NAIC donates MiG-23 to AF Museum

By Rob Young
NAIC History/PA
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

Thanks to the National Air Intelligence Center, the United States Air Force Museum now offers visitors something that few of them have ever seen – an original Soviet Air Force Fighter aircraft.

The MiG-23MLD FLOGGER K, now on display outside the museum, represents a significant contribution to the museum’s MiG collection which already includes examples of a MiG-15bis, MiG-17F, MiG19S and a MiG-21F-13. The Soviet Union manufactured the first three, yet other countries such as North Korea and Egypt actually operated them. Czechoslovakia built and operated the museum’s MiG-21. The unusual addition of a Soviet MiG-23MLD is the result of a chain of events that could only happen in a post-Cold War environment.

In 1992, a Russian unit sold the MiG to a company in Finland for display purposes only. A U.S. citizen from Florida bought the jet from the Finnish company and imported it into the country, apparently hoping to fly the aircraft in air shows. Unfortunately, he brought the aircraft’s Gsh-23L 23 mm cannon into the country illegally and lost the gun and aircraft to the U.S. government after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms seized them.

The National Air Intelligence Center’s Foreign Materiel Exploitation Facility became the fighter’s home until late last year, when the center notified the Air Force museum that the FLOGGER would become available for transfer to its collection.

The museum’s talented restoration personnel, utilizing expertise from NAIC, restored the aircraft to excellent condition over the past few months. Some parts had to be manufactured by hand, others came from NAIC. The paint scheme and stenciling needed to be redone and the very worn main gear tires were replaced with brand new Mig-29 tires that NAIC provided.

Museum visitors will note that the MiG-23MLD is the most advanced version of the FLOGGER. It features a different identification friend or foe system, a more advanced missile capability (AA-11 ARCHER can be carried on the belly), and a distinctive notch cut in the leading edge of the wing to improve flight characteristics.

The variable geometry wings have sweep settings of 16, 45 and 72 degrees. Meant as a point defense fighter, the FLOGGER offered a powerful radar, an Infrared Search and Track System, a selection of radar and infrared guided weapons and tremendous speed (Mach 2.35) to counter its adversaries.

Keen observers will also note how rough the fit and finish of the aircraft is, especially when compared to a nearby USAF aircraft on display. However, the aircraft is smooth where it needs to be smooth. The MiG is functional, not pretty. The ability to compare and contrast U.S. and foreign systems represents one of the many priceless capabilities offered by the Air Force museum. Besides the MiG-23MLD FLOGGER K, the National Air Intelligence Center and it’s predecessors provided the museum with its Me-262 jet fighter, brought home by T-2 Intelligence after WWII; a North Korean IL-10, which was scrapped in the ‘50s; the North Korean MiG-15bis; and a MiG-21UM, which is displayed outside of NAIC Headquarters.

Besides aircraft, NAIC provided numerous engines and aircraft support equipment over the years. The unit hopes to provide a MiG-29 to the museum at some point in the future.