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Updated on 21 July, 2023
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A small number of MiG-3s were in service to the Black Sea Fleet; at the war outbreak, two vere with the 62 Fighter Air Brigade Directorate in Crimea and 12 in the 32 IAP of the same brigade in Kacha.
MiG-3 n.1 of 62 IAP VVS ChF
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Two images of an aircraft of 32 IAP VVS ChF (Black Sea fleet). Left, over: image from Aerokosmicheskoe obozreniye Its characteristic seem to be:
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MiG-3 n.5 of 8 IAP ChF, 1942 |
This photo shows a green and black camouflaged aircraft belonging to
8 IAP VVS Chf, Black Sea 1942. Its characteristics look to be:
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MiG-3s n. 21 and 28 of 7 IAP VVS ChF, 1943
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The unit was created in September 1941 on the Anapa airfield from squadrons of 8 IAP and 9 IAP, equipped with I-15bis and I-16, and introduced into the 62 Fighter Air Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet in October. In December it was rearmed with MiG-3s, and older planes were transferred to other units. In January, the 2nd Squadron with MiG-3s passed to 8 IAP ChF. The first known victory of the unit was obtained by F.P. Egorov that shot down a Ju-88 on Novorossysk naval base on 9 January 1942. On 31 July 1942, the unit had 9 MiG-3, 5 Yak-1 and 4 LaGG-3 and 1 I-15bis; on 18 August, it transferred 3 Yak-1 and 1 LaGG-3 to 62 IAP ChF, while the remaining 7 MiG-3s were transferred on the rear airfield of Abasha, in Georgia. Later it received a mix of Yaks and LaGG-3s; on March 1943, the unit still had 9 MiG-3s; they remained in the unnit at least up to December 1943, in hardly serviceable conditions, while the unit was equipped mainly with P-40s..
Photos of a line of MiG-3s of 7 IAP ChF, presumably in fall 1943, Gelendzhik airfield. 5 MiG-3s are visible: n 23 (or 25 or 27 ?); n.28; n.21; hidden nunber; n.30 (?). The light conditions are not ideal to spot a camouflage, but some darker longitudinal bands can be seen on the wings of plane 25(?), so one can think that all the planes were camouflaged, although the image doesn't allow to be sure of this. There is a man close to the number 21; his shadow makes the number to look darker than those of the other planes, but it is likely that all numbers are white. Its characteristics look to be:
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