MiG-21PFM - Syria - 1973

My topic is the MiG-21PFM number 661 of the SyAAF as seen in July 1967 (immediately after the Six Day War) and probably until much later up to the October War of 1973.

To compensate for the SyAAF aircraft losses during the Six Day War (June 1967), the USSR delivered in late June 1967 approximately 20 MiG-21PFMs to Syria. These aircraft were assigned to the No. 67 Squadron and were painted approximately one month later by the Syrian technicians in the same camouflage scheme as the MiG-17s: orange sand with olive drab stripes (according to available reports). From this batch of aircraft, there are several existing photographs, but which are of very poor quality.

In 1967, some SyAAF aircraft might have still carried the older insignia prior to 1963 with the green contour instead of red (see for example my MiG-21F-13: MiG-21F-13 - Syria - 1967 | Album by Redicus (1:72) ). Nevertheless, all newly camouflaged aircraft after June 1967 received of course the contemporany insignia with the red contour and 3 green stars (used until 1972) as seen on this PFM. By the time the October War started in 1973, only very few SyAAF aircraft received the new insignia common with Egypt applied after 1972 with the eagle of Saladin and no green stars (see for example my MiG-21MF: MiG-21MF - Syria - 1973 | Album by Redicus (1:72)). It seems that many (or most?) older SyAAF aircraft delivered before 1972 still had the three green stars when the October War started in 1973.

Unfortunately, any reliable information or hystorical photopraphs of Syrian MiG-21PFMs (or any other early MiG-21 version) are EXTREMELY scarce and still close to unavailable in the literature. Nevertheless, past publications (e.g. "Arab MiG-19 and MiG-21 Units in Combat", Osprey, 2004 by Tom Cooper), kit manufacturers and decal sheets have presented several color profiles of Syrian PFMs together with other versions of Syrian MiG-21s which in fact never existed and are rather the product of the memory of the past or just imagination. Nevertheless, the new series of "Arab MiGs" in six volumes (same authors) contains more recent extensive and valuable research together with new information which only recently came to light. The Volumes 4, 5 and 6 are sporadically mentioning also the MiG-21PFMs in SyAAF service together with one or two color profiles.

A color profile of my subject (serial number 661) is found in "Arab MiGs Volume 4" of Tom Cooper and David Nicolle as seen in July 1967. The number 661 likely took part in the War of Attrition and maybe later in the October War of 1973. Unless it was overhauled or lost during the War of Attrition, this PFM most likely still looked like this in 1973.

Through a complete coincidence I managed to find such an extremely rare photograph on a blog (see this album) which confirms the style of the camouflage mentioned in "Arab Migs Volume 4" for these Syrian PFMs from the late 60's and early 70's.

My subject has two UB-16 rocket pods under the wings as seen in a ground support role. The Arab Air Forces aknowledged as early as the June War of 1967 how inaccurate and useless the soviet R-3S missiles were. Since FLs, PFs, PFSs and PFMs were lacking the cannon and had therefore a major disadvantage in air combat against IDF aircraft, these versions were later often used also in ground support roles as soon as the newer MF version was delivered (after 1972). I have written a bit more about the cannon issue of the early MiG-21 versions for my Egyptian PFM model: MiG-21PFM - Egypt - 1973 | Album by Redicus (1:72)