MiG-29 Fulcrum: 32 Blue, Early Production Cold War Fighter

Few aircraft capture the intensity of the Cold War like the Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum. Designed to counter the latest Western fighters, the Fulcrum became one of the most recognizable and widely exported jets of its era. Our newest PlaneTags release comes from one of the earliest examples built, bort 32 Blue, a MiG-29 with a journey as dramatic as the times it lived through.

The MiG Legacy

Photo by Richard Flagg UK Airfields, used with permission.

The name MiG comes from the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau, founded in the Soviet Union during World War II by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. For decades, MiG fighters formed the backbone of Soviet and Warsaw Pact air power. Fast, rugged, and often produced in massive numbers, MiG aircraft became some of the most recognizable symbols of the Cold War.

Early Icons

• MiG-15: Entered combat during the Korean War, where it shocked Western pilots with its speed and performance.

• MiG-17 and MiG-19: Evolved to counter faster Western jets, introducing supersonic performance.

• MiG-21 Fishbed: Perhaps the most famous MiG, with more than 11,000 built. Agile, simple, and widely exported, it became a staple of global air forces. Read about one we made PlaneTags out of: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed: The Supersonic Jet Fighter To Beat
  

Photo by Richard Flagg UK Airfields, used with permission.

The Next Generation

By the 1970s, new American designs like the F-15 and F-16 pushed Soviet engineers to respond with more advanced fighters. The result was a twin-track development program:

• The heavy Su-27 Flanker from Sukhoi, designed for long-range missions.

• The lighter MiG-29 Fulcrum, optimized for frontline air superiority and short-range combat.
  
  

The Fulcrum’s Place

Photo by Richard Flagg UK Airfields, used with permission.

The MiG-29 combined agility with powerful engines and advanced weapons, embodying the Soviet approach to dogfighting. With over 1,600 built and exported to more than 30 countries, it became one of the most widely recognized fighters of the late 20th century.

The Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum

What was the MiG-29 Fulcrum?

Mig 29 - RIAT 2016 flickr photo by Airwolfhound shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA 2.0) license

The MiG-29 was developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s as a lightweight, highly maneuverable air superiority fighter. With twin engines, a powerful thrust-to-weight ratio, and the ability to operate from rough airstrips, it gave the Soviets a formidable answer to the American F-16 Fighting Falcon and F/A-18 Hornet.

Early Fulcrums like 32 Blue carried distinctive ventral fins under each tailplane, a feature unique to the first 70 aircraft. The aircraft could reach speeds over Mach 2.3, soar to altitudes above 59,000 feet, and carried advanced weapons like the R-73 Archer missile, paired with a helmet-mounted sight that gave pilots a deadly edge in close combat.

Where were MiG-29s used?

More than 1,600 MiG-29s were built, and they quickly spread across the globe. Operated by the Soviet Air Force and later the Russian Federation, the Fulcrum was also exported to Warsaw Pact allies and nations around the world, from India and Cuba to Peru and Malaysia.

The Fulcrum has seen combat from the skies over Iraq in the Gulf War, to the Balkans in the 1990s, and even today in Ukraine. Its speed, agility, and distinctive profile have made it one of the icons of 20th-century air power.

What happened to all of the MiG-29s?

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, successor states inherited fleets of MiG-29s. Kyrgyzstan received a handful of aircraft, including 32 Blue. Struggling with the cost of maintaining advanced fighters, the Kyrgyzstan Air Force began selling some of its MiGs abroad.

Kubinka Southside Storage (RH). 23-8-2017 flickr photo by HawkeyeUK shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA 2.0) license

What is a Bort Number?

Soviet and Russian aircraft are often identified by their bort number, the large, painted tactical number on the nose or tail. Unlike U.S. military serial numbers, bort numbers were not permanent and could change when an aircraft was reassigned or repainted.

• “32 Blue” refers to this MiG-29’s tactical number as it appeared in Kyrgyzstan Air Force service, painted in blue on the fuselage.

• Bort numbers are often used by historians and collectors as shorthand to identify specific aircraft, since Soviet serials were not always visible or accessible.
  
  

Our Aircraft’s Story: 32 Blue

Bort 32 Blue, serial number 2960507662, was among the earliest MiG-29s ever produced. In 1996, it was acquired by Air USA, the defense contracting company founded by Don Kirlin of Quincy, Illinois. To facilitate export, the aircraft was flown aboard an Antonov An-124 to Tallinn, Estonia, where it was briefly seized by authorities before finally continuing its journey to the United States in 1999.

Registered as N6394K, the Fulcrum joined Air USA’s fleet. By 2010, it was stored on the ramp at Quincy Regional Airport, alongside its sister MiG-29, serving as a valuable parts donor for the small number of flyable Fulcrums in the U.S.

We are proud to have received this MiG-29 directly from Don Kirlin, whose company became the first private owner of the MiG-29 in America. Don has acquired and transferred nearly 90 tactical fighter jets and has been at the forefront of bringing ex-military aircraft into the U.S. He will be joining us this October at Tagfest V as a guest speaker, sharing his experiences in acquiring and preserving these remarkable aircraft.

MotoArt Finds a MiG-29

When MotoArt learned of this MiG-29 aircraft and the stories of being on the ramp at Quincy Regional Airport, it represented a rare opportunity to preserve an extraordinary piece of aviation history. Working closely with Don Kirlin, founder of Air USA (now Ravn Aerospace) and one of the first private owners of MiG-29s in the United States, the team traveled to Quincy, Illinois, to carefully obtain material from 32 Blue for this PlaneTags release.

The project was more than a salvage effort. It was a chance to connect the story of a Cold War icon to the community of collectors who value its legacy. The MotoArt crew meticulously documented, cut, and transported the material back to Torrance, California, where it was transformed into limited-edition MiG-29 Fulcrum PlaneTags.

“It’s an honor to share the history of this aircraft,” says MotoArt founder Dave Hall. “The MiG-29 was once one of the most advanced fighters in the world, and to preserve a piece of 32 Blue for future generations, especially with Don Kirlin’s involvement, is truly special for us.” 

MiG-29 PlaneTags

MotoArt has preserved this rare piece of aviation history as MiG-29 Fulcrum PlaneTags. Each tag is cut from the authentic skin of 32 Blue, one of the earliest Fulcrums ever built, carrying the unique ventral fins that set it apart. These tags represent not just Soviet design excellence, but also the incredible story of how a frontline fighter jet traveled from Kyrgyzstan, across borders, and into the heart of America.

As with all of our releases, each PlaneTag is a limited-edition collectible, individually numbered and finished by hand in our California workshop.

Related PlaneTags

The MiG-29 Fulcrum was built to counter Western fighters -  many of which are also part of our PlaneTags collection. Complete your Cold War set with:

• F-16A Fighting Falcon (80-0542) – America’s lightweight, multi-role jet designed to match the agility of the MiG-29.

• F/A-18 Hornet (BuNo 163124) – U.S. Navy and Marine Corps fighter, another key rival of the Fulcrum.

• McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II – A legend of the Vietnam War and Cold War, flown by both U.S. and allied forces worldwide. Sold Out

• Northrop N-156F (59-4988) – Prototype that led to the F-5 Freedom Fighter, a nimble aircraft often used in adversary training roles.
  
  

Build Your Cold War Collection

The MiG-29 Fulcrum PlaneTags capture the essence of the Soviet fighter built to go head-to-head with America’s best. Paired with our F-16, F/A-18, F-4 Phantom II, and N-156F PlaneTags, you can create the ultimate East vs. West lineup -  a collection that tells the story of Cold War rivalry, innovation, and the aircraft that defined a generation. Don’t miss your chance to add 32 Blue to your squadron.