Era

Mikoyan-Gurevich I-210

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Late in 1941, series production of the MiG-3 was being phased out. The AM-35A engine manufacture was being discontinued as priority having been assigned to the AM-38 for the IL-2 Shturmovik. An attempt was made to adapt the basic airframe to take the 1700hp Shvetsov M-82A 14-cylinder air-cooled radial.

Assigned the Izdeliye designation IKh by the OKB and the provisional official designation I-210, and also referred to unofficially as the MiG-3M-82, the first of five airframes adapted to take the new engine was flown in December 1941.

The M-82A weighed only 20kg more than the AM-35A that it supplanted, but was 38cm wider, a new forward fuselage being necessary to cater for the cross section translation from the circular cowling to the oval centre fuselage. The armament consisted of three 12.7mm guns.

Plans were prepared to initiate IKh production as the MiG-9, but flight test revealed a serious drag problem, severe tail vibration and poor control characteristics. Despite the disappointing results of factory testing, the first aircraft was fitted with yet two more 7.62mm guns and sent to the Kalinin Front. The TsAGI, meanwhile, conducted full-scale wind tunnel testing with one of the IKh aircraft, resulting in development of the I-211.

Engine: 1700hp Shvetsov M-82A 14-cylinder air-cooled radial
Take-off weight: 3382 kg / 7456 lb
Empty weight: 2720 kg / 5997 lb
Wingspan: 10.20 m / 33 ft 6 in
Length: 8.08 m / 26 ft 6 in
Wing area: 17.44 sq.m / 187.72 sq ft
Max. speed: 565 km/h / 351 mph
Range: 1070 km / 665 miles

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3U / I-230

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With the primary objective of improving the aerodynamics of the basic MiG-3 design, the OKB began work late in 1941 on an enhanced version of the fighter to which it gave the Izdeliye designation of D. Known officially as the I-230, and later as the MiG-3U – the suffix letter signifying uluchshenyi (improved) – the new fighter was first flown in August 1942.

Whereas the fuselage of the MiG-3 was primarily of steel tube with duralumin skinning, that of the I-230 was almost entirely of wood owing to the contemporary metal shortages. By comparison with the MiG-3, the fuselage was lengthened by 37cm, but the Mikulin AM-35A engine was retained and the wing of the first prototype was unchanged, armament consisting of two 20mm SP-20 (ShVAK) cannon mounted above the engine.

The second prototype differed in having a larger wing of 18.00sq.m area and spanning 11.00m. Performance proved good during factory and state trials, but it was not possible to reinstate production of the AM-35A and production of the I-230 was therefore restricted to a pre-series of five aircraft which were assigned to a Guards Regiment (1 GvIAP) on the Kalinin front for service evaluation.

Prototype 1
Engine: Mikulin AM-35A, 1200 hp
Wingspan: 10.20 m / 33 ft 6 in
Length: 8.62 m / 28 ft 3 in
Wing area: 17.44 sq.m / 187.72 sq ft
Max take-off weight: 3285 kg / 7242 lb
Empty weight: 2612 kg / 5759 lb
Max. speed: 660 km/h / 410 mph
Range: 1350 km / 839 miles

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3

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Lacking the time for a redesign of the MiG-1 to eradicate the fighter’s less acceptable characteristics, a series of ‘fixes’ were applied to the basic design to result in the MiG-3.
Power plant and (initially) armament remained unchanged, but some structural simplification and strengthening was introduced. The engine was moved forward 10cm and dihedral of the outer wing panels was increased by one degree. A 250 lt supplementary fuel tank was introduced beneath the pilot’s seat, the aft fuselage decking was cut down, and the radiator bath fairing was enlarged and extended forward. The supercharger intakes were revised; 9mm seat armour was provided, together with radio, and four wing hardpoints were introduced for a maximum external load of 220kg.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 Article

The first MiG-3 left the factory in December 1940, 11 being completed by the end of the month. 140 were produced in January 1941, and, by June, production had peaked at 25 aircraft every 24 hours. The first MiG-3 was delivered to a VVS regiment in April 1941, simultaneously with the MiG-1, and production continued until 23 December 1941 with approximately 3,120 built, but 50 more were completed from component stocks in the early summer of 1942.

Some MiG-3s had a supplementary pair of 12.7mm BK machine guns under the wings, raising take-off weight to 3510kg, and others were fitted with two 12.7mm UBK guns in the wings.

Tests were also performed with two fuselage-mounted 20mm ShVAK cannon.

Engine: Mikulin AM-35A, 1200 hp.
Wingspan: 10.20 m / 33 ft 6 in
Length: 8.25 m / 27 ft 1 in
Height: 2.65 m / 8 ft 8 in
Wing area: 17.44 sq.m / 187.72 sq ft
Max take-off weight: 3350 kg / 7386 lb
Empty weight: 2699 kg / 5950 lb
Max. speed: 360 mph
Range: 820 km / 510 miles
Armament: 2 x 50 mg, 2 x .30 mg

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 / I-200

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The first design to achieve production status of an OKB (Experimental Construction Bureau) headed by Artem I Mikoyan and Mikhail Y Gurevich, the MiG-1 was conceived as a high-altitude interceptor under the OKB’s Izdeliye (Product) designation Kh.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 Article

Also assigned the initial military designation I-200, the first of three prototypes was flown on 5 April 1940, attaining 648.5km/h at 6900m on the following 24 May. Second and third prototypes flew on 9 May and 6 June 1940 respectively, factory and state testing being performed in parallel, with the factory testing completed on 25 August and the state testing on 12 September 1940.

The MiG-1 was powered by a 1350hp Mikulin AM-35A and carried an armament of one 12.7mm UBS and two 7.62mm ShKAS guns. Manoeuvrability and handling were considered inadequate, longitudinal stability and control responses were poor, and a programme of peripheral redesign paralleled manufacture of an initial batch of 100 aircraft, the last of which was completed in December 1940. The first eight MiG-1s had non-jettisonable side-hinged cockpit canopies, the remainder having jettisonable aft-sliding canopies.

The first MiG-1 was delivered to a VVS regiment in April 1941, by which time this fighter had been supplanted in production by the MiG-3.

MiG-1
Engine: 1350hp Mikulin AM-35A
Max take-off weight: 3099 kg / 6832 lb
Empty weight: 2602 kg / 5736 lb
Wingspan: 10.20 m / 33 ft 6 in
Length: 8.16 m / 26 ft 9 in
Height: 2.62 m / 8 ft 7 in
Wing area: 17.44 sq.m / 187.72 sq ft
Max. speed: 628 km/h / 390 mph
Range: 580 km / 360 miles

Mikoyan-Gurevich

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Mikhail Iosifovich Gurevich and Artem Ivanovich Mikoyan with a model of the MiG-3 fighter

A. Mikoyan and G. Gurevich design bureau established December 1939; still operating in 1990 as MAPO “MiG” as part of MIG “MAPO-M” organization, although Gurevich retired in early 1960s and Mikoyan died December 9,1970.

MiG-1 fighters with AM-35 engine produced 1940-1941; developed MiG-3 produced until 1942. First jet aircraft built in quantity was MiG-9 with twin RD-20 (BMW 003A) engines, flown 24 April 1946. Swept-wing MiG-15 with Russian copy of Rolls-Royce Nene introduced 1947, built under license in Czechoslovakia and Poland. Followed by approximately 9,000 of derived MiG-17, with redesigned wing, manufactured 1950-1957. Twin Mikulin AM-5-powered MiG-19 flown September 1953, built under license in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and China. Superseded by delta-winged MiG-21, in service in the USSR from 1959 and, when built in India, was first Russian aircraft manufactured in non-communist country.

Col-Gen Mikoyan died in 1970.

As ANPK “MiG” named after A.I. Mikoyan Aviation Scientific- Production Complex, produced MiG-23 (4,278 constructed 1969-1985; also built in India) and MiG-27 (over 900 between 1973 and 1983) related variable-geometry fighter and ground-attack aircraft, MiG-25 Mach 2.8+ reconnaissance aircraft and interceptor (some 1,200 built up to 1985), and MiG-31 long-range interceptor (about 400, operational from 1983).

MAPO ‘MiG’ produced MiG-21 upgrade as MiG-21 -93, MiG-29 Fulcrum lightweight close-air-combat fighter (first flown October 1977 and over 1,500 built, serving since 1983), improved MiG-29M (first flown April 1986) and MiG-33 export version, MiG-29K shipborne fighter prototype (first flown July 1988, first landing on aircraft carrier Admiral KuznetsovNovember 1989, and development restarted in 1996 after earlier program halt), MiG-35 multirole fighter (first flight 1999?), MiG 1-44 uniquely configured newgeneration combat aircraft (first seen February 1999), and MiG-AT/UTS/AC series of advanced and combat trainers. MiG-301/321 are reported hypersonic reconnaissance aircraft, thought to be under development. Also developing MiG-110 light multipurpose transport and MiG-115 and MiG-125 transports.

Migavia – the first national aircraft manufacturer in Russia aircraft corporations. RAC “MiG” is integrated company in which all technologies of design, production and improvement of aircraft are collected together in one legal frame. Corporation Migavia holds the shares of other corporations which are included into the complex of firms developing and producing the aircraft engines.

Mike Adams Balloon Loft A55

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Persons: 4
Diameter: 55 ft
Height: 67 ft
Volume: 75,000 cu.ft
Weight: 629 lb
Payload: 1500 lb
Burner: 8.8 Million BTU/hr
Fuel capacity: 10-40 USG
Cost: (1972): US$ 6920
FAI AX-7

A55-S
Persons: 4
Diameter: 55 ft
Height: 70 ft
Volume: 83,000 cu.ft
Weight: 639 lb
Payload: 1500 lb
Burner: 8.8 Million BTU/hr
Fuel capacity: 10-440 USG
Cost: (1972): US$ 7560
FAI AX-8

Mike Adams Balloon Loft A50

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Persons: 3
Diameter: 50 ft
Height: 61 ft
Volume: 55,000 cu.ft
Weight: 604 lb
Payload: 1050 lb
Burner: 8.8 Million BTU/hr
Fuel capacity: 10-40 USG
Cost: (1972): US$ 5760
FAI AX-6

A50 – S
Persons: 3
Diameter: 50 ft
Height: 64 ft
Volume: 62,000 cu.ft
Weight: 614 lb
Payload: 1250 lb
Burner: 8.8 Million BTU/hr
Fuel capacity: 10-40 USG
Cost: (1972): US$ 6240
FAI AX-7

Mike Adams Balloon Loft

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1982: Mike Adams Balloon Loft, DeKalb Peachtree Airport, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA.

PO Box 12168
Atlanta
Georgia 30355
USA

Adams offers seven models of balloons, all of which can be fitted with options such as an additional fuel tank with vapor takeoff or an electric digital py¬rometer. Envelope volumes range from 27,000 .to 83,000 cubic feet. Price, quoted on request, includes complete leather trimmed basket and all FAA required instruments.

Mijelson-Morschikhin U-4

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The MU-4 (Russian: Михельсон/Никитин МУ-4) amphibious flying boat was designed and built by NG Mijelson at Leningrad Factory No.23. The initials MU correspond to Morskaya Uchebnaya or Marine Trainer.

The MU-4 was designed as a flying-boat with a single hull and amphibious capacity. The hull was made entirely of wood and was made up of five watertight departments.

The wing configuration was sesquiplanar with the wing box braced by V-shaped struts made of duralumin. The wooden wing featured a double spar structure with a slim profile and constant chord. The covering was fabric. The lower plane was inserted into the fuselage, while the upper one was located high above the cabin, from where the engine supports started. The drop-shaped stabilization floats were located in the lower wing.

For operations on land, the MU-4 had a conventional landing gear with oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers and a tail skid. The main units retracted forward on the sides of the hull by means of a manual drive system. To allow winter operations the wheels could be replaced by skis.

The MU-4 tested with skis in the winter of 1937 – 1938.

The tail unit was of the conventional monoplane type with the stabilizers located high on the empennage and fixed by parallel struts in its lower part.

The MG-11F engine was installed on the upper wing in a tractor configuration protected by a Townend ring hood and moving a two-blade propeller. For winter, a special “winter” cowl was designed.

The MU-4 could carry two people, seated side by side in an enclosed, dual-control, glazed cabin.

The first prototype was finished in August 1937. Tests showed that the plane had good flight characteristics and could perform aerobatics. During the manufacturing tests this example was destroyed due to a construction defect. The engine fixing brackets to the gunwales were glued with a poor quality glue that ended up coming off. A short time later Mijelson would be imprisoned so the responsibility for further development passed to VV Nikitin.

Mijelson MU-4/2 at Factory No.23.

The second prototype was submitted for testing in May 1938. Model tests were carried out at the NII GVF hydrostation located in Konstantinovska Bay in Sevastopol. The flights were carried out by test pilot GI Sergueyev. The MU-4 was presented as a simple plane to fly and capable of taking off and landing in small aquatic spaces.

MU-4/2 during factory tests in 1938.

It was proposed to build a series of 30 examples at Factory No.23, but after Mijelson ‘s conviction this decision was reversed. The Shavrov Sh-2 was produced in series, covering the same needs.

MU-4
Powerplant: 1 x 190 hp MG-11F
Wingspan of upper plane: 12.00 m
Wingspan of lower plane: 9.00 m
Wing area: 33.00 m²
Length: 8.70m
Height: 3.70m
Empty weight: 989 kg
Normal takeoff weight: 1255 kg
Wing loading: 36.4 kg/m²
Power load: 4.2 kg/hp
Fuel + lubricant capacity: 80 + 20 kg
Top speed: 173km/h
Cruising speed: 154 km/h
Service ceiling: 3400 m
Accommodation: 2