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The curtains are going to fall on one of the Indian Air Forces' (IAF) most glorious chapters next week when Mig-21 FLs (type 77) will be airborne one last time soaring their way into history.
It will also mark the beginning of the end of half a century old era of Mig-21 operations in the IAF.
IAF chief NAK Browne will be in Kailaikunda in West Bengal on December 11 to take salute from four Mig-21 FL aircraft that will fly a "box formation" as their last sortie.
The IAF will say bid adieu to the aircraft that has flown over 50 years, which itself is a tribute to the machine and the men who kept it going.
The Mig-21 FLs would fly in the company of another ageing platform from the Mig stable - Mig-27 Ml - and the latest Sukhoi-30 MKIs.
The Mig-21 FLs joined the IAF around 1965 but only saw action in 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. All the bombing missions in and around Dhaka were carried out by IAF pilots flying Mig-21 FLs.
It went on to become one of the most flown aircraft which was later improvised.
The aircraft ushered in the supersonic era into the IAF. It was assigned secondary missions after the induction of Mirage 2000s in the 1980s which were now being used for training pilots.
An IAF statement said that the first ever air combat in the subcontinent took place in 1971 between a Mig-21 FL and Pakistan Air Force's F-104 Stratfigher.
In terms of kills in the 1971 war, the Mig-21s scored with four F-104s, two F-6s, an F-86 Sabre and a C-130 Hercules of PAF.
One of the high points of air operations in 1971 war was the attack on the governor's house at Dhaka which proved to be a decisive event forcing Pakistan to surrender.
After the 1971 war, the Mig-21s were also used in the air operations during the Kargil war.
The Mig-21 FL was followed by other versions of the aircraft including M/MF (type 96), Bis and the most recently upgraded Bison. The IAF has begun phasing out of its Mig-21 squadrons. The last surviving MiGs will be the Bisons which are expected to remain in service even beyond 2020 because of delays in replacements.
The IAF is looking to add 126 French Rafale multi-role combat aircraft negotiations for which were going on with Dassault.
'It was like driving a sports car'
It was like driving a sports car," said Air Commodore (retd.) Suren Tyagi talking about Mig-21 FL which will go into aviation history next week after being phased out by the India Air Force (IAF).
With 6,316 sorties and 4,003 hours of flying to his credit, no one in the world seems to have flown the Mig-21s more than Air Commodore Suren, and a major chunk of these flying hours were logged on Mig-21 FL.
Speaking to Mail Today, Suren said the Mig-21 FL was undoubtedly his most favourite aircraft. It was also the most tricky to control, he said talking about its character of being unsparing.
The aircraft had come with modifications from its earlier version. It had a drop tank which was an addition and rocket pods, air commodore Suren said.
The Mig-21 FL was an interceptor but the IAF had modified it for ground attack role. All the famous strikes in and around Dhaka in the 1971 war was carried out by Mig-21 FL, he said.
The handling of the aircraft was smooth as it responded well to the controls. It was like driving a sports car because of uninterrupted view from the front opening canopy.
Air commodore Suren said in terms of capability, it was the finest variant of Mig-21 the later versions, however, had better radars and more power.
He said that the aircraft even got better off the Mirage-2000 once in the late 1980s during an air combat mission.
There was no room for messing up in the cockpit as there was no scope of recovery, said the veteran pilot. It is creditable that the aircraft has flown for 50 years. The IAF had to stop flying these aircraft because it was not possible to continue operations with lack of spare support.
The aircraft is not flown anywhere in the world.
IAF's squadron 28, which now flies Mig-29s, was the first supersonic squadron. Air commodore Suren belonged to 4 squadron, one of the oldest in the IAF, which continued to fly Mig-21 FLs.
The veteran pilot is felt nostalgic about the phasing out of the aircraft which commanded respect.
- With inputs from Gautam Datt in New Delhi
Read more at: Air force to bid adieu to India's first supersonic jet Mig-21 FL on December 11 : North, News - India Today
It will also mark the beginning of the end of half a century old era of Mig-21 operations in the IAF.
IAF chief NAK Browne will be in Kailaikunda in West Bengal on December 11 to take salute from four Mig-21 FL aircraft that will fly a "box formation" as their last sortie.
The IAF will say bid adieu to the aircraft that has flown over 50 years, which itself is a tribute to the machine and the men who kept it going.
The Mig-21 FLs would fly in the company of another ageing platform from the Mig stable - Mig-27 Ml - and the latest Sukhoi-30 MKIs.
The Mig-21 FLs joined the IAF around 1965 but only saw action in 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. All the bombing missions in and around Dhaka were carried out by IAF pilots flying Mig-21 FLs.
It went on to become one of the most flown aircraft which was later improvised.
The aircraft ushered in the supersonic era into the IAF. It was assigned secondary missions after the induction of Mirage 2000s in the 1980s which were now being used for training pilots.
An IAF statement said that the first ever air combat in the subcontinent took place in 1971 between a Mig-21 FL and Pakistan Air Force's F-104 Stratfigher.
In terms of kills in the 1971 war, the Mig-21s scored with four F-104s, two F-6s, an F-86 Sabre and a C-130 Hercules of PAF.
One of the high points of air operations in 1971 war was the attack on the governor's house at Dhaka which proved to be a decisive event forcing Pakistan to surrender.
After the 1971 war, the Mig-21s were also used in the air operations during the Kargil war.
The Mig-21 FL was followed by other versions of the aircraft including M/MF (type 96), Bis and the most recently upgraded Bison. The IAF has begun phasing out of its Mig-21 squadrons. The last surviving MiGs will be the Bisons which are expected to remain in service even beyond 2020 because of delays in replacements.
The IAF is looking to add 126 French Rafale multi-role combat aircraft negotiations for which were going on with Dassault.
'It was like driving a sports car'
It was like driving a sports car," said Air Commodore (retd.) Suren Tyagi talking about Mig-21 FL which will go into aviation history next week after being phased out by the India Air Force (IAF).
With 6,316 sorties and 4,003 hours of flying to his credit, no one in the world seems to have flown the Mig-21s more than Air Commodore Suren, and a major chunk of these flying hours were logged on Mig-21 FL.
Speaking to Mail Today, Suren said the Mig-21 FL was undoubtedly his most favourite aircraft. It was also the most tricky to control, he said talking about its character of being unsparing.
The aircraft had come with modifications from its earlier version. It had a drop tank which was an addition and rocket pods, air commodore Suren said.
The Mig-21 FL was an interceptor but the IAF had modified it for ground attack role. All the famous strikes in and around Dhaka in the 1971 war was carried out by Mig-21 FL, he said.
The handling of the aircraft was smooth as it responded well to the controls. It was like driving a sports car because of uninterrupted view from the front opening canopy.
Air commodore Suren said in terms of capability, it was the finest variant of Mig-21 the later versions, however, had better radars and more power.
He said that the aircraft even got better off the Mirage-2000 once in the late 1980s during an air combat mission.
There was no room for messing up in the cockpit as there was no scope of recovery, said the veteran pilot. It is creditable that the aircraft has flown for 50 years. The IAF had to stop flying these aircraft because it was not possible to continue operations with lack of spare support.
The aircraft is not flown anywhere in the world.
IAF's squadron 28, which now flies Mig-29s, was the first supersonic squadron. Air commodore Suren belonged to 4 squadron, one of the oldest in the IAF, which continued to fly Mig-21 FLs.
The veteran pilot is felt nostalgic about the phasing out of the aircraft which commanded respect.
- With inputs from Gautam Datt in New Delhi
Read more at: Air force to bid adieu to India's first supersonic jet Mig-21 FL on December 11 : North, News - India Today
