As the Croatian MiG-21s overhauled and (partly) upgraded in Odessa have already been flying again for more than a year, but official permission to visit the Croatian Air Force is still a long time coming, the author decided on an unofficial visit to Zagreb-Pleso airport, where the flight operations of the local 91 Zrakoplovna Baza can currently unfortunately not be observed from the closed visitors' terrace, but at least through the (reasonably clean) windows of the airport restaurant. In doing so, he had to fend off constant "attacks" by local airport visitors who, trying to snap the arrival or departure of family members with their smartphones, did not even shy away from climbing over restaurant guests, tables and chairs. In the end, however, there was a quite respectable yield of photos.
First came a two-seater ...
... in the new grey colour scheme.
It was followed by the QRA pair of two of the newly procured aircraft.
To the author's great delight, the aircraft were armed with two R-60 missiles ...
... and taxied across the apron at quite high speed, ...
... and then took off as a pair.
Shortly afterwards, the two-seater returned from its flight.
The QRA aircraft then landed individually ...
... although the attempt to photograph the landings from outside was severely hampered by the high fences and the heat on the day of the visit.
In the meantime, a Mi-171 flew in from Lučko base on the other side of the city.
After the lunch break, two more single-seaters took off, including 116, which belongs to the "old stock".
However, the aircraft did not return before the author's departure ...
... so the departure of the Mi-171 remained the last impression of a successful day.
