"We call them flying coffins": the Indian press about the crashes of the MiG-21 fighters

The Indian Air Force MiG-21 fighter crashed in Punjab on Thursday night. The 29-year-old pilot, squadron commander Abhinav Chaudhary, died in the crash. This is not the first such accident this year. Earlier, on March 18, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, a MiG-21 also crashed, resulting in the death of Air Force captain Ashish Gupta.

These planes in our country are called flying coffins.

- noted in the publication DNA.

The MiG series fighters have been the backbone of the Indian Air Force for the past 50 years. Since 1960, more than 850 MiGs have been received. They played a decisive role in the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War, the 1971 battles and the 1999 Kargil War.

As indicated, the service life of these aircraft may exceed 50 years, "but the upgraded MiG-21 is able to hit any modern aircraft in air combat." An example is the destruction of a Pakistani F-16 in 2019.

The combat capability of these aircraft is incomparable, but they set an anti-record in terms of safety.

- indicated in the DNA.

By 2012, about half of Indian fleet out of 872 MiGs were wrecked; over the past 10 years, 20 MiG-21 aircraft have crashed. From 1970 to the present day, more than 180 Indian MiG pilots and 40 civilians have died. However, it is not possible to write them off. The Indian Air Force currently requires 42 squadrons, each of which consists of 18 aircraft, that is, at least 756 fighters are needed.

But we are still behind this number

- noted in the Indian press, justifying the retention of the MiG-21 in the ranks of the Air Force.

Comments

[pytar]

By 2012, about half of the Indian fleet of 872 MiGs were wrecked; over the past 10 years, 20 MiG-21 aircraft have crashed. From 1970 to the present day, more than 180 Indian MiG pilots and 40 civilians have died.

Terrible statistics! This is probably the world's anti-record!

[210ox]

Don't let the Indians fall into the hands. Or I will break, or they will lose.

[NIKN]

The combat capability of these aircraft is incomparable, but they set an anti-record in terms of safety.

No one has such statistics on this aircraft, one of the most accident-free. Counterfeit spare parts are theirs trouble, well, I think national peculiarities are not the least. It's sad to hear this about my favorite plane, which I flew for 12 years. If we collect all the statistics of accidents and catastrophes of all operators of this aircraft, it will not be in half of India alone, even I think the combat losses will not help catch up with them. World record holders damn it.

[Mountain shooter]

Quote: NIKNN

If we collect all the statistics of accidents and catastrophes of all operators of this aircraft, it will not be in half of India alone, I even think that combat losses will not help catch up with them. World record holders damn

Apparently, the service is poor. They fill it with the wrong thing, and so on. In general, it looks like another "company", the goal is not to buy Russian weapons ... And behind that someone's striped ears stick out ...

[NIKN]

Components are solid counterfeit, this has already been noted more than once. The nature of the disasters is atypical, there are a lot of fires in the air, which is typical for us in general given a unit (in my life, once there was a breakdown of the turbine blades), I think routine maintenance is not followed in the same way (and the point is to observe them on counterfeit products, it still does not stand up from maintenance before service) and fly from failure to failure ... It is characteristic that equipment failures are not detected, immediately a catastrophe ... I still don’t understand one thing, why they always have fatalities, the rescue system on this type allows you to escape at any stage of the flight ... In general, some questions. I think it's a national trait to blame it on a healthy one ... Bollywood in one word. Ugh!

[Vladimir Mashkov]

Quote: NIKNN

In general, some questions. I think a national peculiarity ...

The fact that the indopress is in full swing on the plane that served them for 50 years is evidence of both their dishonesty and corruption: they are probably lobbying for someone.
And about the record accident rate, Nikolai, you are certainly right: poorly maintained aircraft do not fly well!

[mvg]

Yes, because again they write crazy numbers. And the moderators skip.

[Herman 4223]

There was a number of 800 planes on the Internet before. For 12000 produced worldwide. It turns out half is India.

[yehat2]

not only service. On the example of the same incident with Pakistan, it can be seen that the pilots do not have very good discipline and organization of flights.
In addition, I am sure that the economy on everything and the rather serious backwardness of the economy in general, also impose their role in the quality of the operation of machines.
As an example, I would like to cite analogies with the operation of the f-104 starfighter in Germany.
This is a much more problematic plane, but the Germans were able to make its losses relatively moderate.

[NIKN]

There is also the fact that the MiG 21 does not have computer diagnostics, unlike modern aircraft, which will not allow flying counterfeit goods (on the F35, a spare part for a specific aircraft from a specific conveyor is monitored), so shove a fuel pump into it, even from a Zhiguli, only if the pressure in the system would rise, so they used it, but now the plane is to blame, I say Bollywood, only here is dancing with technology, it's a disaster ...

[smart ass]

The plane is 60 years old, you need to buy new ones

[NIKN]

Quote: Clever man

The plane is 60 years old, you need to buy new ones

Do not confuse soft with warm please. This aircraft, upgraded for India, MiG-21BIS, MiG 21-93 aka "Bizon", began to be delivered to India in early 2000 (2003 in my opinion), 125 were delivered by the end of 2005. So judge about old age, there is even more resource than they could fly out. The aircraft was brought to the level of the F16 combat effectiveness of that period.
But

Quote: Clever man

need to buy new ones

So for God's sake, why is this plane so undeservedly impudent to find fault with?

[Baron pardus]

And interestno how many Mirages 2000 the Indians managed to screw up. As far as I found the Indians managed to ditch 13 of the 50 they had. Peacetime losses of 25% are something. Although after the demo video with the Hindu Howitzer and its attendants, I (after crawling out from under the table with difficulty) am not surprised at anything in the Hindu army. The most interesting thing is that if the information is correct, then the Mirage 2000 turns out to be twice as reliable as the MiG 21 (25% of the existing mirages are destroyed and 50% of the Migs are destroyed), damn it. Hindus do not even need to fight in order to incur losses.

[pytar]

Don't let the Indians fall into the hands. Or I will break, or they will lose.

I'm not sure if that's the case. They fly quite well in Space.

[isv000]

We flew. On the Vimanas ...

[Hexagon]

What kind of Vimans are there ... There, an ordinary braid has gone into hi-tech not so long ago, and you mean such a "hi-tech of ancient civilizations" XD

[Oleg Aviator]

And it is possible in more detail where there and on what the Indians fly?

[pytar]

And it is possible in more detail where there and on what the Indians fly?

So far, they are sending unmanned space devices. Write to Yandex "Indian space program" and you will learn a lot of interesting things.

[Artem76]

To shoot unmanned spacecraft into space (although this is also an achievement) is far from being a manned flight! When a live person is on board, everything is always much more complicated. And for comparison, how many of these machines were lost during the operation in the USSR?

[pytar]

Undoubtedly, but comparing with where India was 20-30 years ago, one cannot fail to notice its successes in Space! Moreover, they spend much less / 2 times / finance than, for example, Rosskosmos! I think the Indians will succeed. Not easy, but it will work!

[krizis]

"but comparing with where India was 20-30 years ago, one cannot fail to notice its successes in space!"
- in the middle of the 21s, Russia made them a hydrogen accelerator for a penny, which, when trying to reproduce in India, exploded. So we had to do it. Over time, we learned yes. Simply because space does not forgive pranks. And Mig XNUMX is not so fast hitting the hands.
"Moreover, they spend much less / 2 times / finance than, for example, Rosskosmos!"
- they do much less. Well, Roskosmos overtook India in financing only by the middle of the XNUMXs, despite the fact that it had a large and far-sighted infrastructure. inherited from the USSR.
"I think the Indians will succeed. It is not easy, but it will work out!"
- yes, if you suffer for a long time ..

[Grandfather]

Quote: 210ox

Don't let the Indians fall into the hands. Or I will break, or they will lose.

cut themselves ...

[SKVichyakow]

There was no need to use Chinese spare parts, greed ruined them all.

[isv000]

And if you give a metal ball? ...

[OgnennyiKotik]

Well, how much can you use this old stuff? They want a normal lightweight 4-ka type F-16. They have stretched too much with their Tejas. It was necessary to launch joint development and production with Russia or the United States, the edge of France. Alone for too long.

[pytar]

I agree. We think of the same.

[Alexander Seklitsky]

They will drop 16 and f, with their crooked service.

[Pereira]

They fly the same amount on Raphael - compare. I wish I could live.

[lucul]

Terrible statistics! This is probably the world's anti-record!

Everything here depends on the qualifications of the pilot - the MiG-21 has almost no plans, it turned off the gas too early when landing - it will immediately flop on its belly, the wings are very small.

[Yok Migarek]

Quote: lucul

Terrible statistics! This is probably the world's anti-record!

Everything here depends on the qualifications of the pilot - the MiG-21 has almost no plans, it turned off the gas too early when landing - it will immediately flop on its belly, the wings are very small.

And therefore, in the Soviet Union, cadets of 3-4 courses were trained on them. I am embarrassed to ask, what is your raid on the MiG-21? You talk so confidently about flopping on your belly ...

[yehat2]

Quote: Yok-Migarek

what is your raid on the MiG-21

my flight time is 20 minutes as a passenger

[Hog]

The MiG-21 has almost no plans, it turned off the gas too early when landing - it will immediately flop on its belly

The father told them a cadet on a MiG-19 crashed during landing, also removed the thrust when the mechanization was released (as the commission decided) and fell to the edge of the takeoff, but what is the fault of the aircraft?

[Glory1974]

MiG-21 has almost no plans

Modern jet aircraft have a gliding ability at the level of a reinforced concrete slab, and the MiG-21 is no better or worse than others in this regard.

[Puzoter]

Max. the quality of the MIG-21 is about 7 - about the same as that of a paraglider.

[Keer]

Seven What is his horizontal speed? A wingsuit has three or four qualities, for example, and a canopy parachute has zero, what is the best way to land?

[Fitter65]

Quote: pytar

Terrible statistics! This is probably the world's anti-record!

Quote: 210ox

Don't let the Indians fall into the hands. Or I will break, or they will lose.

Well, at one time, the F-104G in Germany was called the "factory of widows", so many accidents and disasters as in the German Air Force with this aircraft were not anywhere else ...

[Ratmir_Ryazan]

In my opinion, the Indians believe.

For 10 years, 20 aircraft, 2 aircraft per year on average, and this is already when the MiG-21 was 40-50 years old, and the remaining 400 they crashed at the very beginning of operation or what ?!

For 10 years in the United States, the F-16 crashed many times more. Moreover, newer ones.

[Ros 56]

Where else is this aircraft in operation, ask yourself a question? Everything has its time, and fly and fall.

[Herman 4223]

Considering that 12+ aircraft were produced in all countries, and 000 of them crashed. That is not such a big accident rate for this aircraft. But for some reason half of them are in India.

[Subtext]

I remember very well how 20-25 years ago we heard the news from India that the most accident-free aircraft (of all, civil and military) in their country was the MiG-21. The truth is somewhere near ...

[ast1]

The USA has the world record, they are the best.

[Vasilenko Vladimir]

"We call them flying coffins": the Indian press about the crashes of the MiG-21 fighters

so what's the matter fly vimanas

[Reserve buildbat]

It's strange ... They've been flying the same planes for half a century, and then suddenly they started to fall ... What a problem ... The dancers, apparently, are unaware that airplanes have a limited resource, like people and everything around them. And if we take into account the innate curvature of the dancers (here, you see, not only Faberge is interfered with), it is strange that only "about half of the MiGs" crashed, and not 80%

[The leader of the Redskins]

Nothing suddenly. I remember very well how, in the late eighties, I was enthusiastically reading the "red star". There was a column on plane crashes. So India was regularly "celebrated" and, what was offensive to us, it was often with the MiG 21! We were still boys, but we were sorry for the proven, military equipment, one might say, the legend!

[Reserve buildbat]

Well, here I agree. The hands of Indian pilots did not suddenly appear, but for centuries it was carefully cultivated as a national trait.

[Prisoner]

They fly in Europe. The only problem is with spare parts. And even though he is an old man, he does not spoil the furrows. Maybe their climate is like that, maybe the maintenance of equipment is different. Why are they so buried?

[Vasilenko Vladimir]

Quote: Captive

Maybe their climate is like that, maybe the maintenance of equipment is different. Why are they so buried?

maybe the gaskets are not the same

[Revolver]

If you get up with an airplane instead of a normal Kama Sutra service, the result will not be long in coming.

[Torins]

It is necessary to serve normally, knowing the Indians - they are people who are extremely philosophical about their work.

[Gennady Fomkin]

Ditch the pilots. For it is necessary to carry out repairs at the country of the producer of brains a lot? And not use the services of dubious individuals.

[Poetry]

Maybe all the same the mug is a curve, not a mirror?

[isv000]

Briefly and in the subject! I took it off my tongue! ...

[Ros 56]

So they have a solid room of laughter, and you say.

[1536]

It is not clear why the Indians need aviation and combat aircraft at all? I remember they have other means of transportation by air. Of course, war machines are not chariots flying through the air. They are dangerous and difficult to operate and maintain.
But, in general, if you look more closely, the latest information coming from India on the issues of military-political cooperation with Russia smells of some kind of bad smell. Someone really wants to break the cooperation with India that has been developing over the years. And they clearly succeed. Voices in support of cooperation with Russia are no longer heard in the ruling circles of India. It seems that a company took place in India, very reminiscent of the "perestroika" in the USSR, which almost ended in the death of the Russian nation. India looked at it from the outside and did not draw any conclusions. I know at least two countries who benefit from it. Unfortunately, they do not know this, or, rather, they do not want to know in India.

[isv000]

And in Serbia, the last of those who served the Motherland for 58 years, the MiG-21, was held with honor, with a parade and honors, as a reliable partner and comrade. And Indian pilots and the newest Migi haut are very complex machines ...

[Poetry]

But they dance and sing.
Jimmy Jimmy, a-cha a-cha. !!!

[isv000]

Here is the urine in their head and knocked, it is not necessary to dance, but to study the materiel ...

[Alex_You]

In 2012, about half of the Indian fleet of 872 MiGs were wrecked; over the past 10 years, 20 MiG-21 aircraft have crashed. From 1970 to the present day, more than 180 Indian MiG pilots and 40 civilians have died.

This is a straight Indian starfighter, widowmaker.

[Oleg Aviator]

Not. For 10 years, 20 aircraft is not a starfighter at all. Read the statistics of non-combat losses. And not just a starfighter. Ф16х for example. Or mirages. For 10 years. And compare.

[isv000]

Have you tried to contact the developer's service? You look and the pilots would be alive ...

[Oleg Aviator]

Eggs get in the way of a bad dancer. And learn to do them normally. The French are right and do not give localization in their factories.

[IL-18]

Even when I was a schoolboy, military pilots praised the MiG-21 for its reliability and simplicity. Well, there was, as it were, dissatisfaction with the MiG-23, with the proviso that an excellent aircraft should be completed soon. It was also in print and other media. Then they began to find fault with our weapons. And the country disappeared.
Indians! I've met comments from you here. If there is a problem, then it is necessary to solve it, and not to throw mud at your weapons, especially, even if under a license, but made by ourselves. Otherwise it will be like with the USSR.

[Pamir]

That the Indians are surprised, this fighter was developed in the 50s. Due to some problems with the exacting training of pilots for it, as well as some technical and flight shortcomings, the 21st is strict and does not forgive mistakes, all countries have written them off for a long time, the newest gliders are 40 years old. the service life of fighters is not 50-60 years, but 35, I mean a specific airframe from the date of release from the manufacturer.
Moreover, it is interesting that most of the accidents of the 21st are associated with the Indian Air Force, this should lead to certain conclusions of the Indians themselves.

[rocket757]

These planes in our country are called flying coffins.

There is nothing to discuss here. The plane HAS BEEN MADE RELIABLE!
You can even break a shovel if you put it on rotten cuttings.

[Alf]

Interesting fact. While the dancers on the MIGs were fighting with the packs, the MIGs flew normally, and then they suddenly became super-emergency. Maybe problems with pilots or parts with crooked handles of mechanics?

[Sergej1972]

Is there some exaggeration that half of these planes crashed? Are the numbers of aircraft crashed over the past decade and the number of pilots and civilians killed following this statement, as if not quite consistent with it? Or I'm wrong? Or is the translation not quite accurate?

[Hexagon]

In, I found, I threw a comment above about high-tech in India. Found the same vidosik there is still a usual high-tech braid, and you are all about airplanes (I exaggerate, of course, but the fact is) XD

[abrakadabre]

And if you show them a reaper from late Ancient Rome:

This is a revolution in India's agriculture. And that there is no horse-drawn traction at hand, there are a lot of them. Four of them will harness and that's all ... They're no stranger to hauling cars there.

[isv000]

Looking for cheaper and more reliable is always fraught. The only reliable aircraft in India
Vimana and Migi ...

[TermNachTer]

The Indians have everything beating. And "drying", and "jaguars", and "Migi". Rafali will soon begin to fall.

[Artem76]

Here, to this tune, I remembered the FAA investigation in the United States about the fall of the boeing-737-max, which said that it seemed like software for these aircraft was also written not in the United States itself, but in India, as if the managers from the boeing decided to save money .. .. although it may be a lie, I won't find the link anymore ...

[Borri]

All in good time.
Quality - where the throttle removed there and fell.
One engine.
And the MiG-15 was good at the time.
And abacus and adding machine ... before the advent of the computer.
Does the Russian Air Force fly the MiG-21?

[Ratmir_Ryazan]

For India, the best option is to negotiate with Russia on the joint production of the MiG-35. I think, with a large batch, the price will be low for a modern 4 ++ fighter, they will cover all their needs, cheap and cheerful, and our MiG will receive funds for further development.

[Sergej1972]

Indians do not pursue cheapness, they agree with expensive and angry.)

[Pavel57]

Quote: Fitter65

Well, at one time, the F-104G in Germany was called the "factory of widows", so many accidents and disasters as in the German Air Force with this aircraft were not anywhere else ...

Germany had less per flight hour than others

[Knell wardenheart]

Edrit to thresh, they would still fly triplanes in their climate for 50 years, there would be worse statistics.

[Azimuth]

The problem is the Indians, not the MiG-21. Low level that's all.

[AC130 Gunship]

The market and suppliers are being redistributed. Russia begins to cooperate with Pakistan. The United States is actively working with India

[maiman61]

We have people who buy a "Zaporozhets", and demand as from a "Mercedes", called rogue!

[Ros 56]

A bad dancer is always hindered by something. So it is for the Hindus.

[Vlad Pervovich]

whims began ... I wonder how they fix the old fleet?

[Olezhek]

"We call them flying coffins"

1 Resource
2 Service
3 Qualification of operators

[akarfoxhound]

Quote: pytar

By 2012, about half of the Indian fleet of 872 MiGs were wrecked; over the past 10 years, 20 MiG-21 aircraft have crashed. From 1970 to the present day, more than 180 Indian MiG pilots and 40 civilians have died.

Terrible statistics! This is probably the world's anti-record!

Yes, you are a dock in world aviation!
According to official data, for 43 years of operation of the F-104 "Starfighter" only in accidents and disasters, not counting combat losses, about two thousand aircraft of this type crashed, over 900 combat pilots were killed. This is half of the combat losses of the US Air Force in Vietnam. In Germany, out of 1216 F-104 aircraft, 592 crashed. 349 pilots were killed. In Canada, out of 554 cars, 288 crashed. 237 pilots were killed. Similar statistics were observed everywhere. In Japan, plane crashes even led to the resignation of the government. Despite this, in Europe, the last "Starfighter" was decommissioned only in 2001. Whereas in the United States, the F-104 was abandoned in the early 1960s.
Do you say MiGar has a world anti-record?

[akarfoxhound]

Quote: pytar

By 2012, about half of the Indian fleet of 872 MiGs were wrecked; over the past 10 years, 20 MiG-21 aircraft have crashed. From 1970 to the present day, more than 180 Indian MiG pilots and 40 civilians have died.

Terrible statistics! This is probably the world's anti-record!

Another source, from the testimony of Clarence Johnson, who is a witness in the case of bribing officials of the German Federal Ministry of Defense in order to accept the Starfighter fighter into service with the Luftwaffe:
292 German F-104Gs were lost in flight accidents, killing 116 pilots. A third of those built.
For comparison: the accident rate of Soviet fighters was expressed by approximately the same values: MiG-21 - 4422 hours of flight time per accident

[yuratanja1950]

"The Indian Air Force currently requires 42 squadrons, each of which consists of 18 aircraft, that is, it needs at least 756 fighters."...

I never tire of wondering - why does India need such expenditures on the Armed Forces?
Are you going to attack someone? Or really for self-defense?
However, looking at various videos with the participation of their military, one involuntarily thinks about the vitality of the expression: "Equipment in the hands of a savage is a pile of scrap metal" ...
I fully support the comments of NIKNN (I'm afraid to make a mistake in the spelling of the nickname) ...

[Lt. Air Force stock]

Quote: yuratanja1950

I never tire of wondering - why does India need such expenditures on the Armed Forces?
Are you going to attack someone? Or really for self-defense?
However, looking at various videos with the participation of their military, one involuntarily thinks about the vitality of the expression: "Equipment in the hands of a savage is a pile of scrap metal" ...
I fully support the comments of NIKNN (I'm afraid to make a mistake in the spelling of the nickname) ...

Why why, they have tense relations with China and Pakistan. China has a powerful army, so they are trying to achieve parity.

[Sergej1972]

A country with a population of nearly 1 billion, which considers itself a great power and leader of South Asia, must have large military spending.

[jurijsv]

Gypsies save on original spare parts

[Gunther]

Quote: DNA

These planes in our country are called flying coffins.

no, it's just that they have the wrong system and their hands grow out of their ass like an octopus and their head is there)))

[konstantin68]

... The MiG series fighters have been the backbone of the Indian Air Force for the past 50 years. Since 1960, more than 850 MiGs have been received ...
However, the USSR-MTF! Great country!

[Protos]

Quote: pytar

By 2012, about half of the Indian fleet of 872 MiGs were wrecked; over the past 10 years, 20 MiG-21 aircraft have crashed. From 1970 to the present day, more than 180 Indian MiG pilots and 40 civilians have died.

Terrible statistics! This is probably the world's anti-record!

English Lightning F.Mk. 165 dead and crippled pilots

[Skyscream]

"... over the past 10 years, 20 MiG-21 aircraft have crashed. Since 1970, more than 180 Indian MiG pilots and 40 civilians have died."
I'm embarrassed to ask, do they have a MIG-21 for six? And two stewardesses aboard, you understand?

[isv000]

Ay, well done! For dry numbers, you will not immediately understand the subtle Indian humor! ...

[Alexei]

They do not know how to fly an airplane, they do not carry out maintenance work and modernization, and they want a miracle from an ancient airplane. Buy SU27, 31, 57 or MIG 33 ?!
IN THE NATO COUNTRIES FLY AND FLY (former Warsaw Club) MIGs and PROBLEMS WITH THEM THERE ARE NO !!!
THE ARABS MIGi 21 FLY WITH THE ASIANS, NO PROBLEMS WITH OPERATION!
And the Indians have problems with fifty-year-old planes ... Indians in one word!

[decimalegio]

I ask for a sincere opinion and without revenge. What is better MiG 21 or Chengdu J-7. Many Western sites prefer the Chinese model. Of course in the latest versions

[isv000]

For the sake of research: if the Indians are given a metal ball, what will happen? Will they break, lose or try to establish production? ...