Mikoyan Gurevich
MiG-21
Fishbed

Photo: Robert Deering 10/23/2006
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Chantilly, Virginia

#Photo: Robert Deering 9/3/2011
Museum of Flight
Seattle, Washington
#Photo: Robert Deering 10/18/2012
National Museum of the USAF
Dayton, Ohio
Photo: Robert Deering 6/13/2017
USS Intrepid Museum
New York City, New York
Photo: Robert Deering 4/9/2019
Technik Museum
Speyer, Germany
The MiG-21 is one of the world's most famous jet fighters. This Soviet-made aircraft first flew in 1955, and more than 50 countries have used various versions. Western forces code-named the MiG-21 "Fishbed," and some versions have flown well into the 21st century. The USSR built more than 10,000 MiG-21s before ending production in 1985.

In the Southeast Asia War, the MiG-21 was a dangerous adversary. Fast as U.S. jets, it was more agile than the F-4 Phantom, its main opponent. Although American forces lost about 50 aircraft to North Vietnamese MiG-21s, the U.S. Air Force shot down 68 MiG-21s in air combat.

North Vietnam had more than 200 MiG-21s. The aircraft on display, a MiG-21PF, carried air-to-air missiles but no guns. It is painted to represent a plane from North Vietnam's elite 921st Fighter Regiment.

Photo: Robert Deering 7/11/2004
Cavanaugh Flight Museum
Addison Airport (ADS)
 Addison, Texas
Photo: Robert Deering 5/27/2017
Cavanaugh Flight Museum
Addison Airport (ADS)
 Addison, Texas
SPECIFICATIONS: PERFORMANCE:
Span:
Length: 
Height: 
Empty Weight:  
Gross Weight: 
Crew: 		Maximum speed: 1,300 mph
Cruising speed:
Range: 870 miles, 1,110 miles with auxiliary tank
Service ceiling: 62,000 ft.
Engines: Tumansky R-11F2-300 with more than 13,000 lbs. thrust
Armament: Two K-5 "Alkali" radar-guided or K-13 "Atoll" heat-seeking missiles
   
SOURCE: National Museum of the United States Air Force  
   
1959 DOD Aircraft
Recognition Page