AirVG 2024 - Velika Gorica, Zagreb
About AirVG
After a few years of halt, the city of Velika Gorica hosted the third edition of AirVG, Croatia’s biggest Airshow.
Velika Gorica is the largest and most populous city in the County of Zagreb, located south-east of the Croatian Capital.
The idea of the airshow was originated back in 2017, when the first edition was held at ZTC (Zrakoplovno-Tehnički Centar), after the “Velika Gorica – City of Aviation” ideology.
The ideology originated mainly from the presence of Zagreb Intl. Airport (Zračna luka Franjo Tuđman), but also from the big names that are present in the city, such as the Croatian Air Navigation Control, Croatia Airlines, Trade Air, Velika Gorica Aviation Technical Center, Aeroclub of Velika Gorica, Rudolf Perešin Aviation Technical School, and most importantly, the Croatian Air Force.
This year’s edition attracted a huge number of photographers from all around the world.
The reason? As of 2024, the Croatian Air Show is the last european operator of the Mikoyan Gurevich MiG21 Fishbed, which made AirVG one of the last public appearances for this exotic piece of soviet engineering, as the HRZ will officially bid farewell to the type in just a few months.
One member of our team, Christian, and a few friends, gathered together to attend the event.
We were granted the chance to secure a Spotting Pass (in very limited numbers), which would allow entrance to the show ground 45 minutes before the general public, and access to special spotting area.
Enough talking, let’s get to the main action of this event, the MiG21!
Croatian Air Force
The Croatian Air Force (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo) was officially established in December 1991. Since then, they heavily relied on a limited fleet of Soviet-built MiG-21s, inherited from the former Yugoslav Air Force. Despite their age, the Croatian Fishbeds served the country for over three decades.
After Croatia joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in 2009, in order to extend the MiG21’s operational life, Croatia undertook a modernization program in 2013, consisting in sending several MiG21s to the “Odesʹkyy Aviatsiynyy Zavod” (Odessa Aviation Plant), Ukraine.
The program aimed to upgrade the aircraft to NATO Standards, modernizing the structural integrity, avionics and systems.
Unfortunately the program faced lots of challenges, with delays and technical issues airsing upon the aircraft return to Croatia, raising concerns about the quality of the upgrades.
After the not-so successful outcome of the modernization program, on the 25th of November 2021, Croatia filed an order of around 1 Billion Euros, for 12 second-hand Dassault Rafale Multirole Fighters from France, of which 10 would be single seaters, and 2 double seaters.
After weeks of intensive training of the Croatian pilots in France, 6 Rafales (5 Single Seaters and 1 Double Seaters) were delivered to the 91 Zrakoplovna Baza (91st Operational Base) in Zagreb. These first six Rafales joined the 191 Eskadrila Lovačkih Aviona (191st Fighter Aircraft Squadron), and “unofficially” took over the QRA (Quick Reaction Alert, previously performed by the fishbeds) duties in June 2024.
The remaining six Rafales will be delivered by mid-2025.
MiG21 Fishbed: History
As we mentioned before, the main highlight of this event was one of the last public appearances of the MiG21.
This aircraft, designed in the Soviet Union in the 1950s, by the “Rossiyskaya samolyotostroitel’naya korporatsiya Mikoyan Gurevich”, quickly became one of the most famous fighters in history.
With its famous pointy design, lightweight frame, and powerful afterburner (powered by a Tumansky R-25 engine), the MiG-21 was capable of reaching speeds over Mach 2, making it a formidable presence in aerial combat. Due to its relatively low cost, simplicity, and versatility, it was widely exported and became the backbone of many air forces, mainly in the Eastern European Bloc.
More than 11,000 units were produced, making it one of the most widely used fighter jets in the world.
Despite its age, the MiG-21 remains in service today, although in significantly reduced numbers and often in heavily modernized forms.
The Fishbed is still used by India, Angola, Azerbaijan, Cuba, Guinea, Libya, Mali, Mozambique, North Korea (DPRK), Sudan, Syria, Uganda, Yemen, and finally…Croatia.
Apart from Croatia, India is also retiring the MiG21 (Bison Variant) in a few months, as it’s being replaced by the new HAL Tejas.
Croatia became the last european operator in 2023, when Romania officially retired its ageing fleet on the 15th of May, after over 60 years of service.
AirVG24 gave us the opportunity to see a total of four MiG21s up-close, three static ones and a flying one.
Let’s start with 133 and 116, two airframes still in active use with the air force. Both are Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig-21bisD Fishbed L, with 133 being the only airframe carrying wing drop fuel tanks.
Both are still wearing the current HRZ livery, with the noticeable Low-Viz croatian checkerboard pattern on the vertical stabilizer.
133 was part of the static display, with its canopy opened, allowing guests to climb inside and experience the feeling of sitting inside such a great piece of engineering.
On the other hand, 116 was part of the flying display. It spoiled us with different high speed passes with full afterburner, and with a remarkable formation flight with a Rafale, something that has been never seen before.
The next MiG21 we’re gonna take a look at, is “Kockica”.
The “Kockica” MiG-21, also known as the “Checkerboard” MiG, is one of the most recognizable aircraft in the Croatian Air Force. This special MiG-21UMD received its distinctive livery in 2005 to commemorate the 10-year jubilee of “Operacija Oluja”, in 1995. The aircraft was painted with Croatia’s iconic red-and-white checkerboard pattern, symbolizing national pride and the country’s enduring spirit. The striking design made it a favorite among aviation enthusiasts.
After officially leaving the HRZ Air Force fleet in 2018, Kockica went under heavy maintenance at ZTC, and made a reappearance at this year’s airshow.
Another particular MiG-21, was 26112, also known as “Rudijev MiG”.
This MiG was named after Rudolf Perešin, a Croatian pilot who successfully defected from the Yugoslav Air Force on the 25th of October 1991. During a mission in the Croatian War of Independence (March 1991-November 1995), Perešin flew this exact MiG to Klagenfurt, Austria, where he successfully landed.
The aircraft honors Perešin’s legacy and his sacrifice for Croatia, becoming a symbol of endurance and national pride.
To this day, 26112 still wears the official ex Yugoslav Air Force’s colors, making it an interesting subject with an even more interesting historical background.
Dassault Rafale: A new era for Croatia
The Dassault Rafale is a French multirole fighter jet developed by Dassault Aviation in the 1980s. It was designed to be versatile, capable of performing a wide range of missions including air superiority, ground attack, reconnaissance, and nuclear deterrence. The Rafale’s first flight occurred in 1986, and it entered service with the French Air Force in 2006. Known for its advanced avionics, powerful engine, and agility, the Rafale is considered one of the most capable 4.5 Generation fighter jets in the world.
As we previously mentioned, Croatia made the landmark decision to acquire 12 Dassault Rafale fighters from France to modernize its air force, back in 2021. While the MiG21 will be missed among the HRZ and aviation enthusiasts from all around the world, the new state-of-the-art Rafale, will surely mark a new era of modern capability for the country.
AirVG24 was the official public presentation of the new aircraft type for the Croatian Air Force.
Wrap Up
AirVG24 was a perfectly organised event, both for spotters and for the general public.
We’re thankful to the Croatian Air Force and to the whole city of Velika Gorica for giving us the opportunity to witness the MiG21 for one last time. We’re certainly planning to come back to Croatia sooner or later, and hopefully AirVG25 will be the reason.
As always, attached below is the full gallery showcasing the event.
“Hvala Puno” for taking the time to read our article!
Gallery
Article by Christian Bossi – Pictures by Christian Bossi, Matej Moravčík.