Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>MIG-21>HA0194
MIG-21MT Blue 15, Dolgoye Ledovo, Russia, 1970s
General Background
The Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig-21 is the world most widely used supersonic fighter which has been used by over 30 countries and 56 air forces. It is the most produced aircraft since World War II with an estimation of over 10,000 in the Soviet Union alone.
The Mig-21 has a top speed of Mach 2 and has proven to be an effective and easy to maintain aircraft in many conflicts. It first achieved renown in the Vietnam War where it posed itself a challenging adversary for more technological advanced aircrafts like the F-105 and F-4 Phantom. The Mig-21 is certainly one of the most famous aircrafts in the world for all times.
The Mig-21 has a top speed of Mach 2 and has proven to be an effective and easy to maintain aircraft in many conflicts. It first achieved renown in the Vietnam War where it posed itself a challenging adversary for more technological advanced aircrafts like the F-105 and F-4 Phantom. The Mig-21 is certainly one of the most famous aircrafts in the world for all times.
The Aircraft
Only fifteen MiG-21MTs were manufactured for export but none ever left the USSR. The original
MiG-21 SMT and MT both had expanded fatback fuel spines that caused instability. The SMT’s
fatback spine was replaced with the MiG-21Bis spine while the production of the MT ceased and
no new spine. MiG-21MT Serial 96.40.15 15 Blue was the last MT. Twelve MTs went to the 66th
Fighter Bomber Air Regiment and three to Kubinka for display. Later 15 Blue was used as an
instructional airframe and can be seen at Dolgoye Ledovo, Russia.
Specifications :
Power Plant: | One 41.55kN (9,340lb st) or 64.73kN (14,550lb st) with afterburner Tumansky R-13-300 turbojet |
Wingspan: | 7.15m (23ft 5 1/2in) |
Length: | 15.76m (51ft 8 1/2in) - incl pitot boom |
Max T-O weight: | 9,400kg (20,725lb) |
Max speed: | Mach 2.1 (2,230km/h - 1,385mph) above 11,000m (36,000ft) |
Mach 1.06 (1,300km/h - 807mph) at low level | |
Range: | 1,100km (683 miles) - internal fuel only |
1,800km (1,118 miles) - with three external drop tanks, one under fuselage, one under each wing | |
Armament: | One 23mm twin-barrel GSh-23 cannon with 200 rounds in belly pack |
Various air-to-air and air-to-ground stores carried on four under wing pylons including: | |
K-13A "Atoll" or "Advanced Atoll" a-a missiles, | |
UV-16-57 rocket packs, | |
S-24 a-s rockets, |
|
250kg and 500kg bombs |
|
Eventually Sidewinder missiles |