Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 / MiG-3

Single-Seat Monoplane Fighter Aircraft

Soviet Union | 1941

"The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 was one of the faster Soviet piston-engined fighters available at the start of World War 2, though still outclassed by Germany types."

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Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 11/02/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Despite being one of the fastest Soviet piston-engine designs in the early years of the war, the MiG-3 was dogged by less-than-stellar handling characteristics and was genuinely still outclassed by German counterparts in the Messerschmitt Bf 109 and the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 series. The system was also woefully under-armed in its early versions and was relegated to bomber escort and close-support duty during its tenure. Eventually, the system would give way to the more capable Lavochkin series of radial-engined platforms even though some 3,400 examples of the MiG-3 were to be produced.

The MiG-3 was a single-seat, single-engine, low-wing monoplane fighter. The elongated nose section depicted the spacing needed to mount the long engine fielding the Mikulin brand. Appearing in initial forms as the I-61 prototype, the system graduated into production as the MiG-1. The MiG-1 proved no match in the early opening rounds of conflict, armed with just three machine guns and still operating with handling problems and fitted with a 1,200 horsepower Mikulin V-12. Only about 100 of the MiG-1 series were produced in 1940, giving way to the slightly improved MiG-3 in 1941.

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The MiG-3 offered up only a slight boost in handling capability and was initially fielded with the same woeful three gun armament. Later models would improve this count by adding one additional heavy caliber (.50) under each wing. Provisions for under wing rockets (totaling 6) and two bombs were part of the MiG-3's armament capabilities. Additional modifications to the MiG-3 resulted in a sliding canopy assembly, slightly redesigned wing systems and a constant speed propeller system. Horsepower from the Mikulin AM-35A V-12 amounted to an impressive 1,350hp putting the overall top speed somewhere near 400 miles per hour.

Despite all this, the MiG-3 would never shake the handle of being a "hot rod" aircraft and nothing more. The Lavochkin series of aircraft would take the mantle and offer up exceedingly better performance over the MiG-3 series. In the end, Mikoyan-Gurevich would still end up designing one of the more memorable piston engine aircraft of the war and lay down the groundwork for decades more work in the field of interceptor design culminating with the fabulous MiG-29 Fulcrum multi-role platform.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 Single-Seat Monoplane Fighter Aircraft.

1 x Mikulin AM-35A V-12 piston engine developing 1,350 horsepower.
Propulsion

398 mph
640 kph | 346 kts
Max Speed

39,370 ft
12,000 m | 7 miles
Service Ceiling

777 miles
1,250 km | 675 nm
Operational Range

3,935 ft/min
1,199 m/min
Rate-of-Climb

Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 Single-Seat Monoplane Fighter Aircraft.

1
(MANNED)
Crew

26.7 ft
8.15 m
O/A Length

33.8 ft
(10.30 m)
O/A Width

8.8 ft
(2.67 m)
O/A Height

5,721 lb
(2,595 kg)
Empty Weight

7,385 lb
(3,350 kg)
MTOW

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 / MiG-3 Single-Seat Monoplane Fighter Aircraft .

STANDARD:
1 x 12.7mm Beresin BS machine gun mounted over engine.
2 x 7.62mm ShKAS machine guns mounted over nose.

Later models would feature additional 2 x 12.7mm machine guns underwing, one per wing.

OPTIONAL:
6 x 3.23 inch rockets
2 x 220lb bombs

Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 / MiG-3 family line.

I-61 - Prototype Model Designation

MiG-1 - Initial Production Models of which some 100 examples were produced; fitted with Mikulin AM-35 V-12 engine of 1,200hp; 3 x machine guns.

MiG-3 - Production Model Designation of improved MiG-1 samples; fitted with AM-35A engine of 1,350hp; later models added 1 x 12.7mm machine guns under each wing; sliding cockpit canopy; improved handling.

Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 / MiG-3. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 3,422 Units
Contractor(s): Mikoyan-Gurevich OKB - Soviet Union

[ Soviet Union ]

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Image of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 / MiG-3

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Left side view of a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 fighter at rest

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Left side profile view of a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 fighter at rest

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High-angled right side view of Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3s at the ready

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High-angled top down planform view of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 at rest

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Rear left side view of a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 at rest

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Low-angled left side view of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 at rest

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Right side profile view of a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 fighter at rest

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Going Further...
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1 / MiG-3 Single-Seat Monoplane Fighter Aircraft appears in the following collections:

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