The MiG-21 is the most widely produced and used supersonic fighter ever with over 10,000 built since 1955. The Fishbed was originally designed as a short-range interceptor to combat the B-52s and B-58s of the U.S. Air Force. The later MiG-21PF version incorporated a better radar, and slightly longer range for use as an all-weather fighter. The MiG-21, like its American counterpart the F-4 Phantom, does not have an internal gun and relies on missiles for air-to-air combat. The MiG-21 was exported extensively to Soviet allies and client states many of whom still use the fighter for training.
Service History
Built for the Hungarian Air Force and delivered between 1964 and 1965. It was retired by 1988. It appears to have come into the collection of the National Museum of the Marine Corps sometime in the early 1990s, but it is not known when it left Hungary. The aircraft was placed on loan to the Pima Air and Space Museum by the National Museum of the Marine Corps in the year 2000. In 2003, Pima placed it on loan to the Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force in Mesa, Arizona.
Wingspan
23 ft 6 in.
Length
51 ft 9 in.
Height
15 ft 9 in.
Weight
18,080 lb (loaded)
Maximum Speed
1,300 MPH
Service Ceiling
50,000 ft
Range
400 miles
Engine
One Tumansky R-11F2-300 with 13,492 pounds of thrust
Crew
1
Manufacturer MiG
Markings Hungarian Air Force, ca 1980
Designation MiG-21PF
Serial Number 507
Pima Air & Space Museum
Creating unlimited horizons in aerospace education through the preservation and presentation of the history of flight.