@ Musée de l’air et de l’espace, Le Bourget, France
December 2016
The collection here definitely got more interesting since my last visit in 2003. The Soviet-built MiG-23 “Flogger” was designed to replace the widely-used MiG-21. The MiG-23’s advanced radar and fire control system could fire missiles at targets beyond visual range. Variable “swing” wing geometry and robust landing gear allowed the MiG-23 to operate from short, remote runways. Early production aircraft suffered fuselage cracks during their service career, along with criticism of maneuverability. A considerable redesign of the airframe was performed, resulting in the MiG-23ML. Production started in 1970 with over 5,000 aircraft built. Today the MiG-23 remains in limited service with some export customers. Nikon D500 w/18-200mm.
