ZSh-5 31st FS Kapteeni J. Heikkinen MiG-21bis
Captain Jouna Heikkinen used ZSh-5 flight helmet.
ZSh-5 has a green edgeroll. Capt Heikkinen was a Flight Commander of Fighter Squadron 31.
Visor has been cut for better position over KM-34 mask.
The visor has a velcro for Finnish made visor cover.
MiG-21bis Flight Commander's helmet has a new style name tape on the left side. The last maintenance was valid to week 16 in 1998.
A Soviet type label with Finnish Army tower emblem. This helmet is size 1.
Rear view. There are markings of the use of the older style name tape on rear.
The interior of the helmet.
Finnish newspaper article of the last "bison pilots" including interview of Captain J. Heikkinen in January 1998.
Captain Jouna Heikkinen wearing his (this!) ZSh-5 in duty 1997 (FiAF photo).
Three Finnish MiG-21bis flight helmets with different style name tapes and maintenance dates (1996-1997-1998).
MiG-21bis Fishbed-L in Finnish Air Force
Finnish Air Force (FiAF) had 26 MiG-21bis jets in service during 1978-98.
Four MiG-21UM Mongol-B trainers were used for pilot training.
Main operator was Fighter Squadron 31 at Rissala (EFKU).
First two MiG-21bis fighters MG-111 (MB-111) and MG-114 (MB-114) arrived in 1978 for pilot training.
The most of the MiG-21bis fleet (18) were delivered in 1980 in three batches. MG-124 at Rissala in 29.3.1985 during Conscripts Day.
Three more MiG-21bis fighters were flown from Russia in 1985 and three in 1986. Six MiG-21bis and two pilots were lost in accidents 1982-1995.
Lynx emblem was adopted for MiG's tails.
Later the white cloud was removed (1989).
MiG-21bis pilots were wearing first ZSh-3 helmets and during 1989 helmets were changed for ZSh-5s (FiAF photo).
Also smaller insignias and serials were adopted in 1989. Here MG-111 at Helsinki-Vantaa located Finnish Aviation Museum.
Six MiG-21bis smokies were modified for recconnaissance duties and were operated by the Recconnaissance Squadron 1986-96.
All recce MiGs were transferred to Rissala in 1996. Recce MG-127 at Lappeenranta Museum.
Today seven MiG-21bis jets are in museums and three are as memorials.
USN F/A-18C pilot Commodore Morris wearing a ZSh-5 after MiG-21UM ride (FiAF photo).
Finnish MiG-21bis driver's patch.
The last MiG-21bis flight was made in 7.3.1998 at Rissala.
