LUIGINO CALIARO TALKS TO TWO PILOTS WHO SHARE A PASSION FOR THE MIG-17
“This thing is fast, truly fast. It’s also the most stable formation platform I’ve ever flown.” Former USAF pilot Jeff Kaney was summing up his MiG-17 Fresco. It was part of the ‘Black Diamonds’ and still wears the distinctive ‘Arctic’ camouflage also sported by that team’s Aero L-39 Albatros trainers. This machine, N6953X, is a Polish-built Lim-6bis dating from 1962.
Jeff is the owner of Kaney Aerospace, a high-tech engineering enterprise headquartered as Rockford, Illinois. He explained how he took on a MiG: “After owning and operating an L-39 for over ten years, I had the need for speed, the need to challenge myself again. As a former USAF pilot, my experience with the [Northrop] T-38 Talon was always a wonderful memory.
”I have really enjoyed the Russian design and sensibility, and was also looking for some history. The MiG-17 held some appeal and after some time, I decided to add one to my stable. As I started my search, one of the finest flying examples was [being offered] for sale by the Black Diamond team and brokered by my good friend Nathan Jones at Code 1 Aviation at my hometown airport at Rockford.
“His outstanding crew …
