SyAAF Mig-25RB - Another Update...

Another update for the SyAAF Mig-25RB reg. 2705...enjoy !!

SyAAF From The Archive - Part III

These are the last three videos I could find in YouTube, the first one represents a tribute for the historical heroes "MANSOUR" brothers, Fayez, Ma'moun and Mohammad, for whom I'll dedicate in the near future complete post.

Note the rare photo of L-29 reg. 154 at 0:21

The second video is the "Song of the Sky" in which a row of Mig-23BN, MF or MS can be seen starting from 0:20 (it's the same row appears in the video of the first post)

The third one shows the commander of Syrian Air Force and Syrian Air Defense Force Lieutenant General Naji Jamil honoring the new graduated cadets; few Mig-23BN's can be seen.

SyAAF From The Archive - Part II

Another media video "Eagles Factory" published in 1979 for the celebration of the 31st anniversary of establishment of Syrian Air Force and Syrian Air Defense Force, its details are as below:

- 0:14 MiG-23MS with serial 1616 armed with four AA-2 Atoll (short-range air-to-air missiles)

- 0:59 MiG-23MS with serial 16xx

- 2:06 MiG-17 with serial 1345

- 2:15 MiG-17 with serial 2014

- 2:26 MiG-17 with serial 1349

- 2:29 MiG-17 with unrecognizable serial

This video represent some maneuvers took place also late 1970s, note the old Syrian flag -which is same as current Egyptian flag- used between 1972 and 1980, in details:

- From 0:06 numbers of Mi-8s one of them carries serial 194

- 0:25 MiG-17 carrying four FAB-100 bombs (two under fuselage and one under each wing)

- 1:46 MiG-17 with serial 1029 or 1039 firing gun

- 2:34 Mi-8 with serial 195 or 295

- 3:07 formation of five MiG-23MS

- 3:21 formation of four MiG-23BN

- 3:39 MiG-23BN releasing 16 FAB-100 bombs

SyAAF From The Archive - Part I

Interesting archive Media for SyAAF collected from YouTube, the first one belongs to the late 1970s representing a scramble of aircraft (especially MiG-23s) which in details:

- 0:31 MiG-23BN with serial 1650

- 0:35 MiG-23BN with serial 1655

- 0:45 MiG-23BN with serial 1661

- 0:51 Mig-23MS with serial 1614

- From 1:28 three pairs of MiG-23BN taking off

- 1:53 two MiG-21s taking off

- 2:02 two MiG-17s taking off (most probably from Mazze airbase)

The second video represents the SyAAF after the war of 1973 but also belongs to late 1970s, its details are:

- From 0:00 three MiG-23MS land in sequence

- 0:33 row of MiG-23s, at least the first 3~4 units are BN, while the remaining are MS

- 0:49 formation of Su-7s

- 0:56 MiG-17 in colorful camo

- 1:03 formation of MiG-21s (should be MF variant)

- 2:05 nine MiG-23BN

- 2:12 two MiG-23BNs, fitted with free-fall bombs on the fuselage and wing base pylons

- 2:24 MiG-23BN fitted with unguided missile pods

Doha Airport - Update

Few aircraft I could spot during my long transit in Doha airport, starting with Qatar Airways Airbus A320-232 reg. A7-ADF.

Air Arabia Airbus 320-214 reg. A6-ANC.

Another Airbus A320-214 reg. A9C-AD operated by Gulf Air.

Nicely schemed Boeing B737-8KN reg. A6-FDD operated by Fly Dubai.

MNG Cargo Airbus A300C4-605R with its crazy "driver" whom cuts corners and rotates very fast in taxiing...this aircraft is reg. TC-MNV.

Bell 412EP reg. A7-HBQ operated by Gulf Helicopters.

Now...these are the real stuff...two QEAF Mirage's 2000-5 just few seconds before taking off...

QEAF Mirage 2000-5DDA dual reg. QA85, note under the front canopy, there are marking of 6 laser-guided bombs dropped of this aircraft, it might be one of those joined in operation over Libya.

QEAF Mirage 2000-5EDA reg. QA91.

QEAF Mirage 2000-5EDA reg. QA98.

QEAF Mirage 2000-5EDA reg. QA96.

QEAF Mirage 2000-5DDA reg. QA87.

Our hero, the trainer in the Mirage 2000-5 reg. QA87 whom noticed us photographing his aircraft while taxiing...here waving his hands to us !!
It's good to know that QEAF operates 9 single-seat Mirage-2000-5EDA in addition to 3 two-seat 2000-5DDA.

At last I could spot an AlphaJet E reg. QA54, QEAF operates 6 advanced trainer / light attack aircraft of this kind.

Air Force Museum - Shanghai / CHINA (Part II)

Shenyang F-6 reg. 30733.

Another shoot for the same F-6 shows the three canons on the wing roots and under the air intake.

A very rare Dongfeng 102 day-time fighter reg. 2996 !! Only 33 units of this type were built by Shenyang in late 1950s.

Does this fighter hide a radar under the tapered nose inside the air intake hole?

Shenyang F-5 reg. 12641 (Chinese copy of my beloved Soviet made Mig-17).

Note the 37mm canon under the reg. number with which such agile fighter (Mig-17) could bring down the bigger F-4 Phantom !!

A Soviet made Mig-15UTI reg. 12347.

Total 350 units were deployed in 1950s for training pilots in Chinese flying schools.

WoPen-5, China's first turbojet engine put into production in 1956, it was a licensed copy of the Soviet first jet engine Klimov VK-1 which in turn was derived from the British Rolls-Royce Nene.

This engine was used for F-5 fighters and B-5 bombers and few other aircraft.

A glider...

Chinese made Hongqi-2, the two-stage medium-range all-weather SAM; It uses the radio wave guidance system.

Torpedo boat was displayed in the adjacent river.

Air Force Museum - Shanghai / CHINA (Part I)

True it's been a long period since I last posted here, but i came back from China with some nice load.

I could have the chance to visit "Shanghai Aerospace Museum" located somewhere to the south of Hongqiao airport, it's realy kinda hard to distinguish the entrance of this museum !!

First you will find the Douglas DC-8-61 reg. JA8048, the super long range airliner which made its first flight on March 1966.

In 1982, this airliner happened to have a braking failure when the aircraft landed on Hongqiao airport and it suffered serious damage, after being restored it was sent here as a showpiece.

Note above the First / Business class seats in Beige while the economic class in Blue.

Contrary to the nowadays jet airliners, the cabin is realy spacious, every row of seats is aligned with a window providing more than enough space for passengers while seated.

Another airliner in this museum is the twin-engine Ilyushin Il-14 reg. 652.

The piston-engined Nanchang CJ-6 primary trainer which is known as the cradle of Chinese pilots since it started its service in December 1961.

The military transport helicopter Harbin Z-5, the Chinese copy of the Soviet Mil Mi-4.

Shenyang J-8 reg. 80057 with its original fuselage design (Finback-A).

Another shoot for this interceptor which is fitted with Four machine guns (Two under each side of the fuselage under cockpit).

I would always love to see this capable aircraft !! the Nanchang Q-5 Fantan in its A-5 variant here (as written) reg. 10406.

View from below to the internal weapon bay which can carry up to 1000 Kg of ordnance.

This supersonic attack aircraft was independently developed by China and is still active in limited service.