A 76-year-old war buff from Germany has decided to sell a Soviet-made MiG fighter he kept in his backyard for over 20 years after another German pensioner was fined GBP 213,000 for having a tank in his cellar.

OAP Wilfried Kleber from the city of Lobau located in the German state of Saxony wants to sell the MiG 21 supersonic jet fighter, also known as ‘Fishbed’ by NATO, which he kept in his backyard for 20 years after a court ruled that even possession of non-functioning military items is an offence.

The other pensioner who was fined, former financial broker Klaus-Dieter Flick, 84, was prosecuted for keeping a World War II Nazi tank in his villa in the town of Heikendorf in the district of Plon in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.

Herr Flick, who kept the 1943 Panther (Panzer) tank, in addition to a whole arsenal of World War II military equipment including ammunition, a mortar, a 3.5-inch anti-aircraft gun, and a torpedo in his basement was fined the equivalent of GBP 213,000, and was also given a suspended prison sentence of 14 months.

His lawyer had pointed out that none of the weapons were functional, but the court agreed with prosecutors that ownership of anything on the list of military weapons was an offence regardless of whether it was functional, and he was convicted of breaching the War Weapons Control Act.

According to fighter plane owner Kleber, the MiG 21 which was designed in the Soviet Union during the Cold War and was used in 60 countries on four continents during its prime years, should earn him at least EUR 20,000 (GBP 17,000).

The 76-year-old bargain hunter reported he had once also kept a train and a helicopter right next to the MiG 21, but later sold them.

The man said that now he had decided to get rid of the fighter jet as well, he wanted to make sure he got some money once again. It it is unclear who he is hoping to sell it to.

He said: “My family would probably rather just get rid of the jet as quickly as possible. That’s why I am taking care of the sale personally – I want to get EUR 20,000 for it.”

Kleber who worked as an engineer before he retired, added: “She belonged to a National People’s Army Air Force fighter squadron in [the German city of] Preschen.”

According to online sources, over 10,000 of the Soviet-made jets which were once the most-produced supersonic jet aircraft in aviation history have been built ever since its production started in 1959.

Kleber, who has had the fighter jet for 20 years, explained: “I originally bought it to draw attention. People talk about an airplane in the garden.”

Reportedly, the jet is usually kept covered by a tarpaulin to protect it from bad weather conditions, however, due to its age, the paint has started to peel off the cockpit.

Nevertheless, to Kleber who is very proud of his jet pet, it still “looks good”, even though it can no longer fly.

The senior citizen revealed that he is planning to use the money from the sale for travelling.