Mikoyan - Gurevich MiG -21F-13 USSR Interceptor
NATO Designation:Fishbed - C
First generation MiG-21, the first variant to serve with Polish aviation.
In the 50's in USSR studies were conducted on supersonic frontline fighters. Mikoyan bureau designed Ye-2 and Ye-2A experimental aircraft with swept wings, and Ye-4 and Ye-5 with delta wing. Flight tests proved better characteristics of delta wing concept and studies on Ye-2, Ye-2A, Ye-4 and Ye-5 (Ye-5 was produced in short series as MiG-21) were abandoned. The bureau focused on Ye-6, which was a further development of Ye-5.
Ye-6 with a new R-11F-300 engine first flew in 1958. It entered production in 1959 as the MiG-21F, armed with two 30 mm cannons, bombs and rocket launchers. In 1960 a new version was developed: the MiG-21F-13, armed with one cannon and capable of carrying R-3 (AA-2 Atoll) infrared guided air-to-air missiles, which were copied from the American AIM-9 Sidewinder.
The MiG-21F-13 was licence-built in China (as Shenyang J-7) and Czechoslovakia. Poland was refused the licence. Polish Air Force purchased 25 aircraft, delivered between 1961–1963, which remained in service until 1973/1974.
The Mig-21 became the principal high-altitude interceptor used by North Vietnam, and improved versions formed the backbone of Arab air forces through the 1970s.
The example with side number 809 was delivered to the Polish aviation on September 16, 1963. First it served with No. 11 Fighter Aviation Regiment in Debrzno, then No. 40 FAR in Swidwin (from August 1964), finally with No. 4 FAR in Goleniow (in May 1967 the unit was renamed No. 2 FAR). Withdrawn from service, the '809' was transferred to the Centre for Education of Air Force Technology Specialists. The aircraft was turned over to the Polish Aviation Museum in 1990.
@OFF TRACK PLACES - Military Aircraft
