Little known story about Vietnam Air Force parade

Military helicopters of the Air Defense - Air Force fly with flags to celebrate the 50th anniversary of national reunification, April 30, 2025 in the sky of Ho Chi Minh City

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

From the first flight to the unification parade

According to the documents of the 919th flight group, on September 2, 1956, for the first time, 5 aircraft of the Vietnam Air Force performed a demonstration to celebrate the National Day rally, on Ba Dinh Square. These were civil transport aircraft Li-2 and Aero-45 donated by China, with serial numbers from VN198 to VN202.

Launching ceremony of Regiment 919 (now Flight Group 919), May 1, 1959

IMAGE: DOCUMENT

On May 1, 1959, after the launching ceremony of the Vietnam Air Transport Force at Gia Lam airport, two flight crews, IL-14 and Li-2, made four flights carrying high-ranking leaders and guests to visit the airspace of Hanoi . The IL-14 flight crew (chief pilot Hoang Ngoc Trung, air navigator Hoang Can) also made a flight demonstration through Gia Lam runway at low altitude.

Armored vehicle formation parades on Ba Dinh Square, September 2, 1975

PHOTO: DOCUMENT

Immediately after the reunification day of April 30, 1975, the Air Defense - Air Force transferred Mig-21 aircraft of the 927th Air Force Regiment from the North to Bien Hoa. On May 15, 1975, the Mig-21 squadrons flew a parade past the Reunification Hall, in celebration of the day the South was completely liberated.

Air Force helicopters practice flying to celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Day, at Hoa Lac military airport, August 2025

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

In Hanoi, on the morning of September 2, 1975, a formation of 12 Mig-21s of the Vietnam Air Force also flew over Ba Dinh Square, marching with other forces to celebrate the 30th anniversary of National Day and complete reunification.

Military helicopter flies flag to welcome Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2024

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

On April 26, 1976, to celebrate the election of the 6th National Assembly (1976 - 1981) and the 1st anniversary of reunification, the Ministry of National Defense deployed F-5, A-37 aircraft and 10 UH-1 helicopters to demonstrate force in the skies over Saigon and Bien Hoa.

In 1979, on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army, the Air Force (now the Air Defense - Air Force) was assigned the task of flying a parade and demonstrating its strength in the Hanoi area.

Su-30MK2 fighter jets fly in a parade over Ho Chi Minh City, April 30, 2025

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

On the morning of December 22, 1979, the air force formation participating in the parade (12 MiG-21s, 3 A-37s, 3 F-5s and 3 Ka-25s) in neat formation, flew over the celebration area (Hang Day Stadium) at the scheduled time.

The very next day (December 23, 1979) in the West Lake area, a formation of aircraft (3 Mi-8s, 3 UH-1s and 2 An-2s) performed a demonstration flight to serve the All-Army Health Festival with a beautiful formation, demonstrating the strength of the Vietnam Air Force.

A formation of 12 An-26 military transport aircraft preparing to take off from Gia Lam airport, flying in a parade on the morning of September 2, 1985.

PHOTO: DOCUMENT

1985 parade with the most planes

In 1985, our Party and State organized a large-scale celebration of the 40th anniversary of National Day, September 2, in Hanoi. At the request of the Ministry of National Defense, the Air Force (now the Air Defense - Air Force) used a large force to participate in the parade, including: 24 MiG-21Bis (representing the fighter air force, operated by the 927th and 921st Regiments); 12 Su-22Ms (representing the fighter-bomber air force, operated by the 923rd Regiment); 12 An-26s (representing the transport air force); 9 Mi-24s and 3 Mi-8s (representing the helicopter air force, operated by the 916th Regiment) and 15 L-39 training aircraft (representing the school, Regiment 910), forming the number 40.

Military aircraft form the number 40 during a rehearsal for a military parade before September 2, 1985.

PHOTO: DOCUMENT

The organization of the parade flight formation training was carried out by the units at their bases. The joint training phase was organized by the Army Corps to fly over Hoa Lac airport and Ba Dinh Square. Regiment 910, after moving from Nha Trang to Gia Lam, conducted additional training flights for formation number 40.

The navigator crew at the Service Headquarters and the navigator radar station 26 are responsible for guiding all training flights and official parade flights over Ba Dinh. The navigator crew of each regiment is responsible for leading their own unit's flights. During training flights and official flights, the Service deploys flight control stations at Hoa Lac and Ba Dinh.

Early morning of September 2, 1985, at Ba Dinh Square, the sky was cloudy, visibility was reduced. At the airports and areas where the parade flights passed, the weather was unstable, hindering the conditions to ensure the safety of the parade flights.

After careful consideration, the Army Command decided to request the L-39 aircraft formation (Regiment 910) to wait for orders, while the other regiments were ready to take off.

An-26 transport aircraft formation flies over Ba Dinh Square, during the military parade on the morning of September 2, 1985.

PHOTO: DOCUMENT

As planned, 12 MiG-21Bis of Regiment 927 took off from the dual-use airport, entered the correct flight path, and flew neatly over Ba Dinh Square.

At Kien An airport (Hai Phong city), due to heavy rain, only 6/12 MiG-21Bis of Regiment 921 took off, flying in pairs.

At Tho Xuan airport (Thanh Hoa), 12 Su-22Ms of Regiment 923 could not overcome the sudden bad weather in Nam Dinh and had to turn back.

Grasping the situation, Regiment Commander Pham Phu Thai immediately asked for permission to lead the formation of 12 MiG-21 Bis of Regiment 927 back through Ba Dinh Square for the second time, replacing the formation of 12 Su-22M.

Following that, 12 An-26s took off from Gia Lam airport, flying over Ba Dinh Square. A formation of 12 helicopters of Regiment 916, taking off from Hoa Lac, flew over the Square at the exact moment the mechanized infantry mass advanced across the stage.

During the parade mission on September 2, 1985, the Air Defense - Air Force accumulated a lot of useful experience in organizing large formation flights with many different types of jet aircraft, transport aircraft, and helicopters and handling situations of leading a formation of 12 aircraft when encountering bad weather.

The military transport squadron of Brigade 918 (Air Defense - Air Force) practiced flying for the parade to celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Day.

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

On December 14, 1984, during training to prepare for the demonstration flight mission to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army (December 22, 1944 - December 22, 1984), pilot instructors Lam Quang Tiep and Dang Van Trang (Regiment 920, Air Force Officer School) flew a formation of 2 MiG-21s.

At an altitude of 800 m and a speed of 850 km/h, suddenly a hole was blown into the cockpit of pilot Tiep's plane and it broke. The shards of mica flew everywhere, injuring pilot Tiep and breaking the radio cable. Despite being injured and losing contact with the command post, pilot Tiep did not abandon the plane and parachute, but bravely piloted the MiG-21 without the cockpit cover to land at Phan Rang airport. Senior Lieutenant pilot Lam Quang Tiep was awarded the Third Class Military Exploit Medal.

(Source: Air Force Academy Chronicle, 1959 – 2009)

Flag helicopters, heat trap fighters

In 1995, the Air Force sent five helicopters from Regiment 916 to participate in the military parade to celebrate the 50th anniversary of National Day on September 2. This was the first time a formation of helicopters flying the national flag flew over Ba Dinh Square.

Military helicopter flies flag to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu victory (May 7, 2024)

PHOTO: HIEU TRUONG

The task of designing and manufacturing the flag mount on the helicopter was assigned to the Air Force Technical Institute. However, during the practice, it was discovered that the new aircraft hung in place, the flag was rolled up and could not fly. Immediately after that, research and improvement were carried out and 5 Mi-17 helicopters completed the parade mission.

Helicopters flying flags over Ho Chi Minh City, April 30, 2025

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

On September 2, 2005, helicopters of Regiment 916 flew with the national flag and the Party flag in celebration of the 60th anniversary of National Day.

Helicopters fly to welcome Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2024

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

On October 10, 2010, a squadron of 10 helicopters of the Air Defense - Air Force successfully completed the mission of flying the Party flag and the national flag over Ba Dinh Square on the occasion of the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi.

New Yak-130 appears in parade formation

PHOTO: NGO TRAN HAI AN

At the opening ceremony of the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2022 (December 8, 2022), in addition to the flag-raising helicopter formation, for the first time, a squadron of Su-30MK2 fighter jets appeared performing and dropping heat traps in the sky of Hanoi.

Su-30MK2 formation performs in the sky of Ho Chi Minh City, morning of April 30, 2025

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

The celebratory flight demonstration mission will be carried out consecutively afterwards during the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2024 (December 19-22), the 70th Anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 2024), and the 50th Anniversary of Reunification Day (April 30, 2025).

Su-30MK2 demonstrates drilling and dropping heat traps

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

In particular, during the upcoming celebration and parade to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, dozens of military aircraft of the Air Defense - Air Force will fly in celebration and perform.

Military transport planes join the flight to celebrate the upcoming 80th anniversary of National Day

PHOTO: MAI THANH HAI

In addition to familiar aircraft such as helicopters (Mi-8, Mi-17, Mi-171), Su-30MK2 fighter jets, there are also multi-purpose training aircraft Yak-130, L-39NG and military transport aircraft CASA C-295, CASA C-212...