On this day in 1989, Colonel Skuridin of the Soviet Air Force ejected from his MiG-23 during takeoff from Bagicz air base in Poland, as the engine was presenting signs of weaknesses. Lighter from some weight, and with the automated pilot still on, the plane then began a 900 km full west journey, alerting all NATO aircraft then still in the middle of the cold war. F-15s escorted it above Germany, followed by Belgian F-16 who had the order to shoot it down above the sea. The MiG-23, unfortunately, burned its last drops of kerosene before reaching the coast and crashed in Kortrijk, a few km from the French border, killing an 18 years old young man. No warning or information from the Soviets was transmitted during the incident. Gorbachev presented his condolences the next day.

2005 , Flogger , Gurevitch , MiG , MiG-23 , Mikoyan , Monino , Moscou , Moscow , Moskva , Russia , Russie , Tsentral'nyy Muzey VVS , Москва , Центральный Музей ВВС

Exposure Time	1/500 s
ApertureFNumber	f/8.0
ISO	100
Model	Canon EOS 10D
Lens	24.0-85.0 mm
Focal Length	35 mm
Date Time of Original	2005:08:13 11:34:51

Author

Robin MORET

Created on

Saturday 13 August 2005

Posted on

Thursday 4 July 2019

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2880*1920

Tags

2005, Flogger, Gurevitch, MiG, MiG-23, Mikoyan, Monino, Moscou, Moscow, Moskva, Russia, Russie, Tsentral'nyy Muzey VVS, Москва, Центральный Музей ВВС

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