Kraków 2009-04-21
Mikojan i Guriewicz MiG-21 U, US, UM.
193b Section 1965-05-18. Poland. A supersonic trainer aircraft used in the Polish Army.
History.
A large number of single-seat MiG-21 fighters forced Poland to purchase training versions. Poland bought three school versions; MiG-21 U, MiG-21 US, MiG-21 UM. It must be remembered that training versions of combat aircraft in CCCP have always had the ability to perform combat missions, although to a very limited extent. This was mainly due to the need to maintain the appropriate weight of the aircraft. This means that no radar sights were mounted on them. For the MiG-21 training and combat version, the pilot seats were arranged in a tandem arrangement. The first cabin was always occupied by a student. The instructor sat in the second cabin. The first MiG-21 U was delivered to Poland on May 18, 1965, when two combat versions were already in service; MiG-21 F-13, MiG-21 PF.
MiG-21 U.
In Moscow, the large number of fighters built made it necessary to provide the army with a two-seat version. The MiG-21 F-13 (type 74) aircraft was used as the basis for the two-seat version. The E-6 U (uczebnyj) prototype made its first flight on October 17, 1960. The pilot was Major Ostapenko. The seats were arranged in tandem. The canopy consists of a fixed windbreak with three windows and a fairing with two windows, which can be opened individually to the right. The capacity of the fuel system was 2,350 liters. The central fuel filler is located at the very top, just behind the pilot's cabin. The plane was deprived of gun armament, but in a container suspended under the fuselage there was a 12.7 mm machine gun with a supply of 60 rounds. The tank can be installed interchangeably with an additional fuel tank. The weight of suspended weapons decreased to 250 kg. The plane received an SPU-7 on-board telephone and a damage imitation device.
Photo description: Under the fuselage of the plane there is a container with a 12.7 mm machine gun, with a supply of 60 bullets.
The aircraft in production was designated MiG-21 U (type 66, 66-400). The aircraft was produced in Tbilisi for CCCP in the period 1962-1966, and for export in the period 1964-1968. A MiG-21 U hybrid (type 66, 66-600) was produced in Moscow with an enlarged vertical tail and a braking parachute at the base of the stabilizer.
Polish MiG-21 U planes. 1965 year.
For the Polish Army, training and combat versions were imported for training purposes. First, these were the MiG-21U (66-400) versions imported in May and June 1965. A total of 6 copies were purchased. One plane was transferred to the 41st PLM in Malbork. The remaining 5 aircraft were operated at the Poznań Ławica Airport.
Together with the purchase of MiG-21 PFM aircraft, 5 MiG-21 U machines (66-600) were purchased. The first of these aircraft entered service on July 8, 1966. Already since 1967, the planes were transferred to some Fighter Aviation Regiments, for example to Zegrze and Goleniów. The first 3 aircraft were withdrawn from service in December 1989, and the last 2 aircraft were withdrawn in February 1990.
In 1969, the 10th PLM in Łask received its first Spark. Sparka - this is what the Soviet jargon called a two-seat, twin-tailed plane. The MiG-21 U type 66-400 aircraft No. 161220 was transferred from the 26th PLM and was accepted into service on November 7, 1969. By 1980, the 10th PLM adopted 5 more MiG-21 U aircraft, including the MiG-21 U type 66-600 version. The last two MiG-21 U aircraft were withdrawn in February 1990 and transferred to museums in Kraków and Drzonów.
MiG-21 US.
The MiG-21 US variant belongs to the second generation of MiG-21 aircraft. Training and combat version for aircraft with an air blowing installation on the flaps, marked SPS. That's why the plane was marked with the letter "S". In addition to the installation of the blower and the appropriate engine, the plane received; in the first cabin there is a KM-1 U ejection seat, and in the second cabin there is a KM-1 I ejection seat; opening periscope for the KKO-5 instructor with polished metal mirrors; enlarged tank on the aircraft fuselage. The total capacity of the fuel system was 2,450 liters.
MiG-21 US aircraft were produced in Tbilisi in the period 1966-1970 for the Moscow state army and for export.
Polish MiG-21 US planes.
MiG-21 US combat training aircraft were purchased for training pilots of fighter pilots of the combat version of the MiG-21 M aircraft. The first aircraft began service on August 28, 1969. The last one was delivered on July 25, 1970. A total of 12 MiG-21 US aircraft were purchased. Two of these planes were delivered to the 41st PLM in Malbork. The plane received KM-1 U and KM-1 J ejection seats.
In 1989, the 1st PLM in Mińsk Mazowiecki ended the operation of the MiG-21 U training and combat units, which is why the regiment received 6 MiG-21 US training and combat units from the 62nd PLM Krzesina.
Only one disaster occurred during the service of the MiG-21 US aircraft. The tragedy occurred in the 62nd PLM in Krzesiny. On June 7, 1977, the pilots died in the crash of the MiG-21 US nb 4609 aircraft no. 09685146; Colonel Antoni Babkiewicz and Colonel Romuald Rejewski. At the site of the disaster in 2001, a commemorative stone with a plaque and two crosses were placed.
MiG-21 UM.
For the needs of training pilots of the 3rd and 4th generation of MiG-21 fighters, a training and combat version of the MiG-21 UM type 69, E-6 UM was developed. These machines were produced in Tbilisi in the period 1971-1982. A total of 1,133 MiG-21 UM aircraft were built for the Moscow state army and for export.
Polish MiG-21 UM planes.
This was the last version of the MiG-21 training and combat aircraft purchased by Poland. The first planes arrived in Poland on July 26, 1971. The aircraft was delivered in two periods. In the period 1971-1975 and in the period 1980-1981. This second delivery was used to train pilots of the last combat version of the MiG-21 bis purchased by Poland. In 1971, the first two MiG-21 UM aircraft were received by the 41st PLM from Malbork. Poland purchased a total of 54 MiG-21 UM machines.
Polish MiG-21 UM type 69 aircraft are equipped with: AP-155 autopilot, instead of the KAP-2 used so far. Externally, the plane received 4 hooks for armament and additional fuel tanks.
In the period from January 1980 to May 1981, the second batch of MiG-21 UM training and combat aircraft was imported to Poland. There were 34 copies. The planes went mainly to units that received MiG-21 bis planes. The planes were also equipped with the 11th PLM from Wrocław, from which they were also transferred to the 62nd PLM in Krzesiny.
The last documented flight of this type was recorded in the 41st ELT in Malbork. The flight was carried out on December 19, 2003, on the MiG-21 UM nb 9323 aircraft no. 516999323. The pilots were; Colonel Eugeniusz Garbas (commander of the 22nd Blot) and Lieutenant Colonel Jan Rajchel (commander of the 41st ELT). This last flight was preceded by a flight of the MiG-21 UM aircraft for aerial weather reconnaissance. It was performed by Lieutenant Colonel Jan Drąg and Major Robert Dziadczykowski. During service, 4 MiG-21 UM aircraft were lost in disasters and 1 in failures.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman