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China-Japan-Koreas
N. Korea halts MiG-19 operations after series of crashes
2014-07-30
SEOUL -- Three North Korean MiG-19 fighters have crashed this year, leading to the suspension of flight drills involving the aircraft, South Korea's military sources said Wednesday.

The supersonic MiG-19 aircraft is a Soviet second-generation fighter developed in 1953. Some 400 MiG variants are still in service in the communist North, accounting for about half of its fighters.
The others are those funny Russian biplanes...
"At least three of the MiG-19s crashed during training missions -- one earlier this year, the others last month and earlier this month -- apparently due to their aged fuselages," a source said, declining to be identified.

"In the latest case, the plane crashed right after taking off at the North's air base in Goksan, Pyongan Province, which led Pyongyang to stop drills involving the model," he added.

Other details about the accidents, including casualties, were not available.

It is "far from unusual for North Korea's fighters as well as military choppers to crash," another source said, noting frequent accidents "are partly behind its leader Fat Boy's Kim Jong-un's inspection tours to the air force units this year."

In May, the young leader of the communist country visited the Korean People's Army's Air and Anti-Air Force Unit 447, presumed to be located in South Pyongan Province.

"The series of visits to the air force units or events seems to be aimed at not only countering the annual joint Max Thunder air drills between South Korea and the United States in April, but to encourage airmen demoralized by crash accidents," the source added.
Posted by:Steve White

#8  Last 2 A-7s (A-7E and TA-7C to be specific) were retired from the Greek Air Force just recently.
Great Light Attack birds, easy to work on and fly.
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2014-07-30 15:33  

#7  Mig-19s did pretty good work in Vietnam, A-7s about the only thing that could turn with it
Posted by: Shipman   2014-07-30 14:35  

#6  Mig-19s??? Uhhh, weren't those OBSOLETE before Viet Nam???

Oh boy, if I were ROK, I would be shaking in my boots having to send my poor little F16s up against such a formidable weapons platform.
Posted by: Bill Clinton   2014-07-30 11:52  

#5  RFP for the Hamas air force?
Posted by: AlanC   2014-07-30 08:11  

#4  Sooo, the airframes have developed fatigue cracks, but they're trying to find a way to continue to use them. Once frame spars and such start cracking, that's pretty much it. Unless the Chinese have some low price knock off replacement parts. (And then you're at "we're using parts the Chinese didn't want to use".)
Kimmy needs to work on selling them to Iran (Great Martyrdom Opportunity!), and seeing what Vlad has on the markdown sales lot.
Posted by: ed in texas   2014-07-30 07:42  

#3  These are no flying accidents: Norks are just training for Kamikaze attacks!
Posted by: JFM   2014-07-30 04:24  

#2  Other details about the accidents, including casualties, were not available.

Perhaps there were no pilots. Saddam was working on a MIG drone or flying bomb before his term in office was ended.
Posted by: Besoeker   2014-07-30 04:01  

#1  "State of the art!!" pouts Suetboy as he waves his pointy stick.
Posted by: Steven   2014-07-30 00:29  

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