Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig-21MF Fishbed
Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig-21MF Fishbed


Role: Single-seat multi-role fighter and two-seat operational trainer.
DESIGN FEATURES: Diminutive tailed delta with clipped tips to mid-mounted wings; circular-section fuselage with prominent dorsal spine; nose intake with large three-position centrebody; swept tail, with large vertical surfaces and ventral fin; 2ø wing anhedral from roots; TsAGI section, thickness/chord ratio 5 per cent at root, 4.2 per cent at tip; leading-edge sweep 57ø; no wing leading-edge camber.
FLYING CONTROLS: Manual operation, with autostabilisation in pitch and roll; hydraulically boosted inset ailerons; blown plain trailing-edge flaps, actuated hydraulically; forward hinged door type airbrake each side of underfuselage below wing leading-edge; third forward hinged airbrake under fuselage forward of ventral fin; airbrake actuated hydraulically; hydraulically boosted rudder and all-moving horizontal surface with two gearing ratios for varying combinations of altitude and airspeed; tailplane trim switch on control column; no tabs.
STRUCTURE: All-metal; wings have two primary spars and auxiliary spar; semi-monocoque fuselage, with spine housing control pushrods, avionics, single-point refuelling cap and fuel tank; blister fairings on fuselage above and below each wing to accommodate retracted mainwheels.
LANDING GEAR: Hydraulically retractable tricycle type, with single wheel on each unit; all units housed in fuselage when retracted. Forward retracting non-steerable nosewheel unit, tyre size 500 x 180 mm; inward retracting mainwheels which turn to stow vertically inside fuselage. Size 800 x 200 mm tyres on mainwheels, inflated to approximately 7.93 bars (115 lb/sq in), ruling out normal operation from grass runways. Pneumatic disc brakes on all three wheels supplied from compressed air bottles. Steering by differential mainwheel braking. Wheel doors remain open when legs are extended. Brake parachute housed inside acorn fairing at base of rudder.
POWER PLANT: One Tumansky R-13-300 turbojet, rated at 41.55 kN (9340 lb st) dry and 64.73 kN (14550 lb st) with afterburning. Fuel tanks in fuselage, and two integral tanks in each wing, with total capacity of 2600 litres (687 US gallons; 572 Imp gallons), of which approx 1800 litres (475 US gallons; 396 Imp gallons) are usable within CG limits at low speed. Provision for carrying one finned external fuel tank, capacity 490 litres (130 US gallons; 108 Imp gallons) or 800 litres (211 US gallons; 176 Imp gallons), on underfuselage pylon and two 490 litre drop tanks on outboard underwing pylons. Two jettisonable solid propellant JATO rockets can be fitted under rear fuselage, aft of wheel doors.
ACCOMMODATION: Pilot only, on zero/zero ejection seat with spring loaded arm at top which ensures that seat cannot be operated unless hood is closed. Canopy is sideways hinged, to starboard, and is surmounted by a small rearview mirror. Flat bulletproof windscreen. Cabin air-conditioned. Armour plating forward and aft of cockpit.
AVIONICS: Search and track radar (NATO 'Jay Bird') in intake centrebody, with search range of 10.8 nm (20 km; 12.5 miles). Other standard avionics include VOR, ARK automatic radio compass, IFF and Sirena 3 radar warning system with an indicator marked in 45ø sectors in front of and behind the aircraft. Gyro gunsight maintains precision up to 2.75g. Automatic ranging can be fed into gunsight. Full blind-flying instrumentation, with attitude and heading indicators driven by remote central gyro platform.
ARMAMENT: One twin-barrel 23 mm GSh-23 gun, with 200 rounds, in belly pack. Four underwing pylons for weapons or drop tanks. Typical loads for interceptor role include two AA-2/2D (K-13A) 'Atoll' air-to-air missiles on inner pylons and two radar homing AA-2C 'Atolls' or two UV-16-57 rocket packs (16 57 mm rockets) on outer pylons; or two drop tanks and two AA-2/2D or AA-2C 'Atoll'. Typical loads for ground attack role are four UV-16-57 rocket packs, two 500 kg and two 250 kg bombs; or four 240 mm S-24 air-to-surface rockets.
Aircraft Measures:
Length:51 ft., 8.5 in.
Height: 13 ft., 5.5 in.
Wingspan: 23 ft., 5.5 in.
Loaded Weight:

Aircraft Performance:
Maximum Speed: Mach 2.1
Service Ceiling: 50,000 ft.
Range: 1,118 miles
Thrust: 20,725 lbs.


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