Back From The Death

Again

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That past that wasn’t and the future that isn’t

Venezuelan Air Force’s brush with Russian tech, at the top during demonstration of the Mikoyan MiG-29M fighter jet, flying alongside their fleet of Mirage 50s, the intended jets the MiG was to replace, but which was rejected in favor of the Sukhoi Su-30MK2 at the bottom, flying alongside the F-16 fleet, at the time the most modern in Latin America.

Nowadays, following the Maduro raid and now the La Guaira earthquake, the Sukhoi fleet is considered effectively retired, with no russian support nor money to keep it flying, while the older F-16 fleet, flying for over 40 years now, 20 of which under an US arms embargo, is somehow still active with at least 4 airframes out of 21 survivors in flyable condition, albeit with unknown combat capabilities.

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A French Dassault Super Etendard refuels an American F-14 Tomcat.

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Ford Crown Victoria of the Policía Regional, Maracaibo’s old police force, back in the mid 2000’s.

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China Airlines Flight 642.

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Ugandan Army T-55 in Somalia, early 2000s.

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Tupolev Tu-95MS of the Russian Air Force.

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And so, today is my birthday, this guy is officially 35 now!

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Go to paypal.me/EnriqueManzanoRomero and type in the amount. Since it’s PayPal, it's easy and secure. Don’t have a PayPal account? No worrie

In case anyone wants to send a gift! My last birthday where my priority is myself and not my future kid, at least for a good few years!

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One hour away from the end of the day, that was a good day! Worked for half of it, the other half spend it with my wife, sister and a friend, we hung out for a while in the Malecón of Barranquilla, bought a cake courtesy of a friend from here, and eventually went to have a nice dinner, just got home and I am ready to check out and go to bed.

To think last year’s would be my last birthday with dad alongside, he was so healthy just a year ago, but that’s the thing with old people, out of the blue they can get sick and never recover.

Miss my dad man, thankfully I’m just thinking about it just now, it was a nice change of pace to focus on having a good time for once.

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Abandoned Antonov An-12

[barbariankingdom]

(via Home / X)

[barbariankingdom]

[enriquemzn262]

That past that wasn’t and the future that isn’t

Venezuelan Air Force’s brush with Russian tech, at the top during demonstration of the Mikoyan MiG-29M fighter jet, flying alongside their fleet of Mirage 50s, the intended jets the MiG was to replace, but which was rejected in favor of the Sukhoi Su-30MK2 at the bottom, flying alongside the F-16 fleet, at the time the most modern in Latin America.

Nowadays, following the Maduro raid and now the La Guaira earthquake, the Sukhoi fleet is considered effectively retired, with no russian support nor money to keep it flying, while the older F-16 fleet, flying for over 40 years now, 20 of which under an US arms embargo, is somehow still active with at least 4 airframes out of 21 survivors in flyable condition, albeit with unknown combat capabilities.

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The remains of a Colombian National Police UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter, destroyed by an IED planted in the landing pad during the early hours of the morning of august 22 2025, leaving 12 deaths among the police crew and army passengers.

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The remains of a Spanish Armada Bell AB-212 ASW helicopter, following a collision against the mast of the Spanish light carrier Dédalo in 1986, after a gush of wind pushed the helicopter against it during landing, killing all 4 crewmen on board.

The mast was repaired but kept a small tilt that followed the ship until her retirement.

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The remains of the original 1930’s German autobahn, right next to the current modern one.

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Two flavors of greenhouses

Peruvian Mi-17 soviet transport helicopters with the classic round cockpit, featuring the two types of nose accessory: A weather radar, or a machine gun.

Both are very useful in the mountainous terrain these helicopters fly on, the radar for bad weather with reduced/nonexistent visibility conditions, and the machine gun for self-protection during troop drops in contested mountainous zones, sadly they can’t be used at the same time as there’s little space inside the cockpit already

Bare

With radar

With gun

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New vs old: Peruvian Air Forces current dual fleet of French and Russian fighters, the Dassault Mirage 2000 and Mikoyan MiG-29, vs the past one, the Sukhoi Su-22 and the Dassault Mirage V.

Perú currently has plans to replace both jets with the F-16, with an initial order for 12 already signed, and a further 12 units awaiting funds.

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A French Dassault Super Etendard refuels an American F-14 Tomcat.