This flogger was based at Mihail Kogalniceanu AB, 57th regiment
A total of 46 MiG-23 served from 1979 until 2001 and were withdrawn in 2003; the exact count is: 36 MiG-23MF and 10 MiG-23 UB
The time of Nicolau Ceausescu brought huge changes to the Air force, flying hours were cut to 20-25 per year, and planes were grounded due to lack of fuel.
The most popular camo was the tiger stripe which was painted to all previously grey aircraft, firstly 3 or 4 in 1984, they also received the present day roundel, while the rest of the fleet got their roundels in 85-86. Most floggers overhauled in Bulgaria received new camo while some were left in original grey.
Air Forces Monthly has an excellent article written by Danuta Vlad on the service of Mig 23 in the RoAF, entitled "Whatever happend to ... Romania's Floggers"
There is not much I can tell about the history of the displayed AC, I collected all the info from Romanian Aviation forums, mostly Romanian spotters and cartula.ro.
Today all the floggers are lined up and "stored" at Timisoara-Giarmata AB.
Introducing the next model which is an old Italeri kit with Eduard PE parts an RaduB's romanian roundels decals. Also lots of scratch building and reshaping the wrong shaped radome and the ill low sitting front windscreen/canopy.
The subject is this beautiful Romanian Flogger in tiger stripe camo style, which flew with post warsaw pact markings...
A little update with new pictures of the flogger carrying r-23 rails and r-13's on the belly.
No comments:
Post a Comment