answers

1. I think it dropped two bombs while fleeing back to Eritrea. Link below shows the case of the cluster bomb.
http://www.geocities.com/Eureka/Park/5875/1999Photos/Ayder-1.JPG

2. No, that will be very difficult even for people inside Eritrean Air Force. They might even have to refer to the log books!

3. Good observation. I haven’t noticed it on other aircrafts.

4. There wasn’t any dogfights. Doubt it had any special markings.

Flex and Nadew:
thanks to both of you, the info you gave me it’s all right as it’s enough for a plastic model.
1)two BL755 Cluster bombs should be a realistic load for the missions it flew(Two right?).
2)Is it known the serial of the aircraft that flew that missions (I have all the serials, I mean this particular serial)?
3)Another question: when delivered the 339 had the national flag on its fin, on one of the pictures shown by Flex (the one that looks flying over the desert), the flag disappeared. Now, is the flag present or only national roundel still remains as far as you know?
4)Did the mission aircraft wear any other special marking, besides the stencilling and National Insignia or was it a regular aircraft(kill markings or mission markings or whatever)?

I know maybe the info I’m asking for is too much, but I better ask to make sure..:cool:

Anyway, a big thank again!

Davide

PS:I have a model magazine (I don’t remember which one) page scan with all camo, so the regular camo and colors shouldn’t be an issue.

Davide,

The pictures posted by flex is the camo applied to all MB339s.

Eritrea received six MB339s starting 1996. Only one MB339 flew combat missions on two separate rounds on June 5, 1998. It carried a cluster bomb. The Eritrean MB339s are also armed with cannon. Currently four remain; one was lost in a training accident and the other one was destroyed during the May 2000 raid on Asmara airport by Ethiopian Air Force MIG-23s.

Interesting comments on how the Vietnamese viewed the F-5 favourably in comparision with the MiG-21. I believe that the Soviets also found that the F-5 had no problems in dealing with the MiG-21 in WVR combat during comparitive tests carried out on F-5s, which had been passed on by the communist Vietnamese government.

The Ethiopian Airforce operated F-5A/B/E against the Somali Air force MIG-21s during the 1977-78 war and F-5Es came out vicotrious with a win of 24-0. During and after the war, the Soviets delivered large quantity of MIG-21bis fighters. Ethiopian pilots conducted mock dogfights against each other and with Cuban/Soviet pilots. In all the scenarios, the F-5 won in a large margin, 11 to 1.

Ethiopian Su-27

But it’s a long time since air to air combat has consisted mostly of dogfights.

USN fighters in 1944-5 were knocking Japanese fighters with better turn radius out of the air by refusing to engage in dogfights, using superior speed, climb & acceleration to avoid them. And even when comparing agility, turn radius is only one of several factors. Fighter A may have a worse turn radius but a better instantaneous turn rate than fighter B. Again, this was shown to be capable of being used with deadly effect as far back as WW2.

Now, you also have to take into account sensor fit (affects situational awareness, which has always been crucial) & weapons. How many WVR compared to BVR air-air kills in the last 20 years?

During the Ethiopia-Somalia war of 1977-1978 (also known as the Ogaden war), Ethiopian F-5E destroyed Somali AF MIG-21s with no air-to-air losses of their own. After the war, senior Ethiopian pilots who flew F-5Es reversed roles and flew against each other. Furthermore, they flew mock dogfight with Cuban and Russian pilots. Especially interesting was a dogfight between a Russian Colonel with MIG-21 and Ethiopian Captain with F-5E. In all scenarios, F-5Es came out superior in large margin, I believe it was 11 to 1.

USN fighters in 1944-5 were knocking Japanese fighters with better turn radius out of the air by refusing to engage in dogfights, using superior speed, climb & acceleration to avoid them.

I think that scenario would fit better if the topic was MIG-23ML vs F-5E.

As far other types of performance, F-5E is much more safer to fly than the MIG-21bis (the only version operated by the Ethiopian AF).

This is what a former pilot who flew MIG-21bis for four years told me about his experiences on the aircraft.

Safety wise, again, because of it’s small wing, MIG-21 can not make a go around after certain elevation. It gets into stall quicker and spin unless extremely careful with the angle of attack.

MIG- 21 is extremely unsafe during landing – It has very small delta wing and drag formation during landing has to be removed by letting air from the engine compressor. As a result the engine loses efficiency. Pilot has to make a go around decision before reaching 80 meters above ground, because, if a pilot attempt go around with full throttle, MIG-21 would sink 80 meters before the engine respond. We lost few pilots on MIG-21 during training.