Matt Guthmiller was the youngest pilot to fly solo around the world.  

He continues to fly today, taking his YouTube audience on amazing adventures with 197 thousand subscribers to his page.

Matt has chosen to live in Wyoming in an airport community on the western side of the state.

Watch in the video below his flying adventures continue as he flies a Russian MiG 15, a plane that was designed in the late 1940s and fought over Korea.

attachment-Matt Guthmiller YouTube Russian Mig 2
loading...

According to Matt, "Not many jets can do 400 knots indicated, but the MiG 15 can, and flying a swept wing fighter jet designed in the 1940s is equal parts fascinating and terrifying."

On May 31, 2014, Matt set out on a 44.5 day trip of over 30,000 miles in an attempt to become the youngest person to ever circumnavigate the globe on a solo flight.

attachment-Matt Guthmiller Youtube screen grab 2
loading...

Born in Aberdeen South Dakota, Matt Guthmiller has always wanted to fly. Now that dream is part of his everyday life. Matt received his private pilot certificate on his 17th birthday, has gone on to earn his commercial pilot certificate and numerous ratings, flown dozens of aircraft, and logged more than 2700 hours in the air (500 when he started the trip).

The MiG 15 he flies in the video is based in Santa Fe New Mexico at an adventure flight school that hosts several jets that aviators are allowed to fly for the pure adventure of it.

Here in Wyoming, 2 such MiGs are stored in a hanger in Casper. While the Wyoming MiG could fly, they are not ready to do so right now. They have been sitting for several decades.

Photo By Glenn Woods
Photo By Glenn Woods
loading...

But let's get back to Matt and his adventures. 

He went to Santa Fe New Mexico to try out two fighter trainers. One is American and more modern, the other is this old Russian MiG-15.

Flying the MiG is complicated. When it came out it was the most advanced fighter of its time. So much so that it was beating out American pilots until our own air force designed and built one almost exactly like it.

The Sabre American is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing Soviet MiG-15 in high-speed dogfights in the skies of the Korean War (1950–1953), fighting some of the earliest jet-to-jet battles in history.

Here is the video of Matt flying the MiG. Let's take to the skies with him.

At this point, you might be wondering how two MiG-15 fighter trainers, one possibly a surveillance plane, end up in a hanger in Casper Wyoming?

They were not flown here, in case you were wondering. They cost less to purchase than you might think.

In this next video, Ed Good talks about his famous father, Jim Good. Jim is in Wyoming's Aviation Hall Of Fame. Jim heard about these planes and found a way to bring them from Poland to the United States for his Good Aviation and Veterans Museum in Casper, at the Natrona County Airport.

Ed Good works to preserve his father’s dream of providing a place that can teach future generations about aviation. Ed's contributions to the Victory for Veterans Foundation help keep the museum running.

In this conversation, Ed talks about the development of the MiG and how America worked to catch up to what, at the time, was more advanced Russian technology in the air during the Korean war.

The vintage planes could still fly if desired, with a little work and a lot of money. But, for the many reasons he mentions in the video, they are just to look at these days.

Wyoming Has Polish MiGs for Ukraine

Not long after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the was talk of Poland giving Ukraine some of their MiG fighter planes.

Poland is now part of NATO. So they were willing to part with the older Russian planes for newer and more hi-tech Western planes.

For several reasons, the deal fell through. Ukraine will not get the planes.

HEY Ukraine!
If you're still interested, Wyoming has a few old Polish MiGs we would be happy to give you.

Wyoming's Best Pilots Astound At The Glendo Fly-In 2021

More From My Country 95.5