SyAAF MiG-21bis Shot Down (2017-03-04)

Yesterday, a SyAAF MiG-21bis from No. 679 squadron operating from Hama AB and piloted by Col. Mohammad Sawfan "العقيد محمد صوفان" was shot down by rebels and subsequently crashed in Turkish territory nearby the borders; the pilot in question has successfully ejected but been arrested and taken to a hospital in Antakya.

The Fishbed pilot whom was suspended from flight some years back, was returned to service recently; it's believed this was his first sortie after suspension.

A recording for the last conversation between the pilot and the GC I received, clearly shows the pilot was dis-oriented due to a technical failure malfunctioned the compass first then the whole navigation system. After that the pilot couldn't recognize his way back to base -as requested by the GC- which put him under range of AAA of Ahrar Al-Sham rebels.

SyAAF MiGs in Hama AB

Finally, SyAAF made it and released a considerably wide report for some of its air power in Hama AB. 
In my opinion, this was a reaction for the increasing calls -I noticed from pro-regime Facebook pages- for the SyAAF to publish in media its power similarly to the Russians they did in Lattakia airport.

The aged 2306 MiG-21bis was there piloted by Col. Wisam Juneid and fitted with four FABs. 

At tarmac of the MiG maintenance yard, two MiG-21UM's are stored; one of them carries the serial 2366.

MiG-23MF with serial 2657 fitted with rusty FAB's for ground attack missions.

I think this 2771 MiG-23ML is deployed from Dmeyr AB temporarily to Hama AB, that's because of the shortage of Jets in this base which suffered a big loss since the beginning of the Syrian Civil War, not to talk about the increasing number of decommissioned airframes thrown here and there all around the base.

The same applies for the 4000 MiG-23MLD which was based with its 4005 sister in Shei'rat AB as seen previously, especially that Hama AB doesn't need interceptors now. 

The 4005 MiG-23MLD is seen in a HAS while the 4000 was stationed at tarmac.

Photos from SyAAF ABU DhHOUR AFB

On 9th Sep. 2015, Jaish Al-Fateh "جيش الفتح" led by Jabhat Al-Nusra "جبهة النصرة" overran Abu DhHour airbase and took control of the whole airfield. I'm not going to talk here about the operation in details as this was the fruit of more than two years of besieging the airbase with uncountable trials to penetrate the defensive lines to take over this base which a lot of towns around suffered from.
It's just important to mention the sand storm which rebels prefer to call "Gift from Heaven" which provided a cover from the SyAAF aircraft used to bombard the advanced rebels upon calls from the airbase itself.

The aircraft left in the airfield are just scraps and useless, most of them are the first generation of MiG-23MS which were delivered to SyAAF on 1974 just after the 73 war. The other MiG-21s are non airworthy anymore as the regime -and especially after downing two MiG-21bis sometime in 2012- worked to flee whatever operational out to Hama AFB.

I collected a lot of photos -with special thanks to all those allowed me to use their photos here in my blog- and watched hours of videos and came to prepare the below key-maps for the eastern and western sides of the airfield in order to understand the type/variant and location of each seen aircraft, I recommend to download them here with full resolution:
- KEY-MAP (EAST)
- KEY-MAP (WEST)

As can be seen, the aircraft inventory in this air force base is as below:

MiG-21 (5 in total):
- MF 1518
- MF 1942
- bis (unknown serial)
- UM 2369
- F-13 (unknown serial at the gate guard)

MiG-23 (17 in total)
- MS 1602
- MS 1605 (first SyAAF aircraft to be hit by ATGM at the beginning of the unrest)
- MS 1612
- MS 1619
- MS 1620
- MS (unknown serial 8 nos.)
- MF 2677
- UB 1750
- UB 1752
- UB 1795

Mi-8 (3 in total)
- T 1282
- T 2904 (knocked out when shelling the airfield by mortars)
- T (unknown serial, hit by ATGM on 8th Sep. 2014)

I will update this list in case more photos come to public: last updated 13th Sep. 2015

SyAAF 1282 (82) Mi-8, notice the rail fitted from inside the cabin back to the bottom of boom, this is for laying anti-tanks land mines

Knocked out SyAAF 2904 Mi-8 apparently by mortar hit when the rebels shelled the airfield

SyAAF MiG-21bis decommissioned inside a HAS (serial could be 2319)

SyAAF 1518 MiG-21MF

SyAAF 1942 MiG-21MF

SyAAF 2369 MiG-21UM inside one of the double HAS

There is large bone yard of MiG-23s at the western side of the airfield distributed on two groups

The western group of phased out MiG-23s is to the far west of the airfield include MS & UB Floggers

The second group is to the east of the first one and consists of MS Floggers only

The most recent aircraft phased out in this airfield is the on on the right of the photo which is the 1750 MiG-23UB

Inside a HAS the single MiG-23MF with serial 2677 decommissioned

R-60 and R-23/24 missiles are thrown beside this Flogger, they are not bombs finally and 'useless' for SyAAF in this civil war!

I tried a lot trying to read the serial of this MiG-23MS but did not come to an accurate conclusion, I just think it can read 1600

One of the most interesting photos here is for the 1620 MiG-23MS with its Sapphir PR-21 radar exposed

The 1750 MiG-23UB

Stunning bird's eye shot for the first group of phased out Floggers, the closest one is the 1620 MiG-23MS while the one next to it is the 1752 MiG-23UB

R-60 Air-to-Air missiles inside the HAS houses the 2677 MiG-23MF

R-23/24 Air-to-Air missiles also

SyAAF MiG-21bis Crashed (2015-08-03)

Today 3rd Aug. 2015, a SyAAF MiG-21bis operating from Hama AFB has crashed over the central Souq (market) of Ariha town (Idleb Governorate) due to a miscalculated dive performed by the pilot as reported by eye witnesses.
Other sources refer the reason behind the fall of this aircraft to a malfunction in the engine which is overheated because of the severe temperature the area is suffering of these days.

As stated above, the MiG crashed over the central Souq causing the death of 27 people -so far- with around 55 wounded.
The fate of the pilot is unknown.

SyAAF MiG-21bis Shot Down (2015-06-28)

On 28th June 2015, a SyAAF MiG-21bis -serial is unknown- operating from Deir EzZour airbase and piloted by Brig. General Suheil Omran, crashed to the east of the airfield. The pilot is KIA.
ISIS reports stated that the aircraft is shot down by AA fire.

SyAAF MiG-21bis Shot Down (2015-01-29)

Yesterday, 29th Jan. 2015, a SyAAF MiG-21bis -serial is still unknown- operating from Khelekhleh AFB and piloted by Col. Medhat Othman Kherallah "العقيد مدحت عثمان خيرالله" was downed over Tal Osheheb to the east of the said airbase -as reported by pro-regime personnel- or Bir Qassab to the south of Damascus and around 30km to the north east from Khelekhleh AFB -as reported by media of ISIS- which sounds more plausible.


Whether the bis was downed over Tal Osheheb which is located 8km exactly at the same axis of the east-west runway of Khelekhleh airbase, this brings to mind that ISIS units located successfully their AA guns/MANPADS at the route of landing of fighters at this airbase.

SyAAF MiG-21bis Shot Down (2014-11-10)

Today 10th Nov. 2014, a Syrian MiG-21bis serialed 2204 and code-numbered 660 operating from Hama AFB and piloted by Col. Tha'er Aref Saqqour 'العقيد ثائر عارف صقور' is downed 45km to the east of the airbase near Sabboura town, the remnant of the GSh-23 twin-barreled cannon and the engine can be seen in this VIDEO and this VIDEO, while it is still unknown whether the bis was hit by a MANPAD or by an AA gun.
Later one, tonight, a graphic photo emerged for the corpse of the pilot whom was KIA.

What surprised me after studying these photos is the appearance of a Syrian MiG-21bis dressing a Three-Color Camo! The new color is the Grayish Brown where the serial lays over.
The camos we used to see applied on Syrian MiG-21s through available photos were in Two-Colors camo, Beige & Green or Yellow Sand & Green-Blue.
How would be a great reference to modellers and profile drawers if the fuselage of this aircraft was photographed!

Photos from SyAAF TABQA AFB (Part V)

 
The updated and most comprehensive post about Tabqa AFB is ready now to be shared with our audiences!
Before you start scrolling down, it would be highly recommended to download the KEYMAP of this airbase in order to understand the location of the seen airframes in the footages of videos and photos appeared so far.
 
I would specially thank our friend Peter Weinert for his to-bone contribution to realize the final KEYMAP which enabled us relatively locate each seen aircraft as precise as possible, in addition to providing me some valuable photos for serials never seen before! Thanks again Pit, thanks Tom Cooper as well!
 
Accordingly, we could survey the following airframes:

MiG-21bis 
- 2217

MiG-21MF
- 460
- 471
- 1543
- 1568
- 1569
- 3 unknown serial

MiG-21M
- 1810

MiG-21UM
- 545
- 560
- 571
- 2357
- 2360
- 2 unknown serial

MiG-21 (Unknown Variant)
- 1915
- 8 unknown serial

That in addition to one MiG-15UTI and few scrapped MiG-21's in the bone yard to the east part of the airfield.
 

 
A new photo for the 2360 MiG-21UM.
 

 
Good shot for the 2357 MiG-21UM.

 
The same 2357 MiG-21UM here as well.

 
This shot is taken over the furthest western double HAS in this airbase showing the 571 serialed MiG-21UM.

 
Closer shot at this trainer.

 
The camera man is standing over the same HAS but looking this time north east to reveal the only photo for the 545 MiG-21UM.

 
At the bottom of this double HAS, a scrapped rear fuselage of a MiG-21 carrying the serial which hardly may read 1915.

 
We counted 6 MiG-21M/MF's been towed out after 2012 -three left with unknown serials- as they cannot be located over any electronic map so far...

 
A great shot shows the profile of the 1568 MiG-21MF.

 
The famous 460 MiG-21MF...

The only MiG-21bis left in this AFB with serial 2217.
 

MiG-21 can be seen through the HAS #6 at the eastern side of the base.
 

 
R-3 Air-to-Air missiles left inside a HAS as well.