MIG 21

[Sonic Infidel]

I had the privilege of shooting a MIG 21 recently. A local guy owns it and keeps it at the airport here.

Album (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v502/sonicinfidel/mig%2021/)

Here's an overhead shot.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/sonicinfidel/mig%2021/Mig213of16.jpg

The cockpits:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/sonicinfidel/mig%2021/Mig215of16.jpg

The light was really dim, and the batteries in my flash were nearly dead, so I was really limited in what I could do, but I think they turned out nice.

[PhotosGuy]

Nice shots. All two of them. You are so...

[DMPhoto]

Nice shots Infidel. Does the owner get any air time in that?

Frank - lol:lol:


Dan

[Sonic Infidel]

Nice shots. All two of them. You are so...

The album is linked above the first pic. Sorry it wasn't very clear.

Nice shots Infidel. Does the owner get any air time in that?

Frank - lol


Dan

He flies it mainly on military contract; he pretends to be an enemy fighter and they "shoot" him down with computers.

It costs over $3,000 for 45 minutes of flight, though. It's for sale, if you're interested...

Here's a look at the jet exhaust. Those metal fingers are for the afterburner.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/sonicinfidel/mig%2021/Mig218of16.jpg

[toolbox]

Very cool! You needed to climb in and take some shots though ;). There was a MIG 21 two-seater just like that around here about 14 years ago. It was a former Czech Air Force trainer that a guy bought and shipped over in pieces. My cousin took a bunch of pictures of it in the hanger at the Missoula Airport while they were putting it back together. It's possible it's the same plane...there can't be that many of them around. Do you know any history of it?

[PhotosGuy]

The album is linked above the first pic. Sorry it wasn't very clear. My fault that I completely missed that. No shots of the gauges? former Czech Air Force trainer that a guy bought and shipped over in pieces. Someone over here bought a Mig some time ago. The ATF was very impressed that it came with the working guns still installed! :D

[DMPhoto]

Sonic,

I would be interested, but I'm saving for a 70-200 2.8L right now.;)

Maybe if there were a Spring Rebate.....


Dan

[Sonic Infidel]

Very cool! You needed to climb in and take some shots though ;). There was a MIG 21 two-seater just like that around here about 14 years ago. It was a former Czech Air Force trainer that a guy bought and shipped over in pieces. My cousin took a bunch of pictures of it in the hanger at the Missoula Airport while they were putting it back together. It's possible it's the same plane...there can't be that many of them around. Do you know any history of it?

It's a Polish trainer - came over in '93, I believe. (can't find it in my notes now...)

I wanted to climb in, but I didn't ask. I was actually conducting an interview for the paper at the time, and I thought it best to concentrate on taking notes.

It's a magnificent plane, though you could probably still talk him down on the price a bit.

[da_lsvtak]

Here's a look at the jet exhaust. Those metal fingers are for the afterburner.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v502/sonicinfidel/mig%2021/Mig218of16.jpg


the purpose of those "fingers" are to disperse the thrust/flame evenly across the tail end of the exhaust. its supposed to be a preventative measure to avoid hot spots from forming. also directly behind it i spy what would be spray rings that actually inject the fuel into the thrust stream for the afterburner.


just a little food for thought ;)

[toolbox]

My fault that I completely missed that. No shots of the gauges? Someone over here bought a Mig some time ago. The ATF was very impressed that it came with the working guns still installed! :D

IIRC the one I saw was also shipped with all it's weapons systems still intact. I think the guns were handed over to BATF...not sure if they had to disable the weapons pylons or not. This was pre-911 of course...I'd be surprised if you could even get it off the boat with that stuff still on it.

It was really cool to see it flying...they painted it up like a Soviet aircraft with red stars and everything. I used to see it flying around once in a while...kind of spooky to see it all by itself like that :).

Edit:
Here's a couple articles on the Missoula MIG
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3799/is_199711/ai_n8759781
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9803E2D9133CF934A2575BC0A9619582 60
http://www.airbergy.com/1997%20EB%20in%20a%20Russian%20MIG%2021%20Fighter% 20Jet%20-%20Missoula.asp

[Sonic Infidel]

Dang...reading those articles makes me jealous. I tried to write mine like that, but my editor butchered it. She made it sound like it was written by a third-grader. All the important and interesting stuff? GONE.

I'm a little bit drunk and I almost cursed just now, but I caught myself.

Off to bed.

[PhotosGuy]

my editor butchered it Editors & writers! Not my favorite people, except the guys at Car & Driver. For most I wanted to carry a wooden stake & some Holy water... as a mix! :D

[Sonic Infidel]

Writers are pretentious and lonely.
Editors are arrogant and sadistic.

Photographers? That's a whole different class entirely...

[Desertraptor]

Very nice
The first works very well in B&W