MiG-21F / Ye-GT / Tip 72

Introduced in 1958, the MiG-21F (Ye-6T) was the first production model of the family. The delta wing had a 57-degree sweepback at the leading edge like the preceding delta-wing prototypes, with Fowler flaps designed by TsAGI. The power unit was the R-11F-300 turbojet, rated at 5,625 daN (5,740 kg st) of reheated thrust. Its control system could set the air intake shock cone in three different positions. It was thus possible to change the cross-section area of the air intake duct as well as the direction of the shock waves according to flight regime. Its military instrumentation was still relatively basic, limited to the ASP – SDN gunsight, the SRD-5 ranging radar, and the IFF transponder.

There was no automatic direction finder. The curtain-type ejection seat was identical to that of the MiG-19. The tail chute was housed in a small container under the rear of the fuselage. The ten fuel tanks—six in the fuselage and four in the wing—had a total capacity of 2,160 1 (570 US gallons).

Armament included two NR-30 cannons with sixty rounds per gun and store stations under the wing for two UB-16-57U rocket pods with either sixteen 57-mm S-5M air-to-air rockets (ARS-57) apiece or sixteen 57-ram S-5K air-to-surface rockets (KARS-57); two 240-mm ARS-240 heavy air-to-surface rockets; or two 50- to 500-kg (110- to 1,100-pound) bombs. The third prototype, the Ye-6T/3, was tested with a small mobile canard surface set near the nose; this foreplane was to appear later on the Ye-8 experimental machine. The Ye-6T/3 was also used to develop the launching system of the air-to-air missiles that were to arm future versions of the MiG-21.

Tests of the MiG-21F ended in 1958. Forty machines were assem­bled in the Gorki factory in 1959 and 1960

Specifications

Span, 7.154 m (23 ft 5.7 in); length (except probe), 13.46 m (44 ft 1.9 in); fuselage length (except cone), 12.177 m (39 ft 11,4 in); wheel track, 2.692 m (8 ft 10 in); wheel base, 4 806 m (15 ft 9.2 in), wing area, 23 m[3] [4] (247.6 sq ft); takeoff weight, 6,850 kg (15,100 lb); fuel, 1,790 kg (3,945 lb); wing loading, 297.8 kg/m2 (61 lb/sq ft); max operating limit load factor, 7.

Performance

Max speed, 2,175 km/h at 12,500 m (1,175 kt at 41,000 ft); max speed at sea level, 1,100 km/h (594 kt); climb rate at sea level in clean con­figuration, 175 m/sec (34,450 ft/mm); climb to 18,500 m (60,700 ft) in 7.5 min; service ceiling, 19,000 m (62 300 ft); landing speed, 280 km/h (151 kt); range at 14,000 m (45,900 ft) in clean configuration, 1,520 km (945 mi); takeoff roll, 900 m (2,950 ft); landing roll with tail chute, 800 m (2,625 ft).