Mi-6 helicopters helped to protect VPAF MiG-17 fleet from U.S. air strikes

Date:

The MiG-17s were dispersed out into the countryside, carried by large Mil Mi-6 helicopters to the dispersal sites, and carried back to the airfields when missions were to be flown

US aircraft targeted Vietnamese People’s Air Force (VPAF) air bases for the first time in the spring of 1966. The strikes on the MiG airfields at Dong Hoi and Vinh forced a reevaluation of North Vietnam’s air strategy against a numerically superior American military. Previously, Washington had deemed the airfields off-limits (and later in the war, the bases were not authorized to be targeted).

Over 70,000 steel-reinforced concrete plates were stockpiled at the airfields in order to facilitate a rapid restoration, as JP Santiago describes in an interesting article that appeared on his website, Tails Through Time. In addition, a lot of bamboo stems were also stockpiled to be employed for airfield repair. Underground command centers for the base staff were built, as well as camouflaged revetments—some of which were even disguised as huts.

According to Zoltan Buza and Istvan Toperczer in Wings of Fame, Volume 8, article “MiG-17 Over Vietnam,” in order to protect the VPAF’s small MiG-17 force, the aircraft were dispersed in the countryside, carried to these sites by large Mil Mi-6 helicopters, and carried back to the airfields when missions were supposed to be flown. During the war, these sites also saw the dispersion of fuel and ammunition, since it was discovered that a Mi-6 could transport a fully armed and fueled MiG-17 to the airfields from a distance of up to thirty miles.

The aircraft were ready for their missions against impending American strike packages in underground shelters built into the mountains close to the bases. After that, a Mi-6 would carry the fighter as an underslung load to the closest airbase, where it would take off, complete the mission, and then return to the base so that the helicopters could carry it back to shelters miles away by the helicopters.

Fighters were also scattered throughout villages and agricultural cooperatives in areas where the terrain hindered the MiG force from building underground shelters.

Till Daisd
Till Daisdhttps://www.aviation-wings.com
Till is an aviation enthusiast blogger who has been writing since 2013. He started out writing about personal readings since expanded his blog to include information and stories about all aspects of aviation. Till's blog is a go-to source for anyone interested in learning more about aviation, whether you're a pilot or just a curious onlooker.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here


Share post:

Popular

More like this
Related

Why Royal Navy Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers could disable Bismarck

Royal Navy Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers Vs Bismarck...

Why the “A-7 mafia” was so devoted to the iconic SLUF

The A-7 Corsair II It was in September 1965 that...

Former Navy pilot remembers 1960s solo and flight training.

T-34 Mentor and First Solo My Navy logbook is old...

Why Iranian F-14s were crucial to defeating Iraq in two different wars

Our Training In 1974, IIAF pilots (mostly Phantom veterans)...