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.