Between 1967 and 1974, Iraq acquired no fewer than 78 Aero L-29 Delfin jets from Czechoslovakia. They lacked internal armament and primarily served as basic and advanced trainers at the Air Force Academy outside Tikrit. However, time and again, a squadron-sized subunit of the advanced jet training element of this institution was deployed for counterinsurgency purposes against the Kurds, armed with Czechoslovak-made RB-57/M pods for four S-5M 57mm unguided rockets, as illustrated here on an example from the first two batches of this type delivered to Iraq, wearing the serial number 786. Throughout most of their operational service, Iraqi L-29s retained this livery in highly polished bare metal overall, with large surfaces in dark red. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)