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

A really Hip North Korean!

(Copyright Unknown)

North Korean stuff is always a bonus due to their rarity. This Mi-8T Hip-C (coded 108), is seen here at Pyongyang in Air Koryo colours. Air Koryo uses aircraft of the Air Force on both internal and international flights.

Georgia Independance Day!

Georgia celebrated it's independance day on the 26th May with a flypast over the capital Tblishi. Amongst the types involved were these L-39C Albatross trainer's.

Mi-8PS Hip-C (Blue 51)

Two version's of the widely used Mi-24 Hind are in use with the Georgian Air Force, namely the Hind-F (foreground) and the Hind-E (behind). Note the differing colour schemes.

The Su-25 is the manistay of the Georgian Air Force.

(All Photo's Courtesy of Spaak)

Free Libyan Air Force!!!!!!!!!

(Copyright CBS)

(Copyright AFP)

Picture's are starting to emerge of Aircraft that have found their way into rebel service. They seem to have been adopted from the old Royalist flag. The MiG-23's are based at Benina, though im not sure where the Hind's are based.

Ugandan L-39ZA Albatross!

(Copyright Unknown)

This has been sitting on my hard drive for a while now, so much so that i cant recall the forum its comes from, so apologies for not being able to credit the photo to anyone. Anyways, this is one of three ex Libyan L-39ZA's donated to Uganda, which spent most of their time sitting on the Entebbe ramp.

The above Photo is not Entebbe though, and looking at the Apron, its somewhere in Eastern Europe, Russia or Ukraine. If so, then they are for upgrade, and are now back in service.

The three L-39ZA'S are:-

AF-701

AF-702

AF-703

Mozambigue recieve's FTB.337G's

(Copyright Jacqueline Cação da Costa)

Seen at Nampula Air Base back in March, is one of the Forca Aérea De Moçambique's two recently transferred ex Portuguese FTB.337G Milirole's. They will be used for a number of task's that will include Liason, Medevac and training. They are also equipped for the Surveilance role, though it is unknown whether they have been stripped of their weopon's capability.

The Aircraft transferred are:-

Ex FAP 13713 (c/n.0014) to FAM-45?

Ex FAP 13729 (c/n.0030) to FAM-457

Year 2000 - Baku

This and the following photo's seem to have been taken during a CFE arms inspection to an Airfield in Baku, Azerbaijan back in 2000. Pictured above is AN-2 Colt, that seems to have been requisitioned for Military service during its bloody war with Armenia during the 1990's, hence the ad hoc application of Dark green over its former Aeroflot marks. No serial or code is visable, if indeed it carries one at all, though the Azeri fin flash can just be made out on the tail.

Azeri AN-12B Cub without any visable serial. Accurate figure's as to how many aircraft served with the Air Force during the conflict over Ngorniy Karabakh are hard to assertain, since many aircraft were requisitioned. The Transport element was based at Gyandzha. Although faded, the cheatline on this aircraft is actually Blue, with the small Azeri flag situated on the rear fuselage, above the cabin window's.

A very nice suprise must of been these two BE-12PS Chaika ASW/Maritime Patrol aircraft taken over from the Russian's at Baku, but seemingly placed in storage and never used by the Azeri's. The posibility is, that they may have been earmarked for the Azeri Navy.

                                       

Another type included in the Black Sea Fleet transfer were a number of KA-27PS Helix-A, three of which are seen here. Visible serials are 142 and 143, with 142 wearing fresher marking's. These would of been earmarked for the Azeri Navy, and not the Air Force.

Between 24-30 L-29 Delfin advanced Trainer's were inherited by the Azeri Air Force, and several actually undertook combat mission's over Ngorniy Karabakh from there home base at Kyurdamir, with some being lost due to lacking any armour agiainst light arms fire.

A few Mil Mi-2 Hoplite's were inherited from the Russian's, with yellow 40 still showing it's ancestry through her weathered camo. Mi-2's are currently in service with an Helicopter regiment based at Gala. Note the L-29 Delfin serialed 116 in the top photograph.

Weopon rack's are seen attached to this former Russian Mi-8MT Hip-H. Carrying the Azeri code of Red 121 over its former Russian code of 43, they served heavily in the War with Armenia, wih several being shot down.

Red 135 has the Azeri fin flash coving it's tail, and painted in a smart Green and Grey scheme.

Another veteran of the conflict with Armenia, is this Mi-24P Hind-F. Note the Shark mouth!

Another veteran, this time in the form of red 115, a former Russian Mi-24V. It wear's a shark mouth, with the Fin flash covering the whole fin, which was possibly applied as an identification aid against confusion with Armenian example's.

(All Photo's courtesy of Cold War Warrior)

These Hind's dont seem to carry any Azeri insignia and may have been used for spare's recovery to keep the service's other Hind's operational.

You can see many more excellent and extremely rare image's in Cold Water Warrior's Flickr account, http://www.flickr.com/photos/16498755@N07/

Almaty - Pervomaiskiy

(All Photo's Copyright Vyacheslav Firsov - RussianPlanes.net)

Seen at Almaty - Pervomaiskiy on the 29th March were these Helicopter's of the 486th Brigade(?).