Air & Space Museum

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MLD Flogger

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MLD Flogger

The Soviet aircraft company Mikoyan-Gurevich began work on the MiG-23 in the early 1960s. The engineers at Mikoyan-Gurevich studied the American McDonnell F-4 Phantom II and General Dynamics F-111, and it isn’t difficult to see how those airplanes influenced the design of the MiG-23. It was the first Soviet jet with swing-wings to enable high speed flight as well as manageable takeoff and landing speeds. The first MiG-23 flew in 1967, and production aircraft entered service in 1970. The Soviet Union produced more than 5,000 of them over the next 18 years, and exported hundreds to their allies and client states.

Versions of the MiG-23 saw combat in Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Angola, Libya, Egypt, Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, India, Pakistan, and Sudan.
Several MiG 23s came to the United States in 1977, where they were flown and evaluated by American pilots as part of the secret “Constant Peg” program.

This particular MiG-23 was built in a factory about 40 miles north of Moscow and delivered to the Bulgarian Air Force on February 20, 1985. For the next 11 years the 2nd Squadron, 18th Regiment flew it from Gabrovnitsa Airbase. The Bulgarians used their MiG-23s strictly as air-to-air fighters, but they never saw any combat. After the fall of the Soviet Union and the dissolution of the Communist government, the airplane flew very little, and in 1998-99 the squadron disbanded, and the airplane moved by road to Dobroslavtsi. It made its last flight on October 3, 2001, and spent the next seven years parked outdoors.

American investors purchased several MiG-23s in 2007-2008, including this one. After shipment to northern Texas, it was stored outdoors until 2019, when Tom and Brenda Kalfas donated the MiG to Wings Over the Rockies. Our Restorations team is working to restore the airplane.

Aircraft specifications:
Wingspan: variable from 25 ft 6 in to 45 ft 10 in (7.8-14 m)
Length: 54 ft 9 in (16.7 m)
Maximum speed: Mach 2.35 (1,551 mph; 2,496 km/h at 40,000 feet)
Maximum weight: 39,242 lb (17,800 kg)
Crew: One
Thrust: 18,800 lbf (83.6 kN); 28,660 lbf (127.49 kN) with afterburner

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Air & Space Museum

Upcoming Events

Saturday Apr 26
10:00AM TO 2:00PM
Exploration of Flight (Centennial Airport)

Aviation Career Symposium

Aviation Career Symposium
Saturday, Apr 26, 2025 | 10:00AM to 2:00PM

Discover your path to a career in aviation!

Join us for an exhibition of aviation educators and employers. Take your next step or your first step towards your dream career in aviation. Whether you’re a student wanting to learn or a professional looking to network, this event is for you!

Students with a valid 2024-2025 school ID will receive free admission for this event!*

Featuring:
  • Airlines
  • Military Recruiters
  • Flight Schools
  • UAV Operators
  • Airport Businesses
  • College Programs
  • High School Programs
  • Youth Organizations
  • A Variety of Aircraft
  • And more!

Want to exhibit? Click here to sign up!

Vehicles on display will include a Learjet, Air Tractor, Airbus EC145 helicopter, C-172, fire trucks and more! Vehicles are weather dependent and subject to change.

Purchase Tickets

Food Truck: Ecos de Mexico
Please note: Food purchases are not included in admission.

*Students: Do not pre-purchase your ticket. To receive free admission, please bring your school ID to show at the admissions desk. 

Sunday Apr 27
10:00AM TO 11:30AM
Air & Space Museum

Sensory Friendly Hours

Sensory Friendly Hours
Sunday, Apr 27, 2025 | 10:00AM to 11:30AM

Join us to experience the museum turned down and participate in sensory friendly activities including a scavenger hunt, discovery carts, STEAM and sensory activities and more!

We are pleased to offer a more comfortable museum experience for our friends who have sensory processing sensitivities and their families. We welcome families with children, teenagers and adults on the autism spectrum, with sensory processing disorders and other cognitive disabilities to experience our museum in a lower sensory environment.

Admission is FREE for children or adults with sensory processing sensitivities and their families. Please pre-register at the link below.

Register Here

Click here to learn more about accessibility, amenities and view a social narrative and map for your visit to the Air & Space Museum.

Monday Apr 28
6:00PM TO 8:00PM
Exploration of Flight (Centennial Airport)

Wings Aerospace Exploration Parent/Family Info Night

Wings Aerospace Exploration Parent/Family Info Night
Monday, Apr 28, 2025 | 6:00PM to 8:00PM

Full STEAM Ahead – Immerse Your Student into Aerospace!

Join us for an informational session to learn about Wings Aerospace Exploration (WAE), a hands-on enrichment program for students in grades 6-12 from the team at Wings Over the Rockies™. During this session, we will provide a program overview, introduce our staff and instructors, share stories from current and past students and answer your questions! This meeting will take place at Exploration of Flight at Centennial Airport (13005 Wings Way, Englewood, CO 80112). 

Register Here

Wings is thrilled to announce the expansion of the WAE pathway at our Exploration of Flight campus at Centennial Airport to include middle school classes! For this upcoming 2025/2026 school year, WAE Centennial will be open to middle school and high school students (grades 6-12).

WAE students have the opportunity to explore the wonders of flight, engage with industry professionals, and gain valuable skills for future careers in aerospace. The program includes building and operating RC airplanes, drones and robotics, as well as coding, rocketry and LOTS of other aviation and space related subjects. Wings Aerospace Exploration is an enrichment program and complements but does not take the place of an accredited educational institution.

Questions? Please contact:
Nedra Hall – Program Coordinator, 303.360.5360 ext 125
WingsEducation@WingsMuseum.org

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