Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21-F

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21-F
Country	URSS
Role	Supersonic jet fighter aircraft
First flight	14 February 1956
Built	11496

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed “Balalaika”, from the aircraft’s planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or pencil by Polish pilots due to the shape of its fuselage.

Source: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 on Wikipedia

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21-F
Photographer	Unknow
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	86

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General characteristics Crew: 1 Length: 14.5 (with pitot) m (47 ft 6.86 in) Wingspan: 7.154 m (23 ft 5.66 in) Height: 4.125 m (13 ft 6.41 in) Wing area: 23.0 m2 (247.3 ft2) Gross weight: 8,825 kg (19,425 lb) Powerplant: 1 × Tumanskiy R25-300, 40.21 kN (9,040 lbf) thrust dry, 69.62 kN (15,650 lbf) with afterburner each Performance Maximum speed: 2,228 km/h (1,468 mph) Maximum speed: Mach 2.00 Range: (internal fuel) 1,210 km (751 miles) Service ceiling: 17,800 m (58,400 ft) Rate of climb: 225 m/s (44,280 ft/min) Armament 1x internal 23 mm GSh-23 cannon, plus 2x R-27R1 or R-27T or 4x Vympel R-77 or 4x R-60M or R-73E AAM or 2x 500 kg (1,102 lbs) bombs

MiG-21I Analog Walk Around
Photographer	Anatoly Velichko
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	25

MiG-21 Walk Around
Photographer	Bill Maloney
Localisation	Wings of Eagles Discovery Center
Photos	24

MiG-21UM Mongol B Walk Around
Photographer	Michael Benolkin
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	31

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Lancer C Walk Around
Photographer	Luc Colin
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	35

The Mach 2 Revolution

The MiG-21F was the first major production variant of the legendary MiG-21 family. Designed as a short-range, high-altitude “point defense” interceptor, it was built for speed and climb rate above all else. Its iconic delta-wing and pencil-like fuselage made it a symbol of Soviet air power during the Cold War. While early versions like the “F” (Forsirovannyy – Uprated) were limited in terms of radar and fuel, they established the “lightweight fighter” philosophy that would challenge Western air superiority for decades.

Attribute	Technical Specification (MiG-21F)
NATO Reporting Name	Fishbed-B
Crew	1 (Pilot)
First Flight (Ye-6 Prototype)	May 20, 1958
Powerplant	1 × Tumansky R-11F-300 afterburning turbojet
Thrust	12,677 lbf (56.4 kN) with afterburner
Maximum Speed	1,320 mph (2,125 km/h) / Mach 2.05
Armament	1 × 30mm NR-30 cannon; 2 × K-13 (AA-2 Atoll) missiles
Rate of Climb	38,000 ft/min (at sea level)

Engineering the Pencil with Wings

The Shock Cone (Translating Inlet): To fly at Mach 2, the MiG-21 used a circular nose intake with a moving center cone. This cone automatically adjusted its position based on speed to manage the shock waves and ensure the engine received air at subsonic speeds.
Delta-Wing Aerodynamics: The 57-degree swept delta wing provided low drag at supersonic speeds and a large surface area for lift, though it caused the aircraft to lose energy rapidly during hard, high-G turns.
The “F-13” Transition: The most famous early sub-variant, the MiG-21F-13, removed one of the two internal 30mm cannons to save weight and make room for the K-13 air-to-air missile, a Soviet reverse-engineered version of the American Sidewinder.
Simple Ejection System: Early MiG-21s featured a unique “canopy-shield” ejection system where the canopy would stay attached to the seat to protect the pilot from the supersonic windblast before falling away.

Combat Legacy: Vietnam and Beyond

The Vietnam Threat: North Vietnamese MiG-21Fs used “hit-and-run” tactics against U.S. strike packages. Their small size made them difficult to spot visually, and their high climb rate allowed them to ambush F-4 Phantoms from below or above.
The “Pilot’s Plane”: Pilots loved the MiG-21 for its responsiveness and speed, but criticized its poor rearward visibility and the “nose-heavy” handling when low on fuel.
Mass Production: Over 11,000 MiG-21s were built (including Chinese J-7 copies). It has served in the air forces of over 60 nations and remains in active service in several countries today, more than 60 years after its debut.
The “MiG-21 Bis” Evolution: Later versions eventually solved the fuel and radar issues of the “F” model, adding a massive “spine” fuel tank and sophisticated radar, though this increased weight and reduced the pure agility of the original design.