For comparative trials, the then Chinese Nationalist Air Force painted Shenyang F-2 1765 in their colours and this view was taken in August 1962, five months after it arrived at Taoyan AB.

This Angolan AF MiG-21 C340 was recovered in 1991 and was closely inspected by the South African Air Force before relegation to the Swartkop museum where it currently resides.

After his arrival at Hakodate airport, Japan, Belenko’s MiG-25 was quickly covered in tarpaulins before a high fence was erected to hide early inspection of the aircraft by Western intelligence.

A high fence was erected to hide early inspection of the aircraft by Western intelligence.

Some days later it was dismantled and transferred to a military base.

The last PRC pilot to arrive in Taiwan was 28-year-old Liu Chih-yuan who landed this Shenyang F-6 (40208) at Ching Chuan Kang AB on November 19, 1987.

Ten years earlier, in July 1977, Sqn Ldr Fan Yuan-yen flew his F-6 (3171) from Chinchuang to Tainan AB, south Taiwan.

A wave of relief from PRC defector Chen Pao-chung who flew F-6 3283 to Suwon, South Korea, on April 30, 1986.

One of two Harbin B-5 bombers to have defected, 0195 brought three Chinese of which the pilot suffered head injuries from which he later died. None of these aircraft could be considered ‘intelligence coups’ but the propaganda value was useful.

During a training flight in August 1985, 33-year-old Hsiao Tien-jun made his dash for the west but crash-landed in a paddy field near Iri, South Korea. Sustaining back injuries, he arrived in Taiwan a month later.