Posted on 11/19/2022 2:29:16 PM PST by lowbridge
Belenko had been a respected pilot with the Soviet Air Defence Forces. But by 1976, he wanted to leave the Soviet Union. At the time, he was based near Vladivostok, as part of the 513th Fighter Regiment, 11th Air Army. The unit lived at Chuguyevka Airbase. It’s worth noting that the Soviet Air Defence Forces were a separate aerial branch from the Soviet Air Force, and that its members were an elite and trusted band. As such, Belenko, too, would be trusted. So much so, that when his blood pressure was elevated on the morning he planned to escape, the flight surgeon believed Belenko when he said he wasn’t nervous about anything, and that his BP was up because he’d been exercising.
Lieutenant Viktor Ivanovich Belenko at the time was learning to fly the new Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 supersonic interceptor jet. Western analysts had not yet examined a real “Foxbat,” and considered it to be a highly capable threat to NATO aircraft. The Secretary of the Air Force, Robert Seamans, had said the MiG-25 was “probably the best interceptor in production in the world today.”
The 29 year old Belenko correctly assumed that the United States would want to obtain a Foxbat.
Belenko planned to deliver one in person, in exchange for asylum. The jet was a voracious consumer of fuel, though, and wouldn’t make it from Chuguyevka to a U.S. or Canadian air base. It could, however, in theory reach a support base in Japan. Maybe.
Belenko set his escape for Sept. 6, 1976, when he would have good weather.
(Excerpt) Read more at sofmag.com ...
His book, “MiG Pilot” is pretty doggone interesting.
Wow.
One thing I’ve noticed is that the West ALWAYS over estimates the enemies capabilities. I guess that is a good thing, but it is getting too expensive to continue that.
I’ve read it several times. It isn’t just about him or flying. It lays bare the crappy lives of thr folks under communism, and reveals the unbelievably stupid, unthinking and arrogance of the communist heirarchy.
Boy this was an interesting story! Thank you for the post :)
Even more expensive to misunderestimate it...
The one thing that sticks out in my memory, 20 some years later, is when he toured the US aircraft carrier, and he doggedly refused to allow anyone to hold the American flight jacket he’d just been given, because he knew it would be stolen.
True, but I wonder if we are truly not estimating it properly. Or do we lie so that we get a bigger defense budget?
I’ll go with Lou gehrig.
If we ever find out they’ll kill us...
“I’ve read it several times. It isn’t just about him or flying. It lays bare the crappy lives of thr folks under communism, and reveals the unbelievably stupid, unthinking and arrogance of the communist heirarchy.”
In other words, they are just like the RATS and RINOS.
I can relate...
I read it as a kid...good read.
We UNDER-estimated the Japanese capabilities in the 1930s. It was a grave mistake. We also underestimated the Russian capabilities in the 1950s. After that ... we make the "mistake" of assuming that their gear and their people are as good as ours.
but it is getting too expensive to continue that.
The welfare state is getting too expensive.
The open border is getting too expensive.
The regulatory state is getting too expensive.
The politically manipulated military procurement cycle is too expensive.
Cut out the unconstitutional garbage like that, and we'll have no trouble staying way ahead of our foreign adversaries.
Seems familiar somehow...
Yes
Don’t think. Do.
Pete Mitchell
I remember going to see that movie. Landed on ice to refuel and takeoff.
Not one of Clint’s more memorable movies but good enough.
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