Just when you thought he was gone for good, North Korea's portly boy tyrant is back on the scene after what many believe was surgery to remove a cyst from his ankle. Kim Jong Un appeared at an air base where some of the hermit kingdom's few MiG-29s are based. According to state news, he gave the pilots 'guidance' and watched drills take place, cane in hand.
Two of the photos show him triumphantly sitting in a recently repainted Fulcrum cockpit with a red and lace doily covering the ejections eat headrest. These images are probably more about showing that he can still climb a ladder than about depicting a true interest in learning how a MiG-29 is flown. Next to him is a North Korean fighter jock in what has to be the most un-breathable flight suit in modern history.
Then there is this interestingly camouflaged truck...
Good times for all with the Dear Leader around this oddly placed piece of office furniture...
Touring flight lines is not all fun and games. Also note Un's new 'SUPER relaxed fit' Dr. Evil outfit.
So much Top Gun action in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea!
In reality, North Korea has about three dozen earlier versions of the MiG-29 Fulcrum in inventory, and only a fraction of these jets are said to be airworthy at any given time. They are mainly used to protect Pyongyang.
During his short reign, Kim Jong Un has embraced his military state's rapidly aging arsenal, visiting many exercises and bases throughout the country and even taking a ride on a seriously questionable submarine earlier this year.
Captions welcome in the discussion area below!
Tyler Rogoway is a defense journalist and photographer that maintains the website Foxtrot Alpha for Jalopnik.com You can reach Tyler with story ideas or direct comments regarding this or any other defense topic via the email address Tyler@Jalopnik.com