LSK MiG-23S?

[+FLOGGER23 3,064]

While looking for pics and details of the MiG-23S i found some pics, specifically one example of one MiG-23S in LSK markings, i thought that variant was never exported, so my questions are: could it be one off? could it be for testings as the Su-20's from Egypt? could have been a leftover from the soviets and was painted as the German Floggers???

 

 

[+Soulfreak 6,524]

East Germany had no MiG-23S

only: 23MF, ML, BN & UB

BTW: The 2 SU-20s were WEST-German ones. Got them from Egypt to evaluate russian technology.

  Edited October 17, 2013 by Soulfreak

[+FLOGGER23 3,064]

Yeah, that i knew by fact, but when i saw the pics it made me raise some doubts...

[+Soulfreak 6,524]

I´m not an expert about MiG-23 versions.

But it can have 2 reasons that those were marked as LSK MiG-23S

1st: This are LSK MiG-23s but not an "S", just wrong discriped as an S

2nd: This are MiG-23S and they were painted wrong (in LSK colors. Which i think (LSK had 2 digit Numbers)

Edited October 17, 2013 by Soulfreak

[+Gepard 11,303]

The pictures shows really a MiG-23S in LSK colors. Its the only one MiG-23S the LSK had had. But it was never in flightworthy conditions and thatswhy never flown in LSK service.

It was bought from soviets for trainings reasons end of the 70th, early 80th. Then it was placed at the MTS "Harry Kuhn" Bad Düben (military technical school of the Air Force/ Air Defence) for basic training of technicians and ground crews.

Some on my old school mates had had their training on this plane. They told me, that the soviets used this plane to test the emergency (net) landing system for airfields. In german language we called this system MiG-Fänger (MiG-catcher i hope this is the correct english term). And i also heared, that the plane was not repaired after the testing and so showed some damages (scars) from the net.

 

In an old flight magazin the plane was descriped, shortly after the political change in 1989/90. I will try to find this article, but it will need some time to find it.

Edited October 17, 2013 by Gepard

[+Soulfreak 6,524]

Which Number it had?

[+FLOGGER23 3,064]

08 as i can read, was it different before?

[+Gepard 11,303]

Okay, i found the article. It was in FLIEGERREVUE 3/91 page 84 and 85.

 

The plane was handed over to the soviet air force on 16. october 1970. It was designated as samoljot tipa 22 (aircraft type 22) production number was 220001013.

What meant, that it was the 13th aircraft of the first seria of type 22.

The plane was flown for a short periode by the soviet forces in Germany, 16th Air Army. Then it was used for testing the plane emergency landing device (MiG-Catcher).

For the tests, it was said, the plane was armed to the maximum load and was sent with full AB power into the net. Obviously so the soviets wanted to see wheter the net can stop a full loaded MiG, while a start break.

The result was, that the radar nose was destroyed, the swing wing mechanism was heaviely damaged, the tailplane was set out of order.

In this condition the plane was sold as scrap to the GDR in mid 70th. The GDR sent the plane to the Flugzeugwerft Dresden for overhaul.

After a first repair the plane was sent to Kamenz, where the LSK operated a school for officers and pilots.

1980, the plane was transfered to MTS Bad Düben. There the plane was completly overhauled by the local technicians and teachers to make it operable for ground crew training. For this reason it was used till 1990.

The tactical number was 08. It was the original soviet number, which was not changed during LSK time.

Edited October 17, 2013 by Gepard

[+FLOGGER23 3,064]

Thanks a lot for the Info Gepard!!!

[Snailman 517]

Thanks for the info!! It is definitely a MiG-23S... I also suspected it was given for training purposes, as the MiG-23S was only a pre-series never entered into service. First mass produced version was the M variant.