Despite its impressive appearance - no doubt made possible by captured German research following World War 2 - the MiG-9 was a heavy aircraft prone to accidents.
The MiG-9 (NATO codename of "Fargo") was only the second attempt by the Soviet Union at designing and producing a viable jet-powered fighter platform. Design was undertaken by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Bureau and - though hardly a successful design - the MiG-9 formed the basis and forerunner to the excellent MiG-15 "Fagot" aircraft popularized by its use in the Korean War (1950-1953). With German turbojet design readily apparent in this Soviet addition, the MiG-9 was nevertheless produced in nearly 600 examples and in several variants.
There is little doubt that the MiG-9's appearance influenced the upcoming 1947 design of the MiG-15 - and future Mikoyan-Gurevich creations throughout the Cold War - as all were seen with the highly identifiable nose-mounted split-type intake (feeding the twin turbojets running about halfway into the fuselage) and high vertical tail surface. The cockpit of the MiG-9 was fielded forward as was the case with the MiG-15 and beyond. In an interesting note, the armament of the MiG-9 was equally indicative of its influence over the MiG-15 in that both sported a single 37mm cannon and twin 23mm cannons all in the nose. Whereas the MiG-9 Fargo was designed with straight wings, all later Mikoyan jets were fitted with swept-back wing designs. Power was derived from a pair of German-based BMW 003A turbojets masked as Soviet RD-20's.
Though development of the MiG-9 began in 1935, the prototype I-300 series was not to fly until 1946 with deliveries beginning in the last month of that year. By 1947, the aircraft was refitted with a more powerful RD-21 type engine in the MiG-9F though overall the series till proved to be a heavy aircraft to fly convincingly in combat when compared to the initial Soviet jet fighter attempt in the Yak-15. With turbojet design mechanics and tactics still in its relative infancy, the MiG-9 was also a design that was inherently prone to engine and airframe failures.
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Air-to-Air Combat, Fighter
General ability to actively engage other aircraft of similar form and function, typically through guns, missiles, and/or aerial rockets.
Length
32.0 ft (9.75 m)
Width/Span
32.8 ft (10.00 m)
Height
13.0 ft (3.96 m)
Empty Wgt
7,540 lb (3,420 kg)
MTOW
11,177 lb (5,070 kg)
Wgt Diff
+3,638 lb (+1,650 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-9 (Fargo) production variant)
Installed:
2 x RD-20 (BMW 003A) turbojet engines developing 1,746 lb of thrust each.
STANDARD:
1 x 37mm cannon extending from nose intake divider.
2 x 23mm cannon extending from under sides of nose intake.
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 0
I-300 - Prototype Model Designation; fitted with German-type 2 x BMW 300A turbojets; first flight on April 24 of 1946.
MiG-9 - Base Production Model Series Designation; limited production.
MiG-9F - Fitted with uprated RD-21 turbojet engines.
MiG-9FP - Prototype Model; revised weapons layout.
MiG-9FL - Developmental Model fitted with Lyulka TR-1A engines.
MiG-9FF - Prototypr Model; fitted with RD-20F OR RD-21 type engines with afterburning.
MiG-9FR - Pressurization of cockpit; final production models.
MiG-9UTI - Two-Seat Trainer Model
MiG-9L - Prototype Testbed Aircraft
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.
Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org, the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft, and SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane.
China; Soviet Union
