Your Challenge for Today…..

[iambrb]

OK challenge for today:
The US had a training program called the HAVE DRILL/CONSTANT PEG Training, in which they had several MIG-17 that they painted in US markings. I have attached the only two photos I could find. Any idea if color photos are available? Looks like an interesting build subject

 

[moon puppy]

If I were a betting man it would be the standard SEA camo colors. We're never going to guess colors from a B/W image. Maybe @Sharkmouth has the TO for this paint scheme.

 

[moon puppy]

CONSTANT PEG: Secret MiGs in the Desert

Project Constant Peg was a secret program to train US Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps fighter aircrews to fly against Soviet-designed aircraft. The USAF’s 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES),

www.nationalmuseum.af.mil

 

[errains]

One of my last Integrated Air Defense System (aka...IADS) threat briefing I gave just before I retired way back in 2008 used several sources form these two programs.

 

[phantom II]

There are pilots on the internet speaking about flying those aircraft or against them . They were acquired from different countries and I believe they stayed in the colors that they were acquired . The three I saw at the Nellis Museum surely were .
I was there during those days . I clearly remember the news announcing that general crashed an unknown aircraft ( Mig-23 ) and lost his life . It was only mentioned once on the news ( Oooops ). Never heard again by the public. Lucky to have actually heard it.

There were really a lot of strange things that took place in and around Nellis during the years I was there ( like testing the F-117 ) and more .
The info is out there now days.
Cheers ,

 

[Sharkmouth]

MiG-17 with US markings flew during one operation in Middle Eastern camouflage with red, bordered white, stripes. The two aircraft in question were:

• 055: HAVE DRILL •Instrumented •Periscope •SCAN FIX radar •172 sorties
• 002: HAVE FERRY •Back-up A/C •No Periscope •No radar •52 Sorties

Documents were recently declassified and used by authors for their books. PDFs can be found in George Washington University's archives:

Area 51 Part 1

Area 51 Part 2

The general who died flying the ex-Egyptian Flogger was said to have died in a UFO.

 

[moon puppy]

The general who died flying the ex-Egyptian Flogger was said to have died in a UFO.

 

[Sharkmouth]

At that time the US wasn't about to reveal the extent of aircraft received for disimilar flight testing. I still have the folder from Manching air base (Germany) were photos were taken of the Sukhois received. Aside from defectors to Israel, there were defecting Cuban (ditched but recovered off the Florida Keys). former East German, Moldovan, and defecting Nicaraguan aircraft (helos and planes). Strangely, some are not mentioned in the books so this is how I deduced the sources used by the authors. Good books though...

 

[helios]

Nice. I have (and read) Peck's book.

 

[phantom II]

MiG-17 with US markings flew during one operation in Middle Eastern camouflage with red, bordered white, stripes. The two aircraft in question were:

• 055: HAVE DRILL •Instrumented •Periscope •SCAN FIX radar •172 sorties
• 002: HAVE FERRY •Back-up A/C •No Periscope •No radar •52 Sorties

Documents were recently declassified and used by authors for their books. PDFs can be found in George Washington University's archives:

Area 51 Part 1

Area 51 Part 2

The general who died flying the ex-Egyptian Flogger was said to have died in a UFO.

Nice story but that is not what was communicated on the radio station . I would have driven off the road when I heard it.
No idea if this is supposed to be a joke or something that a friend heard it from a friend that told you that story . I can't remember the exact wording but I know that was not it .

 

[Sharkmouth]

Nice story but that is not what was communicated on the radio station . I would have driven off the road when I heard it.
No idea if this is supposed to be a joke or something that a friend heard it from a friend that told you that story . I can't remember the exact wording but I know that was not it .

I've no idea what you heard back in 1984. I do know that General Bond was killed flying in Area 51 in an unidentified aircraft which many called a UFO. Later on, some said it was an F-117 but the write-offs do not match. I knew it was a MiG-23BN then as he was flying without being cleared for it.

The official USAF biography page doesn't state the aircraft:
Lt. Gen. Richard M. Bond

This site corrected their original statement that it was an F-117A:
Bond Update

As for what news report you saw or heard, I do not know other than (at the time) the aircraft was unidentified therefore assumed (thanks to loonies) to be a UFO. This was fine as the USAF didn't want to disclose their MiG squadron nor the F-117 later to become famous in 1991.

 

[phantom II]

Maybe an unidentified aircraft but certainly not object . That would have made it a lot more mysterious .
There was so much stuff going on around Nellis in those days , I still don't know . Even the F-117 was being developed during that time frame .
It was also a close time frame that the F-16"s were coming in and there were several loses . If you were to look at a map that shows aircraft crash sites ( unrecoverable ) you would be amazed . There was even a B-52 that they could not find for days.
Anyhow , if the Red Eagles interest you, here's a video . Long but there's a lot of colors viewable . I do not have the book listed .

 

[Sharkmouth]

Maybe an unidentified aircraft but certainly not object .

The official report then didn't state anything other than killed while flying and hasn't changed, even now, as seen in the official USAF biography. News reporters took to the UFO slant to capitalize on the Area 51 craze. When I read it, I thought it was dumb and expected an official clarification which never came. Later, some tried to equate the unknown flying object to the F-117. Once the squadron's history was declassified, it was then corrected.

Strangely enough, the New York Times got it right (other than the MiG-23 type) in their May 6th, 1984, update on the story:

There are plenty of sources for the various MiG squadrons now that the information has been declassified. Lots is still missing though. Aside from the aircraft, there is the 'Petting Zoo' at Nellis with opposing forces ground equipment which included air defence. Again, lots is available in books and online but parts are still classified.

Nellis Petting Zoo

Find the SAM-6 at the Petting Zoo, and compare its missiles to those in the Trumpeter kit. Yet, they were made aware that the wheels and tracks were replaced but based on the Shilka's items.

Aberdeen Proving Grounds also had a restricted access area with modern Soviet tanks (then, would be Russian now) being tested. I have an album of film photos to scan from that unit. Some, like the UAZ-469, are done.

 

[phantom II]

It's been too long ago for me to remember the exact words . forty years to be exact.
It was aired early in the morning and no follow on was ever given . In the back of my mind, I think that it was announced as a Russian aircraft,
Not much latter the Thunderbirds crashed the four T-38's in at their practice area . That was sort of quiet but hard to denounce.
That Saturday , a pilot trying out as a replacement belyed in one of the two left over bird. By the next day , it was repaired , repainted and back on the apron . Never mentioned . The only reason I was aware is because my crew was working that weekend .