| title (item) | field_cer_web | field_cer_navbox | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mikojan-Gurevics MiG-21BISz (75AP) |
Operated by about a dozen squadrons, over 150 MiG-21F-13/FL/PFM/MF/bis and MiG-21UM formed the backbone of the Iraqi fighter-fleet during the war with Iran. Relatively easy to maintain and fly, they proved highly popular, even if underequipped and short ranged, and flew more than 50 percent of all combat sorties undertaken by the IrAF during the conflict. As well as the older MiG-21FL/PFMs that served in Syria during the October 1973 War with Iraq, the mass of Iraqi ‘21s’ wore different variants of this standardised camouflage pattern during the 1980s. Usually, this consisted of beige (BS381C/388) and olive drab (BS381C/298) on upper surfaces and sides, and light admiralty grey (BS381C/697) on undersurfaces: this MiG-21bis belonged to a batch delivered between 1982 and 1984, on which light stone (BS381C/361) was used instead of beige. The family was compatible with a wide range of air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance: shown are R-13M (AA-2 Atoll; on inboard pylon) and R-60MK (AA-8 Aphid) air-to-air missiles. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)