Due to the fact that I am an aviation historian, a Romanian and an SF2 enthusiast allow me to have some additions to the story of the USAF Yak-23 as detailed in the USAF folder.
First of all the name of the pilot is Mihail Diaconu, a lieutenant in the Romanian Air Force (FARPR), he was not a defector but his oxigen mask had a malfunction, he blacked out and when he recovered saw an airport and landed mistaking the airfield as his own. It proved to be an Yugoslavian one. After two years of bitter arguing he was released from Yugoslav custody in an exchange of prisoners and returned home.
When the aircraft was returned to the Romanian Air Force the fuel pump was new (it had a F-86 Sabre label on it) and the tires were new again, bearing the name GoodYear. That promptly proven that the aircraft was inspected by the USA and the Romanian authority informed the Soviet Union about the whole episode.
The plane was considered obsolete at the time due to the fact that MiG-15 was available and its performance was far better, this episode determined the soviet block to withdraw Yak-23 earlier than scheduled.
Yak-23 "Flora"
in Yak-23
Posted
Due to the fact that I am an aviation historian, a Romanian and an SF2 enthusiast allow me to have some additions to the story of the USAF Yak-23 as detailed in the USAF folder.
First of all the name of the pilot is Mihail Diaconu, a lieutenant in the Romanian Air Force (FARPR), he was not a defector but his oxigen mask had a malfunction, he blacked out and when he recovered saw an airport and landed mistaking the airfield as his own. It proved to be an Yugoslavian one. After two years of bitter arguing he was released from Yugoslav custody in an exchange of prisoners and returned home.
When the aircraft was returned to the Romanian Air Force the fuel pump was new (it had a F-86 Sabre label on it) and the tires were new again, bearing the name GoodYear. That promptly proven that the aircraft was inspected by the USA and the Romanian authority informed the Soviet Union about the whole episode.
The plane was considered obsolete at the time due to the fact that MiG-15 was available and its performance was far better, this episode determined the soviet block to withdraw Yak-23 earlier than scheduled.