It’s a balloon, no question in my mind.
If one performs even a cursory review of the most compelling cases, and one is not a total blithering idiot, one must conclude that there are vehicles in our skies whose technology far surpasses ours. Where they come from is unknown, but even a total moron must conclude that there is something to this whole mess.
Sorry, no larger picture of the Tajik L-29s.
Very interesting image of two Tajik L-29s in national colors, with rather Ukrainian-looking tail markings. From the Air Combat Information Group (ACIG) forum.
Lebanese Proctors.
Here’s another view of LAF-005, sporting the extremely rare roundel! This one just screams, “Make a model of me, please!”
Thanks much, Andy- really appreciate it!
Does anybody know the number on this Liberian Mi-2? The prefix is “LAF-“, but I can’t make out the number suffix.
Gerard, do you believe that the Luxembourg Army Super Cub in the attached image is overall doped aluminum, or yellow?
Looks like the aircraft in the image is a French Potez 25, so the roundels are bogus. The Dorand, though, appears to be genuine. It was the only aircraft of this extremely small air force.
Rif air force? http://www.gettyimages.com/license/542920885
That Somali Gomhouria is absolutely fantastic- thanks, Gerard! Overall yellow, I presume, and a very sharp scheme at that with the Somali insignia.
I’ve found a great site- http://www.eurodemobbed.org.uk/locations.php?location=5729. It’s packed with images of aircraft from European air forces that have been decommissioned, some of them wearing interesting markings.
That Guinea Bissau Alouette II is quite weird, Gerard. I have also found another image of it, showing a thin red surround on the black star. The camouflage is readily apparent in this one. My best guess is that they applied the gray camouflage pattern later, and painted out the red on the roundels, leaving just a thin red border to the black stars.
In reference to posts #942 and #943, courtesy of our fellow and esteemed colleagues archengelski and Gerard, the red and yellow striping was ubiquitous with Vichy aircraft. I have also seen examples with yellow areas, but no red stripes, and have also seen many variations of the pattern of red striping. Some of the aircraft with yellow only may have been prior to application of the stripes, however, or specific to aircraft used in the Levant, including Syria. I believe these sorts of markings were standard for Armée de l’Air aircraft, but not necessarily for Aeronavale aircraft. If anybody can further elaborate and clarify, please do!