KITS 10/2022

Jagdfliegergeschwader 1, Holzdorf/Drewitz Air Base, Germany, 1990–1991

This aircraft was delivered to East German Air Force (Luftstreitkräfte und Luftverteidigung der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik) in January 1968. It

was given tactical number 441 and was assigned to

JG 8 (Fighter Squadron No. 8). During its service it

was also serving with JG 3 and JG 1. In 1990, after

the reunification of Germany, with the new designation 22+02 and repainted in the anniversary colors,

it was flown together with other JG 1 aircraft to Drewitz base, where it awaited its end. It was scrapped

in November 1992. The upper and side surfaces were

painted white, while the lower surfaces remained in

light grey-blue. The white paint was complemented by distinctive elements of yellow and red, and

a shark's mouth was added to the nose. The aircraft

was called Der weiße Hai (the White Shark) after

it received this colorful marking.

No. 7909, 11 Fighter Air Regiment, Czechoslovak Air Force, Žatec airfield,

Czech and Slovak Federative Republic, March 1991

The No. 7909 MiG-21PFM was delivered to Czechoslovakia on January 29, 1969. At the beginning it was

assigned to 9 slp (9th Fighter Air Regiment); from

April 1973 served with 1 slp. From December 1982 on-

wards this aircraft was flown by 11 slp. It was put out

of operation in March 1991 and consequently flown to

the disposal site at the Vodochody airfield on March

20, 1991. The coat of arms of Žatec town was painted

on the nose, the yellow band on the tail identified the

aircraft which was to be put out of operation. The

rest of the aircraft remained in natural metal finish,

which was a common practice regarding this type.

921 Fighter Regiment, Vietnamese People’s Army Air Force, Noi Bai airfield,

Democratic Republic of Vietnam, 1968

This aircraft was flown by 921 Fighter Regiment

“Sao Do” (Red Star) in 1968. The first examples of

MiG-21PFM were delivered to this unit during that

year. Some sources say that this particular aircraft

was flown by Nguyen Van Coc, a fighter ace credited

October 2022

with nine kills. The B&W photos of this aircraft can

be interpreted in several ways. One of the theories

says that green splotches were sprayed on the upper

sides. The splotches were not sharp-edged, and the

surrounding area was also covered by the thin layer

of the green color. This gave this area light-green

appearance. The canopy frame and the antenna were

left in natural metal finish.

INFO Eduard

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