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Mikojan-Gurevits MiG-21F-13


Suomenkielinen sivu

Model review

Frog 1/72

This MiG-21F-13 model is built at the beginning of the seventies. It is old Frogs kit which was considered quite good at the time. Only correction was cockpits canopy which had to be extended because the rear part of it was moulded with the fuselage in grey plastic. This model was built with landing gears but they dissapeared during the years so I fixed the model as airborne. Decals were for Finnish Air Force's HävLLv 31's plane "MG-65" in the final stage of the sixties.

History

MiG-21 was designed in the former USSR, the protype flew as early as 1957 and reached Mach 2,05. The first serial plane was the MiG-21F which was introduced in 1958. The first version which entered massproduction was the MiG-21F-13 being also the first which was armed with air-to-air missiles. It was also the first MiG-21 built outside the USSR and it was the first export version. MiG-21F-13 was produced during the years 1960 - 1965. NATOs code name was "Fishbed" and "Mongol" for the two seater. The type has been updated several times with more powerful engine, increased fuel capacity, better avionics, better radar and armament during the years. The later versions are completely different planes than the original MiG-21F. MiG-21 with its different versions was in use for example in many former East Block countries, in the Middle-East countries, North-Vietnam, China, India and Finland. MiG 21was operational in Vietnam and in the Middle-East.

Finnish Air Force got the first of its 22 planes in 1963. The type was in use in Finland during the years 1963 - 1986. The MiG-21F-13 was the first plane in the Finnish Air Force which could reach Mach 2 in level flight. It also started a new period in the history of the Finnish Air Force and it restored the ability of the Finnish fighter interception. MiG-21F-13 was the first plane in the Finnish Air Force which was equipped with missiles. The main armament was two R-3S IFR homing air-to-air missile. The plane had SRD-5M Kvant tracking radar, which was connected to ASP-5ND gunsight. The AFA-39 camera could be fitted for reconnaissance missions. The MiG-21F-13 was so called "day fighter" and it couln't be used in night- or bad weather missions. The model represents HävLLv 31s "MG-65" at Rissala air base at the turn of the sixties and seventies.


MiG-21F-13 technical data

Engine Tumanskij R-11F-300, thrust 3900 kp (5740 kp with after burner)
Dimensions Length (without pitot tube) 13,46 m; span 7,15 m; height 4,1 m; wing area 23 m2
Weights Empty 4980 kg; Max. take off 8625 kg
Performance Max. 2175 km/h (13000 m) ; 1150 km/h at sea level; 280 km/h landing; ceiling 20000 m
Armament 1 x NR-30 30 mm gun (30 rounds); 2 x R-3S IFR homing air-to air missile; diverse gun pods and bombs
Operating time 1 hour
Production About 10000 planes (all versions). MiG-21 is the most build jet fighter in the world

Sources:

MiG, R. A. Belyakov ja J. Marmain
Internet


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