Luftwaffe A.S: 2013-04

2013-04-26

Profiles of SyAAF Units - Part II (Rotary-Wing Aircraft)

Completing the profiles of SyAAF units those provided as a special gift for this blog from our friend "Erased24" .
The second part is dedicated for the rotary-wing units (Helicopters), and starting with the naval Kamov Ka-28 first appeared in media in the live fire maneuvers took place on July 7th 2012 in a promo on the Syrian TV; The one here carries the serial 12.

Mil Mi-14PL with serial 2396, this HAZE A was spotted in Hmemeem airbase near Lattakia.

Mi-8 with serial 95 (i.e. 1295), I spotted this ONE in Aleppo IAP (Neyrab) in 2010 before it appeared again in the video of purifying Taftanaz airbase.

M-17 with serial 51 (i.e. 2951), this ONE was also spotted by me while stationed in the same Heli's overhaul facility in Neyrab airbase late 2011.

Mi-25 with serial 2802 which first published in the live fire maneuvers mentioned above, before it was seen later on damaged in the purified Taftanaz air field.

SA-342 Gazelle with serial 1312 fitted with the AS.12 ATGM.

Another Gazelle with serial 1352 fitted with the HOT ATGM.
Original photos of these two Gazelles in addition to ones to be published for the first time will be posted soon here.

2013-04-21

SyAAF L-39 Albatros - Updated III

Some great findings I could collect from the web, even some very private photos been published for the first time, here as always !!
An L-39ZA side by side with its pilot (RIP in the recent Syrian uprising), unfortunately, the serial is not readable.

Nice shot for an L-39 with serial 2052 photographed in Kshesh training air field few years ago...

Self portrait for a SyAAF pilot (also RIP during the uprising) inside his L-39, also from the squadron based in Kshesh airbase.

Formation of at least five L-39s somewhere over the area of Kshesh air field, two serials are readable here: 2063 and 2134.
The latter was captured by rebels upon purifying Kshesh airbase early this year.

Another self shot from inside the cabin, the adjacent L-39 carries the serial 2063.

And here again...

Wonderful shot for an L-39 with serial 2067 which appears for the first time in public media.

Close shot for the cabin of an L-39 which serial is 2079, note that the serial number is written in Arabic digits on the seat.
This photo and the ones below are recently taken from the purified Kshesh (Jarrah) airbase.

Clear and awesome shot for the one with serial 2118.

This one carries the serial 2125, the serial can be read written on the seat as well.

Thanks God this bomb is still mounted on this aircraft, not been released on towns and villages...

Artistic shot for an L-39, should be the one with serial 2134.

2013-04-20

Aircraft & Air Vehicles Over Syria : UPDATED

I like to share with my great readers the UPDATED LIST of videos taken for aircraft and air vehicles in the Syrian sky from the beginning of the Green uprising until tonight.

This list doesn't include common helicopters like Mi-8/17/25 due to the unlimited videos available for them, but it does include the ones rarely seen such as Mi-14 and Gazelle.

Note that some videos might not available anymore on YouTube due to deletion of that video or the channel itself; even though, you still can search for these videos by entering the date and location (preferably to use the city/town name), and I assure you will find them.

Referring to this LIST, I believe the SyAAF is approaching the beginning of its end; air raids are becoming less week by week, some types such as L-39, Su-22 are rare to be seen these last few months, I'm sure that in the very near future, we are going to see the MiG-29, even the MiG-23 fighters (ML/MLD) going to perform attack/bombing sorties !!

This map shows the SyAAF AFB's till today, knowing that most of them are under FSyA siege for months; in my opinion, the next to be Green are Kweres, Mennekh and Deir EzZour.
Until this moment, T4, Seen and Nasriyeh remain the most effective air bases.

2013-04-19

Photos from SyAAF DHAB'A AFB

On 18th April 2013, The FSyA (Free Syrian Army) succeeded to overrun the Dhab'a AFB (also known as Al-Qsair) which is abandoned since years ago and was on schedule to be prepared to be operated by Syrian Air.

Although the air base is abandoned, it was never to pass by anyone's mind the possibility to find any military aircraft left here. But that was untrue when four airframes were located in one of the two double-HAS!! Unfortunately, all these Fishbeds are phased out and not air-worthy anymore.

Among these MiG's, a 2320 MiG-21bis stands scrapped beside a MiG-21MF serialed 1554.

Another shot for the MiG-21bis.

In the second provision, a MiG-21MF with serial 1523 side by side with a MiG-21UM with serial 2367.

Rear shot for the MiG-21MF which carries the serial 1523.

This world is really tiny !! This 1554 MF preserved in this air base is the same ONE appeared in the movie "Squadron of Heroes" I posted two weeks ago !!

Rear photo for the MiG-21UM.

Its fin carries the serial 2367.

Since 2009 or little earlier this air base is mainly used for agriculture aircraft as the electronic maps (like Google) shows 6~7 units of two different types of propellers stationed in the tarmac.
The YK-AME here could be either a Cessna 188 or a Piper PA-25.

Another shot for the same propeller.

In the cabin of an unidentified variant of a high-wing Piper Cub propeller.

Another shot for this propeller showing its YK-AMK serial.

And here from front. Sadly someone has broken the front glass of this aircraft after been towed out of the hanger, providing that rectification of such light air vehicles is not as complicated as jets in order to make it air worthy again.

In this airbase, rebels could put hand on a lot of armament and weapons such as 23mm machine guns and shells, what's related to aviation are those Kh-66 air-to-surface missiles, they are developed from the AA-1 Alkali air-to-air missile which famously appeared fitted on the MiG-19's.

R-60 air-to-air missiles.

The same missile just unboxed.

Special Thanks to all whom commented hereunder to correct and enrich this post!

2013-04-17

Profiles of SyAAF Units - Part I (Fixed-Wing Aircraft)

Very special thanks for the very special gift for this blog prepared by our friend "Erased24" !!!
Awesome profiles of some SyAAF units those accurately rendered after referring to their real photos to be recorded as good reference for modellers.

Starting with an L-39ZA with serial 2119, this UNIT which last seen fitted with unguided rocket pods, used to be operated from Kweres (Rasm Al Abboud) AFB.
On 19 November 2012, Free Syrian Army succeeded to shot down this aircraft which was assaulting towns and villages in the suburbs of Aleppo.

Another L-39ZA with serial 2136 (written here 2126)
This UNIT was spotted twice at least last year releasing two free fall bombs (FAB-250) and firing unguided rockets over the city of Aleppo, also used to be operated from Kweres (Rasm Al Abboud) AFB.

MiG-21MF with serial 1549 fitted with four AA-2 Atol air-to-air missiles, this UNIT was photographed in Dhmair AFB with the SyAAF legendary hero Magid Al Zughbi

MiG-23ML with serial 2755, first published in Combat Aircraft Monthly magazine in the episode of September 2010.

MiG-23BN attack/bomber with serial 1677, this type of aircraft is being used almost daily to assault suburbs of Damascus, Deir EzZour and recently Dar'a.

MiG-25RB with serial 2705, first published when it was in Dhmair AFB HERE

MiG-29 Fulcrum A with serial 2420.

Su-24MK with serial 2509, this type is also in use widely with SyAAF to conduct bombing missions against FSyA, and sometimes against civilians mostly in the provinces of Idleb, Homs and Aleppo.
One UNIT of this type was spotted releasing eight free fall bombs in the area of Jabal Al Zawiyeh on 21 November last year.

2013-04-09

SyAAF from the archive: SQUADRON OF HEROES

Dear readers, I'm sorry for this long delay in posting here due to my travel to some country where most of Google products are banned, one of them is the Blogger of course.
I come back to you with very nice stuff, realy rare and published for the first time !!
One of our friends has found this YouTube which originally is a movie titled "سرب الأبطال" "Squadron of Heroes" starred by Khaled Taja (RIP) representing the SyAAF heroism after the war of 1973.
Some stills I could extract from that movie for SyAAF MiGs, and specifically the MiG-21MF and the rarest MiG-21F-13 !!
The above is for a MiG-21MF in its original camo with serial 1554 landing.