Why did Finland have Soviet MiG-21s?

[@MilitaryAviationHistory]

UPDATE2: It took KZbin somewhere around 110h to manually review this video and once again monetize it. Please consider supporting my channel over Patreon: www.patreon.com/Bismarck UPDATE: It has now been close to 96 hours for KZbin to not have monetized this video or reviewed it. Hey all, sadly KZbin has not yet fully monetized this video after it was struck sometimes between last Thursday - this Tuesday. KZbin has, as usual, NOT sent me any message that this happened. As I am on the road, I only saw it on Tuesday. I immediately asked for a manual review. This has not happened as of today (Thursday) 11:43pm GMT+2. Effectively, I am earning nothing from this video and continously wrestle with this problem just like many other KZbinrs. Please consider supporting me over Patreon, to decrease my dependency on KZbin and place more power into your hands, which benefits my content creation.

[@evanc4360]

Bismarck what the fuck why's it de-monetized

[@evanc4360]

Not one conterversial thing in here

[@MilitaryAviationHistory]

Evan C Just KZbin's algorithm ruining our days, the system doesn't work properly yet...if it ever will...

[@evanc4360]

Bismarck man they need to fix that it's screwing people over

[@brandonkyc1472]

KZbin is trying to sensor you, and this wonderful piece of history because it has a chance to hurt someone's feelings in someway. We live in a PC world, and it isn't right.

[@Der_Moosenheimmannchesterton]

The finnish balancing act was soo balanced that they had both jets.

[@lauriwiren6398]

Well, it is a long story. In the 70's Sweden was worried when FAF was retiring it's Folland Gnats and was thinking about making Pori airfield into a MiG-base. Because this was the most western airbase in Finland, swedes didn't like the idea and offered ex-Swedish Air Force Drakens for lease. After a while there were two MiG-bases (Pirkkala and Rissala) and two Draken-bases (Pori and Rovaniemi). Too bad that the Drakens never had proper armament and were equipped with the rotten AIM-4 Falcon. MiG's had up-to-date armament of K-13 AA-missiles.

[@herptek]

It was something of an offer Finland couldn't refuse. But hey, if it ended up like the Soviets offering one of their better planes not even available to all of their allies for neutral Finland it wasn't really worth it to start arguing over it. It remains the fastest plane there ever has been in Finnish airforce service.

[@mikkorenvall428]

@@herptek Jep. As one MIG pilots told... Pilots boasts over being in the Mach 1 Club... And then old MiG pilots asks "Any other from Mach 2 Club on the spot?"

[@TheRetu81]

Another reason for Soviets' offer was that western powers had, up to that time, occasionally used Finnish airspace for their reconnaissance flights. So it was in Soviets' interest to secure their western flank with a neutral country, that could defend their own airspace if need be. There was also an interesting complication with the plane deal: the Paris Peace Treaty, which Finland had signed after the WWII with Soviet Union and the Western Allies, forbade Finland for having missile technology. The peace treaty was re-interpreted in such a way that Mig-21 was considered an interceptor and the missiles it would carry were defensive in nature. Hence the missile armament was in line with the limitations of the treaty.

[@JanoTuotanto]

That was the real reason, filling the air defense void. Not from spy planes, but actual WW3. Tension for Cuban crisis was already building up between east&west. 1961 Soviet note for immediate mutual military consultations following the Berlin crisis was the reason for Kekkonen going to USSR in the first place. In any case the competitor for MiG had not been Draken but Mirage III. Draken came later as a consolation - it was not a true Mach 2 jet after all. But In that situation buying NATO fighter was out of the question. And previous Finnish fighter was Folland Gnat, acquired just 5 years earlier,.Vampires had been phased out by then.

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

Fins would never defend Soviet airspace in a knockdown drag out between the USSR and NATO. Consider that Finland allowed the overflight of 4 B-52's on their way to overfly the Baltic States earlier this year.

[@fadlya.rahman4113]

Andrew Tubbiolo The only reason why Finland can maintain it's neutrality during the cold war was because the Soviet pledged to give military aid to the Finland in case NATO decide to attack Finland in exchange for Finland neutrality. Once Soviet gone, there's nobody strong enough to defend Finland. US will not take no for an answer and and will overfly Finland airspace with or without consent. Neutrality be damn. Remember "You Are With Us Or Against Us".

[@levvy3006]

America and NATO telling others what they can and cannot have. Hypocrite scum. This is why Finland joined the Arctic Alliance with Russia and Iceland.

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

What planet do you live on? NATO attack Finland? Did Finland poise 200 motorized rifle divisions to pour into Western Europe? Could Finland flood Western skies with over 4000 combat aircraft? Could she surge 300 warships past the GIUK Gap? Or are you suggesting that NATO has a urgent need for reindeer and sausage soup? If you're going to claim that NATO needs customers for it's arms, well I'm sure you're aware Finland replaced it's Drakens and MiG-21s with F/A-18s. They seem to have made that decision of their own free will unless you have some evidence to show otherwise.

[@wrnchhead76]

He's not a robot.....this changes everything

[@mistahsusan2650]

that's exactly what a robot would _want_ you to think.

[@mlugin8050]

Mistah Susan he looks like a russian robot

[@General_Dave_1]

HE'S A SYNTH!!!!!!!!

[@theangryphotographer9173]

mlugin pretty sure he's German.

[@mlugin8050]

theangryphotographer he is german i was just kidding

[@Sodomantis]

- "Dimitri, how many vodkas did we have in the sauna last night?" - "I don't know Yuri, but you promised the Finns a shitload of MiGs if they could drink more then you." and the rest is history.

[@mikkolappalainen2618]

Finno-Russo politics in a nut shell. It actually is almost like that, there is lots of recordings about how the decisions were made and that Soviets trusted a man that they could drink with more. They always offered Vodka when Kekkonen went Fishing / Hunting with Soviet lead. They wanted to deal with a mate not just formally. Also soviets spent time in Finland's summer alot, fishing, hunting, sauna and drink. Kekkonen was so succesfull in politics that there is law in Finland that says one president can't be president for more than two 6 year seasons of precidency, except Urho Kekkonen who can be as long as he wants (kekkonen's exception law). Kekkonen was also people's man, at that time, you could ask a permission to do anything illegal straight from him, and if you got positive answer, you could do that thing. There is stories for people under 18 asking for driving licence and getting it, as well as story of two 15 years old wanting to get married and receiving "yes" from kekkonen so they could do it.

[@abalduj]

Damn man never knew that things, thanks for insights. Anyway Perkele is sounds damn good ;-) even through I'm half russian. I love finish nature and people and sauna with vodka :)))

[@crymp2057]

Andreas This made my day!

[@hoijarvi]

A Finnish Soviet trade diplomat had to have bigger liver than brains.

[@LongVu-lh9el]

So basiclly he is a dictator if compare with Western Standand. But a good dictator btw

[@1986tessie]

60+ years old and it still looks very nice.

[@svetko05]

1986tessie This one is a "bis" (latest) variant and it was made in the mid 80's

[@1986tessie]

svetko05 wow that is still really impressive, the life span of the aircraft and it still makes it 30+ years old.

[@valbeaumont8402]

They still look airworthy. Finns are a decent bunch and might have the good heart to consider donating some of these to the beleaguered Syrians.

[@zacharyp10]

1986tessie My fav. looking jet

[@per_scep_tivegamer879]

its looks anything but nice, more like a mean looking plane.

[@alloydog613]

My mate was an airframe technician in the Finnish airforce and worked on the MiG21s. He said the Mig21s were good value, as each aircraft came with a container with enough spares to virtually build another aircraft and that the thing was designed to be maintained by two old ladies with a screwdriver!* OK, that was a joke, but he was just commenting how easy it was to keep it flying.

[@MrHockeycrack]

Dunno too much about MiG21, but it was an absolute first class 2 Mach fighter Jet in its time. Was a giant leap from d.H. Vampires and Folland Gnats until the date. Shows just how important Finland was as a puffer zone (and presumed rough time ally) for Soviets. Though a vast majority of Finns were never agreed with the latter.

[@kevinyaucheekin1319]

However by contempary standards it was unsafe and it had a somewhat high attrition rate even in peace time operations and was a widow maker especially in the earlier years of its introduction. This was rectified somewhat by improve revised training protocols, 2 seater Mig 21 delicated training aircraft, more reliable engines, aerodynamic modifications to reduce landing speeds lower speed handling and improve ejection seats. Also it was not a true fighter more a interceptor design with supersonic USAF high flying nuclear bomders in mind.

[@Bialy_1]

@@kevinyaucheekin1319 You failed to mention the biggest problem with early MiG-21... so its clear that you have very limited knowledge about the topic...

[@kevinyaucheekin1319]

@@Bialy_1 Enlighten me please. Accept my understanding is limited.

[@Ba_Yegu]

@@Bialy_1 It's been reported at least in the service of FAF that the original MiG-21 became unbalanced with the fuel tanks filled to the brim. At least FAF took off their MiGs with not full tanks, which unfortunately made the range of the original MiG-21 even shorter than it already was. The later MiG-21bis had larger fuel tanks and the aerodynamic balance was at least somewhat also corrected. The safety record of the MiG-21's in FAF service was very good, probably a lot better than the MiGs had in Soviet Air Force. By comparison the SAAB Draken's in FAF use had an even better record, so of course a lot of these achievements went for the excellent mechanics and sound maintenance protocols and culture of the FAF.

[@PlaneDrawings109]

So thats what you look like!

[@moirakadhan745]

I visited the Bucarest air museum, when I was very young, and it was really impressive. Dozens of Mig-21s, Su-22s, and even a big Mig-29, just rusting outside. And in the backyard of the army museum, there was also a Mig-17. No wires or guardians whatsoever, you could approach the planes very close. For the 10 or 12 years old lil' girl I was, that was so impressive.

[@moirakadhan745]

A plane "buff" girl ? Heh, sorry, my english is not perfect, and I don't really understand that bit.

[@carlistasycia]

Buff means someone who is very pasionate about a topic

[@moirakadhan745]

M'okay, thanks ! And we are not THAT few. I think...

[@jikseri5065]

Moira Kadhan not that many girls are interested in ww2 and cold war planes...

[@moirakadhan745]

Well, I don't really know why. From WWI to the 70s, it's pretty damn interesting, in my opinion. In the air or on the ground.

[@joojoojeejee6058]

Fun fact: Finns noticed that American Sidewinder missiles were interchangeable with Russian Atolls... Finns had both. Sidewinders were meant for Draken (and BAE Systems Hawk) and Atolls for MiG-21.

[@wwclay86]

Atoll was a direct copy of the Aim -9b

[@decam5329]

@@wwclay86 I think the plans where from Sweden. (Espionage, not volintery.)

[@wwclay86]

@@decam5329 there's a picture of a Volkswagen bus driving thru a NATO check point with a sidewinder sticking out the back! I couldn't believe it when I saw it, did some research and it's true! Craziest thing I ever saw...

[@wwclay86]

There was a sidewinder stolen by a known KGB spy and mailed to Russia!

[@Thee_Snow_Wolf]

@@wwclay86 I know this a bit late, but please say you remember where you saw this picture. This is something I'd love to see.

[@keijo8238]

President keskonen :DDDDD Keskonen means a baby that was born too early

[@OldieBugger]

HEHE! I noticed it too. Hilarious.

[@jikseri5065]

Keijo 420 laugh of the day :)

[@jaakkooksa5374]

Which is worse, being a premature baby or being cuckoo? :-)

[@Batavia2000]

Fug :DDDDDDD

[@Pentti_Hilkuri]

Shut the kek up! Finnish ain't all that easy to pronounce, not while you're sober anyway. And at least he gave it a try.

[@TNX255]

Points for Mr. Bismarck for knowing the difference between the old air force swastika and the other one that had nothing to do with it, but still caused them to change it to a circle.

[@cheese802com]

A 'little' crisis in cuba

[@4tonnesoffury329]

SimplySquidy It almost ended in the destruction of the world no biggie.

[@flatusfi]

Sarcasm ?

[@joojoojeejee6058]

Where do Americans put nukes? Europe has its own nukes, we don't need American nukes.

[@Legitpenguins99]

@Freak159753 because two wrongs make a right? The Russians knew the Cubans were not trustworthy

[@benjaminpadilla1464]

@Freak159753 Well Cuba is much closer to the US, at least Russia didn't have many strategic targets near Turkey or Greece, which is where we had missiles stationed

[@the88tench3]

I wonder if the Finnish pilots perfected some sort of Scandinavian flick in the MiG 21, like their motorsport counterparts did with basically anything with 4 wheels!

[@peaweyweawey6627]

Now since you asked - Yes they did, but with Swedish Draken... I heard this early -80s directly from Draken mecanics. Draken pilot manual states that if Draken goes to Flat Spin, you must eject immediately. They in Saab Industries got short letter from Finland: "You have error in your pilot manual at page nnn. Draken flat spin can be corrected by pilots manouuver. You do abc and then xyz and you are safe". Saab Industries sent quick reply "Really? How can you know". Short reply from Finland "Because Pilot Ylitalo just brought jet down safely after Flat Spin" (Sorry can't remember exact pilot name anymore) 6 months later new letter from Finland: "You have another error, actually two, in Draken piot manual. It says that there are sometimes mysterious fire disasters inside left wing and pilot should eject immediately. It should state that cause is known and is caused by generator overheating" Quick reply from Saab Industries "How can you tell that from burned down wreckage?" Short Reply from Finland: "Because our pilot did not eject immediately, as your pilot manual erroneusly suggested, but grought plane down safely and we could put down the fire and examined what had happened." Reply from Saab industries: "And the pilot must have been Mr Ylitalo from Rovaniemi Air Base Heh?" Short reply from Finland: "Same guy, yes" Do you know, funniest part of this story is that it has really happened, and it was very same iceman who saved 2 Drakens even Pilot manual suggested to eject immediately. Guy worth his salary in my opinion.

[@Haukka790]

Yes they did. Finnish pilots did use all of the usable envelope, which was restricted for Soviet pilots. Ie alfa.

[@peaweyweawey6627]

Maybe some exceptional individuals step up because during Continuation war and cold war era we had very limited resources in FAF. Actually I saw that kind of 'debriefing' only few times. Fighter pilot brains need to be kept in good shape if you want to survive in fight against aenemy with bigger numbers. But there was one strange exception :-) I witnessed wiith my own eyes early -80's one test pilot doing free 'hammer testing' of old Mig-21F (that silver one) that was already running out of its serrvice hours. I quarantee he was sober when he took off to blue sky, but after returning from test flight, he barely could get down from cockpit with his own feets. We were wondering was he drunk (I mean totally wasted drunk). No he wasn't, we understood that after we checked G-force log! I can tell that human body can take more G:s than textbooks says :-) As kudos for Mig-21F it also almost survived that treatment - except wings. That plane never ever returned to flight after that. It would be interesting to know has anybody else in the world managed to destroy that model by just manouvering it with high speed (and returned back home alive).

[@panthoni]

Apparently the pilot who corrected the flat spin and took down the plane with the burning generator was was Veli Taka

[@a.morphous66]

cs sc Finns are not Scandinavian, but Nordic. They’re easy to get confused, but Scandinavia is Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Iceland. The Nordics are those nations plus Finland and (very loosely) Estonia.

[@ryanvargas4889]

Great video! Finland has a fascinating military /political history.

[@_datapoint]

Fascinating tour of the Finnish Mig-21! Good show! Thanks!

[@AdurianJ]

The finnish air force tested putting an AIM-9B sidewinder on the rail of an AA-2 Atol and it worked, the AA-2 is a soviet copy of the sidewinder built from stolen drawings.

[@BabyGreen162]

AFAIK they reverse engineered a Taiwanese sidewinder that failed to detonate and got lodged in a Chinese Mig-17

[@barneyfromblueshift]

This is true.

[@jwenting]

hmm, supposedly it was a North Korean Mig-15 that got an American AIM-9 lodged in its tail during the Korean war...

[@DJEDzTV]

STOLEN DRAWINGS

[@Leonidae]

Sekrit dokumints

[@noth606]

When I was on the Tikkakoski Air Force base in 2000/2001 there were a bunch of junk Mig-21's standing there taking space, and the officers were saying more or less jokingly that if we took it away on our own we could have one, or more for that matter. Would have been one weird lawn ornament hehehe.

[@unclejoeoakland]

Jezza would do it. In fact, he did...

[@Hebdomad7]

Turns out buying weapons from your neighbours is a good way to stop them from invading you.

[@vill5325]

2024 update.... Didn't age well

[@rincewind214]

I was at that museum looking at that very plane just a couple of weeks ago. Thank you for giving some backstory!

[@fishbed2307]

Great video! Ive always been interested in the MIG-21 and been really curious how Finland managed to get them!

[@michaelcayce4729]

Very interesting; was nice to get an up close look at this aircraft.

Hmm... You gave me the idea to write an article about Finnish MiG-21s for the Hungarian aviation magazine Aranysas (Golden Eagle). Thanks. :)

[@bluedog0012able]

Tamás Polgár any idea how Hungary keeps them flying? Where do you guys get your spare parts for the jets?

[@kayraaa2646]

Hey, can you talk about Fw-190s and Spitfires flying side by side in Turkish Air Force? Turkey was in a peculiar spot during WW2 like the Finns were during the cold war.

[@somebloke8114]

you also had spits vs spits

[@barneyfromblueshift]

Not that crazy, when you think about it. They were a new nation being formed after the collapse of war machine. It made a lot of sense for them to get whatever military equipment they could, and the fall of Nazism lead to all sorts of quality goods on the market. I do agree that it was a little ironic, though!

[@kayraaa2646]

When?

[@tyttiMK]

Kayraaa2 Not as peculiar as Finland during WWII. Finland had several different planes from many different countries, German, British, American, French etc. and even some Soviet planes taken as war booty... Finland was also the only country where German soldiers had to salute the Jewish officers when they outranked them.

[@HBK-6S]

The S-199 was a Czech built fighter from after the war, but yes it's literally just a Bf109G-6 with a different engine. IIRC the Israelis used Kar98ks sent from Yugoslavia or other Eastern European nations that had been captured from the Nazis during the war.

[@TheR23ok]

Yuguslavia recieved its first Mig 21 (5) in September 1962 and Yugoslavia was not part of Warshaw pact.

[@TheR23ok]

tangosix.rs/2015/02/11/istorija-domace-upotrebe-lovca-presretaca-mig-21/

[@TheR23ok]

Bismarck ist saying Finland got Migs first outside Sovyet Union. Obviously Yugoslavia got them before so his statement is wrong. I am also providing source for my claim. But thank you for your insightful response. I am sure whoever reads it will appriciete it.

[@TheRetu81]

For Finland (going by Jyrki Laukkanen: Mig-21 in Finnish Air Force) the timeline was as follows: October 1961: Note Crisis. USSR proposes military consultation in response to the threat posed by Western Germany November 1961: Finnish President Urho Kekkonen travels to Novosibirsk and manages to dissuade USSR from military consultation. Foundation for the fighter purchase laid down. January 1962: Finnish delegation travels to Moscow, where they are offered the new Mig-21. February 1st 1962: Contract is signed for the purchase of 20 Mig-21F-13 fighters and 4 Mig-15UTI trainers. May 10th 1962: Contract is signed for the personnel training in USSR. July 30th 1962: Training delegation departs. August 3rd 1962: Pilot training starts in Lugovaya, Kazakhstan. November 10th 1962: 4 Mig-15UTI trainers are delivered by Soviet pilots to Rissala Air Base. Finland November 28th 1962: Pilot training ends. April 24th 1963: The first 10 Mig-21F-13 are delivered by Soviet pilots to RIssala Air Base, Finland May 9th 1963: The first flight of Mig-21F-13 in Finland. November 1963: The final batch of Mig-21F-13s are delivered to Finland.

[@alaric_]

Yugoslavia was as close to the Warsaw Pact as you could be without being part of it; a socialist state in Europe during cold war with a socialist dictator as a leader. Still, not really allied with either east or west. That way it was like Finland. Except Finland was a democracy with freedom of speech and good terms with west. So selling MiG:s to Finland was way riskier than selling them to Yugoslavia. But it does seem to be that in the strict sense, you are right, Yugoslavia was first non-Warsaw Pact country to get them. In looser terms, Finland was the first democratic country to operate them, outside the the communist bloc.

[@castor3020]

Джон Скрельник Oh so Yugoslavia did have democratic elections and multiple political parties? No wait, they didn't, all opposition was illegal and the power was given to Tito, that sounds awfully familiar... kind of like ALL THE DICTATORS IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND.

[@Internetzspacezshipz]

Keep in mind that pilots inherently have a higher chance of cancer due to higher radiation levels at altitude, meaning those Finnish pilots who died of cancer probably didn't suffer their fate because of an nuke detonated so far away.

[@jwenting]

they couldn't have, the amount of radiation they'd have received wouldn't have been nearly enough to cause a radiation burn, let alone cancer. They would have been exposed though to all kind of carcinogenic substances during their years of operating the aircraft, ranging from hydraulics fluids, hypergolic fuels (for weapons, starters, etc.), asbestos (even in their face masks, gloves, fire proof suits, etc.) and many others.

[@Internetzspacezshipz]

CaptainDuckman I'm talking about pilots in general, civilian pilots and flight attendants have higher cancer chances. Neither of them spend much or any time messing around with carcinogens. Perhaps military pilots have a higher chance than civilian pilots due to the things you mentioned though.

[@koyotekola6916]

@@Internetzspacezshipz Could it be that airline pilots a stewardesses have higher cancer rates because of rarer atmosphere at higher altitudes? Some nuclear particles get stopped by air, others don't.

[@jikseri5065]

I live so near that place :) so nice that you visited Finland

[@pakistanifoods]

Awesome 👍 Superb👌 Fully Informative video

[@MrJonnycm]

Dude you can say swastika, it's not a swear word

[@MrS22222]

To KZbin it is, it's probably why they demonized a completely historical video. KZbin is losing it.

[@benwinter2420]

The AI would have picked it up & he would have been sent to the gulag again

[@Repented008]

Ben Winter Looool!

[@videodistro]

KZbin analyses all the speech on videos. They pretty much demonitize and possibly ban videos that show or show swastikas. Germany bans all videos on youtube that show, and maybe even say it. Blame them, not Bismack.

[@raygiordano1045]

I thought he was referring to the symbol that represents the artist formerly known as Prince.

[@EDUCATIONGUY-l4e]

MIG-21 : AK-47 OF COMBAT JETS!

[@leithesocialistyuricon8981]

Really good and interesting story

[@jorgechichiri5792]

Thank you for explaining this intetesting little piece of aviation history.

[@EvoSwatch]

actually, in early 1960s Indonesia, received a total of more than 100 MiG-15, 17, 19, and 21 also IL-28 and TU-16 and many eastern friendly nations also received similar equipment

[@czdaniel1]

Were the IL-28 and TU-16 equipped for land targets or anti-ship/Submarine duty?

[@EvoSwatch]

Indonesia have TU-16KS-1 and IL-28 TU-16KS-1 For anti Ship and Surface warfare Indonesian AirForce have standart IL-28 while the Indonesian Navy have IL-28T (Torpedo Bombers) and IL-28U (Training)

[@arielalexandroarnaldo2238]

After-the-Tu-16-was-retired-from-Soviet-service-in-favor-of-faster-strike-aircraft-like-the-Su-24-Fencer, China upgraded the Tu-16 to make the H-6 as proof of its skill in upgrading legacy Soviet equipment.

[@catfish552]

Great video! I knew Finland had MiG-21s, but I had never really thought about the timeframe. But the pilots training around the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis... that certainly puts things in perspective.

[@tramachi7027]

Finland and Yugoslavia were both states with an special pact (each of them), that said that they are not allowed to join one of the opposing sides (NATO/Warsaw Pact)...with the good side effect, that both countrys did had the ability to buy and use western aswell as eastern (war) technologys/machines. The Warsaw pact, the NATO and the two countrys had to sign that said pact inorder to make it legit. Funny enough till today Finland hasnt joined the Nato yet and declined the latest invite (2017) to it (Sweden did the same)

[@jikseri5065]

TraMaChi there was no invite to Nato... Our minister just decided that its not a wice decicion to join Nato... if we were to join Nato; Russia would probably send subs right to our border to watch what we are doing... you know how Putin is :(

[@tyttiMK]

Blah b LOL! Like the Western Allies with Stalin?

[@bademoxy]

swedish equipment is all NATO standard- NONE is russian

[@ricardosoto5770]

Finland became a buffer state... Stalin decided that it was to costly to invade and instead let the Finns have a western system with a catch, Finland was to be surservient to the interest of the URSS in defense matters. So Finland was spared a comunist gob put has to buy soviet stuff and stay away from NATO... Yugoeslavia was the same.... Tito was a communist but a independent minded one. So invading Yugoeslavia to force into the Warsaw Pact discipline was to costly... and west was in good terms with him. So they let them become neutral. And a buffer between Italy and the Warsaw Pact. Same with Austria.

[@ricardosoto5770]

Finland eventually got AK 47s (improved Valmet M 62 and 76) T 55s T 72 and Mig 21s and Buk missiles. But also Drakens and F 18s.

[@lucagagliani5078]

thank you so much for this vid! It has been a pleasure to hear so many interesting (and unknown, at least for me!) things! Cheers from Italy!

[@elishaistomin6203]

Beautiful plane, my favorite aircraft of all time actually

[@brendaproffitt1011]

Incredible video..Thank you so much for your videos too..

[@marcusrussell8660]

I love the MIG 21. I highly respect Finland due to it's resistance to Russia in the Second World War. I own a M-39 rifle made from the Russian Moysant-Nagant. One of the best variations in 7.62x54r. The Finns walked a tightrope to not anger Russia yet keep as much independence as possible after the war.

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

It's always cool to finally see up close a piece of aviation history that you've only read or seen videos about.

[@romeolr10]

We still have it and use it in Romania,very good aircraft! ;)

[@bluedog0012able]

Romeo Laurentiu haven't they been replaced by Portuguese F16s or are you guys using both aircraft?

[@kadar51]

Romeo Laurentiu Oh, really? Ask a Mig-21pilot how well can he see anyone coming at him from behind. The IAF downed so many of them til they lost the count...

[@ricardosoto5770]

Probably the best aircraft Mig build..

[@ricardosoto5770]

@@kadar51 The Mig 23 was even worse. But 2 and 3 Gen fighters had poor rearward visibility... look at the Mirage, F 104, F 8, F 4... Bubble canoply came back in the 4 gen fighters.

[@everyone7748]

i love the mig! thank you for this video. It was enjoying seeing it! well done :)

[@AdurianJ]

That's a late model mig21 behind him though !

[@FinnishDragon]

You are right about that. The Finnish Aviation Museum does have a page in Finnish and in English for that MiG-21BIS with fuselage number MG-135: www.ilmailumuseot.fi/tuotteet.html?id=20738/264013

[@peaweyweawey6627]

You are correct. That is later model called Mig 21 Bis which was delivered to Finnish Air Force late 70's. I'm not familiar with Bismarks story, but I quess he is referring Mig 21F which was bit smaller and always silver color opposite to green brown camoflage painted as all Bis models were. Mig 21F models were delivered in -60's How do I know the difference? I have made daily- and between flights cockpit check ups for Bis models propably for this exact one also. At least I remember performing checks early -80's on exactly that MG-130 found nowdays in Sight seeing terrace of verkkokauppa.com in Helsinki. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iIXbeaR9j6Z_eZI BTW. My favourite was always MG-124.

[@arodrigues2843]

Correct !!! That's a MiG-21 bis, NOT the earlier model.!!!

[@spavatch]

IIRC the F13 had a single piece canopy that tilted forward. Newer variants such as MF and Bis had a two piece with forward windshield piece that was fixed and the overhead piece that tilted to a side.

[@vaccuumrolls7243]

@@spavatch the 21F-13 also didn’t have the double barreled 23 gun on the bottom seen in this video, rather a single 30mm with the barrel on the side of the nose, as well as had a more tapered nose and smaller shock cone.

[@Scott-fj9uf]

Thank you for this. I love Suomi, the former CCCP and aviation. This was fascinating. :):):)

[@lukedaduke3533]

Your hair is... German

[@dowmein]

Luke da duke beckneared

[@General_Dave_1]

Is that a racial Slur? (JK)

[@pineconepinetree2578]

Luke da duke ii

[@fornsphin]

Fabulous.

[@MilitaryAviationHistory]

You wait until I have a proper mullet!

[@Nexxxus123]

Amazing videos man. You're extremely informational. I Use to play FA-18 Kuwait and Korea when I was a kid. Your flight simulation videos are tops. Great channel.

[@PugViking]

You look waaaay younger than I thought you where.

[@nedks11]

Really, he always sounded really young to me. Maybe its because there are a lot of germans in the UK

[@neilwilson5785]

And Chinese. And lots more. It's an interesting city.

[@warnerjohnson1338]

With research skills and access to the internet, (plus some multi language competence), a snot nose 10-year old can be an authority on most any topic. Feldon's stubble is a feeble attempt to appear older I think. He's a worthy source of very interesting aviation history, in any case, we can agree on that, aye?

[@zoolkhan]

another top class video. Youre the man. thanks, and best regards from... yes... FINLAND :-)

[@guilhemschenkeveld5145]

He's actually quite good looking....

[@itmooh]

I agree, the pointed nose and stubby wings make him attractive.

[@federalcasemaker]

@@itmooh and the forest camo makes it perfect

[@jjberry1648]

Very interesting. You have a good delivery style - I enjoyed listening to you.

[@smigoltime]

Phew. there's shit ton of all migs standing everywhere in Poland, not only in museums xd

[@arielalexandroarnaldo2238]

From-1945-to-1990, Poland was part of the Soviet Union, so it made use of license-built Soviet hardware such as automatic rifles and light machine guns that were converted in 1999 to use Western 5.56mm cartridges in line with NATO membership.

[@smigoltime]

well I know it

[@LEJapproach]

That's really one interesting bit of aviation history! Never knew about that, so thanks for teaching me more knowledge I can use for showing off! 😉😃

[@prieten49]

In the West, we had the pejorative term "Finlandization" to characterize the relationship of Finland to the Soviet Union during the Cold War. As long as Finland remained neutral between the NATO and Warsaw Pact, as long as Finland didn't irritate the USSR in any way, the Soviet Union left Finland alone. Actually, Austria was in the exact same situation, but no one talks about the "Austria-ization" of a country! This status was also offered to Adenauer in West Germany if he would not make Germany a member of NATO. The Russians even dangled the enticement of reunification with East Germany! Adenauer said no.

[@chandlerwolf5223]

Thanks for the aviation history lesson. Had no idea about Finland and the MiG. Love thia stuff.

[@skyhopp6455]

Bis, little konstruktive Kritik: aircraft has no Plural. ;) Still a great vid tho!

[@MilitaryAviationHistory]

SkyHopp Yeah I know, been trying to avoid saying 'aircrafts' for a long time. Somehow I failed to fix it thus far.

[@TNX255]

Oh, so one can only talk about a single aircraft at a time? :P

[@metanumia]

I really enjoyed this new format! I encourage you to make more military, technological, and historical analysis videos like this! Thanks, +Bismarck for another fine production! :)

[@yereverluvinuncleber]

Nice video, interesting story, well presented. Good supporting images. Superb English, decent enough accent (not too American!). Thanks!

[@glynnwadeson5605]

Excellent informative and well presented series...

[@TheKommandanteur]

So when are you looking at DCS MiG-21?

[@KimJakab]

Thanks for this interesting and informative video! Always good to learn some old history!

[@itsmemaario]

The swastika is still used in the military parade flag.

[@imanin9972]

lmao

[@JPR3D]

Excellent work, I always enjoy your informative / history videos. I know you're more into WW2 era aircraft, the Mig-21 is a very special & significant aircraft and if you ever want to try one out (in virtual space of course), DCS' Mig-21bis module is an outstanding example of modern flight simulation, vodka-powered (/s) radar and all.

[@kakekikuu]

It feels like the balancing act between east and west is still going on in finnish foreign politics. Even more so recently. Fortunately our current president Niinistö is a great diplomat like Kekkonen was back then

[@vill5325]

Not neutral anymore :D

[@DaCostaStudio]

Awesome video! Thanks for sharing!

[@LessAiredvanU]

One of the other reasons why the Soviets might have been willing to provide their state of the art fighter to the Finns, is that following the Winter and Continuation Wars the Soviets and Finns had agreed a treaty that limited the number of front line aircraft that the Finnish Air Force could deploy (121 if I remember correctly). The Finns therefore required very capable aircraft to be able to fulfill their mission. As the Soviets did not want Finland to become more friendly with the Western allies, they had to accept either Finland exceeding the number of permitted fighters - and allowing the treaty to lapse - or using Western aircraft (I would think the USA would have been eager to sell F-5 Freedom Fighters if the Swedes would not sell their new Drakens - as they might not want someone with ties to the Soviets to operate aircraft they might consider an opponent) or providing an export version of their own best fighter. It should be noted that while Finland had MiG 21's, they did not seem to have shared too much information with the West - NATO had to acquire Fishbed's from other sources..It seems that the Soviets got their priorities right.

[@DFX2KX]

You can say many things about the Soviets, but they where quite shrewd when they needed to be.

[@Aimless6]

And the US sold F-14 Tomcats to Iran. At the time they had listening posts along the Soviet border. So the CIA supported the dictator and helped suppress democracy. And as usual, it created 'blowback'.

[@jkarra2334]

Mark Slater Finland did use saab drakens, in fact draken 35 and migs served same time in finnish airforce.

[@ghostrider13bg]

Great video ! Something that I actually didn't know. Keep on good work !!

[@gerritvictor1110]

Of course it helped that the MIG-21 was the finest aircraft of its time.

[@mx0mania]

wery good video. It is cool that you explain some things about Finnish air force. It would be cool if you inform us before your next visit in Finland :D

[@TiltschMaster]

Endlich sieht man mal das Gesicht zu diesem wunderbaren deutschen Akzent :P

[@nikolatesla4030]

Nice. It would be great to have cockpit tour as well ;)

[@Morboute]

will there be something about Saab 35 Draken eventually?

[@Mabik77]

Will there be something about Finnish land forces and their 95% Soviet/Warsaw Pact equipment with almost lack of western counterpart vehicles at all?

[@solomonflavius24]

Beautiful short documentary, very interesting to know of the Mig 21 in the Finish airforce

[@PugViking]

May I also suggest putting the camera on a stand/tripod or something stable in the future. I got kinda seasick of watching your hand shake around the camera while you walked in circles around the plane. Really nice video and cool story tho!

[@thebaumfaeller1477]

one of these gyro things would be nice

[@PugViking]

Indeed! But cheaper with a stand or just putting it on a stable surface while talking

[@reggiebuffat]

PugViking; Amen preach it brother!

[@MilitaryAviationHistory]

PugViking That is planned. Right now I am quite limited from my equipment since a lot of good stuff is expensive. As Patreon support increases, I can reequip myself with quite a few new gadgets that will help me in this regard.

[@PugViking]

I understand that quality equipment costs. But just setting a camera on a nearby barrel would have done the job in this case. I dunno. And I really want you to put the current patreon income into your vids. Like buying history books and whatnot. So prioritize that more than anything else (if I'm allowed to suggest that. :) )

[@ChevyBM]

I remember as a kid when my family were flying home to Helsinki from Rovaniemi that about 10 Mig-21's took of from the airport, oh that sound!

[@lauriwiren6398]

Not likely. Rovaniemi was a base for Drakens.

[@arcadiecondurachi2166]

Here's the reason: if the Finns happen to get invaded again, they'll know how to use all the aircraft that Russia throws at them. //Joke

[@reggiebuffat]

Arcadie Condurachi; If ,or when? With Putin things can change fast.

[@tommihommi1]

Arcadie Condurachi that legit is the reason why they use AK-Style rifles

[@kisaragi_san1378]

Galil DLC????

[@finntastique3891]

The Galil is based on the Finnish RK-62, which in turn is based on the AK-47 operating principle, but is a much more accurate weapon, overall holding significantly higher manufacturing standards. The RK-62 has been developed further. It's called the RK-95, including such features as a folding stock, rifle-grenade capability and possibilty to attach tactical sights e.g. telescopic, night-vision and infrared.

[@massaweed420]

Good replies on this one.

[@kobrakai9]

You made my day man! Awesome work! 👍

[@1503nemanja]

Yeah well Finland lives right next to the bear, they have made an art out of bowing to the east without mooning the west. :P

[@briancavanagh7048]

great stuff keep them coming you need to get up close & go over the mig in detail

[@leohard1814]

I should play Finland in EU4

[@Caldera01]

Ally, or destroy Muscowy early, or you're gonna have a bad time. Mkay? Let me know if you happen to post it on YT though, interested to know how it pans out.

[@petrussillanpaa9161]

Be an ass hat, move your capital to Rovaniemi and take defensive as your first idea... just a suggestion ;) AI likes it that way

[@georgiyyamov5827]

It's doesn't exists at start, you have to do some work to release it and play as it

[@petrussillanpaa9161]

I know. That why it has been allowed to be as broken as it is. National ideas and location pair too well with full defensive. Max attrition everywhere lol.

[@rafaelbezerra5041]

Nice video man! Best regards from Brazil!

[@p80mod]

Fantastic story, I've listened, even though I have no time. The reason why Finland has such a good economy is because the Soviet Union DIDN'T MANAGE TO COUNQUER THEM! Look how the Russians have destroyed countries like Poland for example (which has good economic progress since the end of Soviet control). Btw. Poland started using Mig-21 in 1963. Great machine, very fast and very loud!

[@bademoxy]

the soviets got handed Rolls Royce jet engine technology by treasonous british politician-which allowed them to produce the MIG15 ,leading up to the MIG21. The main reason the u.s didn't have a 1960's counterpart was because they believed in the bullshit multirole /3 services unified airframe concept -resulting in a powerful but clumsy and overweight F4 fitted only with missiles which in that era were not reliable. american airforce rectified that in the 70's with the f15 eagle which for 2 decades then dominated every air battle with any russian planes and the A10 thunderbolt which owned battlefields below. the us navy had an effective plane-the AV8 harrier and later the cost effective f18

[@okrajoe]

Fascinating bit of aviation history.

[@Rosak]

Did you end up visiting the Finnish Airforce Museum in Tikkakoski?

[@markovsergeyovich6792]

Thank you for answering the question to why Finland I had the mid 21 when it was not part of the Warsaw Pact. That's what always deeply interested me as a former lover of aviation in the history of aviation

[@juha-mattihakala3518]

Also bilateral trade was one part of deal.

[@_Wiseguy7]

I think that the MiG 21s are still one of the best looking jets ever made.

[@jetaddicted]

Thanks for the infos!I remember being saddened, watching the very Mig you are standing in front of, because in order to be transported, it's wings had been simply sawn off and not dismantled...A plane fan sadness, since it was never meant to fly again, but a sadness still.

[@niklasnotgreta]

Never heard of F.J. Strauß: "Finnlandisierung" ?

[@gunnerdelta]

This is an awesome piece of history!

[@syedadeelhussain2691]

MIG21 was a good 2nd generation jet. Nothing special, as most of them didn't even take off during the 2 Gulf-Wars and the 2 Arab - Israeli Wars. The Soviet era weapons were usually in the wrong hands, which brought about a major publicity failure.

[@jg3000]

SYED ADEEL HUSSAIN The Vietnamese did the MIG jets proud. MIG 17 was shooting jets generations better than it.

[@padroooo]

Thanks for the video, a very interesting piece of history.

[@williamward2763]

P R E S I D E N T _ K E K

[@janchovanec8624]

Great and very informative video, well done.

[@leithesocialistyuricon8981]

Yay I love this channel

[@leppox]

lol Confederate Pride

[@RockerboiProduction]

so that's how the legendary Bismarck looks... cool. really educational mate. Great content

[@thanos4025]

Mig 21 is famous 😂 now but everyone is not abhinandan who can destroy f16 lolz

[@shamsullahkhan6666]

Lol make my day F16 destroy .. Indian abhinandan knows very well what heppendd Tea was fantastic 👌 Shame on you writing lies here

[@george4vIogging]

F16???? Not even in a simulation game. Keep dreaming Bacha.

[@doncalypso]

Excellent video and very informative history lesson.

[@mufasamuffi2565]

Why did you call your channel „Bismarck“? Are you particularly fascinated by this influential historical man? Or do you just like the name? Or is it an ideological thing?

[@Snatch737]

Mufasa Muffi he hates Poles ;)

[@edwardvillate2112]

Great HISTORY account, ...CONGRATULATIONS ...and THANKS !!!

[@JohnSmith-dd1bl]

How many times do people have to be told? Finland is a fictional country.

[@rpf276]

Hey John no way Finland makes the best Bass top water lure the Rapala that I fished with in Florida when I was growing up way back in the 1970's, and Rapalas had all that crazy Finnish writing inside the box it came in. That is no finer proof to me that Finland exists!

[@TNX255]

Just like "John Smith" is a fictional name, right? :P

[@krazyivandee1]

And don't forget Nokia..

[@volvo245]

Yeah we don't exist.

[@chiliprepper7678]

John Smith Sounds like Stalinist Troll !!!!

[@VompoVompatti]

Good video as always. The way you said Kekkonen sounded a lot like keskonen which means prematurely born child. :) BTW Visiting this museum tomorrow. My second visit and I'm just as excited as the first time I was there.