Photos Soviet-Afghan War 1979-1989

[SamWell]

 

[Devil Child]

@Pablo Zampini thank you for the detailed Afghan Air Force photos. Love seeing such good shots of this forgotten force.

 

[Pablo Zampini]

The real hero is the person who published those articles written by Viktor Markovsky and illustrated with all those photos and drawings. I merely took the job to search for them in the Internet. On the other side, I do take credit for searching photos in Getty Images. Thanks.

 

[Pablo Zampini]

Su-22s of Afghan air force Gallery.

Su-7BMK, Su-7UMK and Su-22M 355th Regiment in Bagram air base in 1981. (Photo by Igor Bubin)

Su-22M4 of 355th Regiment AAF with MiG-21U of 27th GvIAP in Bagram.

Su-22M4 AAF striking targets in Panjshir Valley (Collection Tom Cooper)

Three shots of Afghan Su-22M4s taking off and/or landing in Shindand.

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

MiG-17 AAF Gallery. I selected the ones that are dated within the period 1980-1988, but there might be some photo out of topic.

View attachment 316750
Soviet consultants posing by a MiG-17 in 1979.

View attachment 316744

View attachment 316745
These two images were taken by Georgy Nadezhdin during a visit to Shindand air base on 2 February 1980. The MiG-17Fs belong to the 335th Regiment.

View attachment 316746

View attachment 316747
In the same visit, Nadezhdin took pictures of the pilots (instructors and apprentices) of the unit, in the cockpit or by their MiG-15UTIs trainers.

View attachment 316748
Afghan Pilot of 366th Regiment in 1980.

View attachment 316749
A very well-known photo of MiG-17F belonging to 366th Regiment in Kandahar air base on 5 February 1980. Credit: Associated Press-Campion.

View attachment 316756

Profile of a MiG-17F AAF.

In the third photo, the pilots are wearing Soviet flight jackets. Summer flight helmets ShL-82 (worn under the helmet ZSH-3M) are on their heads, laryngophones LA-5 are on the neck, oxygen masks KM-32 (black) are in the hands.
Along with the planes, I think, the equipment of the pilots was also supplied.

 

[Pablo Zampini]

Helicopters of the Afghan air forces, Part 1. Mil Mi-4 of the 373rd Regiment.

Two shots of the same sequence. Mujahideen pose on top of an Afghan Mi-4 shot down.
The first image was taken from one fascicle of mine, and it was stained with moisture over the years.
The blue stain on the right, and the little grey dots in the sky are proof of that.

This is the only image of a Mi-4 used by the AAF that I could find, and it is a cut of a photo I already posted here; on the post about the Afghan cargo aircraft.

 

[Pablo Zampini]

Afghan choppers, Part 2. Mil Mi-8s.

Two shots of Afghan Mi-8 supporting troops in the mountains.

Mi-8 captured with Mujahideen posing on top of it. By looking at the red AAF's roundel, I deduce that the photo is from the very early 1980s.

I had already posted this one. Mi-8 frame turned into a bus. The AAF roundel is different, so the photo must be circa 1984.

This picture is from 1991.

These two pictures were taken in Kandahar air base, when the US were taking over the airport on 15 December 2001.

 

[Pablo Zampini]

Afghan air force's Mil Mi-24 Gallery, Part 1. Used by their owners.
Some picture may have already been posted in this thread.

Behind a "Hind-A" of the V-VS, a Mi-24P belonging to the AAF, both in Kabul airport.

The first HD image of an Afghan Mi-24V that was seen in the West. Credit: A. De Widenberg, circa 1984.
I had already posted both photos here.

This Mi-24V AAF scorts a convoy towards Kabul on the "Salang highway", on 30 January 1989. Credit: Liu Heung Shing.

Another convoy protected by a Mi-24V.

Mi-24V over the mountains near Kabul, on 8 March 1989. (Associated Press)

 

[Pablo Zampini]

Mi-24 AAF Gallery, Part 2. The Captured.

Mi-24V AAF captured and inspected by Mujahideen leader Sayyid Gailani.

Two shots of the same AAF Mi-24 "in a Mujahideen heliport", so I suppose it was a captured unit.

Mi-24 whose crew defected to the Mujahideen in 1988.

A Mi-24 that had been captured by Pakistani forces in 1985, on display as gate guardian in Lahore Army Museum, December 2019.

 

[Pablo Zampini]

Mi-24 AAF Gallery, Part 3. Wreckage and New Comers.

"Hind-A" and Il-28s AAF abandoned in Herat air base.

Another Mi-24 "A" on display in Shemshad TV station, Kabul October 2011.

Two Mi-35s of the Afghan National Army Corps -bought to India- heading for the National Day parade in April 2007.

Same model and branch, in November 2013.

 

[Pablo Zampini]

This "odd one" was left alone, so I post it apart here.

Wreckage of Il-28 AAF abandoned in Herat air base, September 2010.

 

[uktabber]

Afghan air force's Mil Mi-24 Gallery, Part 1. Used by their owners.
Some picture may have already been posted in this thread.

View attachment 317307
Behind a "Hind-A" of the V-VS, a Mi-24P belonging to the AAF, both in Kabul airport.

View attachment 317308
The first HD image of an Afghan Mi-24V that was seen in the West. Credit: A. De Widenberg, circa 1984.
I had already posted both photos here.

View attachment 317309
This Mi-24V AAF scorts a convoy towards Kabul on the "Salang highway", on 30 January 1989. Credit: Liu Heung Shing.

View attachment 317310
Another convoy protected by a Mi-24V.

View attachment 317311
Mi-24V over the mountains near Kabul, on 8 March 1989. (Associated Press)

What are those white covers on the exhaust ports of these two Hinds??? I've seen this before on may past photos from the Soviet period there but I'm sure what they are/do???

 

[Pablo Zampini]

What are those white covers on the exhaust ports of these two Hinds??? I've seen this before on may past photos from the Soviet period there but I'm sure what they are/do???

If I'm not mistaken -I am an English teacher, but I may not fully manage with technical/mechanical vocabulary-
Aren't they heat dissipators, or something to reduce the heat signature and help avoiding the heat-seeking missiles?

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

Afghan air force's Mil Mi-24 Gallery, Part 1. Used by their owners.
Some picture may have already been posted in this thread.

View attachment 317307
Behind a "Hind-A" of the V-VS, a Mi-24P belonging to the AAF, both in Kabul airport.

View attachment 317308
The first HD image of an Afghan Mi-24V that was seen in the West. Credit: A. De Widenberg, circa 1984.
I had already posted both photos here.

View attachment 317309
This Mi-24V AAF scorts a convoy towards Kabul on the "Salang highway", on 30 January 1989. Credit: Liu Heung Shing.

View attachment 317310
Another convoy protected by a Mi-24V.

View attachment 317311
Mi-24V over the mountains near Kabul, on 8 March 1989. (Associated Press)

Nice camouflage!

 

[Иван Феоктистов]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[SamWell]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Looks like dudes at 6.23 wearing pakistani caps

 

[guest0001]

 

[guest0001]

 

[guest0001]