Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (Russian: ) (NATO reporting name Fishbed) is a fighter aircraft, originally built by the Mikoyan and Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It is the second most produced post-World War II military aircraft, after the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.
Development
The first delta-wing prototype (named Ye-4, written also E-4) flew in 14 June 1956, and the production MiG-21 entered service in early 1959.Operational history
The MiG-21 saw frequent action in the Vietnam War and was one of the most advanced aircraft at the time. However, many North Vietnamese aces preferred flying the MiG-17, due to the high wing loading on the MiG-21's. With high wing loading, the MiG-21 was not as agile or manueverable as the MiG-17. Employing a delta wing configuration, it was the first successful Soviet aircraft combining fighter and interceptor in a single aircraft. It was a lightweight fighter, achieving Mach 2 speed using a relatively low-powered afterburning turbojet, and is thus comparable to the American F-104 Starfighter and French Dassault Mirage III.It was also used extensively in the Middle East conflicts of the 1960s and 1970s, by the air forces of Egypt, Syria and Iraq against Israel. The plane was outclassed by the more modern F-15 Eagle (designed primarily to combat the Soviet MiG-25 "Foxbat"), which was acquired by Israel in the 1970s. The Indian Air Force has been one of the largest users of this plane after it was used in the 1971 war with good results. The war also witnessed the first supersonic air combat in the subcontinent when a MiG-21 shot down a F-104 Starfighter.[link] It was also used as late as 1999 in the Kargil War with mixed results.
It was used also in early stages of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan but soon outclassed by the newer MiG-23 and MiG-27.
Due to the lack of available information, early details of the MiG-21 were often confused with those of the similar Sukhoi fighters also under development. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1960-1961 describes the "Fishbed" as a Sukhoi design, and uses an illustration of the Su-9 "Fishpot."
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Variants
- Ye-2 Faceplate : Swept-wing prototype.
- Ye-4 (I-500) : The first delta wing prototype of the MiG-21.
- Ye-5 Fishbed : Delta wing research prototype.
- Ye-6 : Three pre-production aircraft.
- MiG-21 : The first series of fighters.
- MiG-21F Fishbed -B : Single-seat day fighter aircraft. It was the first production aircraft, with 40 machines being made. The MiG-21F was powered by a Tumansky R-11 turbojet engine and armed with two 30-mm NR-30 cannon. Prototype Ye-6T was redesignated MiG-21F.
- Ye-50 : Swept wing research prototype.
- Ye-66 : Single-seat version, built for breaking the world speed record.
- Ye-66A : Built to break the world altitude record.
- Ye-66B :
- Ye-76 :
- Ye-152 : Bigger than a MiG-21, the Ye-152 Flipper was a high-performance aircraft, which achieved at least 3 world records.
- MiG-21F-13 Fishbed-C : Single-seat short-range day fighter. The MiG-21F-13 was the first mass production model. The MiG-21F-13 was powered by a Tumansky R-11 turbojet engine, it was armed with two Vympel K-13 (AA-2 Atoll) air-to-air missiles, and one 30-mm NR-30 cannon. The Type 74 is the Indian Air Force designation. The MiG-21F-13 was made in China, and designated Chengdu J-7 or F-7 for export.
- Chengdu J-7I : The first Chinese production model. Like the MiG-21F-13 it was a single-seat short-range day-fighter, powered by a Wopen WP-7 turbojet engine. It was exported to Albania and Tanzania as the F-7A.
- MiG-21FL : Export model of the MiG-21PF. Built under licence in India as the Type 77.
- MiG-21I "Analog" : Testbed for the Tu-144 wing design
- MiG-21SPS : (East German version)
- MiG-21P Fishbed-D Single-seat limited all-weather interceptor fighter. Armed with air-to-air missiles only. Also called Fishbed-E by Nato.
- MiG-21PF Fishbed-D : Single-seat limited all-weather fighter, equipped with a RP21 Sapfir radar. The MiG-21PF is the second production model. Prototype Ye-7, Type 76 Indian Air Force designation. Also called Fishbed-E by NATO.
- MiG-21PF (SPS) Fishbed-E:
- MiG-21PFM Fishbed-F : Single-seat limited all-weather fighter, with upgraded radar and a more powerful engine. Improved version of the MiG-21PFS.
- MiG-21PFS Fishbed-F : Single-seat limited all-weather fighter, with upgraded radar and a more powerful engine.
- MiG-21 Fishbed-G : Experimental short take-off and landing aircraft.
- MiG-21R Fishbed-H : Single-seat tactical reconnaissance version of the MiG-21PFM.
- MiG-21RF Fishbed-J : Single-seat tactical reconnaissance version of the MiG-21MF.
- MiG-21S Fishbed-J : Single-seat interceptor fighter version, equipped with a RP-22 radar and an external gun pod. (Incorrectly identified by NATO as MiG-21PFMA); E-8, Type 88 Indian Air Force designation.
- MiG-21SM : Single-seat interceptor fighter version, powered by a Tumansky R-13-300 turbojet engine.
- MiG-21PFV : High altitude version (perekhvatchik forsirovannij visotnij, high altitude boosted interceptor).
- MiG-21M : Export version powered by a Tumansky R-13 turbojet engine. Built under license in India as the Type 96.
- MiG-21MF : Export version powered by a Tumansky R-13 turbojet engine.
- MiG-21MF Fishbed-J : Single-seat multi-role fighter version, equipped with a RP-22 radar, powered by a Tumansky R-13-300 turbojet engine.
- MiG-21SMT Fishbed-K : Single-seat multi-role fighter version, powered by a Tumansky R-13 turbojet engine. Increased fuel and ECM capability. (E-9, block 94 and 96)
- MiG-21bis Fishbed-L : Single-seat multi-role fighter, ground-attack aircraft. The final production model. This version is powered by a Tumansky R-25-300 turbojet engine.
- MiG-21bis Fishbed-N : Single-seat multi-role fighter, and ground-attack aircraft.
- MiG-21U Mongol-A : Two-seat training version of the MiG-21F-13. Type 66 Indian Air Force designation. NATO code name "Mongol"
- MiG-21US Mongol-B : Two-seat training version. Type 68 Indian Air Force designation.
- MiG-21UT : Two-seat trainer.
- MiG-21UM Mongol-B : Two-seat training version of the MiG-21MF. Type 69 Indian Air Force designation.
- JJ-7 : Two-seat training version of the J-7. FT-7 export designation of the JJ-7.
- MiG-21-93 - Upgraded version. (also the Bison)
- MiG-21 Lancer Upgraded version for the Romanian Air Force.
- J-7II : Upgraded version of the J-7. Single-seat limited all-weather fighter, armed with two 30-mm cannon, and powered by the more powerful Wopen WP-7B turbojet engine. It was exported to Egypt, Sudan and Iraq as the F-7B.
- J-7E : Improved version with more powerful engine.
- J-7MG : Improved version.
- J-7III : Single-seat all-weather fighter, powered by a Wopen WP-13 turbojet engine.
- F-7BS : Export model for Sri Lanka.
- F-7M Airguard : Export model sold to Bangladesh, Iran, Myanmar (Burma), and Zimbabwe.
- F-7MP : Export model for Pakistan.
- F-7P Skybolt : Export model for Pakistan.
- G15 VMT :
Foreign versions
Between 1962 and 1972 the MiG-21F-13 version was manufactured under license by Aero Vodochody, in Czechoslovakia. Aero built a total of 194 planes during this period.
A PAVN Air Force MiG-21MF flown by Phạm Tuân over Hanoi, North Vietnam on 27 December 1972 was apparently responsible for the only claimed combat kill of a (US Air Force) B-52 Stratofortress in history. The B-52 had been circling above Hanoi during Operation Linebacker II.
The production of the MiG-21bis under license by Hindustan Aeronautics of India lasted until 1984. Despite a series of crashes during the 1990s, which led to the aircraft acquiring the nickname "flying coffin", the Indian Air Force has decided to upgrade about 128 of the MiG-21bis in its inventory to the MiG-21 Bison standard. These will serve the Indian Air Force until 2015.
Chinese copies of the MiG-21 are designated Chengdu J-7 and F-7 (for export).
Russia now offers an upgrade pack for the MiG-21 up to MiG-21-93 standard. This includes an avionics suite upgrade including the installation of the Kopyo pulse doppler radar used by the MiG-29, enabling the aircraft to fire a greater range of modern weapons such as the beyond visual range Vympel R-77 air-to-air missile. The upgraded avionics also enhance the aircraft's survivability as well as its ability to engage enemy fighters. Other upgrades include the installation of a dual screen HUD, helmet-mounted target designator, and advanced flight control systems.
Israeli Aircraft Industries manufactures an upgrade package for the MiG-21 called the MiG-21-2000. [link]
A joint venture between Aerostar SA and Elbit has developed the Lancer upgrade package for MiG-21. 114 MiG-21s have been upgraded to MiG-21 Lancer for the Romanian Air Force.
Operators
- Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, GDR, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Laos, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Somalia, Soviet Union, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Specifications (Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21bis)
External sources
- [Excellent collection of photos from ALL user countries]
- [Warbird Alley: MiG-21 page] - Information about privately-owned MiG-21s
- [Man Wants Refund on Russian MiG-21 Jet He Bought on EBay]
- [MiG-21 hydraulic system teaching table]
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