ya-gabor Posted December 25, 2019 Share Posted December 25, 2019 Has anyone seen this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFSNRmicF5A&feature=youtu.be It was posted just few days ago on 14th December. Good to see that at least something (video evidence) remains from those days and not everything was destroyed after closing down Constant Peg in 1988. The person posting this video is the author of the Red Eagles book about MiG’s in the US, the 4477th test squadron. It is a fantastic book by Steve Davies!!! One surviving MiG-23MS is on show in its original aggressor colours. Only the pilot name was deleted and the nose cone replaced with a new one on Number 39. All the colours are original for 4477 test squadron operation! Aircraft 44 is (was) surviving on a weapons range also. Hope one day more will be displayed. Interesting to read in the book how different spare parts were acquired from MiG operator nations during Cold War!!! This video is only the start, there is more to follow! Best regards Gabor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hemspilot Posted December 28, 2019 Share Posted December 28, 2019 The aircraft in the video is a Mig-23BN. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ya-gabor Posted December 28, 2019 Author Share Posted December 28, 2019 Yes it is obviously a BN, the one in the video is also from that ex-Egyptian batch of 23MS / 23BN mix. I dont know where did the Belgians get an ex-Egyptian BN for the Brussels museum. Could it be also from the US just as that ex-Indonesian / ex-4477 MiG-21F-13 No.77? Best regards Gabor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
31Tiger Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 On 12/28/2019 at 2:46 PM, ya-gabor said: Yes it is obviously a BN, the one in the video is also from that ex-Egyptian batch of 23MS / 23BN mix. I dont know where did the Belgians get an ex-Egyptian BN for the Brussels museum. Could it be also from the US just as that ex-Indonesian / ex-4477 MiG-21F-13 No.77? Best regards Gabor Its a ex-russian bird in Brussels. They got it directly after the end of the Cold war. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ya-gabor Posted January 1, 2020 Author Share Posted January 1, 2020 15 minutes ago, 31Tiger said: Its a ex-russian bird in Brussels. They got it directly after the end of the Cold war. I heard it differently yesterday from a Brussels friend, but I am very far from this aircraft, so sure you know better. 1. One thing for certain looking at photos of this exhibit there are no traces where the additional US antennas were mounted as seen on 4477 images. 2. Based on Brussels museum data it is an ex Egyptian aircraft 4421 with factory number 0393204421. Not likely that Russians donated an Egyptian aircraft. Best regards Gabor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
31Tiger Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 Interesting! I was always told (and can remember) that it came directly from the Ruskies. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ya-gabor Posted January 2, 2020 Author Share Posted January 2, 2020 (edited) The whole business of 4477 squadron operating Russian aircraft was kept as much as possible from the public's eyes. The whole project was shrouded in secrecy and disinformation. The first time the operations of MiG-23’s under US flag was acknowledged only in April 2017 with pulling out from the “shed” the now declassified MiG-23MS number 39 and dedicating part of an exhibition to this unit at US AF museum in Dayton Ohio. It took 30 years after retirement of the Constand Peg program in 1988. So I don’t think that at the time when this MiG-23BN turned up overnight in the Brussels museum the true story of its origin would have been told by either side for obvious reasons. The easiest thing was to say and communicate that it is from the Russkies. Best regards Gabor Edited January 2, 2020 by ya-gabor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pollie Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 I was once told the Brussels MiG-23BN came from Ramstein where they had some kind of 'petting zoo' with some Russian build aircraft on display. The former Egyptian Su-20 at Leeuwarden apparently also came out of that petting zoo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ya-gabor Posted January 3, 2020 Author Share Posted January 3, 2020 Yes, this is my information also, after serving in US they were “shown” at Ramstein as the first stage of their retirement before “moving” to Brussels. Best regards Gabor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
31Tiger Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 Great info guys! Regardless where it came from, its great to have one on display so close. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Red Dog Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 So are you saying that the Mig-23 in the brussels museum is one of the constant peg? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ya-gabor Posted January 4, 2020 Author Share Posted January 4, 2020 1 hour ago, Red Dog said: So are you saying that the Mig-23 in the brussels museum is one of the constant peg? I hope so but it is not 100%. What is known: - Based on museum information it is an ex-Egyptian MiG-23BN aircraft - It arrived to Brussels from US sources (“served” in Ramstein as an “exhibit” last time, but before that ???) It is completely repainted in Soviet colours but several things are not authentic in this painting. Was it painted in Brussels? I don’t know. Looking at images from Tonopah the aircraft operated by 4477 did not have these mistakes. But very little remains (photos, data, records . . .) of US operations. MiG-21F-13 № 77 (no longer on display in Brussels and is confirmed Constant Peg participant) was also completely repainted or to be more precise stripped of all paint. But Was it operated by Red Eagles under Constant Peg program? No confirmation of this at the moment. I don’t think USAF will ever confirm this. . . They are the only ones who could do this with full certainty. Best regards Gabor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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