MiG-3 / I-63(?), A.I.Mikoyan/M.I.Gurevich

Photo (14k) from Air Force Herald magazine article;

12k b/w drawing by I.G.Soultanov from "History of aircraft construction in the USSR", Vol.2 p.232;

Development of the MiG-1 with only minor differences (but quite different in handling). To cure poor spin performance of the MiG-1, automatic slats were added. No other country had such a high-speed high-altitude interceptor in service, and even Luftwaffe was taken by surprise when some its high-altitude reconnaissance planes were lost to unknown Soviet fighter.

MiG-3 was almost perfectly suited for their designated role, but well known events of 1941 forced pilots to play on the wrong field as a replacement for conventional fighters or even ground attackers. It was a forced misuse of good high altitude interceptor with limitations in low altitude performance. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War (what was the WWII for Soviet people) many MiG's pilots rammed German bombers after running out of ammunition - often the order was "to stop bombers by any means".

All were equipped with protected fuel tanks, with neutral gas filling. This somewhat 'cushioned' other low altitude deficiencies.

3322 MiG-3 were built. Aircraft was in service almost until the end of the war - thanks to exceptional easy maintenance, repairability and part compatibility. Generally from 2-3 unrepairable machines one flying could be assembled in the field conditions.

MiG-1

I-211, E with ASh-82FN radial engine;

I-220, A opens new branch with larger airframe

At the Monino AF Museum near Moscow; Photo (75k) by John Sloan, see Aviation Page by A. Gretchihine;