America's Secret MiG-23s | Behind the Wings 

Museum would have a huge audience with this

So much #BDE

Facts. I’m surprised they didn’t even cover the history of Constant Peg and how we came about these Soviet aircraft

Creo que perdisteis un f18 por derribo de mig 25, en la guerra del golfo, dan prohibió a sus pilotos que os interceptaron así que casi no hubo combates aire aire, fue una masacre, enterraron sus aviones en el desierto.

Why so short? Are Americans attention spans really that short? Should be much more to say!

Hey, I was in Uzundjovo and worked on Mig-21s . I got to see these a few times when they were visiting from Gabrovnitca... fun times.

This mig 23 is most likely an MLA variant of the mig 23's

@@MiG-23_enthusiast Negative, it is an MLD, export sub variant. The MLDs for the Soviet Air Force had a small "saw-tooth" on the leading edge of the wing-root to serve as vortex generators, giving a slightly higher permissible angle of attack, + additional external flare dispensers ontop of the center fuselage. Funny fact, this aircraft #217 was the third to last MiG-23 to roll off the production line. The very last one being #219, resold to Cote d'Ivoire in 2004.

​@@georgimarkov2953huh really?, I don't see the tooth edge on the wing

@@MiG-23_enthusiast Correct. There are two versions of the MLD - one for the Soviets, one for the Warsaw-pact countries. #217 was from the very last batch ever produced, in 1986, from which Bulgaria got #204, 205, 209, 211, 212, 215, 217, 219 as new from the factory. In 1991 Bulgaria recieved 5 more MLD second-hand from a soviet unit that served in Afganistan (#300, 301, 302, 305, 308 - all 5 scrapped in 2007) in exchange for 3 MiG-25s (1 RU trainer and 2 RBT reccon-bombers). Those second-hand MLDs had the tooth on the wing-root, +2 flare dispensers on the back and dark grey nose cone and stabilizer tips, instead of the white ones you see on #217.

And there was the latest version MLD with the additional vortex generators at the LERX and the Pitot tube. The MLD max AoA was above 33deg, it has automatic leading edge flap controll and a way more advanced fire control system. What could be confusing is the designation, since the MLD itself means an ML "Dorabotanniy" -> "Reworked", so there were a lot of used MLs which had the upgraded avionics package, called as MLD; and a lot of new airframe MLD, with the modified aerodynamic layout (plus the upgraded avionics).

You are correct! Nice job! Everybody lumps the Floggers into one group when they were actually different and improved. The program within the 4477th for the Floggers was called HAVE PAD for the MSs and HAVE BOXER for the BN. They received the designation YF-113E and YF-113B respectively.

Thank you for this supplemental info. My biggest question, which was not addressed at all in the vid, was how the Migs were acquired. I was always impressed with the Mig 23 and Mig 25 and absolutely love how they look.

by modern standards the cockpits in the MiG-23 looks really dated but how do they compare with their contemporaries of the time such as F-4 and F-14 ? How does it compare with the MiG-29 ?

​@@kolbolaДа МЛД делали для противодействия ф-15 и Ф-16. И по некоторым параметрам он даже превосходил их хотя конечно это более старое поколение.

That story has always been odd to me, dozens of US aircraft got shot down by SAM's, why hide a single incident? With other craft and E-3 coverage, I'm not saying the Mig didn't shoot him down but there were an awful lot of fuck ups there.

Who cares?

@@daveballin I would think that Navy Cmndr Scott Speicher cared, for one.

Yes as you said. The USN lost one F/A-18 Hornet to the Iraq Mig-25 Air to Air Missile.

Бараны

I think from Russia, Bulgaria will not receive more gifts.

What a fatal mistake joining nato ! They are a joke and your country will be destroyed via them

The roundels suggest otherwise.

I think mig 23 was the worst interceptor ever buit.

He was an excellent interview! Would actually love to hear a longform interview about that whole program in general...or at least the parts he is allowed to discuss. So much cool aviation history going on in that time

@@CMFL77 We have been getting lots of comments like this, so we may do it as a bonus video, or as a podcast interview on our Behind the Wings podcast!

@@Wings_Museum sounds like a good idea, I'll keep an eye out! Thanks!

Bulgarian air force mig23 🎉🎉🎉

My old Army buddy owns one of these he bought several years ago, after buying it he invited my to come to Amarillo Tx to see it, not being one to turn down the opportunity for a motorcycle road trip I packed up my bags and jumped on my Ultra and took off from Pennsylvania and headed down there. The ironic thing is him and I were Air Defense gunners (Vulcan) back in the early/mid 80's, back then never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd be so close to one (unless it was dropping bombs on me) much less get to sit in the cockpit of one. As soon as we walked into the hangar where it was at I looked at him and said "Gimmie your gun, I feel like I should be shooting it full of holes!!!" What really struck me about it as soon as I saw it was how massive it was for a single engine single seat aircraft, I mean that thing was BIG, another impressive thing about it was looking in the exhaust, it was like looking into a cave. It was part of a 5 or 6 plane package deal, some of them were still disassembled outside but the other one that was assembled that was inside the same hangar was the two seater variant. Something else that struck me about it was how tight the cockpit was for such a massive aircraft, all I had on was jeans, a t-shirt, boots and a ball cap, I couldn't imagine being in one of those things in a flight suit and a helmet on and fly an hours long mission, that had to be exhausting being that confined for hours at a time in one. It's a complete aircraft minus the weapons of course but the engine was at the end of it's service life, but he didn't buy it to fly, it was destined to be part of a static Cold War display he was donating it to, some of the other one's that were still disassembled outside were missing engine's or parts of the avionics from being canabalized by the country they got them from to keep them flying, they were in the process of finding homes for them, places they could be put on display like in front of Amvets lodges or wherever they could find someone who'd take them as display pieces. After all these years later actually standing there and looking at one of those things that I had to learn how to identify and take aircraft recognition tests on years ago was one of the most surreal moments of my life, I still look at the pictures I have of me standing in front of it and sitting in the cockpit and still can't believe it. But even better than that, several months before I got my picture taken sitting in the actual Sanford and Son pickup truck, it's still in the exact condition it was in when the show was filmed, that beat out getting my picture taken sitting in that Flogger, because there's only one of them.

8:55 you can also just about make out the lower fin folding down as well in the back of the shot.

@@BritishTeaLover I'm British and I also love tea. Strange coincidence, eh?

Hello, actually none of them are in flying condition anymore. Croatia has delivered its MiG 21 to Ukraine for overhaul. And instead of overhauled MIG21, Ukraine returned the aircraft in worse condition than they were. All aircraft before the Ukrainian overhaul were in flying condition, after the Ukrainian overhaul, only 2 remained in the flying condition. Of those 2, one crashed last year, after which the only remaining MIG in flight condition was grounded. As for the delivery of new aircrafts, the big question is when they will arrive, because there will be a big deficit of aircrafts among NATO members after the mass delivery of F16 to Ukraine, which is the most mass-produced plane among NATO members. After the end of the war, even if some F16 planes remain in the arsenal, their usability will be very limited, because normally Russia will get access to this technology, after Russia examines their real capabilities in the air, parts, technology, some will be kept as museum specimens, and some will be transported to China. All this calls into question when Croatia will finally have its turn, until then Croatia will be without aviation, and its airspace will be guarded by other NATO countries - which Croatia has to pay for...

@@goldenprincess3564 Nope, they are still flying. Yes, the Ukrainian overhaul job was very controversial at the time, but as far as I remember additional airframes were acquired and there are still a few flying over Croatia. In fact, I have seen them many times over the past few years. Just a few days ago I heard one flying above Zagreb, but I couldn't see it. The sound is very distinct, though, as it is much, much louder than commercial airplanes, so it definitely was a MiG, even though I didn't manage to see it.

@@MaxCroat "I heard from my grandmother that Cleopatra was black and she said - no matter what others tell you, Cleopatra was black"

@@goldenprincess3564 I'm sorry, of course, but have you ever wondered if the F 16s will fight against the Russian Federation, then they will naturally be a legitimate target for the Russian Air Force. And...also, the legitimate target will be those airfields where they will be based, whether it is Ukraine or, for example, Poland, etc..... Has anyone thought about it? But in vain. Europe is at risk......in the nuclear risk zone. America will not help . She herself will also get the full. It is a pity that NATO does not think about this due to the lack of its brain...

@@goldenprincess3564yet atleast with their example they could make a distinction due to the irl sound he was hearing compared to a centuries old question lol

We may do this on the Behind the Wings podcast, or as a bonus video!

Great job!

When the museum flushed the fuel system they still found some rakia in the fuel tank....😏

They came from Egypt. Everyone knows that.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4477th_Test_and_Evaluation_Squadron

If you look a little farther down in the Wikipedia article, from where you copied and pasted your comment, under the heading "MiGs acquisitions" you'll see where the various Mig models came from in the 70's.

@@user-br3ou2cs9oRazor sharp sarcasm at its VERY BEST! Ha. Ha. Ha. Cheers!

Egypt, maybe Iran. Heck Saddam Hussein probably had some spares the US could borrow. Edit according to Wikipedia they came from Syria, Indonesia, Algeria and Morocco

I live about 15 min. from wings over the rockies small museum but great planes. Love the veterans breakfasts and more. Great place.

It’s truly special.

There were few allied losses, the Soviet planes and Soviet tanks were in a pretty one sided war.

Su-17 started production in 1969 but the Mig-23 started in 1967.

They said 'Mig Line', not 'Soviet Fighter'.

@@Witnaaay said @1:15 “first Soviet jet to have variable sweep, swing wings…..” The Su-17 flew first and was in production first, so this video is incorrect. Su-17 first flew in 1966. MiG-23 was 1967. Production of the Su-17 began in 1969 and the MiG-23 was 1970.

The utilization of cutting-edge military technology is essential for maintaining peace and security.

Great video presentation! As was said, give it to the maintenance crews as always, people tend to forget about them in keeping our frontline running!!👍🏽🇺🇸 P. S. I was in the USAF but not in A/C maintenance!

WTF ? Get some rest -

It's a worthy fighter,nice choice!

My favourite is Миг-31 interceptor Nice choice bro 😉

@@carvadonair Mig-31 is salvaged Mig-25. But it's slower an even more useless.

@@bobwilson758need a hug little buddy?

Or if you fly commercially to Denver airport and rent a car there, it's conveniently about halfway between the airport and the city, as I recall from 5+ yrs ago. Loved the small museum with lots to see, plan a few hours ! Wonder if they still show the video/movie near the entrance featuring Harrison Ford in his? small plane.

There's an episode of the Fighter Pilot Podcast about Constant Peg where the guest tells about it. Some were aquired from allied nations after a Soviet pilot defected. All done pretty hush hush (of course)

They also just bought the planes from other nations that used it

Probably the same way they got their hands on the MiG 15 that defected to the US. Might have been captured in Europe.

The 4477th got their Migs from Egypt. They were traded for F-4s and sidewinders.

As a soldier in the Army in the late 1970s, We examined Soviet equipment that we had acquired from Egypt as that country was turning away from the USSR. It's possible the planes came from there. Oops! Should have read all the other comments. LOL

I hear you brother that's why I was older when I got married the 1st time

Yes!! I have been there multiple times, its incredible, they have alot of prototypes such as the pegasus (prototype harrier) B.A.C TSR.2 (basically a british valkyrie: never caught success) and plenty cold war aircraft like the lightning, mig 21 mig 15 sabre and alot of soviet, american and british aircraft and tanks i cannot name off the top of my head

Yes, I've been to Cosford, I might go back again. The Cold War exhibit is interesting, and they have the TSR2 exhibit as well.

It's one of my unfulfilled ambitions to visit Cosford. My dad served there for a while during his RAF stint.

Glad you found us!

@@Wings_Museum any B-47s out there?

The Mig-23 came from Egypt. The US pilots didn't learn to fly the Mig-23. They learned how to shoot it down. It's a big difference.

@@ichimonjiguy Thanks for the answer about where the units came from BUT regarding the question about how the US pilots learned how to fly the Mig 23 is related to how the US aggressor pilot learned to fly it. I know that it was not the general USAF pilot that got this training of flying the 23’s. It cannot be easy to sit in a completely new aircraft with a total different philosophy. I suppose experienced pilots passages down the particular quirks to new pilots.

@@holgernetterby4863 The Air Force picked experienced pilots to fly the Mig-23. It's like test pilots flying a new aircraft.

It makes me wonder if the Soviets had anything similar - Maybe they got F4's and F14's and others from Iran and elsewhere. I can't imagine what it would have been like to be a maintainer on this Mig-23 - I'm guessing that any parts you needed would have to be fabricated somehow.

Interestingly, 'human factors' or 'man-machine interface' is actually one of the harder parts of good aircraft design. Tens of thousands of man hours went into designing, refining, and finalizing the F-16's first of its kind HOTAS, and had heavy input from active duty pilots. Getting all the things a pilot needs - and none that he doesn't - in the right place at the right time is quite tricky.

@@toastrecon not sure, the Soviets didn't have a ready source of western aircraft like the US had with Israel having taken dozens of them in their wars against the Arabs (which is where Constant Peg got its aircraft, plus possibly a very few North Vietnamese defectors). Some western aircraft were left behind in Vietnam at the end of that war, but nothing more advanced than some F-5s from the South Vietnamese Air Force, I don't know what happened to those, if they ever made it to the USSR or China, some probably did. Iran wasn't a reliable client state to the USSR, neither was India. Pakistan has always been closer to China than the USSR. And those are pretty much the only countries they could have gotten western equipment from. Right now there is a risk of western equipment falling into Russian hands through capture in Ukraine and through the extremely unreliable NATO member that is Turkey. But that wasn't of course the case in the 1970s and 1980s. Quite likely the Soviets got their hands on some western equipment by capturing it from the Taliban (then called the Mujahideen in the west) during their adventures in Afghanistan, but those guys only ever got small arms and some light mortars and shoulder fired surface to air missiles. Obviously the billions of dollars worth of modern equipment left behind when the Americans fled Afghanistan probably made its way to China and Russia in exchange for who knows what, but that was way after the 1970s and AFAIK no modern jet aircraft were left behind.

Part of Soviet doctrine was overwhelming mass production like the T34 Tank when it came out in 1943; you lose one, you get a replacement. Same doctrine on military aircraft, never mind the ergonomics.

@@jwenting USA is the most unreliable member of NATO.

I saw then brand new MiG-29s and SU-27s at the 1989 Paris Airshow and was not impressed with the quality of the finish. Rivet heads were round instead of flush, big panel gaps and it looked like they were brush painted with semi-gloss house paint. These were brand new airshow birds!

^ This.

It's more likely a MiG-23BN, the MiG-27 has slightly smaller fixed intakes without the variable intake ramp/splitter plate extending forward of the intake.