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Page 1 of 2  What? German MiG-29 Fulcrums
Where? JG73 'Steinhoff', Laage Airbase
When? 08/2003
At the end of August I had the possibility to spent a day with the Jagdgeschwader (fighter squadron) 73 at their homebase Laage near Rostock.
Only one month later the first 5 MiGs were transferred to Poland, so this visit has been one of the last possibilities for me to capture impressions of the jet with certainly the most unusual history of all the fighters that have ever served within the Bundesluftwaffe.
 The MiG-29s are the only jets of the former GDR that have been taken over into service within the Luftwaffe after the reunification of Germany. After adoption to western standarts they served served well under the designation MiG-29G until today. The Fulcrum also made the JG73 worldwide known as it is the only 'western' squadron flying a jet from the 'east' [speaking in pre-1990 terms]. This fact gave the possibility to many foreign pilots to train combat tactics against a real Russian fighter flown by highly experienced pilots and to execute air-air-combats against 'the real thing'. Thus the JG73 was a warmly welcomed participant at NATO exercices in Deci and even numerous times in the United States. When the last MiG-29 will finally be handed over to Poland by the middle of next year Laage will be the first base to transition to the Eurofighter Typhoon, and the pilots and enthusiats will miss their MiGs for sure...!!!
MiGs in the Shelter Area at Laage  ----  |
Last Chance ChecksTake-OffsViews from the TowerMaintenance Hangarinside the No.1 Squadron Building
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