… a Mexican B-26. I didn’t know they used this one.

Fuerza Aerea Mexicana used 4 examples of A-26B Invader aircraft from 1949 until 1975. Later those planes were sold to civil users.

Unknown Northrop F-5 jets

Dear colleagues !

Basing on worldairforces.com site information, I have found some strange facts (or fables ?) about Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter/Tiger II jet aircrafts. This site states, that following F-5s were used in:

– Bangladesh – F-5E/F, more than 20 examples;
– Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) – F-5B/E, about 22 planes;
– North Korea – F-5, about 4 examples (captured ?);
– Uganda – F-5, amount unknown;
– Ecuador – F-5E/F, 12 examples.

Who can to confirm or confute these facts ?
Any more information ?
Any images are welcome !!!

Or it is false and fable ?

Wait for the answers.

Regards,
Flyer.

Dobroslavtsi Air Base. Closed in 2003. Also known as Kumaritsa. Located in western Bulgaria, north of Sofia.

See maps of Dobroslavtsi base (look north of Sofia):

http://wikimapia.org/3579284/bg/%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%89%D0%B5-%D0%94%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B2%D1%86%D0%B8
http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=&t=h&om=1&z=14&ll=42.813914,23.299427&spn=0.0289,0.05785

You can to enlarge the maps by mouse’s wheel or by scale line on left edge of map. But what are dates of these maps ?

We can see row of 9 MiG-23 in one parking, and 2 separate MiG-23 in another parking.
One of those separate planes – MiG-23UB trainer “33” (date of shoot – October, 5, 2007):

http://airgroup2000.com/gallery/albums/userpics/32760/DSC00075.JPG

Another Bulgarian example – 10 of Bulgarian MiG-23BN were purchased by private enterprise (which specialization is purchasing and repair of military technics (and aviation, in particular)), and in January, 2007 were placed on yard in Katunitsa village. On February, 14, 2010 they were still there:

http://www.bgspotters.net/pictures/pic.php?subm=3&oprt=2&form_PicId=21886

Probably, these MiGs will be sold to some buyers (some time or other)…

Grumman Avenger aircraft in Mexico ?

Thank You, dear Wieesso, for this information.

Now I have the next question:

– I read in article about Avenger’s history (in Russian “Wings of Motherland” aviation magazine), that some Grumman Avenger airplanes were used in Mexican aviation.
Also I asked this question in catrachowings forum, and have got the answer from there, that “…it seems, some (maybe, two) Avengers were used in Mexico as civil planes…”.
Maybe, anybody knows more information, and knows – is this fact true or false ?

And, maybe – if Mexican Avenger(s) were real – anybody have some images of them ?

Regards,
Flyer.

Lockheed Ventura in Cuban Air Force

Dear friends !

The worldairforces.com site reported about two Lockheed Ventura (or B-34 Lexington) aircrafts, which were used by Cuban Air Force from year 1947.
Is this fact true or false ?
If this fact is true – can anybody help me with any images of those Cuban Venturas ?
In the “Latin American air wars” book by D. Hagedorn is one photo of Ventura in Cuba. But this aircraft have not any Cuban markings and insignia.
I hope to see any pictures (photos, drawings) of Cuban Venturas WITH Cuban markings.

Wait for the answers.

Flyer.

Could be Somalian, Stimpy posted a pic on page 16 showing a Hunter with a star very much like that one.

No, it is not true.

As I wrote earlier, this is Russian L-39 – see the insignias and paint scheme.

The Somalian Air Force insignia was WHITE star in BLUE CIRCLE – see here:
http://wp.scn.ru/en/markings/opers/africa/20.

Beside that, after Somalia – Ethiopian war for Ogaden in 1977, the international relations between USSR/Russia and Somalia became strained. And probabilities for Somalia to repair their aircraft in Russia are practically impossible.

… Sea Hornet F20 TT193 was sent out to Canada for winterisation trials in Edmonton, starting in December 1948. On completion the airframe was sold off, to save the cost of transporting it back, to Spartan Air Services as CF-GUO in July 1950…

Dear friends !

Maybe, somebody can help me with any pictures of military Canadian DH Hornet, mentioned above ?
And I shall pleased to see any images of CF-GUO Hornet, too.

I shall wait for the answers with big hope.

Best regards,
Flyer.