The Russian Knights, or Russkiye Vityazi aerobatics demonstration team of the Russian Air Force was formed in 1991. The teams flies with four Su-27Ps and two Su-27UBs. They operate out of their home base at Kubinka air force base west of Moscow. In 2009 two Su-27s collided during a practice run killing one of the pilots. Despite this incident the team continues to perform aerobatics.
Strizhi (Swifts in English) is a aerobatic team formed in 1991 with the regiment 237th Centre for Display of Aviation Equipment. The teams flies 6 Mig-29s in single and dual (UB) seat configurations. The team is known for it’s tight formations sometimes spaced three metres apart.
Lipetsk air base is the home base of the Falcons of Russia aerobatic team. The team Su-30s performed together with Su-27s of the Russian air force.
Our visit to MAKS was part of a larger trip, visiting airports, museums and scrap yards in the Moscow vicinity. This trip report was be online later.