Archive for June, 2007
MiG-29 Evaluation flight.
June 26, 2007Evaluation of MiG-21 By USAF
June 26, 2007The MiG-21 was a radical new design when compared to the previous incarnations in the form of the MiG-15, MiG-17 and MiG-19 – all detailed elsewhere on this site. The MiG-21 did away with the highly identifiable large rudder tail assemblies and featured a more subtle, traditional look, with the elevators mounted on the fuselage itself. Like other designs before it, the MiG-21 was of a mid-monoplane design, but the breakthrough lay in the use of a delta-wing layout as opposed to the previous high-level use of the swept-back wing. Like previous designs, the system was built around the powerplant, forcing air through a front nose-mounted intake, with jettisoned exhaust gases at rear.
The MiG-21 could be fielded as a single-seat or two-seat fighter and fighter-bomber. The delta-wing design increased armament carrying capabilities from earlier models to five hardpoints, including a centerline fuselage area. The tube like airframe was robust, easy to maintain and allowed the MiG-21 Fishbed the capability of maneuverability at any speed. The four remaining hardpoints could be fitted with an array of air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry in the form of missiles, rockets and drop bombs.
With the use of afterburning, the MiG-21 was capable of sustaining Mach 2. The major drawback was in the consumption of fuel, forcing the centerline to almost always have to carry a droptank to keep the range of the Fishbed system respectable. The overall low cost of the system endeared itself to developing nations the world over, as evident by the sheer list of customers that employed – and continue to employ – the Fishbed as a viable frontline fighter.
The United States military came face-to-face with the lethal adversary in the Vietnam War, where MiG-21’s often held their own against F-4 Phantom II’s. Though faster and larger, the F-4 Phantom II’s were not as maneuverable as the Soviet-produced counterpart, which could prove very detrimental in a close-knit dogfight. The absence of internal cannon on American planes was also a detriment.
The MiG-21 not only saw combat action in the Vietnam War but also in the Middle East at the hands of many Soviet-supported allies. The Arab-Israeli war of the 1970’s saw the MiG-21 fielded in good numbers and proved quite the system in capable hands.
Production of the MiG-21 stemmed from the Soviet Union into frontline countries throughout Europe. China also manufactured original and, later, their own versions of the successful system. In the end, this type of global reach would see the MiG-21 Fishbed weapons platform operating in a multitude of variants and undertaking a multitude of roles for over half a century.
Evaluation of MiG-15 by USAF
June 26, 2007Evaluation of MiG-15 by USAF
June 26, 2007Mikoyan Gurevich 17
June 24, 2007
Following the loss of the first prototype, a second and further improved prototype took over, allowing testing to be completed in 1951, and production of the MiG-17 was given the go-ahead. Compared to the MiG-15, the MiG-17 had a lengthened fuselage with softer taper, larger area tail surfaces to benefit handling characteristics, and thinner section wings with rounded tips. Indeed, the wings were designed from scratch, with the inner leading-edges extended forward; this resulted in greater root chord and varying leading-edge sweepback (45° along inner portions, 42° on outer panels). A mark of identification was the MiG-17’s three boundary layer fences on each wing.
Production began with a day fighter model (NATO `Fresco-A’), which retained the VK-1 engine. The later MiG-17PF introduced all-weather capability, housing Izumrud S-band radar in a `bullet’ radome at the centre of the nose air intake and in an extension on the upper lip of the intake. Subsequently, this S-band radar was superseded by an E/F-band version of `Scan Fix’, which still gave neither a large antenna nor a wide angle of scan and is now thought obsolescent.
In addition to the specialised two-seat trainer derivative of the MiG-17, known as the JJ-5 and exclusive to Chinese production, the MiG-17 was also built (apart from in the former USSR) in China, Czechoslovakia and Poland, with whom it was known as the J-5, S-104 and LiM-5 respectively. A total of 11,015 was built (including licence production). The last one was built in 1958.
avia.russian.ee/air/russia/mig-17.html
Depends highly on the speed and altitude. If a MiG-17 meets a Phantom at M0.9 and 30000ft, the MiG-17 is pretty much on the edge of its envelope and will make curves like a supertanker, as while the Phantom is quite sporty. Different thing at M0.6 and 5000-10000ft (where Vietnam era dogfights often took place). Here the Phantom (and the MiG-21) is scratching heavily on its maximum lift limit, while the MiG-17 can fly quite unrestricted.
The success of the MiG-17 is based largely on the inability of the USN/USAF fighters to use their advantages to best profit (due to restrictions and shortcomings in training and in equipment), and the Vietnamese ability to pick their engagements with care (most time the North Vietnamese airspace was empty, MiG encounters were rare). In other theatres, where the MiG-17 needed to fight to different rules, it quickly turned out to be inferior to most supersonic jets. http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=69974&highlight=mig+17
Mikoyan Gurevich 15 Video
June 24, 2007MiG 15
June 24, 2007Called the “aircraft-soldier” by Russian pilots, the aircraft was exceptionally strong and dependable. The MiG-15 is still respected for its speed, maneuverability and firepower; advantages that made it a worthy adversary of the North American F-86 during the Korean War. The design utilized captured German technology when developing the layout of the MiG-15. The plane’s 35 degree swept wing, fuselage mounted engine and clean lines gave the aircraft exceptional performance
MiG Video-character of the jet fighter
MiG 15 vs F86 Sabre in Korea war
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=606_1175499997
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=202_1175501975
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3a6_1175505466
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e91_1175506959
Mikoyan Gurevich 