Adieu MiG-21 Fishbed!
Re: Adieu MiG-21 Fishbed!
^^ From 1963 I believe.
Re: Adieu MiG-21 Fishbed!
After more than six decades, the final MiG-21 squadron will exit the IAF in Sept 2025.
From warhorse to legend: MiG-21 to bow out after 62 years in Indian skies
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne ... 821727.cms
22 July 2025
https://x.com/manupubby/status/1947524060780380546 ---> After over six decades of operations, India’s MiG 21 fighter will finally fly into the sunset. Farewell ceremony planned at Chandigarh airbase in September. Last squadron to be number plated. India's fighter squadron strength will dip to 29.
From warhorse to legend: MiG-21 to bow out after 62 years in Indian skies
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne ... 821727.cms
22 July 2025
https://x.com/manupubby/status/1947524060780380546 ---> After over six decades of operations, India’s MiG 21 fighter will finally fly into the sunset. Farewell ceremony planned at Chandigarh airbase in September. Last squadron to be number plated. India's fighter squadron strength will dip to 29.
Re: Adieu MiG-21 Fishbed!
For 60 years, the MiG-21 has served in the @IAF_MCC, while its phase-out journey has spanned 40 years. This summary highlights how, over four decades, 28 units of the IAF transitioned out from the MiG-21 - an incredibly arduous task to replace a mainstay.
Key insights:
1. The Indian Air Force operated 24 Fighter Squadrons and 4 Training Units equipped with the MiG-21.
2. Throughout service in these 28 establishments, the average tenure of the MiG-21 aircraft was 33 years.
3. The transition to the MiG-21 began with the 28 Squadron in 1963, and the 20 Squadron was the last (albeit briefly) in the late 1990s.
4. During the 1980s, only four Squadrons switched from the MiG-21, with two converting to the Mirage 2000 and two to the MiG-29.
5. No 4 Squadron holds the distinction of serving the longest with the MiG-21 for nearly 58 years. If No 3 Squadron continues its service until 2025, it will be the second-longest-serving unit at 53 years.
6. Five IAF Squadrons exclusively operated the M Variant of the MiG-21 for an average duration of 40 years each. These were 17, 35, 37, 101, 108.
7. The FL (Type-77) variant was preferred by training units and Type Training Squadrons.
8. The Tactics & Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) had the honour of operating four different variants of the MiG-21, excluding the trainer types.
Sources for these insights include Form 1500 from the Ministry of Defence History Division, Bharat Rakshak, books by Pushpinder Singh, the CAW History series, Squadron coffee table books, Press Information Bureau releases, and accounts from veterans. Graphic by @SauravChordia1. Background image by @zone5aviation. Every effort has been diligently undertaken to ensure the accuracy of this information, and any unintentional errors are sincerely regretted.
Key insights:
1. The Indian Air Force operated 24 Fighter Squadrons and 4 Training Units equipped with the MiG-21.
2. Throughout service in these 28 establishments, the average tenure of the MiG-21 aircraft was 33 years.
3. The transition to the MiG-21 began with the 28 Squadron in 1963, and the 20 Squadron was the last (albeit briefly) in the late 1990s.
4. During the 1980s, only four Squadrons switched from the MiG-21, with two converting to the Mirage 2000 and two to the MiG-29.
5. No 4 Squadron holds the distinction of serving the longest with the MiG-21 for nearly 58 years. If No 3 Squadron continues its service until 2025, it will be the second-longest-serving unit at 53 years.
6. Five IAF Squadrons exclusively operated the M Variant of the MiG-21 for an average duration of 40 years each. These were 17, 35, 37, 101, 108.
7. The FL (Type-77) variant was preferred by training units and Type Training Squadrons.
8. The Tactics & Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) had the honour of operating four different variants of the MiG-21, excluding the trainer types.
Sources for these insights include Form 1500 from the Ministry of Defence History Division, Bharat Rakshak, books by Pushpinder Singh, the CAW History series, Squadron coffee table books, Press Information Bureau releases, and accounts from veterans. Graphic by @SauravChordia1. Background image by @zone5aviation. Every effort has been diligently undertaken to ensure the accuracy of this information, and any unintentional errors are sincerely regretted.
Re: Adieu MiG-21 Fishbed!
VIDEO: https://x.com/ndtv/status/1947720777132093626 ---> 62 Years Later... The IAF To Retire Its MiG-21s. Air Marshal Anil Khosla (retd) shares his views.
https://x.com/VishnuNDTV/status/1947891191514644813 ---> The MiG-21 era is over. A fantastic chat with Air Marshal Anil Khosla (retd.), the former Vice Chief on his experiences on the legacy fighter - he flew 5 variants.
https://x.com/VishnuNDTV/status/1947891191514644813 ---> The MiG-21 era is over. A fantastic chat with Air Marshal Anil Khosla (retd.), the former Vice Chief on his experiences on the legacy fighter - he flew 5 variants.
Re: Adieu MiG-21 Fishbed!
https://x.com/mountain_rats/status/1948244029071577503 ---> From a known MiG pilot. The only fighter aircraft I flew close to 3,500 flights. Never wanted to change over. The F4, F5, F-104, F-16, All of them were developed with a single purpose in mind, ie, how to counter a MiG-21. USA formed one full squadron of stolen MiG-21s to train their pilots in Top Gun Combat school, just to get an idea how nimble, formidable and deadly a MiG-21 could be. This is the story narrated by MiG-21, as the IAF sends it into retirement in a few weeks from now. Love and respect to my Proud Steed!
"I Am the MiG-21 – My Final Salute
I belonged to the Mikoyan-Gurevich family, but people fondly called me the MiG-21. I was born in the erstwhile Soviet Union, but to be honest, I grew up in India. My precious youth, my maturity, my entire life — it was lived in service with the Indian Air Force. When people spoke of a steel bird that could break the sound barrier back in my day, they meant me. Even today, I say that with pride. It was the year 1963 when I landed for the first time at Ambala Air Base. I still remember the look in the eyes of the pilots who saw me — full of awe, curiosity, disbelief. After all, even then I had earned the nickname “The Bullet That Flies.” I was already counted among the finest fighter jets in the world.
I still recall how the young pilots — fresh out of flight school — would climb into my cockpit for the first time. Nervous, hesitant, and sweating just a little. And I would greet them gently, like an old warrior welcoming his apprentice. The moment my engine and afterburner began to roar, their anxiety turned into exhilaration. As I climbed into the sky, they were stunned by my raw power. With time, the senior, more experienced pilots became confident flying me. They learned to climb steep, bank hard, barrel roll, and perform aerobatics with finesse. And when we returned to the ground, their faces beamed like victors — proud and fulfilled. They were no longer boys. They were becoming India’s warriors of the sky. Before stepping down, they would run a gentle hand across my fuselage and whisper, “Thank you.” Then, off they'd go, eager to tell others what it felt like to fly with me.
I had just completed two years in India when my true test arrived —The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. Though still new, my pilots and I rose to the task. We patrolled India’s skies like hawks. No Pakistani intruder could breach our aerial borders. I chased down and intercepted enemy aircraft at blistering speeds, and it was in this very war that my true power was first witnessed — even by me. The outcome? India ordered more of me from Russia. And then, a new dream took shape — I was to be built in India.
From Bangalore, Nashik, and Koraput in Odisha, my family began to grow at the HAL factories. Before long, we were a family of over 800 MiG-21s — strong and proud. What can I say about the 1971 war? I roared across the Western Front, shooting down Pakistan’s F-86 Sabres, bombing enemy airfields into silence. As the years rolled on, new generations of aircraft arrived —The Mirage-2000, the mighty Sukhoi-30, the Rafale, and Tejas — India’s very own dream, made real. Did I feel sidelined? Replaced? Not at all! Even with them, I flew proudly in Kargil. And after the Balakot strike, when Pakistan retaliated, it was I, with Wing Commander Abhinandan, who brought down an F-16, and became immortal once again.
I had guarded India’s skies for decades. My time was coming to an end. This was the era of the new generation. Still, when the pilots who had first learned to fly in my cockpit grew older — became Air Commodores, Air Marshals — they’d often return to see me. Their eyes would well up. And in that moment, I too felt a sense of fulfillment. Now, the time has come for me to take my final flight. I leave — not in silence, but with the thunder of duty fulfilled.” Jai Hind!
https://x.com/mountain_rats/status/1948244041822326786 ---> Yes…some called me “The Flying Coffin.” And yes — it hurt. But no one saw the tears I shed with the grieving families of those we lost. One noticed how I flew without complaint — through political neglect, operational fatigue, budget shortages and spare part crises. I never blamed anyone. I just flew — as long as I could.
I am the MiG-21.I was not perfect. I had flaws, faults, and the scars that came with them. But when India needed a supersonic sword in the sky — I was there. For six decades, I protected India’s airspace like a devoted sentinel. To every technician who kept me flying through thick and thin, I bow with deepest gratitude — I am forever in your debt.” Jai Hind!
"I Am the MiG-21 – My Final Salute
I belonged to the Mikoyan-Gurevich family, but people fondly called me the MiG-21. I was born in the erstwhile Soviet Union, but to be honest, I grew up in India. My precious youth, my maturity, my entire life — it was lived in service with the Indian Air Force. When people spoke of a steel bird that could break the sound barrier back in my day, they meant me. Even today, I say that with pride. It was the year 1963 when I landed for the first time at Ambala Air Base. I still remember the look in the eyes of the pilots who saw me — full of awe, curiosity, disbelief. After all, even then I had earned the nickname “The Bullet That Flies.” I was already counted among the finest fighter jets in the world.
I still recall how the young pilots — fresh out of flight school — would climb into my cockpit for the first time. Nervous, hesitant, and sweating just a little. And I would greet them gently, like an old warrior welcoming his apprentice. The moment my engine and afterburner began to roar, their anxiety turned into exhilaration. As I climbed into the sky, they were stunned by my raw power. With time, the senior, more experienced pilots became confident flying me. They learned to climb steep, bank hard, barrel roll, and perform aerobatics with finesse. And when we returned to the ground, their faces beamed like victors — proud and fulfilled. They were no longer boys. They were becoming India’s warriors of the sky. Before stepping down, they would run a gentle hand across my fuselage and whisper, “Thank you.” Then, off they'd go, eager to tell others what it felt like to fly with me.
I had just completed two years in India when my true test arrived —The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. Though still new, my pilots and I rose to the task. We patrolled India’s skies like hawks. No Pakistani intruder could breach our aerial borders. I chased down and intercepted enemy aircraft at blistering speeds, and it was in this very war that my true power was first witnessed — even by me. The outcome? India ordered more of me from Russia. And then, a new dream took shape — I was to be built in India.
From Bangalore, Nashik, and Koraput in Odisha, my family began to grow at the HAL factories. Before long, we were a family of over 800 MiG-21s — strong and proud. What can I say about the 1971 war? I roared across the Western Front, shooting down Pakistan’s F-86 Sabres, bombing enemy airfields into silence. As the years rolled on, new generations of aircraft arrived —The Mirage-2000, the mighty Sukhoi-30, the Rafale, and Tejas — India’s very own dream, made real. Did I feel sidelined? Replaced? Not at all! Even with them, I flew proudly in Kargil. And after the Balakot strike, when Pakistan retaliated, it was I, with Wing Commander Abhinandan, who brought down an F-16, and became immortal once again.
I had guarded India’s skies for decades. My time was coming to an end. This was the era of the new generation. Still, when the pilots who had first learned to fly in my cockpit grew older — became Air Commodores, Air Marshals — they’d often return to see me. Their eyes would well up. And in that moment, I too felt a sense of fulfillment. Now, the time has come for me to take my final flight. I leave — not in silence, but with the thunder of duty fulfilled.” Jai Hind!
https://x.com/mountain_rats/status/1948244041822326786 ---> Yes…some called me “The Flying Coffin.” And yes — it hurt. But no one saw the tears I shed with the grieving families of those we lost. One noticed how I flew without complaint — through political neglect, operational fatigue, budget shortages and spare part crises. I never blamed anyone. I just flew — as long as I could.
I am the MiG-21.I was not perfect. I had flaws, faults, and the scars that came with them. But when India needed a supersonic sword in the sky — I was there. For six decades, I protected India’s airspace like a devoted sentinel. To every technician who kept me flying through thick and thin, I bow with deepest gratitude — I am forever in your debt.” Jai Hind!