Last MiGs of the Pacific Fleet in Siberia, 1943/44

Updated on 24 August, 2023

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In mid 1943, when their original units were refurbished with new types, some surviving MiG-3s were delivered to the VVS-TOF, the air force of the Pacific Fleet, far from the war front. These planes were in good company of other obsolete types as I-15bis, I-153, I-16, that shared some very interesting camouflages.

Late MiG-3 'white 54' of 6 IAP TOF

Above:

this aircraft is of 6th IAP of 7 IAD of the Pacific Fleet, photographed on Uglovoye airfield (not too far from Vladivostock) on August 18, 1943.
The closer man is leytenant F. I. Gretchin, the political officer of the unit.


Photo from Mikyan's Piston-Engined Fighters, by Yefim Gordon and Keith Dexter

 

Above:

An enlarged detail show something about other 3 MiG-3s on the background. The closer one is plane 57.

The second one, of which we see only a detail of the nose, seems to have lighter areas on the nose, perhaps white.

 

 

 

Left:

Another photo showing something of the planes on the background. The third plane seems to show a dark spinner and a wide red star with white outline on its tail. The fourth one seems to have a white spinner and a white or light blue area of unusual shape under the nose.

Image from Scalemodels.ru

 

At the end, the characteristics of plane 54 are:

  • late model, probably with slats;
  • without  radio, radio mast and wires;
  • without gas recovery pipe (probably removed)
  • unknown configuration of the tail wheel doors;
  • camouflaged with green and sand (or light grey?) bands with  black stripes and light blue undersurfaces; the green rear surface looks mottled with darker colour;
  • white 54 on the fuselage; 
  • probably red stars with white outline on the tail (on the background, an aircraft with such a star looks visible, that was likely in August 1943) and under the wings;
  • spinner apparently painted light brown or light grey or light blue with red front red, with starter tooth;
  • the light shade of the spinner looks extended to the prop blades.

MiG-3 early 'White 37'

 

 

The photo shows an early type MiG-3 in service +probablt with 6 (or 31 or 39) IAP TOF in Siberia in late 1943. It had another striking camouflage of difficult interpretation, but inspired to the same philosophy of that of plane White 54.

The contrast between the light and dark color looks more striking than on 54; the color could be different, AII light grey being a possible candidate. The dark color is a mystery, I would give for granted the presence of a green, it is less clear if there was black too. The thin lines are certainly white.

The photo shows the plane painted with glossy reflecting paint, and the low sun projects the shadows of the prop blade and of the wing on the fuselage.

Image: archive Zaika https://zaika70.livejournal.com/31540.html?view=comments

Its characteristicss seem to be;

  • early MiG-3, probably without slats;
  • radio mast, boxes and wires installed;
  • starter tooth added on the spinner;
  • probably light grey-green-black camouflage with white lines and light blue undersurfaces;
  • retractable tail wheel with doors removed; a tissue cover protrudes from the bay; a brace is installed on the tail wheel leg to push the cover inside during the retraction;
  • late type red stars with white-red outline on the tail and under the wings, small and in outer position as prewar built miG-3s;
  • probably white number 37 with probably red outline.

 

   

Hybrid MiG-3s n. 12, 15, 20 of 39 IAP TOF, 1943/44

 

 

 

 

Top, Left:

the photos, previously thought relative to the Black Sea Fleet, represent a line of MiG-3s of 39 IAP ToF, on the Unashi airfield. This unit utilized about 20 MiG-3s aside other obsolete types up to 1944, when they were replaced with Yak-9s.

Plane 12 is well recognizable. Note the similar "white 15" and "White 20" on the background. The wide white outline around the stars was probably added on August 1943. The collective look of these planes doesn't fully match the one of other MiG-3s attributed to the same unit in the same timeframe.

Its characteristics look:

  • late type, with slats, but exhaust stacks configuration is as on early MiG-3s on both the aircrafts shown; this is probably the result of field repairs with pieces of other aircrafts;
  • repainted probably with AMT green (including spinner) and AMT light blue; the noses of both the aircrafts look painted with a slightly darker shade, possibly because of maintenance repaintings;
  • white 12 is painted on the fuselage;
  • very large stars with thick white outlines, on four positions;
  • starter tooth on the spinner;
  • propeller blades painted green or black;
  • red painted trim;
  • white horizontal line painted on the rudder;
  • tail wheel fixed without doors, with well probably closed by a canvas cover.

 

 

 

Disclaimer

This work collects also a lot of photos and drawings from many sources, not always identified and mentioned.
If someone has some rights on the images here reproduced, please email to me and I shall provide to remove or to credit them.
While the historical photos are of public domain (except where otherwise stated), my color profiles and coloured photos are copyrighted.
If someone is interested in any use of them, please email me; higher resolution version is available for printing purposes.
If someone has questions, critiques or corrections, or some further images to show, please email to me.
Massimo Tessitori