North Korean Mig-29s exposed in Kim Jong Un pictures February 2, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in North Korea.Tags: Kim Jong-un, Korean People's Army, Korean People's Army Air Force, Mig-29, North Korea, Pyongyang, Su-25
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Photos of North Korea Air Force’s Mig-29 are quite rare. The few available are mainly low quality ones or still from videos taken by surveillance planes intercepted by the North Koreans Fulcrums.
However, on Jan. 31, a new picture released by KCNA (Korean Central New Agency) and made available by Reuters. It shows Kim Jong Un posing with some soldiers and one pilot of the Korean People’s Army Air Force, with a shiny Mig-29 in the background.
Although the location where the image was taken was not disclosed, it could be Sunchon airbase, to the northeast of Pyongyang, home of the 57th Air Regiment, where at least a squadron of the about 30 Mig-29 operating with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Air Force is based.
Among the images released by KCNA, there is also one depicting a Su-25K overflying the base during the visit of Kim Jong Un who, among all the other things, is also the Supreme Commander of the Korean People’s Army. Since a squadron of Su-25 is also based at Sunchon as satellite images show, the presence of a Frogfoot seems to suggest that the photograph was really taken there.
Image credit: Reuters/KCNA
There are Fulcrums visible on that base in the satellite imagery as well. Further corroboration…
Yes, I’ve noticed them. But there are only two or three visible, so the question is, where are the others?
They are on the east side of the airfield in the wooded area, along with more Su-25′s , a couple of MiG-17′s and either a MiG-15 or MiG-15UTI….they all appear to be covered in tarps. There are also some MiG-21′s on the ne side just off of the tarmac, another MiG-17 and either a MiG-23/27 or Su-22.
Hi John,
I saw them but they don’t seem to be operative. Looks like they are preserved/cocooned, don’t they?
Just me or is that MiG-29 painted in a terrible scheme for visual and IR?
There are a few HAS in that Google imagery, but yes, everything out in the woods looks preserved.
Wow, the Grand Pooh-Bah Doofus Jr. looks proud: how many North Korean civilians does a dictator have to starve to afford three new Fulcrums?
i bet the people if North Korea have been made to believe the Great Leader designed the MiG-29 himself.