W
hen the Mikoyan MiG-
Fulcrum made its first public
appearance at the Farnborough
Air Show in 1988 it left
observers astounded by its performance.
Military chiefs were perturbed.
For some time, Soviet aircraft design
had been regarded with complacency and
disdain, but now, respect was due.
Soviet Air Force MiG-29s had visited
Finland in 1986 but this was a low-key
affair. Although receiving a modicum
of publicity at the time, it had nowhere
near the impact that the appearance at
Farnborough had.NVA SERVICE
Four MiG-29s landed at Preschen air base in
the German Democratic Republic on March
12, 1988. They were the first of 24 (20 single-
seaters and four two-seat MiG-29UBs) aircraft
destined to join Jagdfliegergeschwader 3
(JG-3) of the NVA (Nationale Volksarmee,
East German Armed Forces) and were flown
in by Soviet pilots.
At that time, JG-3 was composed of three
squadrons (Jagdfliegerstaffel). Only two were
to receive the MiG-29, converting from the
MiG-21 Fishbed. The remaining squadron
retained the MiG-21MF.
The German pilots found their first sight ofthe MiG-29 awe-inspiring and this impression
was further enhanced when they began to
fly the aircraft. Oberstleutnant (Lieutenant
Colonel) Michael Wegerich had moved to
JG-3 from JG-1 at Holzdorf, where he had
been flying the MiG-21PFM, in October 1987.
His task was to oversee the organisation,
leadership, training and integration of the new
aircraft into JG-3.
He said: “If you only knew the MiG-21, you
were overwhelmed at the sight of a MiG-
on the ground and in the air. The two air
intakes that closed when the engines started
were impressive, and also the large exhaust
nozzles. When rolling and landing you hadDoug Gordon examines
the MiG-29s that initially
flew for East Germany
and were then inducted
into the Luftwaffe.
GERMAN
FULCRUMS
FLYING FOR BOTH SIDES
PART 1
18 Aviation News incorporating Jets March 201818-23_german_migsDCDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 18 05/02/2018 15: