Main page "Colours ot the MiG-29 (Fulcrum)"

Update: December 2023

UKRAINE

Україна (Ukraïna)

In service

Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic between 1984 and 1991
Ukraine since 1991 (now Військово-Повітряні Сили Збройних Сил України)

Operational in 2010 were about 80, in 2018 probably about 30-35.

Since 2022 there's a war in Ukraine with Russia and Ukraine Air Force fight with agression. I'm not even going to try to determine what the current state of Ukrainian aviation is. It is worth noting that most Ukrainian aircraft have pixelated camouflage. Of course, there are others without it: refurbished old stock aircraft and planes once belonging to the Ukrainian Falcons group in the distinctive yellow-blue paint scheme. Since March-May 2023 some former Polish and Slovak aircraft are in service in Ukraine - retained their colors, but received yellow-blue large identification markings on wings and tails (tactical numbers are unknown). Some aircraft from 40th Brigade wear Ghost of Kyiv emblem.


Shape of digital camouflage and number of aircraft is fictional,
it's only scheme to show how most of Ukrainian MiGs looks in 2023.


Scheme of yellow and blue marks on Ukrainian MiGs during war. Applied (not always all marks) on MiG-29 and MiG-29UB in pixel camouflage, also on former Polish and Slovakian.

Deliveries

1991: 209 МiGs-29/29UB (9-12, 9-13, 9-51) from Soviet Union legacy


2000: 5 x MiG-29 were overhauled and sold to Algeria.
2007: 12 x MiG-29 9.13 and 2> x MiG-29UB were overhauled and sold to Azerbaijan.

In March 2014 Russian forces seized Belbek airbase at the Crimea and capture all MiGs (about 46, mostly stored, not in active service). Later Russia slowly returning MiGs.
In 2014 one MiG-29 was shot down by pro-Russian separatists east of Donetsk on 7 August 2014, a second MiG-29 by hostile fire on 17 August 2014 near Luhansk.

Between March and May 2023, the Ukrainian Air Force was reinforced by MiGs-29 aircraft provided by Poland (10) and Slovakia (13). Some of them were adapted to new weapons and used in combat, some as source of spare parts.

Modernization

Since 2005: modernization to MiG-29MU1 standard (few aircraft)

January 2018: Lviv State Air Reapir Plant has a plan to modernise some aircraft to new MiG-29MU2 standard - attack, not multi-role aircraft.

Units

2018 Tactical Aviation Brigades
114-та бригада тактичної авіації, Івано-Франківськ (Ivano-Frankivsk)
40-та бригада тактичної авіації, Васильків (Vasylkiv)
204-та Севастопольська бригада тактичної авіації, Микола́їв (Mikolaiv) (until 2014 @ Belbek at the Crimea)
9-та бригада тактичної авіації, Озерне (Ozyernye)

Numbers

too many

Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic

1984-1985: first regiment in Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic equipped with MiG-29 was 145th IAP in Ивано-Франковск (Ivano-Frankovsk).

1986: second regiment was 100th IKIAP formed in 1986 in Novo-Fyedorovka* (near Saki, Crimea), to prepare the pilots to carrier deck landings. Of course only approaches to ship are performed, and landings was realised on a runway in NITKA** facilities, when a ramp to simulate the deck of the carrier was built. In 1898 1065th CBP was formed in Saki with three squadrons (1st: 20 Su-27, 2nd: 18 MiG-29/UB, 3rd: 8 Su-25/UB and 7 Su-25UTG).
* In Ukrainian Novofyedorivka. It's a Saki-4?
** In 1982 in the Naval Aviation Training Centre (Crimea) at Novo-Fyedorovka near Saki was built a special ground-based testbed, incorporating a ski-jump (Russian tramplin = spring-board)and 4-line deck arrestor - Nazyemniy Ispitatyelno-Trenirovochniy Komplyeks (NITKA) = Ground Test-Training Complex system, where first MiG-29KVP and Su-27 were tested in 1982 (piloted by A.Fastoviets and N.Sadovnikov respectively). First ski-jump was built in 1982: height 5 m, length 60 m, width 30 m, inclination 8.5 degrees. Different prototypes were tested: T10-3, T10-24, T10-25, T10K-1, T8-4, T8-UTG1, 9-31-1, experimental MiG-27. Second ski-jump (similar to "Tbilisi") was built in 1984: height 5.6 m, length 53.6 m, width 17.5 m, inclination 14 degrees.
Only about 60 MiGs were used by the aviation of the "Военно-Морсkий Флоt CCCP" (Soviet Navy), primarily in 100th IKIAP, later in 86th IAP in Markuleshty, Moldova, and 161st IAP in Novo-Fyedorovka, Crimea, Ukraine.

Third regiment equipped in 1987 with MiG-29 was 92nd IAP in Мукачево (Mukachevo).

Some MiGs were delivered in 1987 to training 343rd IIAP, Багай-Барановка (Сенная) (Bagay-Baranovka, Syennaya) and in 1990 to academy in Kharkov/Kharkiv (to ground training only).

In May 1991 in Starokonstantinovsk were deployed 85 GvIAP withdrawed from Merseburg in German Democratic Republic.

Ukraine

Former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic became independent Ukraine 24th August 1991 when USSR splits.
Inherited 217 x MiGs-29 and 67 x Su-27/27UB.
17th March 1992 were formed Військово-Повітряні Сили України (Air Forces of Ukraine)
in 2004/2005 transformed into Повітряні Сили Збройних Сил України (Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine), current user.


In 1991 Ukrainian national emblem Trizub (Trident) was painted initially in blue circle, as on that MiG-29's #44 grey fin. In 1992 some aircraft have rudders in national colours - note that different colours in Trizub and on rudder is not my mistake, also roundel on #44 was not perfect.



MiG-29UB, Ukraine about 1991-1992. In 1991 in 92th regiment in Mukachevo nice leopards were painted on many aircraft.
Note a shape of the Trizub's shield on the fin and a subtle green to cover the red star. Drawing accuracy: 100%.

1993: 145th VAP (винищувальний авіаційний полк, in Ukrainian fighter air regiment) in Івано-Франківськ (Ivano-Frankivsk) was disbanded and replaced in site by 114th regiment withdrawed from Milovice in Czechoslovak Socialist Republic.

1993: 92nd VAP was dislocated from Mukachevo to Васильків (Vasilkiv).


MiG-29UB, Ukraine 2000. When regiment in Vasilkiv celebrated 60th anniversary of the foundation, two aircraft gets special painting (sponsored by Aviaimpex company?): MiG-29 9-13 #35 and MiG-29UB #50. Drawing accuracy: shapes are somewhat approximated.

1995: 100th regiment was disbanded. Its aircraft were delivered to various units (Su-27 to 831st VAP), MiGs-29 to 62nd VAP in Бельбек (Belbek). One squadron left in Saki, its aircraft have then a Ukrainian Navy flags painted on fuselage, instead previous Soviet Navy flags.


MiG-29 #29, Ukraine, Novofyedorivka, about 1997. On the Crimean sun colours of the four-tone camouflage (originally green-lightgreen-cinnamon-sand) quickly faded. Note a non-standard numerals, especially on aircraft #28. Drawing accuracy: somewhat schematic.

In 2000 some MiGs were delivered to College in Vasilkiv, Air Force Institute in Kharkiv and museum in Kiev.

In 2003 85th VAP in Старокостянтинів (Starokonstyantiniv) was disbanded.

In 2004, last (so far) Ukrainian regiment equipped with MiG-29 became a Brigade at Озерне (Ozyernye, Ozerne).

Aerobatic teams

First Ukrainian display team on MiGs-29 was a short-lived team without official name, formed in 1992, equipped with 1 x MiG-29 (number 01) and 1 x MiG-29UB (number 02), from unknown unit, maybe 92th regiment. UkrAF MiG-29 Demonstration Team was called The Tridents by aviation magazine when it appeared in Canada (for the rest of the tour they were called Tridents or Ukrainian Tridents). They visit 17 city during '92 North American tour; '93 tour was not allowed by the authorities, so the team "died". Later one of the Trident team pilots colonel Viktor Rossoshansky organized a new team under the name of Ukrainian Falcons (many thanks to Taras for informations).


MiG-29UB, Ukraine 1992. Drawing accuracy: 100%.

In years between 1997 and 2002 was active the aerobatic group Українські Соколи (Ukrainian Falcons) with MiGs in special paintings (initially with L-39). Team was disbanded after tragic Su-27UB's crash during airshow in 2002 in Lviv airfield Sknilov.


MiG-29, Ukraine 1999. In that painting were aircraft 9-13 and 9-51 with numbers: #101, #102, #103, #104(UB), #105, #106, #108. Drawing accuracy: 100%.


MiG-29, Ukraine 2009. Team's aircraft were overhauled in early '2000 and gets new painting scheme, similar to previous. Numbers (9-13 and 9-51) on fins: #101, #102, #103, #104 (not UB), #105, #106, #111(UB). Today, 2009-2010, four aircraft are still alive, but with numbers changed to #09, #31, #33 and #91(UB) and painted on air intakes (return to original numbers?). Drawing accuracy: 100% (fuselage is really not white, it's not an mistake on drawing).

Withdraw of the 9-12

In August 2008 Ukrainian prime-minister Timoshenko decided to withdraw some oldest MiGs from air force inventory (almost all or even all a 9-12 version) - in total 63 MiG-29/UB, which are stored from years:
MiG-29 :
- 2 (produced 1987) Fyeodosya
- 6 (1985-1987) Sevastopol
- 12 (1983-1987) Vasilkiv
- 16 (1984-1986) LDARZ, Lviv
- 1 (1986) Odesaviarem-servis, Odessa
- 10 (1983-1987) Ivano-Frankivsk
- 13 (198401986) Starokonstyantiniv
MiG-29UB:
- 2 (1986-1988) Vasilkiv
- 1 (1987) LDARZ, Lviv

In 2010 in airfields and repair plant still are stored many aircraft (not only MiGs-29!) in various Soviet and Ukrainian camouflages (painted usually in regiments, not in repair plants).

Various paintings and camouflages


For some reason a great respect in 92th regiment they have to Maestro Леонід Биков.
Leonid Bikov (1928-1979) it was a screenwriter, director and actor in '1973 war drama В бой идут одни "старики" (Only "old man" go to the fight), about a squadron fighting for liberation of the Ukraine during Second World War.
Years ago the Su-15 #41 has its name, and since 1998 MiG-29 #70. After overhauls, an inscription "Maestro Leonid Bykov" and few musical notes are always carefully painted on fuselage. In fact, in nineties it was 9-12, later it was another 9-13 renumbered to #70 and christened "Maestro Leonid Bikov". On drawing is MiG-29 #70 9-13, about 2007.

Many of Ukrainian MiGs were painted not in repair plant, but in local regiments's ТЭЧ технико-эксплуатационная часть (Technical Maintenance Unit). That's why they are completely different from standard MiG-29 pattern. Here's some examples, drawings are somewhat schematic (accuracy of shapes about 80 to 90 percents).


MiG-29, Ukraine 2006. A schema often applied about 2006-2007. Colours vary from green to green-turquiose. Numbers were white with yellow outline, radars were grey.


MiG-29UB, Ukraine 2007. As above, the same regiment, probably in Ivano-Frankivsk.


MiG-29, Ukraine 2007. The azure blotches sprayed on old and faded grey background. Probably regiment in Belbek. Numbers were blue with white outlines.


MiG-29, Ukraine 2007. The camouflage is applied on the aircraft: #21, #24, #26, #30, #32, #33, #50(UB), #51(UB). Almost for sure regiment in Ozyernye. Very, very interesting features: colours, warnings on air intakes in Su-27 style (between 2001 and 2004 9th Brigade in Ozyernye use both Su-27 and MiG-29), colorful "MiG" logos. Numbers are darkblue with white outlines, radars are white.


MiG-29, Ukraine 2006. Same regiment as above. Extremely fun type of the painting, maybe only on one aircraft #29. Note Ukrainian Air Force emblem on fin.


Note: I try to avoid a photos on that website because in most cases I don't record who is the author, but in that specific case I make an exception. Ukrainian colours in 2006, Ozyernye.

Overhauls

OVERHAULS

Since 1992 overhauls of the Ukrainian MiGs (and engines) were realised mainly in Львівський Державний авіаційно-ремонтний завод "ЛДАРЗ" (Lviv State Air Repair Plant "LDARZ") and in "MiGremont" in Zaporizhzhya or sometimes in "Odesaviarem-servis", Odessa.
- державне підприємство "Львівський державний авіаційний ремонтний завод"
- державне підприємство "Запорізький державний авіаційний ремонтний завод "Мігремонт"
- державне підприємство "Одеське авіаційно-ремонтне підприємство "Одесавіарем-сервіс"

Since about 2008 (or earlier) MiGs overhauled in LDARZ are painted in much more conventional manner, with lightgrey background and blotches in nice blue colour (on each aircraft shapes of blotches and a tint of lightblue colour are very slightly different). Two variants of that paintings are applied. In both variants radars are white or grey, numbers white or blue, depends on the unit (tactical brigade). Until Summer of the 2010 almost 20 MiGs were overhauled. Accuracy of the following drawings is high.


First variant of grey-lightblue camouflage. Here's the example: MiG-29MU1 (blue #29) overhauled and upgraded in Lviv DARZ, as it looks in early 2010.


MiG-29, Ukraine 2008. Second variant of camouflage. The camouflage blotches are very canonical in shapes and very similar to original MiG's standard from eighties! Note a shape of protective plate around gun on fuselage.


MiG-29UB overhauled, Ukraine 2008. Did You note a cat on a fin? Blue colour of that MiG-29UB is darker and grey lighter than on all other aircraft.


MiG-29 overhauled, blue three-tone camouflage.

Summary (August 2010)
There's a two variant of the camouflage as showed above, with signifiantly different national mark on fins (see below). First variant has painted trident from left, and second variant from right trident. Apperently they are overhauled in two repair plants: if second variant in Lviv LDARZ, so first must be in Zaporizhzhya.

1st variant with white radar cones:
white numbers with blue outlines: 19 20 21 26 30 35 35(UB) 50(UB)

2nd variant with grey radar cones:
white numbers with blue outlines: 17 90(UB) 91(UB)
white numbers with yellow outlines: 20(UB) 54 55
blue numbers with white outlines: 11(MU1) 22 29(MU1)

Upgrade MiG-29MU1

MiG-29MU1

Since 2008 few MiGs (until Summer 2010 only two #11 and #29) were slightly modernized in Lviv LDARZ to so called MiG-29MU1 standard, incl. satellite navigation systems SN-3307. A little cupola on spine it's a part of the satellite navigation and targeting system - a visual sign of MU1 upgrade. Engines RD-33 are overhauled in Луцький ремонтний завод «МОТОР» (Repair Plant "ENGINE") in Lutsk.


MiG-29MU1, Ukraine 2010.

How many MiGs overhauled between 2012 and 2020 were upgraded to MU1 standard? No precise information: more than ten?

Camouflage

DIGITAL CAMOUFLAGE

Since 2012 Ukrainian MiGs are painted in new scheme - so called digital camouflage. Lower surfaces are greyblue, upper in four colours (five different colours in total).


MiG-29UB, Ukraine 2012. Drawing is a little schematic and only from one side, because for me it was definitively too many small squares!


2012: 02 04 53 85(UB) 90(UB)
2013: 99(UB)
2014: 53 and 02 lost in conflict with Russia
2014: 10(UB), 41, 57(Trident) 86(UB)
2015: 30(UB) 45 71
2016: 01 02(new) 10(UB) 33* 43 73 75
2017: 72 77 91(UB)
2018: 09 (Maestro Leonid Bikov) 10 48 49 74
2019: 81(UB)
2020: 16 17 33 35
*painted by maintainance service of brigade, not in Lviv


All MiGs overhauled since 2012 is painted in digital camouflage - different on each aircraft.
Stunning example is MiG-29 white/yellow 57 (later white/blue) overhauled id December 2014, with Ukrainian national emblem Trizub (Trident) on top.

Mariusz Wojciechowski MiG-29 in colours Colours of the MiG-29 (МиГ-29).
Worldwide aircraft Mikoyan & Gurevich MiG-29 (Fulcrum) camouflage and painting schemes

MiG-29 MiG-29S MiG-29UB MiG-29M MiG-29M2 MiG-29UBT MiG-29SD MiG-29N MiG-29NUB MiG-29K MiG-29KUB
MiG-29AS MiG-29G MiG-29GT MiG-29BM MiG-29SM MiG-29SE MiG-29SMT MiG-29UPG MiG-29SMP MiG-29OVT MiG-35

All aircraft drawings Mariusz Wojciechowski 2005-2023, Słupsk (Poland) mariusz@mariwoj.pl
Everyone can use a drawings for free, if leaving author's name and logo