Red Monk: George Best’s Fishbed

[comrade harps]

Socialist Unity Aviation Collective (SUAC) MiG-21MS Fishbed J
a/c 719, Honoured Stanley Matthews Squadron, Hero of the Revolution Bobby Moore Wing, United Socialist Liberation Air Force (USLAF)
Manjingwan Air Base, Jinghong, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, Peoples Republic of China
Personal mount of Squadron Leader George Best



UN intelligence was aware of the Red Monk before the public of the Moscow Pact's nations. Red Monk One and Red Monk Two were callsigns repeatedly overheard in relation to a series of MiG-21 Fishbed fights over South East Asia during the course of the disastrous Operation Half-Back Flanker in 1972-73. The callsigns were associated with the actions of the Hero of the Revolution Bobby Moore Wing, and more specifically with the Fishbed-equipped Honoued Stanley Matthews Squadron.




The first public reference to Red Monk came on 17 September 1972, when Radio Hanoi's Trịnh Thị Ngọ (better known as Hanoi Hannah) thanked "one of our new aces, a European who flies in solidarity with the people of Asia - his name is the Red Monk and he's racking up UN planes like the Red Baron of old. Dear UN terror fliers, listen out for his callsign. When you hear it, you know it's time to go home." While many thought the name outrageously false, like Vietnam's Colonel Tomb, a USAF intelligence report dated 23 September 1972 (and released in 2014) noted that "Red Monk One is believed to be the callsign of Squadron Leader George Best...Red Monk Two is that of his wingman, Flight Leader Kevin Keegan... The pair are identified as having been associated with several victories over UN aviation assets during the course of the last few weeks." They were correct, but the information was suppressed and the activities of the Red Monk took on mythical aspects as the campaign continued. Many aerial engagements not involving the Red Monk were attributed to him and at least 4 UN fliers claimed to have shot him down.




It was only when, in July 1973, the USLAF released a set of photographs that included several images of a MiG-21MS with the side number White 719 that the truth about the Red Monk started to be revealed. The aircraft featured 15 red star kill markings and the word Libby inscribed in yellow on the fuselage. These photographs generated considerable public interest, culminating in the October 1973 edition of Red Air International featuring a cover story titled Red Monk: we speak to the legend. Revealed as Squadron Leader George Best, the story explained his callsign as being inspired by a nickname given to him during basic flight training. Noted for being a non-smoking teetotaler, a vegetarian, celibate and politely spoken ("He's got the gift of the gab, but I've never heard him swear" said Best's wingman, Red Monk Two, Flight Leader Kevin Keegan), Best became known as the Red Monk. He adopted the moniker as his callsign and flying nom de plume.




The Hero of the Revolution Bobby Moore Wing included flying units from the Socialist Union, the French Socialist Republic, the German Democratic Socialist Republic and the Socialist Republic of Spain. Although flying for the British-based USLAF, Best was Irish and an International Volunteer. The Wing was equipped and trained for air superiority with the latest Red fighters, including MiG-21MS Fishbed Js, MiG-23M Flogger Bs and the MiG-25P Foxbat-A. This use of multiple airframe types and weapon systems enabled the Wing to conduct mutually supportive mixed fighter force operations, with tactics tailored to the strengths of each platform. The Foxbats provided long-range engagement through their combination of TL-25 Smerch-A/Product 720 radar and R-40 AA-6 Acrid IR and SARH missiles. The Floggers used the IR and SARH versions of the R-23 AA-7 Apex missile with their Sapfir-23D fire control to engage targets at medium range, with IR-guided R-60 AA-8 Aphids for close-range encounters. The MiG-21MS used the RP-22 radar, was armed with the R-60 and (like the Flogger) could fire their GSh-23L cannon for visual engagements. Both the Floggers and Fishbeds occasionally flew with the older SARH-guided R-3R missile, but it was not a preferred weapon.




The Hero of the Revolution Bobby Moore Wing was established in mid-1971 and was training in Spain for an anticipated deployment to North Africa before being sent to China in response to Half-Back Flanker. The UN's June 1972 invasion of Laos and North Vietnam triggered a massive international Red force build-up in China, which was unleashed in August as the Indochina Strategic Offensive, codenamed Operation Red Wolf. The Wing mounted its first combat missions on 23 August, gradually transitioning from short-range air defence to offensive escort and sweep operations during the course of the campaign. When White 719 was photographed as depicted here with R-60s, two 490 lt drop tanks and one 800 lt tank in April 1973, Best was flying long-endurance missions from the sanctuary of Manjingwan Air Base in China. By then the UN was evacuating Saigon and southern Cambodia.




Sqd Ldr Best flew all his combat missions during the campaign in White 719/Libby (named after the plane's Crew Chief, Elizabeth "Libby" Durack) and achieved 15 confirmed victories:

23 August 1972: USAF F-4E (crew POW) - Laos, R-60s
25 August 1972: RNZAF A-7D (pilot rescued) - Laos, R-60s
1 September 1972: RAAF F-4E (both killed) - Nth Vietnam, R-60s/cannon
8 September 1972: RAAF RF-4E (both crew ejected safely) - Laos, R-60s
15 September 1972: RTAF Mirage IIIET (pilot killed) - Burma, R-60s/cannon
18 September 1972: BAM F-5A (pilot ejected safely) - Burma, R-60s
1 October 1972: USAF F-4E (pilot Lt. Col Robin Olds taken POW, WSO killed) - Laos, R-60s/cannon
23 November 1972: RCAF Mirage IIIE (pilot ejected safely) - Burma, R-60s
6 December 1972: RTAF F-5A (pilot POW) - Thailand, R-60s
15 December 1972: IAF Mirage J79 C.1+ (pilot killed) - Burma, R-60s
17 December 1972: IAF F-4E (crew ejected safely) - Burma, R-60s
21 February 1973: RSAF F-104S (pilot killed) - Thailand, R-60s
17 March 1973: RTAF A-37B (pilot ejected safely) - Thailand, R-60s
23 March 1973: IAF Mirage J79 C.1+ (pilot ejected safely) - Thailand, R-60s
3 April 1973: USAF A-7D (pilot killed) - Thailand, R-60s

Note that after a fast start, the pace of Best's confirmed kills slowed after the 18 September victory. This is due to rest periods and time spent training his Chinese and Vietnamese allies as part of a program to enhance interoperability.




In January 1975, Sqd Ldr Best, flying a Fluffy as an adversary pilot, experienced a flameout just after take-off and ejected at low altitude. Suffering spinal injuries, he retired from the USLAF and later earned a medical degree. As Dr Best, he moved to Scotland and worked as a medical activist for a variety of organisations, including the Glasgow Workers Council, Scottish Returned Workers Union, the Committee Against Tobacco and the Clydeside Temperance League. Thanks to his high profile civilian life, many quotes have been attributed to Dr George Best, who appeared to have arrogance as one of his few vices. Here's a sample.

On being asked about his blameless life choices:
"If you'd given me the choice of going out and shooting down some UN planes or going to bed with a cup of Lu'an Melon Seed Tea, it would have been a difficult choice. Luckily, I had both."

On what he thought of USAF ace Robin Olds, whom he shot down and then met as a POW:
"He couldn't shoot a deflection shot with a radar-aided gunsight, he couldn't pull hard Gs, he couldn't turn his head in a dogfight and he didn't score many kills. Apart from that, he was all right."

On being asked about being compared to the Red Baron:
"I'd give all the tofu I've ever eaten to be flying alongside him in a big furball dogfight."

On being celibate:
"I might go to Celibates Anonymous, but I think it would be difficult for me to remain anonymous."


[/list]

[NARSES2]

Wonderful backstory for a fantastic build 

[zenrat]

Very good.

[Sport21ing]

With so many football/soccer player references, I wouldn't be suprised if I someday see a Cristiano Ronaldo or Luis Figo XD

btw, on the kill list, what's Air Forces, are BAM and RSAF? And is the RTAF the Thailandese one?

[sandiego89]

I think Robin Olds would take issue with that assessment!

Made me wonder why the MiG-21 external fuel tanks were on the outer pylons, most types seem to put them on the inners, and the lighter air to air missiles on the outers.  Don't think it is a landing gear clearance issue? 

Nice job. 

[comrade harps]

With so many football/soccer player references, I wouldn't be suprised if I someday see a Cristiano Ronaldo or Luis Figo XD

btw, on the kill list, what's Air Forces, are BAM and RSAF? And is the RTAF the Thailandese one?

Burmese Air Force = BAM
RSAF = Royal Singapore Air Force
RTAF = Royal Thai Air Force

[Sport21ing]

With so many football/soccer player references, I wouldn't be suprised if I someday see a Cristiano Ronaldo or Luis Figo XD

btw, on the kill list, what's Air Forces, are BAM and RSAF? And is the RTAF the Thailandese one?

Burmese Air Force = BAM
RSAF = Royal Singapore Air Force
RTAF = Royal Thai Air Force

Thx 

[comrade harps]

I think Robin Olds would take issue with that assessment!

Made me wonder why the MiG-21 external fuel tanks were on the outer pylons, most types seem to put them on the inners, and the lighter air to air missiles on the outers.  Don't think it is a landing gear clearance issue? 

Nice job.

Good question, but l like the very MiG-21 but otherwise unusual look that it gives.

l take it that, entering combat, Sdn Ldr Best would be ditching the centreline tank 1st, as l think it blocks the deployment of the ventral air brake (unless, if course, only slashing style attacks were made and he avoided turning engagements). I just liked the option of using both types of tank and matching them with the cute little Aphids.

Re the go at Robin Olds, all the Best quotes are adapted from real George Best quotes. l shall leave you to find the original subjects.

[NARSES2]

Re the go at Robin Olds, all the Best quotes are adapted from real George Best quotes. l shall leave you to find the original subjects.

I thought I recognised a couple