A Soviet Union fighter pilot, a secret plane, and a daring escape. russian7.ru
When it comes to famous defectors, Stalin’s daughter and Edward Snowden top the list but neither’s departure matches that of Soviet Union pilot Viktor Belenko. On September 6th, 1976, Belenko not only renounced his former country but did so while stealing the highly classified Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25, the most mysterious aircraft ever built by the Soviet Union.
Prior to Belenko’s sensational defection, American forces were scurrying to learn more about this potential paradigm-shifting plane. This is the story of a Soviet fighter pilot’s 400-mile flight to freedom. On the plane codenamed Foxbat, he landed haphazardly on a rustic Japanese runway low on fuel.
Among other things a divorce pushed Belenko to defect.
A Nasty Surprise
As the Cold War wore on, Russia and the United States invested billions of dollars creating weapons that could outmatch the other. In the early ‘70s, America caught wind of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 via spy satellites continually probing Soviet airfields. They noticed the development of jet fighters with extremely large wings.
Their attention went on high alert when Israel picked up a new aircraft accelerating at previously unknown speeds of Mach 3.2 and climbing to 63,000 feet. American forces had never seen anything like it.
The plane that sent chills up American military spines. theaviationgeekclub
Red Alert
As if that wasn’t enough, in November of 1971 Israelis came upon one of these mystifying planes unaware and launched a cadre of missiles. The perplexing target opened the taps and left those missiles in the dust, speeding off at almost three times the speed of sound. Suddenly, the danger of the Soviet Union surpassing the American Airforce seemed very real.
It's speed unnerved the U.S military.
An Unhappy Soviet
As a Soviet pilot, Belenko enjoyed a lifestyle above the average Soviet citizen. Nevertheless, he was undergoing a divorce and questioned the supposed supremacy of life in the USSR. “Soviet propaganda at that time portrayed you (America) as a spoiled rotten society which has fallen apart. But I had questions in my mind.” For months he planned, studying maps and means of escape. Then one day during a routine training mission, he made his move.
The run way at Hakodate couldn't contain the speedy Soviet plane. theaviationgeekclub
From The Soviet Union To Japan
While the fast Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 also burned through fuel at an astonishing rate, reaching America was out of the question. Japan only lies roughly 400 miles away. Therefore, after taking off with two other MiGs, Belenko broke formation and dove to just 100 feet above sea level.
His daring maneuver allowed him to avoid Soviet and Japanese radar until he was closer to freedom. Then he made his presence known by climbing to 20,000 ft. The Japanese picked up his signal but were unable to hail him, thanks to incorrect frequencies. Jets scrambled but Belenko dove again, disappearing.
An intelligence gift from above.
Hell Of An Entrance
Belenko hoped to reach Chitose airbase but running low on fuel, he was forced to land at Hakodate. Unfortunately, that airstrip was not nearly long enough to accommodate the speed of his newfangled aircraft. After plowing through hundreds of feet of dirt, it finally came to a stop. Then the 29-year-old pilot got out and fired two warning shots from his pistol. Apparently, that’s how you surrender in the Soviet Union.
Crews taking apart the MiG to learn how it ticked. rbth
A Paper Tiger
After debriefing Belenko, the CIA could not believe their luck. Immediately, they set to taking apart the MiG-25 and unmasking the plane that caused such consternation. They learned that their fears were not warranted. As it turned out, the plane was very fast but that was about it.
As Smithsonian aviation curator, Roger Connor, put it, “The MiG-25 was not a very useful combat aircraft. It was an expensive, and cumbersome aircraft, and it wasn’t particularly effective in combat.” As it turned out the American response to this mystery plane, the SR-71 was far superior.
“The one big difference between the MiG and the SR-71, is that the SR-71 is not only fast, but it’s running a marathon,” said Connor. “The MiG is doing a sprint. It’s like Usain Bolt, except it’s a Usain Bolt that’s actually running slower than the marathon runner.” Apparently, the MiG that was recorded doing Mach 3.2 completely destroyed its engines in the process. Not only that but was also running on outdated electronics and radar.
In the end the Soviet MiG did not pose much of a issue for the American military.
A Bill For Your Outdated Plane
In the end, the Americans sent Belenko’s MiG back to the Soviets and billed the USSR $40,000 for the trouble. Belenko himself was personally granted citizenship by President Carter. He also became an aeronautical engineer and a consultant to the US Airforce. His notes scribbled upon a kneepad while daringly escaping his former country are still on display at the CIA Museum in Washington D.C.
