The following video shows in impressive detail the strafing pass of a Syrian Arab Air Force L-39 jet using a 23 mm gun pod.
The combat trainer was attacking a ground target in Idlib and the footage was filmed from an almost frontal position bringing a new point of view to the several videos emerged so far. The aircraft performs the pass and subsequent turn as if it was flying a standard firing range pattern: the pilotis seemingly not worried by the possible reaction of the Free Syrian Army’s anti-aircraft artillery.
http://youtu.be/fbtp9JgS1F8
ACIG‘s Editor Tom Cooper has compiled a list of helicopters and fighter jets shot down in Syria.
Helicopters:
- 1 Mi-8/17 on Jun. 26 2012, shot down somewhere over Idlib Province
- 1 Mi-8/17 on Aug. 27 2012, shot down over Damascus
- 1 Mi-8/17 on Aug. 27 2012, damaged and forced to emergency land in Idlib Province
- 1 Mi-8/17 on Aug. 29 2012, set afire on the ground (9 others appear to have been damaged by small-arms fire)
Jets:
- 1 L-39 on Aug. 12 2012, shot down while landing at Aleppo IAP (apparently already in emergency, otherwise it wouldn’t try to land there), probably damaged beyond repair
- 1 MiG-23BN on Aug. 14 2012, shot down near Dayr az-Zawr, pilot PoW
- 1 MiG-21bis on Aug. 30 2012, shot down while taking off from Abu ad-Duhor AB, pilot KIA (up to 19 others claimed as destroyed on the ground)
A (mock/inoperative?) Syrian Arab Air Force Mig-23MS was also hit on the ground at Abu-Dhahur air base in the north west region of Idlib on Mar. 3, 2012.
Related Articles
- Video: Rebels down Syrian Arab Air Force Mig-23BN fighter jet in East Syria (theaviationist.com)
- Syria: Mig-21 firing rockets caught on tape (theaviationist.com)
- This may be the first video taken on board a Syrian Arab Air Force gunship helicopter during a mission against the rebels (theaviationist.com)
- Video: Syrian L-39 combat trainer (probably hit by rebel’s anti-aircraft fire) crashes into the ground (theaviationist.com)
- Video: Assad’s gunship helicopter shot down by rebel forces in Damascus, Syria (theaviationist.com)
- L-39 Albatros jet trainer spotted over Aleppo, Syria. (theaviationist.com)
- Syrian Arab Air Force trainer jets turned into attack planes to strike rebel positions (theaviationist.com)
- Impressive video: Syria flexes muscles with live firing exercise including Mig-29s, Mig-23s, Mig-21s, Su-24s and gunship helicopters (theaviationist.com)
- New videos show Syrian gunship helicopters dropping bombs on Homs and Damascus (theaviationist.com)
- Video: Syrian Arab Air Force L-39 firing rockets (theaviationist.com)
