At the Fence for Europe’s Final Fishbeds
So much of the hobby is about chasing aircraft in the twilight of their careers, and the Croatian MiG‑21s were high on the hit list for many enthusiasts. In September 2021, three days of spotting were planned at Croatia’s busiest airport — known to the military as Baza 91 — in the hope of catching some of the remaining 12 operational MiG‑21s flown by the 191st Fighter Aircraft Squadron.
Thanks to excellent local knowledge, the first day was instead spent at Cerklje ob Krki Air Base, just a short hop over the border in Slovenia, as no Croatian MiG‑21 flying was scheduled for the Monday. The days that followed brought a surprisingly high volume of Fishbed activity, with around four launches each morning and two more in the afternoon. We were fortunate to witness such a high number of movements — especially considering that, in later years, some spotters reportedly spent multiple days at the base without seeing a single MiG‑21 flight.
One highlight was MiG‑21bisD 133 flying with wing tanks, believed to be the first time a Croatian Fishbed had operated in that configuration. The additional tank, compared with the usual single centreline fit, provided valuable extra endurance, as the other jets’ sorties typically lasted only around 40 minutes. An unexpected but welcome visitor also appeared in the form of DHC‑6‑300 Twin Otter F‑RACD from the French Air and Space Force. Five Twin Otters serve with France, primarily supporting special forces operations, which explains the inconspicuous all‑white scheme.
The Croatian Air Force retired its final MiG‑21s on 30 November 2024, bringing an end to Fishbed operations in Europe. The Cold War icons have since been replaced by a fleet of 12 second‑hand Dassault Rafales.
