MiG-21. It is still a living legend Bashny.Net

MiG-21Fishbed
OKB. AI Mikoyan 9 photo, history © avial.narod

 - Frontline Fighter ... let out of school on the MiG-21 PFM. Impressions of the car - great. I'll tell you in a separate topic later.

Undoubtedly, the MiG-21 is the most prominent [next] Russian fighter of the second generation, who had no equal in the air battles 1960-70s. Aircraft of this type has long formed the backbone of the fighter aircraft of the USSR and its allies, remaining before the start of the 1990s, the most common in the world of fighters. Successful combat use of the MiG-21 in the numerous armed conflicts prompted aviation companies in the USA and Western Europe continue improving the performance of their fighters, "pulling" them to the level of MiG. It can be argued that the challenge to the MiG-21 US aircraft in the sky of Vietnam, led to the creation of the F-15 - the most powerful fighter USAF end of this century.

Modifications
E-6 (1958) - Prototype serial MiG-21
MiG-21E (1958) - Fighter-interceptor
MiG-21F (1959) - Frontline Fighter
MiG-21F-13 (1959) - Frontline Fighter
MiG-21PF (1962) - Fighter-interceptor
MiG-21PFS (1962) - Fighter-interceptor
MiG-21PFM (1964) - Fighter-interceptor
MiG-21S (1965) - Fighter-interceptor
MiG-21I (1968) - Experimental fighter samolet- "analog" Tu-144 [1]
MiG-21M (1968) - Export interceptor
MiG-21cm (1969) - Fighter-interceptor
MiG-21MF (1970) - Export interceptor
MiG-21MT (1971) - Export interceptor
MiG-21SMT (1971) - Fighter-interceptor
MiG-21bis (1972) - Frontline Fighter
MiG-21-93 (1994) - The project of modernization of the MiG-21 series
MiG-21P - Scout
The MiG-21 was in service with the Air Force and has been used in more than 65 countries. Soviet pilots for a distinctive appearance was nicknamed "balalaika". [23] Until 1966, the countries of the Western bloc had no definite idea of ​​this plane, although extremely sought to take possession of it; August 15, 1966 the plane was hijacked to Israel by the Iraqi pilot Munir Redfa. It is considered one of the most successful and prominent Mossad operations.

Known one MiG-21, which is in private hands: the plane belongs to Reginald "Reggie" Finch - a former pilot airline American Airlines, who previously served in the Canadian Royal Air Force. Finch bought this moment at the end of the 1990s. and spent three years to bring the plane in flying condition. This MiG-21US built in 1967 was imported from Hungary to the United States in the mid-1980s. Before Finch became the owner of the car for a long time to fly and tested at the school test pilots Fleet Air Arm in Patuxent River, sht.Merilend in the late 1980s - early 1990s





02Vsego was created more than 45 series and advanced versions of the MiG-21. A total of three factories built by the Soviet Union 10158 MiG-21, another 194 in Czechoslovakia, a large number - in China.



03 combat use. The MiG-21 of various modifications were delivered to the Air Force and Soviet Air Defence Forces Air Force Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Egypt, Ethiopia, Finland, Guinea, Hungary, India, Iraq, Yugoslavia, Laos, Libya Madagascar, Mongolia, Nigeria, North Korea, Vietnam, Poland, Romania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Uganda, Zambia. In Soviet license built MiG-21 in India and China (the Chinese version of the MiG-21F-13, J-7, is in serial production to date).

The first "combat debut" MiG-21 could take place in 1963. in Cuba, where a part of Soviet troops were sent to the Air Force and units equipped with MiG-21F-13. However, the "missile crisis" was resolved by diplomatic means and new fighters have not entered the fray.

During the "six-day" Arab-Israeli war of 1967. Actions MiGs appeared little success: Egyptian and Syrian air force has a large number of MiG-21F-13, but the majority of Arab aircraft was destroyed by the Israeli air force in the early hours of the war on the ground. The surviving MiGs carried out a small number of poorly planned sorties, during which suffered losses from Israeli aircraft equipped fighters "Mirage» IIICJ, manned by well-trained pilots.

In 1965. war broke out in the skies of North Vietnam, where the first MiG-17, and later - the MiG-21F-13 and MiG-21PF come to grips with the Air Force and the US Navy, equipped with the most advanced Western aircraft. The first air combat with MiG-21 on April 23, 1966. Total from May to December 1966. North Vietnamese fighters (mostly - the MiG-21) shot down 47 enemy aircraft, while losing 12 of their machines. In 1967. vtnamskie Air Force shot down 124 aircraft, and the United States lost 60 fighters. From 1966 to 1970. the average ratio of losses in aerial combat was 3, 1: 1 in favor of the MiG-21 (up to 1970. Vietnamese lost 32 aircraft of this type).



04 The main opponents were MiG fighters gain air superiority McDonnell Douglas F-4 "Phantom" 2, carried out the cover bands strike aircraft. During the fighting, the MiG-21 demonstrated a high maneuverability characteristics compared to American fighters. American cars, in turn, had the best weapons (in particular, SD medium-range semi-active radar-guided AIM-7E «Sparrow" has a maximum range starting at a high altitude of 26 km and the land 7 km), the purse-board radar range detection of air targets up to 70 km, as well as the second member of the crew under combat conditions to monitor the airspace over a wide sector. Overall, however, the MiG-21 proved to be more effective.

After a pause caused by political reasons, aerial combat over North Vietnam resumed in 1972. At this time, the United States attracted to the "carpet bombing" enemy territory bombers Boeing B-52, which made combat missions under a dense cover of numerous escort fighters and support aircraft. American aviation group that is involved against Vietnam and has about 1,200 aircraft (including 188-52), opposed to the fall of 1972. Vietnamese 187 aircraft, of which only 71 (including 31 MiG-21) were combat-ready. However, this did not prevent the Vietnamese fighters to organize an effective opposition to enemy aircraft. During the climax of the air war over North Vietnam - "Operation Leynbaker" -2, which lasted 12 days, when the Americans tried to inflict a decisive defeat on the enemy by massive aerial bombardments involving strategic bombers, Vietnamese fighters carried out 31 sorties (including the MiG-21 - 27), spent eight air battles and shot down two B-52 aircraft, four F-4 "Phantom" -2 and one scout RA-5C, while losing only three fighters (all - the MiG-21). The two B-52 bombers were shot down the MiG-21, one 27.12.72g. Pham Tuan pilot (future astronaut Vietnamese), other 28.12.72g. (the pilot was killed and vtnamsky, intercept).



05 most productive in the MiGs were Vietnamese pilots Chan Han, Nguyen Hong Hu, Pham Thanh Ngan, Nguyen Van Quoc Ho Wan Lam Van Lich, Nguyen Van Bay and Ngo Van, shot down eight enemy aircraft and more. In total, during 1972. Vietnam Air Force made 823 sorties (including the 540 - the MiG-21), conducted 201 air combat and shot down 89 enemy aircraft, while losing 48 of their cars (including 34 - MiG-21). During the fighting Vietnamese MiG-21 practiced taking off from plohopodgotovlennyh runway using propellant boosters (most concrete runway has been damaged by the Americans), relocation from damaged airfields on the bench with the help of MI-6, and other non-traditional fighting solutions, used initially for Soviet POLYTONE.

At the end of 1971. MiG-21 demonstrated their superior fighting qualities in the Indo-Pakistani conflict. By the beginning of hostilities MiG-21F-13 and MiG-21 PL formed the backbone of the Indian Air Force fighter aircraft. Pakistan was armed with the F-6 (the export version of the Chinese fighter J-6 (MiG-19), produced in China by the Soviet license), "Mirage» III and the Lockheed F-104 "Starfighter". Basically Indian MiGs fought with the F-6. There were also clashes between the MiG-21 and the "Starfighter", during which the MiGs shot down two F-104 without incurring losses. According to official figures of the Indian Air Force during the war, they lost 45 aircraft and destroyed 94 enemy aircraft. At the same time, Pakistani fighter "Sabre" was shot down by a MiG.



06 The Arab-Israeli war, which began on October 6, 1973., The MiG-21F-13, MiG-21PF MiG-21Mi MiG-21 MF Egyptian and Syrian air resisted Israeli fighters "Mirage" 1PS1 and F-4E «Phantom." According to the commander of the Air Force of Egypt Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian fighters were able to achieve superiority over the Israeli Air Force, the ratio of losses in aerial combat at the end of the war has developed in favor of Arab pilots. If the air battle MiG-21 "Mirage" were mainly "on equal terms" (MiG-21 had slightly better maneuverability, but conceded "Mirage" in the characteristics of the onboard radar survey of the cabin and flight duration), then a collision with "Phantoms" revealed a significant superiority of the MiG-21, the latest modifications. Thus, in a fifty aerial combat on October 14 which met 70 aircraft F-4E and 70 MiG-21 shot down 18 "Phantom" and only four MiG.

With the advent of the United States and France, the fourth-generation fighter aircraft MiG-21 began to lose its supremacy. For example, in air battles over Lebanon in 1979-1982g. MiG-21bis could not effectively resist the aircraft F-15A, is not inferior Miguén maneuverability and significantly larger than its other characteristics.

The last major success of the MiG-21 was the use of the aircraft during the Iran-Iraq War, where MiGs, the armament of the Iraqi Air Force, successfully used against Iran's "Phantom" and F-5 (Iraqi pilots recognized this aircraft the most effective of all known fighter ). We used the MiG-21, as well, during the fighting in Angola, Afghanistan and other armed conflicts. During the war in the Persian Gulf in 1991. Two MiG-21 Iraqi air force were shot down by US fighters F-15C.



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A total of 08 MiG-21 was established 17 world records recognized by FAI ... certainly it was a breakthrough ... we can, and we will !!! layout 09 forgive, pls! and, of course, the Poles!



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