Now that we have established that jets pounding Aleppo are not MiGs but rather L-39s, another confusing topic is where are those jets taking off from? The prevalent “truth” seems to be Aleppo International Airport where rebels and media alike believe it to be the staging point.

A quick look on Google Maps, however, proves otherwise.

MiG-23s parked at Aleppo International Airport

Those are MiG-23 fighter jets. Note the swept-back wings, a result of the MiG23 variable-geometry structure. For comparison purposes, find below similar Libyan MiG-23s.

Similarities with Syrian MiGs for comparison

Now that this has been established, where are the L-39s taking off from? Sensibly, they should be jetting off from bases near Aleppo in order to be poised to strike at a moment’s notice. Sure enough, i found the L-39 trainer jets based about 30 miles to the east of Aleppo in Deir Hafir and Al-Jirah airfields (Click for Wikimapia locations, links kindly provided by @bjoernen_dk of the extremely informative http://board-temporary.blogspot.dk/). I counted about 50 of them there, though i suspect there are a dozen more missing (Syria has about 50-80 L-39s).

L-39s Albatross based in Deir Hafir Airfield

Al-Jirah Airfield where more L-39s are based