One Stop Soviet shop

[GTX]

Nice, clean Fencer:

[Taiidantomcat]

Very nice, Greg!!   

[upnorth]

Here's some pics of the gate guard at Caslav AB, Czech Republic. Caslav was the last home of the Czech AF MiG-21 fleet before the type was replaced by Gripens.

[pyro-manic]

A Mig with a Mig painted on it?

[Taiidantomcat]

A Mig with a Mig painted on it?

I almost didn't notice that... Very smooth

[upnorth]

Yep! I had to do a double take when I saw it in person as well

The silver paint of the early MiG profile blends in very well with the grey of the actual MiG. It was only when I got a look around the back end and saw the flames painted on at the wing root did I realise what I was looking at. Very subtle.

[GTX]

[GTX]

Power!

[PR19_Kit]

What's the story on the Foxbat piccies then?

[GTX]

What's the story on the Foxbat piccies then?

No idea.

[rallymodeller]

What's the story on the Foxbat piccies then?

"Red 57" looks like an -RB or -RBSh variant (note the dielectric panels on the sides of the nose and the small radome), and they're used for air defense suppression and tactical bombing. The camo looks like it was added on later; the shabby appearance is pretty normal for the type. Of course, it could be temporary for war games.

My question actually regards the Tu-22M3: what's with the asymmetric loads? On that and the video I posted in another thread, there is a Kingfish on the port-side pylon only, none in the belly rcess or on the starboard pylon. Anyone else wondering about why?

[Maverick]

Regarding the asymetric warload, I've read that it's quite routine as one weapon allows considerably more range than carrying two on the pylons.  Whether that specific weapon can be carried on the centreline is debatable as some of the larger Soviet AShMs were quite different in size from each other and needed external carriage rather than recessed.

Regards,

Mav

[rallymodeller]

Regarding the asymetric warload, I've read that it's quite routine as one weapon allows considerably more range than carrying two on the pylons.  Whether that specific weapon can be carried on the centreline is debatable as some of the larger Soviet AShMs were quite different in size from each other and needed external carriage rather than recessed.

Regards,

Mav

Here's why I'm puzzled. The missile certainly looks like an AS-4 Kitchen (not a Kingfish as I originally thought), and Backfires were designed to hold one semi-recessed in the bomb bay (albeit with modified doors).

See?

It's in a Tu-22M (early model), but you get the idea.

And even if it is a KSR-5 (Kingfish), the KSR-5 is smaller than the Kh-22 (Kitchen) from which it is derived so it would still fit in the bay. Actually, a Backfire can carry up to three of them albeit with a huge hit in range. So again, why on the pylon? Perhaps there is a new fuel tank in the bay?

[ChernayaAkula]

Maybe the aircraft in question had the conventional bomb module or the rotary launcher for cruise missiles fitted in the bomb bay? 

[PR19_Kit]

Perhaps it took off with two of them and fired one at a range?