Photos of SyAAF MiG's - MISC

New update for the series of stills of the MiG aircraft family serving for the SyAAF. I would start here with a real treasure came to public this week: SyAAF MiG-29's!! This photo shows a pair of Syrian MiG-29's just before seconds of taking off from their home base: SEEN AFB -note the other two MiG's inside the double shelter.
Two things would make this photo Exceptional: If the serials were readable, and if air-to-air missiles were fitted to the pylons!!

This is a key map for the SEEN AFB: the Red dot represents the location of the camera -targeting little to the right of the double HAS as shown-, white the Greed two dots represent the location of the MiG's on the runway preparing to take off.

Another great still is for a SyAAF MiG-23ML with serial 2797 taking off (could be from Dmeyr or SEEN AFB).
Two things to mention about this ML: Note the locally developed flare dispensers fitted on both sides of the tail fin, and: this is the same ML which was spotted in Krasnodar overhaul facility on June 2008!! (refer to this POST for further details).

MiG-23BN spotted maneuvering over Darayya after an attack sortie on 15 Oct. 2013.

The very famous and the ever poorest SyAAF MiG-17 which was in display in the campus of the university of Aleppo photographed in 1996. The serial 1228 is painted roughly and could be written by the students themselves, but sounds plausible since a batch of SyAAF MiG-17's used to carry the serial 12XX.
This MiG-17 was shifted somewhere out in 2001 or 2002.

SyAAF MiG-15UTI photographed in the Military Museum of Damascus, carrying the serial 273.
Note that the drop tank fitted under wing belongs to another airframe with serial 254.

THE 'SEEN' AS NEVER SEEN BEFORE!!

Yes, true, as never seen before!! Again the SyAAF SEEN AFB is updated on the electronic maps, but this time BING did it, and did it perfectly!!
You can refer to the previous POST in order to get more info about this base and for better comparison about the novelties of aircraft and layout and the most important this is the SyAADF newly deployed in this base.
As always, I would start this post with a key map for the air field which indicated the enlarged crops I list below:

View 1: Three MiG-29's on main tarmac. Note that the camo of the unit at the bottom looks almost plain, which confirms that there is not unified camo for all SyAAF MiG-29's.

View 2: Another MiG-29 can be seen on the pad where maintenance team test engines after being overhauled.

View 3: A new MiG-23 is added -first from the bottom- to the phased out units of this type.

View 4: Six phased out MiG-21's. Note the scrapped wingless fuselage of a Su-7.

View 5: The MiG-25RB continues its rest in the same place after its accident some time in early 2000's.

View 6: As mentioned above, these are the major novelties seen in this air base: the new SyAADF systems deployed here and there all around the airfield.
I'm not an expert with types of SAM's, I may tell that these trucks are supposed to be carrying SA-2 or even the S-200 missiles. I would prefer to leave it for experts to indicate the type of SAM system deployed in this spot. 

View 7: The trucks at the bottom which carries two missiles, look SA-3.

View 8: These are for sure launchers of SA-3.

View 9: Another batch of trucks carrying SA-2.

View 10: Launchers of SA-2.

View 11: Launchers of SA-3.
As I said, these systems are newly deployed around the base, as you can see clearly they were just laid in place even without ground preparations.

Photos of SyAAF MiG-29s

After the MiG-15, 17, 21 and 23, you should guess that the next post -this one- should be about the MiG-29, especially in the absence of any new photo for the mighty MiG-25.
Above is a recent great and very clear still of a SyAAF MiG-29 Fulcrum A with its dark and light gray camo, carries the reg. number 3433.

According to some sources, SyAAF received 48 units of MiG-29, others reduced the number to 36, while some, go further to minimize the number to 24 units only including the dual-seat training variant 'UB'.
Above is an early photo for another MiG-29 with serial number 3436 or 3439.

Pair of SyAAF MiG-29's flying as low as their shadow can be seen on the sands of the Syrian desert where they joined the live fire maneuvers took place on July 2012.

SyAAF operates the MiG-29 solely from the secretive Seen AFB. I have read in many reports that during the last 10 years, some units were deployed and operated from Hama AFB and some others from the T4 AFB, which is totally not correct.
This take is also from the live fire maneuvers above mentioned.

Today, the Syrian regime cared to choose this day, the first day of the Adha Eid festival, to start his attack and bombardment sorties over the civilian towns of Eastern Ghouta in Damascus using his MiG-29 units.
Above is a SyAAF MiG-29 spotted over Eastern Ghouta fitted with S-8 unguided rocket pods (again thanks to Oryx for his post about this weapon of today).

Using this type of advanced tactical fighters in such attack sorties, and with such an old fashioned weaponry gives a serious image about the exhausted fleet of SyAAF MiG-23BN's, Su-22's and even the Su-24MK's -those are quite busy with Idleb and Aleppo provinces. The question remains: why didn't SyAAF use their MiG-23ML and MLD instead of wearing these sensitive fighters which over the last six years received a serious maintenance in Neyrab's overhaul facility 'The Factory' to overcome the fuselage and wings cracks, in addition to fit them with advanced avionics which is said to be a partial package of the SMT's.

Photos of SyAAF MiG-23s

After the post of stills of Syrian MiG-21's, I have prepared this post for the mighty Syrian MiG-23's with some very rare stills been published for the first time.

Actually it is one still which is shown above, for a Syrian MiG-23ML in a HAS ready for scramble fitted with two AA-7 Apex missiles under the pylon of the wing gloves. While unfortunately, It is very hard to recognize the missiles those are fitted under the fuselage on both sides of the additional fuel tank...should be AA-8 Aphid's.

Another Syrian MiG-23ML appeared in media during the last SyAAF live fire maneuvers took place on July 2012. It carries the serial 2795.
Such type has received serious overhaul in Krasnodar facility in Russia.

Another Syrian MiG-23's could be spotted in Hama AFB few months ago. 

The very famous take of the pair of SyAAF MiG-23BN's also appeared in the said maneuvers of 2012, firing S-24 unguided air-to-surface rockets.

Great clear shot for a SyAAF MiG-23BN flying over Qaboon district in Damascus in Sep. 2013 after bombardment sortie, showing details of camo could be of interest of modellers and profiles makers.

Another shot from the bottom for a SyAAF MiG-23BN was taken on 21 Aug. 2013 while dispensing flares over Darayya in Damascus.

Photos of SyAAF MiG-21s - Updated II

Updating the photo archive of Syrian MiG-21's with new interesting stuff from the period before and after the current Syrian uprising.
Starting to a photo for the MiG-21R which is in display in Teshreen Panorama in Damascus. This photo is one of the first being taken for this aircraft since the reg. number is still readable 676, as recently the plane received new paint with terrible froggy patterned camo where the serial number is hidden completely -I prefer not to post here at all.

Another shot for the same reconnaissance variant (note the wing tips which are different than any other fighter variant of this type). Here it's equipped with 2 x AA2 Atol's with 2 x UB-16 unguided rocket pod (thanks to Oryx for his latest post about pods). BUT, because of the style of the post carrying the aircraft, it was impossible to mount the very famous camera pod on the centreline pylon.

Again, new photos for the monumental SyAAF MiG-21FL at the main entrance of Kweres AFB, this time while rebels are shelling the base with locally made rockets.

Another take for the same FL in a foggy ambiance as hardly we can see the signage of the Air Force Academy on the furthest right.

The MiG-21MF served for the SyAAF for more than 40 years. I believe there are no more survivors of this type nowadays. Thus, I would consider any post-uprising spotted MiG-21 is a 'bis'. Here is one releasing two S-24 air-to-surface unguided missiles.

Not to forget the second MiG-21bis with serial 2280 downed just after taking off from Abu DhHour AFB in August 2012.

SyAAF MiG-21bis maneuvering over Tabqa town (near Euphrates Dam).

Another bis accelerating after releasing its load somewhere near Tabqa town.

Photos of SyAAF MiG-15/17's

Few stills of SyAAF MiG-15's and MiG-17's I collected from many sources, gathered them in a post to share them with you.
For the 40th anniversary of Teshreen war, I would choose to start with a MiG-17 in display in Deir EzZour, the birthplace of the great ace Ghassan Abboud who could downed Six Israeli aircraft during the war.

Another shot for the same MiG-17 which is in display in a roundabout in the city which is known as 'aircraft roundabout'. I'm not sure here whether the camo is original since the serial numbers are over-painted.

Rare shot for a SyAAF MiG-17 with its serial number 1219. Infront, the pilot Riyadh Ali Hmesheh who was martyred during the aerial combats over Lebanon in 1982.

Another MiG-17 in display, but I could not recognize the location. It carries the serial 1159.

MiG-15bis also in display in Aleppo city.

Another shot for the same. The insignia under the cockpit is probably the Air Force Academy's.

Photos from SyAAF NEYRAB AFB (Aleppo IAP)

Few rare shots I could find taken in the air force base -currently more than an international airport- of Neyrab, since almost two years this air base has been playing a serious role in the attack sorties the SyAAF is conducting against Aleppo city and its country.
This base has been attacked by FSyA many times, been under siege for few months, resulted in a suspected damage to a Syrian Air Il-76 has been stationed there and seen along a year in its place on the main tarmac of the civilian part.

No surprise to see the L-39's are still flying these days over Aleppo which the last one was spotted just yesterday, as 'The Factory' in this base keeps them operational.

Above, a photo for an armed L-39ZA carrying the serial 2145 spotted a year ago firing unguided rockets and releasing FAB's over Aleppo. Beside it another L-39ZA with serial 2130.  

Another shot for one of these L-39ZA's with its rocket pods. 

A shot from distance for the tarmac of the military section of the base showing the frontal hangars of 'The Factory' with four L-39's infront. In many aerial images and various videos for this area, there were around four MiG-23's left, probably are UB variants.

Returning back to the civilian section where few Mi-8's are parking there. The above carries the serial 35.

Another Mi-8 beside, with serial 79 (having its complete serial number 379).

Finally, a shot for the Il-28 in its place with a fuselage of a Meteor lies infront.