Mother Russia

[HorusJ]

Mike! Mike! Mike!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[mikeblaze]

I just uploaded parts 3 and 4 to both of the AVSIMs. These packages represent the second-generation single-seaters. Part 3 is the MiG-23ML, and also contains the MiG-23P PVO dedicated interceptor; I accidentally didn't mention this in the documentation, so it's a surprise, and adds 4 models/16 textures to that package. I fixed a little glitch with the Luftwaffe MiG-23MF textures (partially hidden serial behind the splitter plate); plus added three more user countries amongst the MF and MS variants (Algerian MF, Zimbabwe and USAF MS). The part 1/part 2 service pack is included in part 3. Part 4 is the MiG-23MLA, MiG-23MLD, and the MiG-23-98. The -98 was the ultimate variant, and not put into serial production due to the MiG-29 coming into service at the time. The MiG-23-98 carried precision-guided munitions and the later R-27/R-77 missiles. I included a "what-if" model and texture set, with a couple of extra camo variants (MiG-29 two-tone and Ukrainian Su-27 blue 4-tone). The ground loadouts also include Kh-29T air-to-surface missiles and KAB-500KR laser-guided bombs; the -98 was certified to carry these, so that is authentic.

Without detailing which is which, about a quarter or so of these packages are still in service.

[AndyG43]

Looking like another winner Mike, can't wait to get these on my system (I'll have a free day soon....won't I?). Part 4 is up on Avsim, oddly part 3 has not yet appeared - go figure.

Waiting with bated breath for the -27s, the skies over the Himalayas look kinda empty at the moment.

[mikeblaze]

Looking like another winner Mike, can't wait to get these on my system (I'll have a free day soon....won't I?). Part 4 is up on Avsim, oddly part 3 has not yet appeared - go figure.

Waiting with bated breath for the -27s, the skies over the Himalayas look kinda empty at the moment.

I think part 3 is bigger, and I uploaded them simutaneously, so maybe part 3 didn't make the cutoff for the AM library post. I didn't get a rejection message yet, got confirmation emails for both, so we can check again in about six hours (approximately the next post time). I also uploaded them to the Russian AVSIM, so they might post to that library faster.

I am working on the B paints today (one or two release parts, we'll see how many paints), the U models will follow (one release part), and the MiG-27 will be the last part of this project, it will be one or two parts.

[AndyG43]

More than happy to wait Mike, the anticipation makes the joy all the keener. *


* Been stuck on trains reading lots of wordy books, so sorry for the pretentiousness.

[mikeblaze]

Still trying to figure out the mystery of part 3 at AVSIM. I don't want to re-upload it and then have two identical files. At any rate, all four parts are at AVSIM.rus for now, until I get this sorted out with the AVSIM library tomorrow.

[merlin101]

Thanks Mike for these. Anyone know where the Russian mig-23 were based?
Dave

[shaggy22]

I've found Borisoglebsk, Kubinka, Kursk, Lebyazhye, Lipetsk, Lodeynoe pole, Burevestnik, Kupino & possibly Domna so far. Knowing the Russians though that is probably very wrong

[mikeblaze]

In a rare moment of good resource, look up the various air armies in Wikipedia. Randomly, just enter "2nd Air Army", and you can navigate around, on one of the pages I found links at the bottom for most of the historical Soviet/Russian air armies. All of the OOBs center on WWII, but most give some kind of 80s era OOB as well.

Mind you, this is the same Wikipedia that states that Vietnam operates the MiG-23, lol. I don't count Combat Ace screenshots or obviously photoshoped VPAF roundels on a Soviet Flogger as a reference, but Wiki seems to. If I have a good picture or a serial list, I do it, if I can't find these things, I don't. I do know that the Russians have operated fighter squadrons out of Cam Rahn Bay for decades, so that is possibly the confusion here.

I figured out the issue with the part 3 missing file, and it will be up later today.

[mikeblaze]

Part 3 is up at AVSIM now, and Part 5 just got uploaded to both AVSIMs. Part 5 is the MiG-23BN with 10 models and 62 paints. The MiG-27 will be in two parts, as I am doing full serial sets for the three current users (India, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan). I still have a little bit of model work to do on the 23U, but I should have everything done and uploaded by next weekend.

[RKE]

Don't know how reliable it is, but http://www.ww2.dk/new/newindex.htm has some fairly detailed listings. If you google "MiG-23 site:ww2.dk" it'll give you links to all the subpages where the MiG-23 is mentioned. Might be worth it as a starting point.

Mind you, this is the same Wikipedia that states that Vietnam operates the MiG-23, lol. I don't count Combat Ace screenshots or obviously photoshoped VPAF roundels on a Soviet Flogger as a reference, but Wiki seems to.

Except that "they" (in as much as a collective body of users can be referred to as "they") don't. The particular page has a notice at the top stating that the article lacks sources for a variety of claims, and it has had the notice there for a while now.

In any case, I've gone and removed the reference to the VPAF having MiG-23's.

[mikeblaze]

There is no rhyme or reason to research, actually. I accidentally stumbled across a good photo of a MiG-23BN in Eritrean colors. Eritrea actually captured it during one of their conflicts with Ethiopia. Eritrea serialed it, evaluated it, and it never flew after that. But I found it, so I threw the paint into the project.

[Joecoastie]

Anybody made any traffic plans for the 23's ???? or have I most likely missed something ?

[Firebird]

Not as yet. It maybe that the planners might be waiting for the complete series to be released before they produce some. As Mike says he hasn't done the two seaters yet.

[RKE]

I'm just trying to work out which ones are still flying...

[shaggy22]

I'm currently doing the Cuban ones. Like Steve has said, just waiting for the complete series before release. I've done the all Russian ones up to pt5 as well, but if RKE is doing them I'll keep those to myself for the time being.

I'm considering doing the East German Floggers as well, unless anyone else has done them already.

[RKE]

I think I'll just stick to the North Korean ones, as I've got too many projects going on at the moment anyway, and not enough time to work on them.

Edit: I'll add the Angolan ones to that list as well. Forgot I had already had Lubango more or less sketched out.

[mikeblaze]

Wiki isn't all bad.... There is a list of current users there, not totally accurate as RKE pointed out, but it's in the ballpark. Some countries only have maybe one or two airworthy aircraft (Zimbabwe has one lone MiG-23UB, for example). However, the focus on an aircraft which is almost out of service is classic AI traffic, and I am hoping somebody will take up that project as well, for flightplans. When I get the whole series out the door, I will go back and do full serial lists for the current users as needed (Cuba, for example). I just did 106 Indian MiG-27 serials yesterday, it's almost a pleasure to go to work for the next two days and take a break, lol.

[mikeblaze]

Here is part 6, already uploaded to the AVSIMs. There are a couple of missing paints (deliberately). I am going to release some multi-variant packages for some of the larger current users, specifically Sri Lanka (MiG-27M, MiG-23UB), Kazakhstan (MiG-27M, MiG-23UB), India (MiG-27H/ML, MiG-23UB), and FAR (Cuba, MiG-23ML, MiG-23BN, MiG-23UB). I will be releasing a single package for the MiG-27 next, to cover the previous users and serials; then I will start releasing the single user country packages.

Next stop for this project, an Easter Egg, and the Su-25.

[mikeblaze]

An afterthought, the -23U had the early wings without LE flaps, and the -23UB had the later wings with the sawtooth leading edge notch and the LE flaps. All surviving U models were brought up to the UB standard, so the later U models are physically identical to the UB.