I CACCIA DEL' U.R.S.S. - Il famigerato O.K.B. "MIG"
Ino Biondo
"The Soviet fighter par excellence"
When we hear "Mig" you can not help but think of Russia, and VVS. short for Voenno-vozdušnye Sily the 'Air Force' s former Soviet Union; OKB MIG is probably the most famous in the world but at the same time, the most secret that has ever existed. Even the acronym says it all was the acronym of the initials of two great Soviet engineers Artyom Ivanovich Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich Iosifovič , that one day in December 1939 gave birth to what would become a World aviation legend of all time, having produced some of the most famous fighter in the world. In fact, even today, are designed to service more aircraft from MiG than any other manufacturer. Over the past 60 years, the Mikoyan-Gurevich OKB has worked on about 250 different projects, 120 of which went into production, for a total of more than 15 000 aircraft left the factory. Unlike other technical departments, the MiG was concentrated mainly on one type of aircraft: the fighter.
Mikoyan-Gurevich OKB 155
On 24 December 1939 was given to a young aeronautical engineer, who grew up in a remote village in Asia, a particular OKB, which had the task of designing high-performance fighters, il suo nome era Artëm Ivanovič Mikojan che cresciuto in una famiglia povera da giovane aveva lavorato come meccanico prima di laurearsi in una accademia militare nel 1937. Lavorò, per un breve periodo per Nikolaj Nikolaevič Polikarpov, a quei tempi il più famoso disegnatore di aeroplani. Fu proprio su segalazione di quest'ultimo, che rimase stupito da un disegno di aeroplano fattogli vedere su un foglio per appunti a "mano libera" che il Partito gli offrì la possibilità di mettere in pratica le sue idee geniali. Fu anche grazie all' O.K.B. di Policarpov che conobbe un' altro brillante personaggio ma molto controverso, un ingegnere e matematico ebreo più volte espulso dalla facoltà di Ingegneria di Charkiv per via delle sue attività sovversive al regime, i due già da allora erano entrati in sintonia e condividevano assieme alcune idee su come doveva essere fatto un caccia "puro" : manovrabile, veloce, potente.
Questo brillante giovane era Michail Iosifovič Gurevič , nato da una famiglia ebrea nella piccola cittadina di Rubanščina nell'Oblast' di Kursk, nel 1910 si diplomò nel ginnasio di Achtyrka (regione di Charkiv) con medaglia d'argento ed entrò all'università di Charkiv nel dipartimento di matematica. Come detto per le sue idee considerate sovversive, venne espulso da Charkiv, e continuò gli studi a Montpellier in Francia. Intanto allo scoppio della prima guerra mondiale e dopo della guerra civile in Russia, dovette interrompere gli studi, ma nel 1925 alla fine delle ostilità ritornò a Charkiv dove conseguì la laurea a pieni voti in aviazione e costruzioni aeronautiche. reclutato dall'amico Mikojan, il giovane Gurevich che intanto era stato in America per ottenere la costruzione su licenza del Douglas DC-3, ebbe la possibilità di poter esprimere tutto il suo genio e intuito costruttivo, i due si misero subito a lavoro e l'O.K.B. assunze la denominazione "MIG O.K.B." dalle iniziali of the two engineers. 
The two began a historic hunting dynasty that arose from the tactical and strategic response to a request for a new fighter-engine cylinder, made by V -VS in January '39. What is not well known is that this request was brought forward by the Polikarpov OKB as I-61 and then I-200, started work in June 1939. Polikarpov, however, was interested in the radial and changed his mind only with time, thanks to the appearance of AM-37, an engine cylinder in-line really powerful Mikulin OKB. However, although the new fighter was expected as capable of 670 kmh, the famous designer person had become "undesirable" to Stalin, who took advantage of the trip made in Germany in November 1939 when there were still-solid relations between the two nations in terms of aero-and for him to shut up shop create instead of his OKB, a Department of Experimental Construction, which were placed in head M. A. Mikoyan and Gurevich, although they were formally under the control of Polikarpov until June '40. And so their first hunting was, in fact, the last of Polikarpov, but Stalin's USSR, the designers were not so important if they had fallen in the eyes of government, Stalin had already Polikarpov imprisoned in a special prison laboratory per mettere a punto l'I-5, il primo dei suoi caccia biplani, ora con un altro atto d'imperio gli chiudeva la carriera. Nonostante tutto, quello che diverrà il MiG-1 conservò largamente l'impronta del suo originario padre: a parte il lungo muso con il nuovo motore, la cellula sembra ancora, specie se vista in pianta, notevolmente simile a quella di un I-16, compatta, ma anche afflitta da un'eccessiva vicinanza dei piani di coda alle ali, che con il nuovo motore diventava decisamente controproducente.In questo clima rovente ebbe i natali l' I-200 (a quell'epoca si usava battezzare l'aeroplano con una sigla che indicasse la sua funzione e non l'ingegnere che l'avesse progettato quindi " I " stands for Istrebitel , or hunting), a high-altitude interceptor, which was soon assigned by the Air Ministry as MiG-1. The marks of aircraft, a directive of 1941 the Soviet Ministry of Aviation, indicate the first two initials of the surname of the designer in charge of the technical or general, if the office has more general project, the first two initials of first followed by first initial of others. Then follows a sequence number, odd for hunting and equal to all other aircraft (some sources incorrectly interprets the term as the union of the first letters of their surnames joined by a project manager "i" in Russian means "and" conjunction simple).
plan of the MIG-1.
The MiG-1 was hunting a very powerful and advanced for its time, although it suffers from very poor maneuverability due to the huge front-engine, which unbalanced the plane. The engine was a 12-cylinder in-line, the AM-35 a 12-cylinder V capable of 1,350 hp at takeoff and 1,200 to 6,000 m. It was a powerful engine for the late '30s, and yet, already become a known and reliable. The problem is that certainly was not born as an engine for hunting weight was 830 kg, more or less like the German DB-603, or about 230-250 kg more types of German and British equivalents. In addition he was also very long, which put the designers in need of bringing back the very cockpit of the pilot, and what is worse, to minimize the cell around it to make the plane as handsome as possible . The result of this work was an airplane in some ways similar to types like the Italian Macchi or Re.2005 202-205. The problem here is that the aircraft was really extreme, and especially with an engine too powerful.
The prototype of the MiG-1
The Wing of MIG-1 by giving him gifts sprinter
It is unclear when the first MiG-1 lines came from: some say before the end of '40 they were produced eighty, and who says that the production went until early '41. There were several changes with respect to the prototype, such as increasing the wing dihedral to 6 degrees to improve stability. The engine was now in version AM-35 with three-blade constant speed metal propeller and appeared armament, two ShKAS and BS, respectively with 750 and 300 of the Criminal Code, and all in the nose.
The first prototype
The prototype II was adotatta this livery for presentation to the military hierarchy.
An exemplary operating
Despite a large amount of fuel, had a longer range, while fast uphill and level flight, ideal for high altitudes. Unfortunately, he was assigned to fighter units 'normal' rather than in specialized departments such actions. At June 22, 1941, the new generation of Soviet fighters were already many. And the MiG excelled at all: it speaks well of aircraft between 1289 and MiG-1 MiG-3 (the improved version, which came shortly after production). The MiG-3 was the evolution of '1, was moved ilmotore later than 10 cm, increased from around 5 to 6 degrees giving it more stability sins of the previous model, plus a new radiator with more capacity of the coolant, the cabin was pressurized and was equipped with a container of oxygen to the pilot for high altitude operation, which is very rare in those days, and was equipped with a collimator reflection for machine guns, various improvements of detail, enlarged wheels, interior and improved radio CSR-1, increased ammunition and underwing points per 100 kg of bombs, rockets (up to 8) and even deadly chemicals from tanks to dispose of land, all experienced on ' N.04 I-200, which is the fourth prototype. The tests were very positive, since the performance-differently from those of other non-Soviet fighters were not only invalid, but even with the same engine, were higher. He ordered 3,600 copies for the well only 1941, of what was then the hunting world's fastest (or one of the fastest, at least).
plan of the MIG-3
line of flight operations departments.
The first prototype
The second prototype
MIG-1 and 3 at a glance:
- Dimensions: 8.16 x 10.2 x 17.6 x 2.59 m2 for all, or with minimal differences
- Weights: 2600-2630 / max 3.071/3.100 (MiG-1) - 2,699 / kg (MiG-3) 3100 kg (up to 3310-3335, the data are rather confused) wing loading 155 kg/m2
- Engine: Mikulin AM-34 1,200-hp take-off, 1,350 in share
- Performance: MiG-1: 480 kmh above sea level, m 530/2.500, 585/5.000 m, 628/7.000 m, m 608/8.500, 595/9.000 m, slew rate 5.3 min for 5,000 m, 12,000 m tangent about 640 km range, 374 m takeoff, landing, MiG-3 410 m: 505 kmh / slm ; kmh/7.800 630 m climb to 8,000 m in 10.28 min; tangency 12,000 m, range 820-1000 + km
- Armament: 1 UBS 2 ShKAS and 12.7 mm (1.44 firepower kg / s), some MiG-3 with two underwing eo UBK 12.7 mm 2 bombs of 100 kg or 6 RS-82 rockets or liquid chemical or incendiary speaker.
after the war was that the design bureau number 155 (the number assigned to the factory), grew even greater in size and influence. Using German technology, Mikoyan and Gurevich gave birth to the first Soviet jet fighter, the MiG-9, which flew 24 April 1946. In August of that year Stalin ordered ten national hunt for the parade for the celebration of the October Revolution on Red Square. The engineers and mechanics worked at a fast pace to be ready for November, but ironically the parade was canceled due to adverse weather conditions. But the MiG-9 entered service soon followed by many other cars have become famous during the Cold War. We remember the MiG-15, che partecipò alla guerra di Corea, il MiG-17 ed il MiG-19 il primo caccia supersonico (in crociera) sovietico. Il MiG-21 (Fishbed per gli occidentali), la più prodotta ed esportata unità sovietica. L'ultimo caccia prodotto sotto il disegno di Mikojan e Gurevič furono il MiG-23 (Flogger), il primo caccia con ali a geometria variabile sovietico ed il MiG-25 (Foxbat) un caccia intercettore capace di volare a Mach 3. Gurevič era andato in pensione nel 1964, Mikojan morì nel 1970 e fu sostituito dal suo vice, Rostislav Apollosovič Beljakov. Con Belyakov al timone, il MiG OKB produsse diversi nuovi caccia per la VVS: il MiG-29 (Fulcrum) intercettore leggero, ed il MiG-31 (Foxhound) caccia intercettore e ricognitore, both of the early '70s. In addition to aircraft design bureau studied and also produced anti-ship missiles, cruise and anti-satellite, even reusable space ship called Spiral. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the design bureau, like all other places, had to restructure and address the economic crisis. In May 1995 the Russian government centralize all the factories that were in the hands of the MiG MAPO-MiG company (Moskowskoje Awiazionnoje Promyschlennoje Objedinenije, an association of aeronautical factories in Moscow). In the late 90 'when it was near collapse of the Russian economy, the company was overwhelmed by scandals of financial mismanagement, the fierce competition of Sukhoi, and major layoffs. In December 1999 the Russian government renamed MAPO-MiG in "MiG Aircraft Building Corporation" and announced news as a possible merger with rival Sukhoi. In order to survive the MiG focused on the export and upgrade MiG-29. In spite of the open disregard of the government continued to develop new projects for hunting, as the 1.42 and 1.44. The Russian government is planning a general fusion of all the companies involved in the development of aviation / aerospace, civil and military (which, after the collapse of the USSR, met with huge financial difficulties): the futuristic United Aircraft Building Corporation would be a 'union di Ilyushin, Irkut, Mikoân, Sukhoi, Tupolev e Yakovlev. Attualmente, per la gioia degli appassionati 'warbirders', un MiG-3 è tornato a volare in Russia, con tanto di capacità di volo acrobatico, dimostrata nel MAKS 2007, la mostra aerospaziale di Mosca.
