March 29, 2024

A look at our first reported warbird from Bihar- a MiG-21 FL Type 77 C989 on the premises of Army Public School Ranchi. Photographs by Anshul Anand

The Army Public School, Ranchi was opened at the new location in the year 2008 under the aegis of Army Welfare Education Society (AWES), New Delhi. The school is presently situated at Dipatoli Cantonment in Ranchi city. On the highway 23 in the north eastern section of the city.

The same year it was set up, the School was provided with a MiG-21FL airframe, number C989 for display on the premises. Apparently the brainchild of the GOC 23 Div , Maj Gen A K Singh. The aircraft arrived in October 2008.

  C989 08
 MiG-21FL C989 mounted in a banking attitude on short pylons in front of the APS Ranchi. Note the erroneous painting of a small “Ashoka Chakra” within the fin-flash.

The MiG’s wartime history is not known, but it certainly is a pre-1971 war airframe. Its just two numbers way from its famous cousin C992 – the “Tiger MiG-21”, and probably served on the Western Front.  

The aircraft is mounted in a slight banking attitude in the ground in front of the main APS building. it should be visible from the external road as well.

C989 07C989 06
Forward fuselage of C989 does not show any ejection seat in the cockpit A close up of the Chakra painted within the fin flash.

The photographs on the page were taken by Ansul Anand,and additional pictures can be seen in the dedicated gallery at MiG-21FL-C989-at-Army-Public-School  . This is the first of the Warbirds from Jharkhand that is featured on this site. May its tribe increase!

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