The Mikojan-Guriewicz MIG-21 (NATO: Fishbed) is a Soviet light fighter with a duralumin, half-shell structure, in a mid-wing design, with a delta blade with a 57-degree slope. The prototype flight took place on June 16, 1956. The prototype of the MIG 21 is considered to be the E-5 prototype powered by the RD-11 engine. After its flight, several other prototypes were created, which, incidentally, were breaking various international airspeed records. The experience gained from them was used to improve the E-5, and finally the aircraft was sent to mass production as the MIG-21F-13 in 1959. There are over a dozen basic versions in production, and along with various subversions, the number of MIG 21 types can be estimated at several dozen! The most important of them is the first mass-produced MIG-21F. It replaced the MIG-21PF version with the RP-21 radar and the R-11F2 engine. The next development version is the MiG-21R, i.e. a reconnaissance aircraft. Several training versions were also created, the first of which is the MiG-21U-400. The MIG-21 turned out to be a very successful design, with great performance, easy to pilot and cheap to produce. The quality of the construction is evidenced by the fact that in the 90s there were development versions of this aircraft, which was more than 30 years old. The machine was exported to all countries of the former Warsaw Pact and the entire multitude of Arab and African countries. The MIG-21 took part in most of the armed conflicts of the 1960-1980 period, including in the Vietnam War, in the Six Day War (1967), in the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). Technical data: length: 13.46m, wingspan: 7.15m, height: 4.1m, maximum speed: 2130km / h, climb speed: 120m / s, maximum range: 1100km, maximum ceiling 19000m, armament: fixed - single 23 mm GSz-23 cannon (M version), suspended - up to 2000 kg of cargo.
The Mikojan-Guriewicz MIG-17 is a Soviet, single-engine, medium-wing metal jet fighter with slanted wings and a classic tail, known in the NATO code as Fresco. The prototype flight took place in January 1950. The MIG-17 was an extension of the MIG-15 design. The changes focused on a new engine (Klimov WK-1F), better aerodynamics and the use of radar on one of the development versions. Several basic versions of this aircraft were created. The first mass-produced version is the MiG-17F. Another one, equipped with a radar, was the MiG-17PF, and the MiG-17PFU version had the option of guiding the missiles using the on-board radar. The plane was also produced under the license of min. in Poland and China. In Poland, serial production started in 1956 under the designation Lim-5, and an assault version (Lim-6bis) was also created. The MIG-17 aircraft is still used by the Mali and North Korean aviation. Technical data (MIG-17F version): length: 11.26m, wingspan: 9.63m, height: 3.8m, maximum speed: 1145km / h, rate of climb: 65m / s, maximum range: 2060km, maximum ceiling 16600m armament: fixed - 2 Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 cannons, caliber 23 m and 1 Nudelman N-37 cannon, caliber 37 mm, suspended - up to 500 kg of bombs and rockets.