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Из Arab MiG-19 & MiG-21 Units in Combat (Combat Aircraft 44)
Despite Egypt's deteriorating military situation, 14 October is regarded as the day of the EAF's greatest aerial victories, and was subsequently celebrated as Egyptian Air Force Day. It opened with an Israeli attack on the Port Said area at around 0100 hours. Later, the IDF/AF launched a massive assault on EAF bases at Salihiyah, Mansourah and Tanta to destroy No 104 Air Brigade. At 1500 hours, the brigade's alert aircraft were ready with pilots in their cockpits. Fifteen minutes later observation posts reported 20 Phantom IIs approaching from the sea near Port Said, bound for the Delta. EAF CO Hosni Mubarak ordered No 104 Air Brigade CO Gen Ahmed Abdul Rahman Nasr to scramble 16 MiG-21s to form a defensive umbrella, but not to go looking for the enemy.
Normally, the Israelis attacked in three stages, starting with a wave of fighters to draw Egyptian interceptors away from the target, followed by a suppression wave, with an escort designed to crush the Egyptian air defence. The third, or main attacking, force then headed straight for the target. In fact, the first F-4s flew in circles, then retreated across the coast.
At around 1530 hrs Egyptian radar detected about 60 F-4Es approaching Baltim, Damietta and Port Said. Mubarak ordered Nasr to intercept. The 16 MiG-21s already airborne attacked the approaching jets in an effort to break up their formations. Another 16 MiG-21s from Mansourah and eight from Tanta also took off. At 1538 hrs Egyptian radar reported a third wave of 16 or so Phantom IIs coming in low from Port Said. The remaining eight MiG-21s at Mansourah took off to intercept them, while eight MiG-21s left Abu Hammad to help. The resulting engagement put 62 MiG-21s against 120 Phantom IIs and Skyhawks.
…No Egyptian aircraft were destroyed during the first phase of the battle, although six MiG-21s were lost by the time it was over, including two which ran out of fuel and a third destroyed by debris from an exploding F-4. Three were downed by the enemy and two Egyptian pilots were killed. Tel Aviv, however, claimed the destruction of 15 Egyptian aircraft, while the final EAF claim for all fronts was 24, plus two helicopters.
