MiG-23s at NMUSAF

[ChrisGlobe]

Hi all,

I'm going back through some old logbooks and have come across a query regarding the MiG-23 that was preserved at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright Patterson AFB, OH back in August 2005.

I've narrowed it down to one of three:

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MLD c/n 16217 '44 White' - now stored NMUSAF
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MLD c/n 16227 '__ _____' - now stored NMUSAF
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MLD c/n 0390323079 '44 Red' - preserved Pima Air & Space musueum, ex NMUSAF

I logged it as '44 White', but with a note that it was c/n 0390323079, so I'm now a little bit confused!

Can anyone confirm that '44 White' at NMUSAF in August 2005 was indeed c/n 0390323079, which has since gone to Pima, and not c/n 16217, which is now stored at Wright Patterson? And where does c/n 16227 fit in, is this really at Wright Patterson?

I've not been able to find anything in the Scramble DB

Thanks!

Chris

[Pelican34]

No further info on the c/n unfortunately. Only information I have is that late 2004 a MiG-23MLD was on display in the Cold War hangar as "44 White". The Pima MiG-23 "44 White" that can be seen on photo at https://www.flickr.com/photos/graham_buffton/4490374305 matches the one displayed in Dayton pretty well, marking wise.

Moreover, the 2004 NMUSAF museum guide provided some background information on the origins of the MiG-23MLD displayed in 2004, based on the text that can be found at http://fas.org/irp/agency/aia/cyberspok ... 9/atc1.htm.

Hope this helps.

[AndyMarden]

Chris,
Yes, we are talking about the same aircraft.
You are mixing c/ns and l/ns, which is why you have more than one identity.
The aircraft is c/n 0390323079. It is believed to be l/n 16228, but there are various plates marked 16226, 16227, 16230 to be found on the aircraft. This is not particularly uncommon when dealing with MiG-23s/MiG-27s
I am intrigued by your comment "c/n 16217, which is now stored at Wright Patterson?". Where does this info come from please? To my knowledge, there is only one MiG-23 at Wright-Patterson, and that is ex German MiG-23ML 20+15.
Andy Marden

[ChrisGlobe]

Thanks both, so I have three identities and only one airframe, that makes sense - I think!

Andy, 16217 is from my personal notes. It is possible that somewhere along the way I've managed to invent a third MiG-23, having mis-read/mis-typed 16227!

So, to summarise:

c/n 0390323079 is 44 White, ex NMUSAF and now at Pima
c/n 0390324630 is 20+15, currently at NMUSAF