A beginner’s visual identification guide

When Putin decides to invade your country it may prove useful to identify the warplanes he will send. With this idiot-proof guide, even you can learn how to tell a Flanker from a Foxhound.

Part one of three.

Over thirty years after the demise of the Soviet Union, almost all Russian warplanes are still Soviet in origin.

Europeans turn their noses up at twin tails, currently considering them a little gauche* – but the crass Americans and Russians love them. The most common twin fin aircraft in the Russian armed forces is the T-10 series, known to the West as the ‘Flanker’ and ‘Fullback’. This comprises the Sukhoi Su-27, 30, 32, 34 and 35. They are much larger than the very similar MiG-29 series, but if you are unable to see the scale lookout for a slender elegant curve from the front wing root to the nose. The MiG-29’s vertical tails also cant outwards whereas Flanker tails are almost vertical.

*not sure there’s been one since the 1950s Sea Vixen other than the half Swedish T-7, though the future may well see Western Europeans changing their tastes.

Air Forces owning both Su-27 and MiG-29 - Model Airplane Collectors
These diagrams are very inaccurate but give an idea of the key differences, the ‘Flanker’ is the larger aircraft.

The most distinctive member of the T-10 family is the Su-34, note the wide duck-like front fuselage with its beak-like nose.

The Blackjack is a massive supersonic bomber, larger than the Backfire.

If the engines stick out of the armpit – it is a Blackjack.

  • If the horizontal tail is mounted up on the tail like a crucifix – it is a Blackjack.

Telling the Blackjack from the American B-1B

Credit: USAF modified by check Six

The rear section of the Tu-160’s engine protrudes more from its armpits.
The inner wing section of the Tu-160 has a shallower sweep angle

  • at moderate wing sweep there is a pronounced kink between the arms and the shoulders of the Blackjack.

Sukhoi Su-24 ‘Fencer’

The easiest aircraft to confuse with the Su-24 is the Tornado.

-proportionally the Su-24s tail is shorter

  • The Su-24 is more slender and less stubby
  • The Su-24 has a side-by-side cockpit – so the windows look like a toenail from above as opposed to the Tornado’s windows that looks more like a tampon.
  • The Su-24 is likely to have fuel tanks (looking like sausages) tucked closely under its armpits
Tornado. Stubby guy with very tail tail.

Sukhoi Su-25

The most dangerous seat in a fixed-wing aircraft is that of a Su-25 in combat.

  • The wide wings are not swept (though front edge is)
  • Squat, chunky appearance

Sukhoi Su-57 ‘Felon’

Listen out for the distinctive scream

  • The plan view looks like a fat ghost or clansman.
  • Side view and front view very slim and pancake-like
  • Not used directly in combat zone to avoid reputational damage from combat losses and or compromise of sensitive technology

MiG-31

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Twin tails

  • jet exhaust nozzles extend MUCH further back than the tail (unlike the F-15 and to lesser extent the Su-27)
  • Big, beefy and blocky
  • The cockpit canopy (the window section) is barely higher than the spine (unlike the F-15)
  • The wingtips are parallel to the main body of the aircraft (the F-15’s are cut back)
  • Unlike the MiG-29 and Su-27 there is no big channel between the engines