jagdgeschwader 1, Holzdorf, Germany, 1990
After the reunification of Germany in 1990, all assets of the National Peoples' Army were absorbed into the Bundeswehr. In the
case of combat aircraft, this included the MiG-21, -23, -29 and Su-22. Due to basic incompatibilities, the MiG-21 did not last long
in the Luftwaffe. In 1990, the MiG-21MF served in the ranks of JG 1 and with one Staffel of JG 3. JG 1 was based at Holzdorf. It was
here that MiG-21MF 23+15 (ex 510 of the East German Air Force) received the sharkmouth along with the other colourful markings.
INFO Eduard - September 2021
eduard
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