By Randy Malmstrom
Mikoyan-Gurevich (ะะธะบะพัะฝ ะธ ะััะตะฒะธั) MiG-21MF, NATO reporting name “Fishbed J.โ NATO assigned fighters with reporting names starting with “F.” In VVS (Soviet Air Forces (Russian: ะะพะตะฝะฝะพ-ะฒะพะทะดััะฝัะต ัะธะปั, tr. Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily literally “Military Air Forces”), the “Cigarette Butt.”
This particular aircraft was delivered to the Polish Air Force in 1975. It was purchased from the Polish government by former Air Force flight instructor Oscar Vickery of Galveston, Texas, and donated to Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, in 2008 by Vickery’s business partner, George Gould, also of Galveston. It is painted in the markings of the aircraft of Col. Gaillard Peck and Lt. Col. Charles E. “Smokey” Sundell of the U.S. 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron (4477 TES) “Red Eagles” which flew Soviet-designed aircraft against U.S. aircraft in training missions as part of Project Constant Peg which was a secret program to train U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps fighter aircrews to fly against Soviet-designed aircraft.
The 4477 TES flew MiG-17 “Fresco,” MiG-21 “Fishbed,” and later MiG-23 “Flogger” aircraft. My photos as well as a couple courtesy of Richard Martinez – thanks. Powerplant: Tumansky R-25-300 turbojet engine. Armament varied but included Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23 twin-barreled 23 mm cannon, air-to-air missiles or two 500 kg bombs.
Editor’s notes: Before being repainted in Soviet Air Force markings and going on display at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum, MiG-21MF “Fishbed J” c/n 96007600 (Polish Air Force s/n 7600) was flown in the Polish Air Force’s 34 Puลk Lotnictwa Myลliwskiego (Air Fighter Regiment) at Gdynia-Babie Doลy Base. After being imported to the USA by Oscar Vickery, MiG-21MF s/n 7600 was displayed in its original Polish colors at the Lone Star Flight Museum, then located at Scholes International Airport in Galveston, Texas. In 2008, the museum was flooded by Hurricane Ike, and the aircraft was sold to the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. After being painted in Soviet Air Force colors, MiG-21 s/n 7600 was officially dedicated at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum on August 15, 2009, where retired members of the 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron were in attendance.
About the author
Randy Malmstrom grew up in a family steeped in aviation culture. His father, Bob, was still a cadet in training with the USAAF at the end of WWII but did serve in Germany during the U.S. occupation in the immediate post-war period, where he had the opportunity to fly in a wide variety of types that flew in WWII. After returning to the States, Bob became a multi-engine aircraft sales manager and, as such, flew a wide variety of aircraft; Randy frequently accompanied him on these flights. Furthermore, Randy’s cousin, Einar Axel Malmstrom, flew P-47 Thunderbolts with the 356th FG from RAF Martlesham Heath. He was commanding this unit at the time he was shot down over France on April 24th, 1944, and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of war. Following his repatriation at warโs end, Einar continued his military service, attaining the rank of Colonel. He was serving as Deputy Wing Commander of the 407th Strategic Fighter Wing at Great Falls AFB, MT, at the time of his death in a T-33 training accident on August 21, 1954. The base was renamed in his honor in October 1955 and continues to serve in the present USAF as home to the 341st Missile Wing. Randyโs innate interest in history in general, and aviation history in particular, plus his educational background and passion for WWII warbirds, led him down his current path of capturing detailed aircraft walk-around photos and in-depth airframe histories, recording a precise description of a particular aircraft in all aspects.
