Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 / SM-10
Shenyang F-6
Aero Vodochody S-105
PZL-Mielec Lim-7

Authorization for the development of the MiG-19 to succeed the MiG-17 then entering service was granted in 1951, although design work had begun the previous year. The MiG-19 followed the basic layout of its predeces-sors, the MiG-15/MiG-17 series, although twin engines were adopted, and was designed to perform similar roles-single-seat clear-weather interception, with ground attack as a secondary mission but with performance improvements all round.

The MiG-19 was on the drawing board as the I-350 before even the MiG-15 had been encountered in Korea, the five prototypes being ordered on 30 July 1951. Maj Grigori Sedov flew the first I-350 design, also known as the Type SM, on 18 September 1953 on the power of two non-afterburning AM-5 engines giving only 4,410 lb thrust each.

Despite the high wing loading and bold sweep angle of 55 (at 25% chord), the MiG-19 handled well, large fences and Fowler flaps giving satisfactory low-speed control With afterburning engines the MiG-19 became the first Russian supersonic fighter and it was put into production on a very large scale in the second half of the following year.

Deliveries to the Soviet air force began early in 1955, and 48 flew in formation at that year's Soviet Aviation Day, held at Tushino. Early MiG-19s were powered by a pair of Mikulin AM-5 axial-flow turbojets each producing 2250 kg (5000 lb) of thrust dry and 3040 kg (6700 lb) with after-burning. The engines are mounted side-by-side in the rear fuselage and fed from a divided annular intake in the nose. The three-spar wings are tapered and swept back by 55 deg at 25% chord, with a full-chord fence on each side. Anhedral is about 4.5 deg. The large area Fowler flaps can be used at up to 800 km/h (495 mph) in combat, and lateral control in later aircraft is effected by ailerons assisted by spoilers, this arrangement having been used first on the MiG-15SD.

The area-ruled fuselage has a cylindrical nose and carries a cluster of air scoops at the rear to cool the afterburners, with others on either side of the spine feeding the elec-tronics bays. Air brakes were fitted to the fuselage sides in early models, later aircraft having an additional one mounted ventrally. The fin and fuselage-mounted tailplanes are swept back.

After about 500 had been delivered the MiG-19S (stabilizator) supplanted the early model with the fixed tailplane and manual elevators replaced by a fully powered slab. At the same time the old armament of a 37-mm (1.46-in) N-37 cannon with 40 rounds in the right-hand side of the forward fuselage and a 23-mm (0.90-in) NR-23 with 80 rounds in each wing was replaced by three of the new 30 mm NR-30 guns, one in each wing root and one under the right side of the nose and was fitted with two air-to--surface weapon stations under the wings. A large ventral airbrake was also added.

Fuel is carried in four fuselage cells with a total capacity of 2170 litres (477 Imperial gal) and can be supplemented by a pair of underwing drop tanks containing 800 litres (176 Imperial gal) each. A dorsal spine housing control, running between the cockpit and the tail, was introduced into the MiG-19S. A fully duplicated hydraulic system was employed and the tailplane was geared electro-mechanically to operate at a nearly constant rate of stick-force per g. An electrical system was provided to operate the tailplane in the event of hydraulic failure. The MiG-19S entered full service in the second half of 1956.

In 1956 the AM-5 engine was replaced by the newer and more powerful Tumansky RD-9Bs each rated at 2600 kg (5730 lb) dry and 3250 kg (7165 lb) with reheat, increasing peak Mach number from 1.1 to 1.3. The new fighter was designated MiG-19SF (forsiro-vanni, increased power) which was code-named Farmer-C and has been built in very large numbers.

The corresponding MiG-19PF (perekhvatchik, interceptor) has an Izumrud Al radar (called “Scan Odd” by NATO) in a bullet carried on the inlet duct splitter, with the ranging unit in the upper inlet lip. The final production version was the MiG-19PM (modifikatsirovanni), with guns removed and pylons for four early beam-rider air-to-air missiles (called “Alkali’ by NATO), an all-weather version fitted with the X-band Scan Odd fire control radar using dual pulse-repetition frequencies. The main antenna was housed in a bullet fairing mounted on the central intake splitter, with the complementary ranging radar installed in the upper lip.

A two-seat version, the MiG-19UTI, was also delivered.

All MiG-19s can carry the simple K-13A missile (the copy of Sidewinder, called “Atoll” by NATO) and underwing pylons can carry two 176 gal drop tanks plus two 551 lb weapons or dispensers. The Mig-19 was out of production in 1957.

The type was supplied to China knocked-down MiGs for Chinese construction before relations soured in 1960, and the Shenyang National Aircraft Factory has copied the MiG-19S as the F-6 (first flight in December 1961). Production of the F-6 was stepped up from about 1966 and it is thought that several thousand have been built, including counterparts of the MiG-19PF and SF. F-6 became the standard equipment of the Chinese Air Force of the People's Liberation Army from mid-1962. China has developed a number of variants of its own design. One is a tactical reconnaissance aircraft, while the TF-6 is a trainer version and the A-5 (formerly referred to as the F-9 and F-6 bis) a strike fighter with different appearance because of its pointed nose radome between the semi-circular side air intakes. The span of the A-5 has also been increased to about 10.2m. Maximum level speed of this version is estimated to be close to Mach 2.

Chinese-built F-6s have been supplied to 'friendly' coun-tries, including Pakistan, and are thought to incorporate indigenously developed improvements. The Pakistani aircraft have performed well in periodic clashes against Western-supplied types and MiG-21s operated by the Indian air force.

Phased out of production in the Soviet Union during the late 1950s, the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 continued to be built in China under a licence agreement of January 1958. The J-6 (Jianjiji 6, or Fighter Aircraft Type 6) is normally credited to the Shenyang production facility, although a second assembly line is located at Tianjin. First of the Chinese production models was the J-6 equivalent of the MiG-19S/SF day fighter, this giving way to the J-6A/MiG19PF limited all-weather interceptor and the later J-6B/MiG-19PM, the latter augmenting gun and rocket armament by AA-1 'Alkali' AAMs. An improved MiG-19SF, known as the J-6C and identified by a brake parachute housing at the base of the fin was in production in 1984, as was J-6Xin ('New J-6') which featured a sharply-pointed radome in the engine air intake for a Chinese-developed airborne gun-ranging radar. The JZ-6 (Jianjiji Zlienchaji 6) is a MiG-19R reconnaissance version equivalent with the forward fuselage cannon replaced a camera array. Despite limited Soviet production of a MiG-19UTI, Chinese requirements for a dual control trainer were met by a local design to produce the JJ-6 (Jianjiji Jiaolianji 6), with its 0.84 m (2 ft 9 in) fuselage extension. Several thousand J-6s have been built for the Chinese army and navy air forces since 1961, whilst export variants (known as the F-6 and trainer FT-6) serve in Albania, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, Tanzania and Vietnam as interceptors and close-support aircraft. The J-6 is well liked by its pilots as a manoeuvrable fighter and stable weapons platform, Pakistan's aircraft having been improved by the addition of a third (under-fuselage) fuel tank, US-designed AIM-9B/J Sidewinder AAMs and Martin-Baker PKD Mk 10 automatic zero-zero ejection seats.

Total production possibly exceeds 10,000, including licence-manufacture as the Lim-7 in Poland, S-105 in Czechoslovakia and F-6 in China.

The MiG-19 has also been used as a testbed in a number of experimental programmes. Under the designation SM-10 it was used for in-flight refuelling trials from 1955, and in 1957 the SM-12.

SM-30 was the bureau designation of a pre--series MiG-19 which was used for catapult takeoff trials in 1956, and three years later the SM-50 underwent tests while fitted with RD-9BM turbojets of 3300 kg (7275 lb) thrust each with reheat, augmented by a U-19 rocket motor producing 3200 kg (7055 lb). A maximum speed of 1800 km/h (1118 mph) was attained, and a height of 20 000 m (65 600 ft) was reached in eight minutes.

Gallery

MiG-19
Single-seat fighter
Engines: 2 x Mikulin AM-5 turbojets, 6.700 lb (3,040 kg) thrust (afterburner rating)
Wing span 29 ft 6.5 in (9 m)
Height 13 ft 2.25 in (4.02 m)
Max speed (typical) 920 mph @ at 20,000 ft (M 1.3)

MiG-19S
Single-seat fighter
Engines: 2 x Mikulin AM-5 turbojets, 6.700 lb (3,040 kg) thrust (afterburner rating)
Wing span 29 ft 6.5 in (9 m)
Length: 42 ft 11.25 in (13.08 m)
Height 13 ft 2.25 in (4.02 m)
Max speed (typical) 920 mph @ at 20,000 ft (M 1.3)
Gross weight: 8700 kg (19180 lb)

MiG-19SF
Single-seat fighter
Engines: 2 x Klimov RD-9B turbojets, 7,165 lb (3250 kg) thrust (afterburner)
Wing span 29 ft 6.5 in (9 m)
Length: 42 ft 11.25 in (13.08 m)
Height 13 ft 2.25 in (4.02 m)
Initial ROC: 22,640 ft (6900 m)/min
Service ceiling: 58,725 ft (17,900 m)
Max speed (typical) 920 mph @ at 20,000 ft (M 1.3)
Empty wt: 12,698 lb (5760 kg)
Loaded wt (clean): 16,755 lb (7600 kg)
MTOW: 19,180 lb (8700 kg)
Max range (high. with two drop tanks): 1,367 miles (2200 km)

MiG-19
Engines: 2 x turbo-jet RD-9B(N), 31.9kN
Max take-off weight: 8600 kg / 18960 lb
Wingspan: 9.0 m / 29 ft 6 in
Length: 12.5 m / 41 ft 0 in
Height: 4.1 m / 13 ft 5 in
Wing area: 23.0 sq.m / 247.57 sq ft
Max. speed: 783 kts / 1450 km/h / 901 mph
Service ceiling: 18600 m / 61000 ft
Range w/max.fuel: 2200 km / 1367 miles
Range w/max.payload: 1400 km / 870 miles
Armament: 3 x 30mm machine-guns, missiles
Crew: 1

MiG-19PF
All-weather interceptor
Engines: 2 x Klimov RD-9B turbojets, 7,165 lb (3250 kg) thrust (afterburner)
Wing span 29 ft 6.5 in (9 m)
Length: 44 ft 7 in
Height 13 ft 2.25 in (4.02 m)
Max speed (typical) 920 mph @ at 20,000 ft (M 1.3)
Max range (high. with two drop tanks): 1,367 miles (2200 km)

MiG-19PM
All-weather interceptor
Engines: 2 x Klimov RD-9B turbojets, 7,165 lb (3250 kg) thrust (afterburner)
Wing span 29 ft 6.5 in (9 m)
Length: 44 ft 7 in
Height 13 ft 2.25 in (4.02 m)
Max speed (typical) 920 mph @ at 20,000 ft (M 1.3)
MTOW: 20,944 lb (9500 kg)
Max range (high. with two drop tanks): 1,367 miles (2200 km)

Lim-7

S-105

F-6 / Shenyang/Tianjinj-6C
Powerplant: two 3250-kg (7,165-lb) Shenyang Wopen-6 (Tumansky R-9BF-811) afterburning turbojets
Maximum speed, clean 1540 km/h (957 mph) or Mach 1.45 at 11000 m (36,090 ft)
Maximum speed 1340 km/h (833 mph) or Mach 1.09 at low level
Service ceiling 17900 m (58,725 ft)
Empty weight 5760 kg (12,698 lb)
Normal take-off weight, clean 7545 kg (16,634 lb)
Maximum take-off with external stores about 10000 kg (22,046 lb)
Wing span 9.20 m (30 ft 2.25 in)
Length, excluding probe 12.60 m (41 ft 4 in)
Height 3.88 m (12 ft 8.75 in)
Wing area 25.00 sq.m (269 sq ft).
Armament: three internal 30-mm NR30 cannon (one on starboard side of nose, two in wing roots); wing pylons for two 250-kg (551 -lb) bombs or four rocket packs, plus fuel tanks.

Mikoyan/Gurevich MiG-19