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!

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.

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.

Another MF fitted with four AA-2 missiles.

Pair of MiG-21MF's, each is fitted with two AA-2 missiles.

An MF in a HAS...

Technicians mounting one after another AA-2 missiles on an MF.

From the HAS...

Pair of MiG-21MF's on tarmac, the serial of the nearest reads 1508.

Assisting an injured pilot to step down of his fighter (MF), with serial 1551.

The same, note the ex-SyAAF flag on the tail fin (the current flag of Egypt).

Khaled Taja (RIP) in the cabin of an MF.

MiG-21MF with serial 1558 landing.

  
From another corner...

The rarest MiG-21F-13 !! also fitted with two AA-2 missiles.

MiG-21F-13 taxiing after landing.

Pair of F-13s ready to take off, unfortunately not a single serial of them is readable...

Mi-8 with serial 67, fitted with unguided rocket pods.

Special thanks to ED.

Air Force Museum - Dimashq / SYRIA (Updated)

Batch of good photos I collected from web, different than what I posted almost one year ago for aircraft were in display in Military Museum in Damascus.
Starting with a photo for the MiG-21F-13...

The same from another corner, it is important to mention here that this aircraft has received a completely new camo in place here (repainted), the original one with original serial was shown in the previous post of this Military Museum

This photo also shows the same MiG-21F-13 with another third camo !!

The MiG-15UTI did not survive from the amateur painter !!

From the back...

This is the canopy of the Su-7.

Repainted L-29, with the logo of Aviation Faculty.

Another shot for the trainer L-29, as I mentioned previously, all these airframes including the propellers were shifted to an unknown destination !!

SyAAF Mil Mi-8 Downed in Al Raqqa (2013-02-03)

 

Few HD photos for a SyAAF Mil Mi-8 downed in Mansoura area near Al Tabaqa town in Al Raqqa province on 3 February 2013.

There are two stories about this Mi-8, the first says this Mi has received AA fire from rebels, while the other claims the Mi faced a technical problem forced it to conduct unsafe emergency landing enabling its crew to escape... 

I can hardly read the serial 71 (i.e. 1271)

Regime used these Mi's to drop explosive barrels over Al Tabaqa town.