Chinese man buys MiG through eBay

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4962466.stm

Chinese man buys MiG through eBay

A Chinese businessman has bought an old MiG-21f fighter jet for nearly $25,000 (£14,000) on eBay to decorate his office, a Chinese newspaper reports.

Zhang Cheng bought the Soviet-made jet from a seller in the United States, where it is said to be in excellent condition though last flown in 1995.

“I have the buying power and my company has an empty space where I can display the plane,” he told the Beijing News.

But it was not immediately clear if Mr Zhang needed a permit to import it.

According to the new owner, the jet was retired by the Czech air force.

“I don’t know if this jet plane is a banned item,” Mr Zhang said, adding that one Chinese company had bought a retired Soviet aircraft carrier to convert into a theme park.

A note on the eBay site said the plane, which is currently located in Lewiston, Idaho, had been inspected by a museum and found to be in excellent condition.

The first MiG-21 prototype flew in 1956 and came into service with the Soviet air force in 1959, becoming one of the most mass-produced combat aircraft since World War II.

The name of the seller was not given.