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Fighter / Attack:
   Bell P-39 Airacobra
   Bell P-63 Kingcobra
   Brewster Buffalo
   Chance-Vought F-4U Corsair
   Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
   Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
   Douglas A-1 Skyraider
   Douglas A-26 Invader
   Douglas SBD Dauntless
   Fairey Firefly
   Focke-Wulf Fw 190
   Grumman F4F Wildcat
   Grumman F6F Hellcat
   Grumman F7F Tigercat
   Grumman F8F Bearcat
   Grumman TBF Avenger
   Hawker Hurricane
   Hawker Sea Fury
   Lockheed P-38 Lightning
   Messerschmitt Bf-109
   Mitsubishi A6M Zero-Sen
   North American P-51 Mustang

   Polikarpov I-16
   Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
   Supermarine Spitfire
   Yakovlev Yak-3
   Yakovlev Yak-9


Trainers:
  
Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan (C-45)
   Beechcraft T-34 Mentor
   Boeing / Stearman PT-17

   Commonwealth CA-25 Winjeel
   Commonwealth CA-1 Wirraway
   DeHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk
   DeHavilland DH-82 Tiger Moth
   Fairchild PT-19 Cornell
   Hunting / Percival Provost
   Meyers OTW
   Nanchang CJ-6
   Naval Aircraft Factory N3N
   N. Am. BT-9 / BT-14 / Yale
   N. Am. T-6 Texan / SNJ / Harvard
   N. American T-28 Trojan

   Piaggio P149
   Ryan PT-22 Recruit

   Scottish Aviation T1 Bulldog
   Vultee BT-13 Valiant
   Yakovlev Yak-11
   Yakovlev Yak-18
   Yakovlev Yak-52


Bombers:
   Avro Lancaster
   Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
   Boeing B-29 Superfortress
   Bristol Blenheim / Bolingbroke
   Consolidated B-24 Liberator
   Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer

   Douglas A-3 Skywarrior
   DeHavilland Mosquito
   Fairey Swordfish
   Heinkel He-111 / Casa 2.111

   Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon / Ventura
   Martin B-26 Marauder
   North American B-25 Mitchell


Transports:
   Beechcraft C-45 (AT-11)

   Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter (KC-97)
   Curtiss C-46 Commando
   Douglas C-47 Skytrain / Dakota
   Douglas C-54 Skymaster

   Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar
   Fairchild C-123 Provider
   Grumman C-1 Trader (S-2)
   Lockheed C-60 Lodestar
   Lockheed C-69 Constellation


Utility / Observation / Special Duty:
   Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper
   Aeronca L-16 Grasshopper
   Antonov AN-2 Colt
   Auster AOP 6/9
   Avro 652 Anson
   Avro Shackleton
   British Taylorcraft I-V
   Cessna L-19 / O-1 Bird Dog
   Cessna O-2 Super Skymaster
   Cessna T-50 / UC-78 Bobcat
   Consolidated PBY Catalina

   DeHavilland U-6A / L-20 Beaver
   Fairey Gannet
   Fairey Swordfish
   Fieseler Fi156 Storch
   Grumman S-2 Tracker (C-1)
   Grumman HU-16 Albatross
   Grumman OV-1 Mohawk
   Junkers Ju 52/3m

   Lockheed P2V Neptune
   Max Holste M.H.1521 Broussard
   Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun

   Noorduyn UC-64 Norseman
   North American L-17 Navion
   N. Am./ Rockwell OV-10 Bronco
   Piper L-4 Grasshopper
   Stinson L-5 Sentinel
   Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper
   Westland Lysander


Jets:
   Aero L-29 Delfin
   Aero L-39 Albatros
   Aermacchi MB-326
   Avro Vulcan
   BAC Strikemaster
   Blackburn (BAC) Buccaneer
   Canadair Tutor
   Cessna A-37 Dragonfly
   DeHavilland Vampire
   DeHavilland Venom
   English Electric Canberra
   English Electric Lightning
   Folland Gnat
   Fouga CM-170 Magister
   Gloster Meteor
   Grumman F9F Panther
   Hawker Hunter
   Hispano HA-200 Saeta
   Hunting Jet Provost
   Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
   Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star
   McDonnell-Douglas A-4 Skyhawk
   McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom
   Messerschmitt Me-262
   Mikoyan MiG-15
   Mikoyan MiG-17
   Mikoyan MiG-21
   N. Am. F-86 Sabre / FJ-4 Fury
   N. Am. F-100 Super Sabre
   N. Am. / Rockwell T-2 Buckeye
   Northrop T-38 Talon / F-5
   PZL / WSK TS-11 Iskra
   Saab J35 Draken
   Soko G-2A Galeb
   Temco Pinto & Super Pinto


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Mikoyan-Gurevich
MiG-21 "Fishbed / Mongol"

(Variants/Other Names: F-7; See History below for more)


 


Will Ward's MiG-21MF, N9307, taxies in after arriving at Oshkosh 2010.
Photo by Buck Wyndham

History: Combat experience during the Korean War demonstrated to the Soviet Union its need for a short-range air-superiority fighter. The delta-wing MiG-21 met these requirements and through many variants and upgrades has become the world's most used fighter aircraft. It is best remembered as the tenacious foe of the F-4 Phantom during the Vietnam War.

During 1955, the MiG bureau designed the prototype E-50 in an effort to keep structural weight to a minimum for better performance. Multiple prototypes followed before this small, daytime interceptor began flying with frontline Soviet units in the late 1950s. Given the NATO reporting name "Fishbed," the MiG-21 easily matched the performance of Lockheed's F-104 Starfighter. A two-seat trainer version, the MiG-21UM, was dubbed the 'Mongol' by NATO. The MiG-21PF was the second production version built, and had all-weather interception capability. Later variants saw increased fuel capacity and heavier armament, along with better avionics. At the same time, increasingly powerful Soyuz engines were incorporated to compensate for the increasing weight.

Czechoslovakia, the Soviet Union, and China all manufactured the MiG-21, and they were exported to various Soviet satellites during the Cold War. India also produced the type under license until 1988. The Chinese F-7 variant is still in production.

The MiG-21 flies with more than 50 air forces today. Several MiG-21s of various versions are owned and flown by private individuals in the United States, and at least one (a MiG-21UM trainer) is owned by a private operator in Australia. 

Nicknames: Fishbed / Mongol (NATO Codenames for MiG-21 and MiG-21 UTI trainer, respectively); Balalaika; Blue Bandit (US Codename in Vietnam); Vikram ("Valor") (Indian-built MiG-21s).

Specifications (MiG-21MF):
        Engine: One 14,550-pound thrust Turmanski R-13-300 turbojet with afterburner.
        Weight: Max Takeoff 20,720 lbs.
        Wing Span: 23ft. 5.5in.
        Length: 51ft. 8.5in.
        Height: 13ft. 5.5in.
        Performance:
            Maximum Speed: 1,385 mph (Mach 2.1) above 36,100 ft.
            Ceiling: 50,000 ft.
            Range: 685 miles
        Armament:
            One 23-mm GSh-23 twin barrel cannon in underbelly pack
            Approx. 3,300 pounds of stores on underwing pylons

Number Built: 11,000+

Number Still Airworthy: Unknown number in active military service; at least 8 airworthy in private ownership.

Cockpit Photo:

(Click for larger)

Links:
"Aero-Contact," Saxon, Germany and Minden, NV, USA -- MiG-21 acquisition, sales, service and support.
All Red Star -- Information for operators of Eastern-bloc aircraft.
Colorful Czech MiGs (photos)
Finnish Air Force Museum MiG-21
FlyMiG.com -- MiG-21 flight adventures in Moscow.
Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-21s in Combat
Lotnictwo OnLine MiG-21 Photo Gallery
Matti Yrjola's Finnish Air Force MiG-21 Page
MiG-21.de -- Extensive archive of historical data and essays.
"Mogadishu MiGs" Photo-essay -- Amazing photos of abandoned MiGs.
Photovault Image Archive: MiG-21 Photos
Russian Military Aviation Archive: MiG-21 Page
Thomas Kraft's MiG-21 Page -- Lots of good information from a former East German MiG pilot.
USAF Museum MiG-21
Virtual Aviation Museum: MiG-21 Page

 

 
MiG Aircraft books
[ Click for more great books about MiGs! ]
 

 

 

Fly a MiG!
Incredible-Adventures

 


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All text and photos Copyright 2016 The Doublestar Group, unless otherwise noted.
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