MiG-21 Lancer
Considered obsolete and outdated, the MiG-21 Lancer was and still is one of my favorite planes. However, at this moment, it no longer flies except in the photos and videos of enthusiasts. The MiG-21 Lancer served in the Romanian Air Force for 61 years, out of which 27 in the modernized Lancer variant. In April 2022, the Romanian Ministry of National Defense announced the indefinite suspension of all flights with the MiG-21 Lancer aircraft. This decision was significantly influenced by the last two incidents involving this aircraft type. The first incident happened on March 3, 2022, when a MiG-21 Lancer crashed. A second incident occurred on April 12 when a MiG-21 Lancer had landing gear problems. The decision was unsurprising, especially since there had been talk about retiring the MiG-21 Lancer since 2018. The only problem was the need for other airplanes to replace them. The situation was partially resolved by operationalizing F-16 bought from Portugal. In addition, Romania purchased another 32 F-16 airplanes from Norway. They started to arrive in Romania in 2024. The acquisition process will be complete in 2025 with the arrival of the last F-16 aircraft from Norway.
MiG-21 Lancer Last Flight
On May 15, 2023, the operational career of the MiG-21 Lancer aircraft in Romania officially ended. The last six MiG-21 Lancer airplanes of the Romanian Air Force took off for their final flight from Campia Turzii 72 Air Base and Borcea 86 Air Base, landing at Bacau 95 Air Base. The six MiG-21 aircraft – 5801, 5834, 6010, 6487, 6518, and 6607. The finality of this moment was best captured by one of the pilots who described the last flight with the MiG-21 Lancer:
I pressed the ignition button. The tachometer needles started moving, and the engine noise grew louder. I watched the hydraulic oil pressure rise, and the corresponding cockpit lights went out. The engine goes idle. With stabilized rpm, normal gas temperature, and standard voltage, I signal the ground technician to disconnect the airfield power source.
I turn on the avionics system and enter the flight mission data. I check the flaps and aerodynamic brakes. I am ready to go. I check the brakes, then gently accelerate the engine above the idle threshold and taxi. I line up with the runway, check the flaps position for takeoff, and engage the nose wheel brakes.
Pilot: “LanceR 01, for the last time, ready for departure!”
Tower: “LanceR 01, cleared for takeoff! Thank you for your service in the Romanian Air Force!”
I squeeze the brake lever, rev the engine to full throttle, engage the afterburner, and begin takeoff. I check that the 2 lights are on (thrust and open nozzle). Everything is normal; I taxi—100km/h… 250km/h…330km/h—and the plane takes off smoothly. Engine power and noise surround me; I feel all the aircraft’s power.
I am airborne, all normal.
I joined the flight formation as a teammate. We flew past in formation to give ours and the MiG 21’s salute for the last time to our colleagues on the ground.
Thus, the story of the MiG-21 and MiG-21 Lancer, an airplane that made history in Romanian military aviation for decades, ends. Today, more than a year after the last takeoff of the MiG-21 Lancer, we still have photos, videos, scale models, and stories about this airplane.
