The Russian Knights performed their first overseas airshow in September 1991 at RAF Scampton. It should be noted that it was only a few short days before that the team had performed their very first public display at their home base at Kubinka. Since that time the team has performed internationally in Canada, the United States, Belgium, France, Slovakia, Germany and Malaysia.
On 12 December 1995, the team was returning to Russia after a tour in Malaysia where they were part of the Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Show from 5 to 11 December. While on approach to the Cam Ranh Bay airfield in bad weather, three aircraft struck a hill. Two Su-27 and one Su-27UB were involved in the crash. Team members killed were LtCol Boris Grigoriev, Maj Nikolai Kordukov, Major Nikolai Gretchnaov and Major Alexander Syrovoi.
Members of the 1996 team include LtCol Alexasander Vladimirovich Lichkun as Lead and LtCol Vladimir Aleksandrovich Kovalskiy as Deputy Lead. While the team has not reformed since the tragic accident in Vietnam, neither has the team been disbanded. It is not currently known if the team will in fact reform and if so, will they retain the Su-27, as the team members would like, or will they be forced to use a smaller training aircraft to keep expenses to a minimum. [RAP comment: A come back of the Russian Knights happened on June 21, 1997 when team performed at Bratislava air show. A number 15 made a rather spectacular wheels up arrival depicted at the picture on page 4 of the 9-15 July edition of the Flight International. The team now appears to be four aircraft].
Striji/Swifts
The Striji/Swifts are located at Kubinka as part of the 234th 'Proskurovskii' Guards Regiment. The Russian Knights team, equipped with Su-27s and the Celestial Hussars, equipped with the Su-25 Frogfoot are also part of this Regiment. The team flies at least six MiG-29 single and dual seat Fulcrums and was formed in 1992, though their ancestry actually goes back to an un-named team that flew MiG-29s as early as 1986. For more details on this team see the team listed under Unknown Team below. The Swifts have performed in Thailand and Malaysia. In Malaysia the team utilized but four aircraft.
[RAP comment: Strizhi may have at least one female pilot, Ltnt. Svetlana Protasova. These rumors did not confirm when Strizhi appeared at Oullu aeroshow in Finland in summer 1997].
Known Serials:
- Years Unknown: MiG-29 - 13, 14,
- 1992: MiG-29 - 25775/48, 30005/42, 30010/43, 41,
- 1992: MiG-29UB - N50903016527/32, N50903016584/34, 33
- 1993: MiG-29 - 30002/40, 30010/43, 30015/46,
- 1993: MiG-29UB - N50903016584/34,
- 1993: An-124 -
- 1994: MiG-29 - 30002/40, 30010/43, 30011/44, 30015/46, 25775/48
- 1994: MiG-29UB - N50903016527/32, N50903016584/34,
- 1995: MiG-29 -
- 1995: MiG-29UB -
Team Russia
Team Russia flew at the Mosaero 95 airshow and was equipped with the L-39C Albatros. This team may in fact be the DOSAAF L-39 team Pyci/Rus. The team flew six aircraft in the show although they are known to have at least seven. One aircraft is most likely used as a spare.
Known Serials:
- 1995: L-39C - 001 Blue, 51, 65, 108, 132, 137 , 144 White
Test Pilots
The Test Pilots team is from the test pilot's school located at Zhukhovsky. They fly at least four Red, White, and Blue painted Flankers including the Su-27P, and Su-20 variants. The Su-20 was formerly known as the Su 27PU. Team members included Anatoli Kvochur.
When the Test Pilots flew at Boscombe Down in 1992, the team had been sponsored by the Jupiter Insurance Group which had their logo painted prominently on the intakes. The team used a Tu-134 carrying Aeroflot markings as their support aircraft.
[RAP comment: The first series Su-27PU (aka Su-30 serials: 596, 597) have been sold to Jupiter which uses them as the mounts of Test Pilots team. They appear at Boscombe, UK with Tu-134 support aircraft CCCP-65927 (used at LII Zhukovskii for transport and liason duties). Su-30 and Su-27 were build to a special order with no military systems. Su-30s bear very little recemblance to the full-standart production Su-30].
Known Serials:
- 1992: Su-27P - 595,
- 1992: Su-27 PU (Su-30) - 596, 597
- 1992: Tu-134 - CCCP-65927
- 1993: Su-27PU (Su-30) - 597,
- 1994: Su-27P - 595, 598
- 1994: Su-27 PU -
- 1995: Su-27P - 595, 598
- 1995: Su-27 PU -
- 1996: Su-27P - 595
- 1996: Su- 30 - 597
Vertikal -T
The Vertikal-T demonstration team encompassed several helicopter units and included the M1-24 equipped Berkut team. In addition to the Hinds, Vertikal-T was also equipped with Mi-26 and Mi-8s.
Known Serials:
- 1992: M1-24VP - 53 (Berkut team)
- 1992: Mi-24P -
- 1992: Mi-24V -
- 1992: Mi-8 -
- 1992: Mi-26 -
Unknown Team
This team was equipped with five I-16 fighter monoplanes in the middle to late Thirties, exact dates are unknown. The team is known to have been equipped with five aircraft and they flew a full aerobatic demonstration.
Known Serials:
Unknown Team
In 1937, late Fall, the Soviet Air Force send five service test pilots to a number of fighter bases to demonstrate the Polikarpov I-16 Type 5 fighter. The aircraft had been known to have a number of handling problems and a high accident rate. The test pilots selected included S. Suprun, V. Yevseyev, V. Rakhov, P. Stefanovskij, and Y. Preman. By the time they concluded their tour, the team had performed 3,318 aerobatic demonstrations. What is not actually known is if the demonstrations were solo, paired, all of five aircraft, or a combination of the above. No other details available at this time.
Known Serials:
Unknown Team
This team was equipped with an unknown number of Polikarpov I-5's during the middle to late Thirties. This particular team is reported to be the first Soviet Air Force aerobatic team. The team leader was V.A. Stepanchenok.
Known Serials:
Unknown Team
This team was equipped with an unknown number of Lavochkin La-15s and flew at the Tushino Air Show in 1949. The aircraft were painted matte aluminum and had Red scallop design from the nose leading back to the mid point of the fuselage.
Known Serials:
Unknown Team**
This team was equipped with the MiG 15Bis and came from Kubinka AB. Their aircraft were painted with Red upper surfaces, with Red Stars outlined in Yellow, Black numerals outlined in White. In 1951 this team is known to have flown at the Tushino Air Show. During 1951, the large fuselage numbers were in Red.
Known Serials:
- Year Unknown: MiG 15Bis - 12, 14, 16
- 1951: MiG 15Bis - Red 502
Unknown Team**
This team was equipped with the MiG-17. These aircraft were natural metal with Red markings on the fuselage, tail and mainplanes. This may have been the Golden Falcons team. There were in fact, at least three MiG-17 equipped teams in 1955, 1956, and 1957. They may or not have been the same team carried on from year to year. For the sake of clarity,all three will be listed here. One of the known pilots for the 1956 team was Capt Popov. The 1957 team is known to have flown 'internationally' when they participated at a show at Cottbus, East Germany.
Known Serials:
- Year Unknown: MiG-17 - 35, 547, 580, 597 (These last three had a stylized set of Red markings on the fuselage, wings, horizontal and vertical tail. Nose numbers are Black)
- 1955: MiG-17F - 03, 25, 28, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34, 37 (These aircraft painted Red on all upper surfaces with Blue nose numbers)
- 1956: MiG-17 - 02 (Same paint scheme as the 1955 team with the same coloured nose numbers. However, these are confirmed to have been outlined in Black)
- 1957: MiG-17 - 34
Unknown Team**
This team was equipped the MiG-19. They were painted Red on all upper surfaces and natural metal on the bottom. The numbers were White.
Known Serials:
- Year Unknown: MiG-19 - 47
Unknown Team**
This team was equipped with the MiG-21PFM Fishbed D in 1967. The team was stationed at Kubinka AB near Moscow. The aircraft were painted Red on the upper surfaces and natural metal on the bottom. Codes were in Blue outlined in White.
Known Serials:
Unknown Team**
This team was equipped with the MiG-21 'Fishbed F'. These aircraft were also painted with Red upper surfaces with the bottom in natural metal. Their numbers were painted White.
Known serials:
- Years Unknown: MiG-21F - 02,
**NOTE: These teams may in fact be one and the same but with different aircraft over the years. It is possible these teams are in fact the team known as the Red Banner Aerobatic Team.
Unknown Team
This team was from the Moscow Military District and was equipped with the MiG-21PF. Their aircraft were painted pale Blue on the bottom with Green camouflage on all upper surfaces. Numbers were Yellow outlined in Black.
Known Serials:
- Years Unknown: MiG-21PF - 23
Unknown Team
This un-named team was equipped with the MiG-21 and flew either in the very late Sixties or early Seventies. The aircraft were in the standard overall Grey paint. The team flew with seven aircraft. The fuselage numbers were Red outlined in Black.
Known Serials:
- Years Unknown: MiG 21 - 04
Unknown Team
This team, name, if any, unknown, was located at Kubinka and may have been from the 234th 'Proskurovskii' Guards Regiment. This team flew a number of formation flight displays in Finland at Rissala AB while on an exchange visit in 1978, 1982, 1986 and 1989. In 1978 and 1982, the team was equipped with the MiG-23 Flogger, exact mark is not known at this time. The unit then acquired the MiG-29 and it is in this aircraft type that they performed in 1986 and 1989. The 1986 team flew with four aircraft.
This unit/team became the Striji/Swifts team in 1992. For the 1986 and 1989 shows, the team was equipped with standard camouflaged aircraft. When the Swifts were created, they adopted their special paint scheme.
Known Serials:
- 1978: MiG-23 -
- 1982: MiG-23 -
- 1986: MiG-29 -
- 1989: MiG-29 - 02, 07, 12
Russian Aerobatic Teams
