[:en]Old Knight[:sr]Stari Vitez[:]

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Interesting afternoon at the Batajnica Air Base and a great chance to take some shoots of one of the last operational MiG-21 Bis „Fishbad“ fighters,  or L-17  by serbian military terminology .

 

Colored like this really looks a bit rusty, but it’s just bad makeup, even stained like this still has that grace which is one of the main characteristic of the 21s. Any aviation fan hardly could stayed indifferent when he stands in front of this beast, or even better, while standing next to him during takeoff. The sound of mighty RD-25 engine  is incomparable with any other sound . I always regret for not bringing antiphons, because the noise literally shakes the bone and causes pain, and some strange plasure at the same time :)

As time goes by, this aircraft is getting more and more interesting to me. Probably I’m becaming  aware of the fact that he will be retired soon, ant that’s the reason why I’m spending as much time as I can documenting this old birds…

Aircraft in these photos is MiG-21 Bis no. 17409. Today, only few of these aircraft are flying within the 101st fighter squadron “Knights” which also has more modern  MiG-29 fighters. Having in mind that this plane was purchased back in 1983, this year will probably be end his of his flying career. So let’s enjoy the last moments of a living legend …

click on image for larger version

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

photos, text and art works copyright © Dimitrije Ostojić 2015

This work by Dimitrije Ostojic is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Based on a work at www.dimitrijeostojic.com/blog

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Interesantno popodne na Batajničkom aerodromu i sjajna prilika da uslikam jedan od poslednjih operativnih lovaca MiG-21 Bis, ili ti “Fishbad” kako su mu NATO-vci svojevremeno dali ime, ili pak L-17 (L od Lovac) kako se vodi u našoj evidenciji.

Ovako loše zafarban stvarno izgleda pomalo jadno, ali to je samo loša šminka, čak i ovako umrljan i dalje ima onu gracioznost koja je karakteristična za dva’es kečeve. Retko koji ljubitelj aviona može da bude ravnodušan kada stane ispred ove zverke,  ili još bolje, kada stoji pored njega tokom poletanja. Zvuk motora RD-25 je neuporediv sa zvukom bilo kog drugog motora. Uvek zažalim što nisam poneo antifone, jer ta buka bukvalno trese kosti i izaziva bol.

Kako vreme prolazi ovaj avion mi je nekako sve draži. Verovatno postajem svestan da se bliži dan kada ove letelice više neće leteti, pa pokušavam da zabeležim što više trenutaka iz operativne upotrebe.

Inače na ovim fotografijama je avion MiG-21 Bis ili ti L-17K, broj 17409. Danas nekolicina ovih aviona leti u sastavu 101. lovačke avijacijske eskadrile “Vitezovi”, jedinice koja pored ovih poseduje i savremenije avione MiG-29. Ovaj primerak je nabavljen davne 1983. godine, pa će ove godine najverovatnije završiti svoju letačku karijeru. Zato uživajmo u poslednjem trenutcima žive legende…

klik na sliku za veću / click on image for larger version

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

MiG-21 Bis Fishbed / L-17K / 101.lae “Vitezovi” / Batajnica Air Base 2015

photos, text and art works copyright © Dimitrije Ostojić 2015

This work by Dimitrije Ostojic is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Based on a work at www.dimitrijeostojic.com/blog

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