Dhaka - Kurmitola Air Base

Firstly, apologies for being away from the Blog for a while. I had an accident with my hard drive, and can not access the thousands of images i have, so for the moment im not sure whether they are perminantly lost or not. Just in case, im searching around sites that i know where the images have come from, but its a long drawn out process.

However, it does have its benefits, as you tend to find new and exciting images, such as these Bangladesh Air Force images taken on the 13th March this year by a certain photographer named M. Azizul Islam ( hats off to you sir, for some truly stunning images!)

Enjoy!!!

F-7BG Airguard's 932 and 942 taxi past each other as they turn along the runway at their base. They are pooled and operated by both 5 and 35 Squadron's at Dhaka-Kurmitola, hence they carry both units markings 

F936/936 showing the two unit markings off really well. Im struggling to work out what the F suffix before the serial means. Is it the aircraft's construction number, individual aircraft just duplicating it as on the MiG-29's (below)?

4 twin-seat FT-7BG's are also operated by the Bangladeshi's. 5 Squadron markings are carried on the tail and 35 Squadron markings are found on the nose. They are respectively known as the "Defenders" and "Thundercats".

2435 is a FT-7M variant, hence the different camo job its painted in. It belongs to 35 Squadron, and does not seem to carry any 5 Squadron marks.

Another FT-7M from 35 Squadron, serialed 2432. Altogether 16 F-7BG and 8(?) FT-7BG Airguard's were purchased from China in Feb 2006.

MiG-29SE 36502 wheels down on Dhaka's runway. The MiG-29's are operated by 8 Squadron, and are tasked with defending the capitol.

36507 taxies out alongside twin seater MiG-29UB 28264. Note the Squadrons badge both on the fin and the nose.

Take off shot of 36502 showing the underside detail. The serials on Bangladeshi MiG-29's are copies of the individual aircraft's construction number.

MiG-29UB 28264 taxing along the runway at Dhaka. Only two of these are in service, alongside 6 single seat SE's. 24 were originally ordered back in 1998, but due to payment problems only Eight were ever delivered, spending a period of time grounded due to a lack of spare parts.

I just love this image!!!. 28264 and 36507 thunder down the runway. After their period of grounding, they were put back into front-line service with Indian help, and the re-newed supply of spare parts. Indeed, 14 more SMT models were ordered last year, with first deliveries expected soon.

ALL IMAGE'S ARE THE COPYRIGHT OF M. AZIZUL ISLAM

(Courtesy of Jetphotos.net)

Do you have any interesting images of Bangladeshi military aircraft? Would you like me to showcase them on here?  email me:- agrotis@hotmail.co.uk

Pakistani Albatross!

(Copyright Unknown)

SA-16A Albatross 17225 (c.n.G.306) is seen here during 1968, and is one of 4 ex US aircraft that were supplied 10 years earlier. They were used in the Search & Rescue role with 4 Squadron out of Drigh Road - Karachi.

Aircraft were:-

C.N        PAF Serial        US Serial

G.298        17220        7220

G.300        17221        7221

G.301        17222        7222

G.306        17225        7225

(All wfu during 1968)

Do you have any good quality images of Pakistan's military aircraft? Would you like them to appear on here?  Contact me at agrotis@hotmail.co.uk

    

UAE Special Force's Twin Otter!

(Copyright Buzu - MaltaAirSpotters)

Quite a suprise for spotter's at Malta's Luqa Airport on the 13th of June, was the appearance of this UAE DHC.6-300 Twin Otter. Carrying the serial 2277 (c.n 672), she is operated by the UAE Army's Special Operations Command's 18 Group, out of  Sas al Nakhil. Was this just a maintenance flight or was it connected to the ongoing UN/NATO operation over Libya?

Another DHC.6-300 is DU-SD3 (c.n.765), but painted in an overall white scheme. She is used for Parachute training, aswell as for skydiving tourist's!

(Copyright Unknown)

Do you have any photo's of UAE military aircraft that you would like to be shown on here?  Please contact me agrotis@hotmail.co.uk

Mauritanian Tucano deliverie's continue..

(Copyright Ruben Galindo)

Seen stopping over at Torrejon in Spain on the 29th June 2011, was this EMB-312F Tucano serieled 463/5T-MAI. She is one of four ex French examples that have been refurbished before delivery to the Force Aerienne Islamique de Mauritanie. Some source's state that five will be delivered, but i only have the seriels for four:-

 C/N       Serial      Code

 312463    463    5T-MAI

 312487    487    5T-MAO

312488    488    5T-MAP

312499    499    5T-MAT

(Copyright Crusader 84)

5T-MAT

(Copyright Copter)

5T-MAP & 5T-MAO

Do you have photo's of aircraft in Mauritanian service? Would you like to feature them on here?

 Then please contact me at agrotis@hotmail.co.uk