# DDR mig 21 PFM configuration



## aurelien wolff (Mar 8, 2022)

Hello, how different were they from the normal russian ig 21 PM, both early and late? I know they didn't got the one with GP 9 gun pod until a certain amount of time and I wonder if any DDR mig 21 PFM have the GP 9 with UB-16 57U FFAR pods.
Thanks or your answers!


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## Wurger (Mar 8, 2022)

TheEast German variant of the MiG-21PFM was named MiG-21SPS. Almost all MiG-21SPS were fitted with the GP-9 gun pod. It was its standard armament. Therefore the "K" letter was added to the SPS name ( SPS-K). The "K" letter means "kannone" - cannon. The early MiG-21PF/PFS were fittded to the gun pod during their overhauls, as memo serves.

The standard MiG-21SPS-K (Germany) load was :

1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon (200 rpg)
1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + 64 x S-5K rockets
1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + 2 x S-24 rockets
1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + 4 x R-3S missiles
1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + 4 x R-3R missiles
1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + 2 x R-3R missiles + 2 x R-3S missiles
1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + 2 x 500 kg FAB-500M-54 bombs (1,000 kg total)
1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + 2 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (500 kg total)
1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + 2 x R-13M missiles
1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon + 2 x R-60 missiles
64 x countermeasures + 64 x S-5K rockets
64 x countermeasures + 2 x S-24 rockets
64 x countermeasures + 4 x R-3S missiles
64 x countermeasures + 4 x R-3R missiles
64 x countermeasures + 2 x R-3R missiles + 2 x R-3S missiles
64 x countermeasures + 2 x 500 kg FAB-500M-54 bombs (1,000 kg total)
64 x countermeasures + 2 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (500 kg total)
64 x countermeasures + 2 x R-13M missiles
64 x countermeasures + 2 x R-60 missiles

So it could carry the set you mentioned above.


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## aurelien wolff (Mar 8, 2022)

thanks! the canon could be fitted by the unit or it was something done at the factory? I wonder if all those configuration were used or not, I haven't seen a pic showing DDR mig 21 PFM in the configuration I asked about.


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## Wurger (Mar 8, 2022)

The Polish MiG-21PFs were fitted with the gun pod by the repair facilities. So I guess the East German ones too.

The armament configuration depended on the tasks the pilot/plane was going to get done. Even if there is no such picture it doesn't mean the configuration wasn't used. Judging by your , it was used for the assault tasks. Not too typical for a fighter machine I woud say.


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## Wurger (Mar 8, 2022)

the pic source: 463 (cn 94A6808) Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21SPS-K Photo by Stephan Sarich | AIRFIGHTERS.COM


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## aurelien wolff (Mar 8, 2022)

ok thanks, 22 26 wasn't fitted with the GP 9 but I want to do him as a what if, so he'll be in a different configuration(haven't found anything yet on something projected for this variant that wasn't on the production aircraft with a 2 part canopy) and there's this one with AA2 missile Mig-21 pics of ALL user countries


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## Wurger (Mar 8, 2022)

How do you know the 2226 kite wasn't fitted with the GP-9 gun pod?

In mean time, a shots of the German SPS (PFM) pilot panel and a pic with attaching of the UB-16










the pic source: the net.


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## aurelien wolff (Mar 8, 2022)

no GP 9 during the 90', surprising how the color went from green to yellow sand over time




source: ger21


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## Wurger (Mar 8, 2022)

No wonder there is no the GP-9 attached. The pic you posted above shows the plane exhibited in a museum. I wouldn't follow the shot at all. The UB-16 can be seen. The GP-9 could be attached insted of the fuel tank under the fuselage. So either the pod or the fuel tank.

Her the pilot's panel used for the PFM variant used by Russians. You may compare it to the shot of the SPS one above.


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## aurelien wolff (Mar 8, 2022)

ok so it could've had the GP 9 canon, there are other german PFM displayed without it. Note that I intend to use it as an inspiration for my what if 22 26.


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## Wurger (Mar 8, 2022)

I see. The GP-9 pod is very possible because the MiG-21 s/n 94A4302 was the PFM variant.


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## Wurger (Mar 8, 2022)

BTW .. the 2026 was actually the MiG-21PFM/SPS s.n 94 4302 that started the service on 13.07. 1966. She serviced in JG-8, JG-3, JG-7, JAG-15 until 1990.

Her appearance should be like that one in 2018 ..





the pic source: Фотография самолёта · Микоян-Гуревич · МиГ-21ПФС/ПФМ · 740 (зав.н. 94A4302) · Германия - ВВС (Люфтваффе) ✈ russianplanes.net ✈ наша авиация


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## Wurger (Mar 8, 2022)

And the additional info .. the colours for the "740" should be the green/brown on tops and the blue-grey on undersides.


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## aurelien wolff (Mar 8, 2022)

not sure if restoration should be a good basis, sometimes they can be wrong (I don't intend to do him as 740, I want to keep those decals for a what if export MT using the SMT kit from eduard). The "740" is vsible somewhat, could be a good weathering challenge ( my what if being somewhat cleaner since inspired by another mig 21 with DDR marking mixed with the luftwaffe digit, I intend to use the DDR marking with the german flag, they seem to have been painted on the DDR marking then layers of o other paint got applyed)





the walk around Museo del Aire: истребитель МиГ-21СПС (он же МиГ-21ПФС/ПФМ)


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## Wurger (Mar 8, 2022)

I see. Here is a shot of her in 1995. Her uniform wasn't so worn yet.



https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/abpic-media-eu-production/pictures/full_size_0253/1381184-large.jpg










Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21SPS Fishbed, 2226 / 94A4302, Museo del Aire :


Picture of Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21SPS Fishbed taken at Madrid - Cuatro Vientos (LECU), Spain by Don Hewins on ABPic




abpic.co.uk


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## aurelien wolff (Mar 8, 2022)

already found it during my research on this plane, note the german flag isn't visible so it must've been painted directly over the DDR marking


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## Wurger (Mar 8, 2022)

IIRC the kind of markings was used quite later with a small German rectangle flag on the fin. These with the DDR flag had the red or black numbers on the fuselages


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## aurelien wolff (Mar 8, 2022)

there's a pic showing the luftwaffe flag on the DDR marking of the tail in the walk around so I guess they first applyed the german flag irectly on the DDR marking then painted over in the normal who fadded over time


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## Wurger (Mar 8, 2022)

Yes I agree. The way was quite common.


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## J_P_C (Mar 14, 2022)

Wurger said:


> TheEast German variant of the MiG-21PFM was named MiG-21SPS. Almost all MiG-21SPS were fitted with the GP-9 gun pod. It was its standard armament. Therefore the "K" letter was added to the SPS name ( SPS-K). The "K" letter means "kannone" - cannon. The early MiG-21PF/PFS were fittded to the gun pod during their overhauls, as memo serves.
> 
> The standard MiG-21SPS-K (Germany) load was :
> 
> ...


i don't think your list is correct - countermeasures was s-5 rockets with special warhead it means must come with UB-32 (less likely) or UB-16 (more likely) pods attached to the symmetrical stations it means configuration like this ones 
64 x countermeasures + 4 x R-3S missiles
64 x countermeasures + 4 x R-3R missiles
64 x countermeasures + 2 x R-3R missiles + 2 x R-3S missiles
may not be used - there are no twin launchers for R-3 or R13 missiles
also i don't think R and S missiles may be mixed - simply using either of this missile requiring different hardware configuration for the weapon control system (one of the boxes needs to be altered)
also due to huge drag penalty UB-32 were barely/never used for countermeasures (even theoretically possible - for tactical reasons never employed).
I'm not MiG21 expert but i think PFM and SPS versions are not the same - as far as i remember lectures on my university SPS was version equipped in boundary layer control system which wasn't part of standard PFM configuration.


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## aurelien wolff (Mar 14, 2022)

my idea being more of a what if 22 26 in different configuration (GP 9 and FFAR pods) so I may not take the differene between SPS and PFM in account


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## Wurger (Mar 14, 2022)

There wasn't a SPS sub-type of the MiG-21. The SPS abbreviation is for the Boundary Layer Blowing system ( *S*duv *P*ogranichnovo *S*loya) widely known as the blowing falps. The SPS system was used for the PFM variant as the standard one. Therefore you may find also the name MiG-21PFM-SPS in a couple of references. Earlier the system was introduced to the PF version. And the sub-variant was marked as the PFS ( not SPS ) where the "S" letter just indicated the SPS system. The MiG-21SPS is the East German name used only for their PFMs and just by themself only. What is more the German PFM with the GP-9 gun pod was marked with the SPS-K name. It happened because the NVA ( Nationale Volksarmee ) the National People's Army of the German Democratic Republic decided to use the marking to differentiate the MiG-21 PF ( they named it PFM ) from the orginal PFM plane. Here in Poland and in Czechoslovakia the PF and PFM names were still in using for instance.

For these who could be interested in the MiG-21 used in the DDR I would recommend the DHS series of books for the plane.















the pic source : the net.


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## aurelien wolff (Mar 14, 2022)

For the SPS, after reading that part in famous russian ighter, it seem to be a case of east germany playng with designation


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## Wurger (Mar 14, 2022)

Yep.. see my post above.


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## aurelien wolff (Mar 15, 2022)

Decided to get the 4 four book and now I got the one on the PF, SPS and SPS K. Can I make a mig 21 PF with GP 9, and FFAR with the JATO boost? 
Thanks for your answer, asking because I've seen a pic of a DDRmig 21 no 758 with them.


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## Wurger (Mar 15, 2022)

Do you mean the one?
Anyway .. the taking off with the GP-9 + 2 x UB-16-57UM using the SPRD-99 sounds fine.





the source: the net


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