Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F, part one, Afghan and Cambodian users

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F (NATO Codename "Fresco-C") was an improved variant of the regular MiG-17. It was a revised version with a better Klimov VK-1F engine which delivered 26.5 kN (6000 lbf) of thrust in dry and 33.8 kN (7600 lbf) with afterburner. It also included a new and improved air-brake which proved to be much better than the original one.
In this post we're going to post about two Asian users:

• Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA): After the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan and the subsequent foundation of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan in December 1979, the DRA's Air Force was established with Soviet material. Among it were some MiG-17F (which by the date were highly outdated) which remained grounded for most of the time due to maintenance issues or limited availability of crews. Most of them were destroyed or left to rot in the subsequent conflicts.
• Cambodia: In November 1963, after having received permission from the USSR to train their pilots there, the Kingdom of Cambodia received a batch of three MiG-17F fighter jets. It was followed later, in 1967 by a second batch of five more. Considering that Cambodia was, theoretically, neutral during the Vietnam War, from 1963 until 1970, the MiG-17Fs were assigned to the intervention squadron responsible for keeping Cambodian aerospace free.
  After the March 1970 coup with overthrew the monarchy and set up the Khmer Republic, the country fell into a bloody civil war, were the air force, composed of mixed American and Soviet material, played an important role. In fact, the recorded sorties of the MiG-17 during the period of March-October 1970 rose up to 360. Most of those were to support ground troops. It's worth pointing that some MiG-17Fs were modified to carry American Mk.82GP bombs underwings. Most of the Cambodian MiG-17Fs were either destroyed or abandoned in on of the subsequent wars.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-17#Variants

2. https://www.valka.cz/Mikojan-Gurevic-MiG-17F-kod-NATO-Fresco-C-t12484

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_Afghanistan#Air_Force

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khmer_Air_Force

5. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17, part four, Asian users

Note: This will be the last post before our holidays. See you all back in August!
The basic variant of the MiG-17 saw action with various Asian Air Forces.

• People's Republic of China: The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) adquired a number of MiG-17 in the early 1950s, which were designated as J-4. Most of them served with the PLAAF and were later sold to North Vietnam where they saw some action and were denominated, and often misidentified as Shenyangs.
• Democratic Republic of Afghanistan: After the communist coup of 1978 the Afghan Premier Mohammed Daoud Khan relied heavily on the Soviet material to modernize the Army. The USSR supplied the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan with obsolete MiG-17s which suffered heavy casualties during the Soviet-Afghan War. Some of them were still "active" in 1990 but their airworthiness it's doubtful to say the least.
• Mongolia: The Mongolian People's Army Air Force received some MiG-17s in the early 1960s which constituted the bulk of their fighter force. They were replaced in the 1970s by the MiG-21.
• Sri Lanka: After the 1971 communist insurrection, Ceylon received some Soviet material, among them some MiG-17. They were taken over by the subsequent government and kept in active until the 1990s. Nowadays one of them is preserved in a museum.
• North Vietnam: The North Vietnamese Air Force (NVAF) received its first jet fighter aircraft in February 1964. They weren't based in North Vietnamese soil but in mainland China as they were undergoing formation. On 3rd February 1964 the first fighter regiment, No.921 fighter regiment was formed, led by Lt. Col. Nguyen Phuc Trach. Few "pure" (IE Soviet made) MiG-17s served with the NVAF.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-17

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_People%27s_Air_Force

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Lanka_Air_Force

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_Air_Force

5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongolian_People%27s_Army

6. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters