From where did Red Bull got its MIG-17?

Question

I wondering what was the way to get it? and how many did it cost it to the Co??

thx

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2851114260090135133PLMuMb

Answer 1

Bill Reesman's Red Bull MiG-17F was built in Poland in 1959 and entered active service in the Polish Air Force as a Cold War warrior, patrolling the Iron Curtain for about 25 years until it was parked in an aircraft "bone yard" in Poland. The aircraft was purchased from the Polish AIr Force in 1994 but a Phoenix, Arizona-based Polish immigrant, who imported 15 MiGs and a hangar full of parts for resale in the United States. Reesman purchased the MiG in March 1994, two weeks after his first, Chinese-built MiG exploded and caught fire just after takeoff. The Polish aircraft was in terrible shape after being parked in a field for nine years, so Reesman had a team of 10 mechanics completely overhaul it over two months. Today it is meticulously maintained and is the best conditioned MiG-17F in the world.

BTW:  The MiG-17 never battled F-86's (unless it was Chinese MiG-17's and Taiwanese Sabres over the straights of Taiwan).  The MiG-17 was produced after the Korean War.

Answer 2

A while back you could buy them through Aerotrader for under $35,000.00 (With some assembly required).  There are still quite a few OLD 15s and 17s (as well as L29s and ISKRA trainers) in the US.  They were a fairly good deal for a turbine-powered fighter.

Answer 3

Bill Reesman got the Mig-17F from a Polish imagrant that collected MiG's from World War Two.  And the MiG is very old, I am not sure exactly how old though.

Answer 4

Probably owned by a private collector who needed a sponser for fuel and parts.Many collectors want US Air Force planes that have been retired,but the supply is running out.So when the Soviet Union fell,they started selling planes from the 1950's-1970's fairly cheap.The Mig-17 fought the F-86 Sabre,but many were scrapped or cannabilized in the 1970's.The Mig is low tech,fairly easy to fix compared to present Air Force ;and still flies fast.One man bought an F-104 Starfighter with his wife as backseater,the FAA won't let him go supersonic at Airshows.It was amoung the first that could in the early 1960's.Red Baron pizza has a similar deal with some stunt pilots in Biplanes.Depends on the advertising budget.

Answer 5

Red Bull just bribed some Commie pilot with a 6 pack of Red Bull, a Hershey bar, half a pack of Winston lights and some nylons for his water buffalo of a wife.