Showing posts with label Armenia 1991-1999. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Armenia 1991-1999. Show all posts

Thursday, 20 August 2020

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19, various European users

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 was the first Soviet supersonic fighter. It achieved fame for being world's first aircraft that could sustain supersonic speeds in level flight and there were many variants, which, for one circumstance or another, they saw service all around the world, among them, the following countries:

  • Albania: The Albanian People's Republic Air Force received a batch of 12 MiG-19PM in October 1959 (according to some sources they were 15). These were the first Albanian aircraft to be equipped with radar and air-to-air missiles. Shortly after, in 1962 Albania broke diplomatic relations with the USSR and the Warsaw Pact and, in 1965 the MiG-19PMs assigned to the 7594th Fighter Regiment, based at Rinas Airbase, were shipped to China because the Chinese wanted to know about the Soviet radar technology, which they couldn't acquire firsthand. The MiG-19PM were traded over 12 new radarless Shenyang F-6.
    As we couldn't find graphical evidence of a pure MiG-19PM in Albanian colours, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
  • Armenia: According to some sources some few MiG-19s were retained by the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States - Former Soviet Union Countries) countries. The Armenian Air Force had reportedly 30 MiG-19PM and MiG-19S in service in as late as 1995. However the serviceability of such old fighters seemed dubious. As we couldn't find graphical evidence of neither MiG-19PM nor MiG-19S in Armenian service, the drawings should be considered as speculative.
  • Azerbaijan: Just like its neighbour, there were, reportedly, 40 MiG-19P and MiG-19S in service with the Azerbaijani Air Force in 1995. However just like Armenia, the serviceability was highly doubted. As we couldn't find graphical evidence, the drawing should be considered  as speculative.
  • Latvia: There were reports of at least one MiG-19S serving with the Latvian Air Force. However it was written off shortly after Latvian independence in 1991. It seems that it was placed at Vainode Air Base as gate guard. As we couldn't find any photo or pic, the drawing should be considered as speculative.









Sources:
1. Midland Publishing - Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19. The Soviet Union's First Production Supersonic Fighter
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-19

Thursday, 28 March 2019

Aero L-29, Part one, Ex-USSR users

The Aero L-29 is a Czechoslovak military jet trainer designed and manufactured by Aero Vodochody. It was the first Czechoslovak native jet aircraft to be designed and manufactured there and one of the main trainers in many air forces all around the world.
Today we're covering the ex-USSR users for this aircraft.

  • Armenia: Apparently the Armenian Air Force took over some L-29s when the Soviets left in 1991. It seems that they served as improvesed attack aircraft during the Nagorno-Karabakh war in 1991. Anyway, as we couldn't find any photo of the Armenian L-29, the drawing should be considered as a mere speculation.
  • Azerbaijan: Like Armenians, some L-29s were left over to be taken over by the newly established Azerbaijani Air and Air Defence Force in 1991. They served together with the more advanced L-39 Albatross but were withdrawn shortly after.
  • Chechen Republic of Ichkeria: When Chechen troops captured Grozny airport, some L-29 were captured and put into service with the newly created Chechen Air Force. Them all were destroyed by the Russian Air Force in an air raid on Grozny's Airport.
  • Georgia: Just like the previous countries, Georgia took over some L-29s left by the Soviets. They were incorporated into the Georgian Air Force and four of them are still in active service nowadays.
  • Luhansk People's Republic: Due to the need for armament that the LPR faced, they emptied many aircraft that were storaged in open air at the museum of Luhansk. They were taken over by the LPR's army back in 2014 and almost any detail about their usage is unknown.
  • Russian Federation: As the L-29 was the VVS's (Soviet Air Force) main trainer, it kept being after the fall of the USSR. It equipped Russia's main trainer squadrons and some famous acrobatic ones like the Sky Knights. Some paramilitary organizations like the DOSAAF also used it.
  • Ukraine: When the Soviets left the country, they left many material behind, including some L-29s. They were used as the main trainer of the newly founded Ukrainian Air Force until the late 1990s when they were replaced by the Aero L-39 Albatross.









Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_L-29_Delfín
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_Air_Force
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azerbaijani_Air_and_Air_Defence_Force
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chechen_National_Guard
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgian_Air_Force
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separatist_forces_of_the_war_in_Donbass
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Air_Force
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_Air_Force

Saturday, 16 March 2019

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI, part eleven, Other European users

The MiG-15UTI served all across the globe, and it was also used by the following countries:

  • Armenia: When the country was declared independent in 1991, some UTIs were left behind. They were incorporated into the newly created air force and were used in the Nagorno-Karabah war in the light-bomber role in 1992. All of them were presumably lost in that war. As we couldn't find graphical evidence of the type serving with the Armenian Air Force, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
  • Bulgaria: The MiG-15UTI became the main trainer aircraft for the Bulgarian People's Army Air Force in the early 1950s when they were bought from the USSR. They served alongside other types like the Aero L-29 or the Aero L-39 until the fall of Communism in 1989 and even beyond as the type was still in active service in 1992. However, it was retired shortly after and replaced by the L-39 and the Pilatus PC-9. 
  • Chechen Republic of Ichkeria: The Chechen National Guard Aviation had at least one MiG-15UTI that received the Chechen roundel. However it was destroyed on the ground during the first hours of the Chechen War in 1994. 
  • Finland: In 1954 the MiG-15 was offered to Finland by the USSR, but the Finnish Air Force wasn't interested in the type, however, some years later, in 1962, as they needed an intermediate trainer before completing the transition to the MiG-21F-13, four MiG-15UTIs were ordered. In spite the UTI's good flying characteristics, the UTI didn't handle very well on ground and, as it didn't meet the demands of the Finnish Air Force, it wasn't used very much. It served until 7th February 1977 when it's last flight with the Finnish Colours took place.
  • Romania: The Air Force of the People's Republic of Romania imported a total of 60 both Aero CS-102 (the Czechoslovak license-built MiG-15UTI) and MiG-15UTIs from 1953 until 1960. Given to the UTIs good flying characteristics and robustness, they were in service until 1992 making it, with more than 40 years, one of the most longeve aircraft to ever serve in the Romanian Air Force.









Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-15
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_Air_Force
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgarian_Air_Force
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chechen_National_Guard
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Chechen_War
6. https://www.ilmailumuseot.fi/tuotteet.html?id=20171/255089
7. http://www.aripi-argintii.ro/aparatdezbor.php?p=24 (translated)