White 57 with Reindeers
Updated on April 5, 2005                                                file name: white57.html
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This profile represents a MiG-3 of  2 GSAP/VVS-SF at Vayenga airport in 1942; only four MiGs of this unit survived at the beginning of 1942, and only one was lost during 1942, set on fire after landing because of combat damages. The remaining 3 MiGs were transferred to 255 IAP/VVS-SF where they remained in hardly serviceable conditions until mid 1943, when they were transferred ot the VVS-TOF, the Soviet Pacific Fleet, putting an end to MiG-3 service  in VVS-SF.
Particularly noticeable are the Lapps with their reindeer helping the VVS ground crew. Sleighs were used on the unsnowed ground too. The objects on the canisters look like bombs, probably for bombers SB that were in the 72 SAP; this SAP got Pe-2 as well since July 1942.

This aircraft is unusual in many respects; its characteristics seem to be:
  • late type, with radio mast, without slats (as visible for the long pitot);
  • camouflaged with AII green and black uppersurfaces, with light blue undersurfaces;
  • the camouflage scheme of the wings is unusual, and is documented only on this aircraft; the tail and the left side of the fuselage are not visible on photos;
  • there is a white number with two digits, probably a 57 (the first digit looks too wide to be a 1; it is surely not a 0, 2,6,8,9; if it should be a 3 or a 7, it should resemble more to the second digit; it looks not a 4, that is usually open on the top);
  • the number is unusually moved rearwards, so there is not space enough for a red star with the usual position and size on the fuselage; so probably this was omitted;
  • if this unusual sceme is the result of a repainting, the demarcation line between light blue and camouflage colors could be unusually low, to cover the hypothetical original red star;
  • the spinner is white, with alluminium blades with traces of worn black paint both on front and rear surface.
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