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From Russia With Love: MiG-29 Jet Fighter Tattoo

Posted on September 20, 2009

To balance the modern fighter scale here on Tattoos In Flight after our post of the F-16 Viper last week, we’re presenting a tattoo of a similar high performance modern fighter this week… the Mikoyan MiG-29 “Fulcrum” from Russia. Still one of the most capable 4th generation fighters in the world, the MiG-29 certainly deserves it’s permanent placement as the upper chest tattoo we feature today.

The MiG-29 was conceived in the early 70’s, along with the Sukhoi Su-27, as a Soviet response to the development of what would become the F-15 Eagle in the United States. As the new American fighter would easily eclipse Soviet fighters of the time, a study was initiated to develop a fighter capable of countering this new threat. Similar to the solution chosen by the United States, the Soviet Union decided on two designs to suit the evolving air warfare environment… one as a powerful, all-weather, multi-role air superiority fighter and one as a fast, light, agile dogfighter. The Sukhoi Su-27 countered the American F-15 as the air superiority fighter and the MiG-29 was the Soviet answer to the F-16.

The first flight of the MiG-29A was on October 6, 1977, however it’s entry to service was delayed by engine-related problems and resulting accidents. Finally in August of 1983, the MiG-29B entered service and acceptance trials were complete by 1984. It was subsequently deployed as a front-line fighter for intercept duties, while the Su-27 remained dedicated to the role of the intimidator in deep, air-to-air sweeps of NATO assets.

Similar to many previous Soviet designs, the MiG-29 was extremely well-built and could be operated from damaged or unprepared airfields that would be common in an advancing ground war. Rugged landing gear and protective grates on the turbine intakes made it perfect for the role of a front-line fighter.

While in production with the Soviet Union, and later Russia after the collapse of the Soviet government, the MiG-29 was exported to nations other than it’s Soviet/Russian homeland. The Air Forces of India, Yugoslavia, Serbia, Germany, Poland and many other states that formerly comprised the Soviet Union. The MiG-29 also served with air forces in Middle Eastern and North African nations such as Eritrea, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, and Algeria (as well as others).

Cuba even operated the type and were brought to the forefront after an incident in 1996 when a MiG-29UB shot down two U.S. based Cessna 337s after they crossed into Cuban airspace. The Cessnas were operated by the Miami-based organization Brothers to the Rescue who are described as a humanitarian group with a mission to aid and assist refugees from Cuba and “support the efforts of the Cuban people to free themselves from dictatorship through the use of active nonviolence.” Cuba believed otherwise and deemed the group as terrorists. The downing led to International condemnation of Cuba for it’s actions.

This upper chest tattoo done in black and gray linework was created by tattoo artist Marin Urbanc of Gandalf Tattoo in Zagreb, Croatia. You can also see the studio and their portfolio on their MySpace page here.

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