After extensive search to find decals for my nearly complete 1:48 MiG-17F (Hobbyboss Kit), I found an interesting set of decals from Print Scale in Ukraine. It features a handful of Soviet/Russian subjects, one of which is a standard NMF MiG-17F, and I quote: "The participant intrusion into Czechoslovakia in 1968."

The aircraft features the typical twin red bands commonly photographed on Soviet MiG-21S's that participated in putting down the Czech uprising. The number is a non-standard blue with white outline four digit code.

I had no reason to doubt the veracity of the markings (they were from the Ukraine!), until a Google image search turned up several photos of blue 1611 on the airshow circuit:



So now I'm wondering, was this a real aircraft? Did MiG-17Fs participate in the Soviet incursion into Czechoslovakia in 1968? Or are the markings just spurious airshow markings?

As I've noted before, there is a dearth of decals covering Soviet numbering and markings for the MiG-17 or any of it's early NMF bretheren...

Any help is appreciated!