Indian-Subcontinent Database
MiG-21 in Indian Service, Part 1
By Tom Cooper (artworks) & Aditya Gupta (text)
Oct 29, 2003, 05:15

C1128 of the No. 1 Sqn, seen in the early 1980s, together with the late form of the "Tigers" insignia - very similar to that later applied to Mirage 2000H Vajras of the same unit. Note also the red line down the mid-fuselage, the exact meaning of which remains unknown.

At earlier times the No. 3 Sqn was flying "original" MiG-21bis, camouflaged in slight variations of this pattern. All aircraft were marked not only with the insignia of this squadron, but also the large black and white Cobra right behind the intake. The spin of this aircraft was, however, obviously "cannibalized" from another example - painted in a completely different camouflage pattern.

Another spectacularly painted MiG-21bis of the No. 3 Sqn "Cobras" (or "Rattlers") was the C2283, seen sometimes in the early 1990s.

No 3 Sqn "Cobras" is one of the two IAF units flying MiG-21I Bisons since early 2003. The CU2126 was shown at the air show in Chennai, earlier this year.

The No 7 Sqn "Battleaxes" operated MiG-21Ms and MiG-21MFs in the 1970s and 1980s - until being re-equipped with Mirage 2000s. The unit won several inner-IAF conquests in this period. The MiG-21M C1603 was last seen in 1982.

The MiG-21FLs still soldier on with a number of IAF units, including the No. 8 Sqn. The example here, C510, is seen with fin painted with temporary dark green colour for air-combat manoeuvering training.

This MiG-21bis of the No. 15 Sqn sadly lacks the full unit insignia, but no details of this were applied - except the basic circle in organge colour - when it was seen in Jodhpur, in the early 1990s, where it was sent for periodical maintenance. The aircraft was obviously already then painted in one of the camouflage patterns tested in order to establish the best colour that was later introduced fleet-wide within the IAF.

One of the IAF units still flying MiG-21 is the No 21 Sqn "Ankush". C2263 was with this unit when see for the last time, in the mid-1990s. Early in 2003 this unit converted to MiG-21I Bison.

A MiG-21bis of the No. 24 Sqn in a particularly spectacular colours, probably used during some exercise. The unit was based at Ambala in the 1980s and 1990s.

Another MiG-21bis of the No. 24 Sqn was the C2316, seen here in a variant of the camouflage pattern applied to MiG-21s of several other units - albeit, usually in lighter colours. This unit was meanwhile re-equipped with Su-30s.

MiG-21bis of the No. 26 Sqn as seen in the mid-1980s.

One from the original batch of MiG-21F-13s (Type 74) supplied to IAF in 1963 was BC821. The aircraft suffered from problematic maintenance and the Indian crews received only very poor training in the USSR. The spirit of the "First Supersonic" Indian pilots were nevertheless high and they were swift to call their MiGs "Supersonic Sport-planes".

The MiG-21FL "C750" was the mount of Flt.Lt. Bharat B. Soni on 12 December 1971, when he shot down the F-104A flown by Sqn. Ldr. M. E. Middlecoat, of the No. 9 Sqn PAF. The aircraft was the only one out of six "Type 77s" from the No. 28 Sqn deployed to Jamnagar airfield (including C699, C711, C720, C750, C765 and C1115) and armed with the GP-9 (or GSh-9) gun pack - together with an ad-hoc gyro sight - but this installation proved its worth beyond any doubt. Note: the photographs of this MiG-21ML taken shortly after Flt. Lt. Soni landed it back at Jamnagar after the historic engagement indicate the possibility of this aircraft having the front upper part of the fuselage painted brown, in a similar form like on the forward fuselage of the MiG-21M belonging to the No. 7 Sqn seen above.

C1111 of the No. 29 Sqn seen shortly after the Bangladesh War, in early 1972, still showing the strains from the heavy use. The MiG-21FL proved an excellent dogfighter but also a very good interceptor during that war, even if the pilots heavily criticised the poor performances of the R-13 (AA-2 Atoll) air-to-air missile. The C1111 displays also the commemorative markings for a number of strike sorties flown, and three PAF Sabres shot down by the unit during that war.

Another of the MiG-21FLs of the No. 29 Sqn that participated in the war 1971 was C731. The aircraft was hastily camouflaged with dark matt brown colour over the original silver-grey overall, applied crudely around the already existing markings.