MiG 21 in jungle cammie

MiG 21 in jungle cammie

NATO normally uses “Fishbed” as the codename for a Mikoyan Gurevich MiG 21, except for this MiG type, which is an example of a MiG 21US. This model served as a two seat advanced training aircraft so another codename was assigned, “Mongol”. Normally flown unarmed it could be equipped with a 23mm cannon mounted in a pod as well as a pair of air-to-air missiles, each mounted underwing.

The Mongol in these photographs are of the MiG 21US at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum and this fact sheet in on their website.

But what about the mottled green camouflage? Where was it used? Well, according to the fact sheet, this aircraft has the livery of an aircraft in the 921st Fighter Regiment (Sao Do) of the North Vietnamese Air Force during the Vietnam War.

MiG 21US “Mongol” at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, with a Republic F-105 Thunderchief on its 6 o’clock (not the usual relationship back in the day) — photo by Joseph May

MiG 21 aircraft have sharp ends — photo by Joseph May

A view of the mottled green camouflage scheme — photo by Joseph May