Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21

This is a very fast jet.

It can fly faster than sound. This jet has a special wing shape. The wings look like a triangle.

Some people call it a pencil because of its shape. Many lands around the world have flown it. It is a very famous plane.

It was made in a place called the Soviet Union. Many of these jets were built for many years.

The MiG-21 is a very fast jet fighter.

It was made in the Soviet Union. This plane can fly faster than the speed of sound. It has a special wing shape called a delta wing. This wing looks like a large triangle.

People gave it many nicknames. Some called it a "pencil" because of its shape. Others called it a "silver swallow" in Vietnam.

This jet was very successful. Over 10,000 of these planes were built.

Many countries across four continents have used them. The plane has a nose intake to let air into the engine. Inside the intake, a small cone helps control the air. This cone moves to different spots depending on how fast the jet flies. The MiG-21 is a lightweight plane. It can climb very fast to reach high places in the sky. It was a very important part of flight history.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a famous supersonic jet fighter.

It was designed by a group in the Soviet Union. This aircraft can fly faster than the speed of sound. People gave it many interesting nicknames around the world. In Poland, they called it "Ołówek," which means pencil.

In Vietnam, people called it "Én Bạc," or silver swallow. Some even called it "Balalaika" because of its shape. This jet has become one of the most produced combat aircraft in history.

This jet works using a special engine and wing design. It uses a delta wing, which is a large triangular wing shape.

The plane has a nose intake to bring air into the engine. Inside this intake is a small part called a shock cone. This cone moves to different positions to control air flow. It moves back when the plane is slower. It moves forward when the plane flies very fast. This helps the engine work well at high speeds.

Designing this plane took many years of hard work.

Engineers began studying new designs in the early 1950s. They first made a prototype called the Ye-1 in 1954. That design had an engine that was too weak. They had to redesign it into a second prototype called the Ye-2. The first version with the triangular delta wings was the Ye-4. This version made its very first flight on June 16, 1955. It appeared in public at a Moscow airfield in July 1956.

Many important numbers tell the story of this jet.

About 60 different countries have flown the MiG-21. In total, 10,645 of these aircraft were built in the Soviet Union. They were made in three different cities. Moscow, Gorky, and Tbilisi were the three main places for building them. The MiG-21bis model could climb at a rate of 254 meters per second. This is a very fast speed for reaching high altitudes. The engine can even produce a huge 97.4 kilonewtons of thrust.

Even though it is old, the MiG-21 is still very important.

It was built to be lightweight and cheap to make. This made it a favorite for many different nations. It is much cheaper than some other jets like the F-4 Phantom. Some countries still use the plane today. They use special packages to give the old jets new tools. These upgrades help the planes meet modern standards. The MiG-21 remains a huge part of aviation history.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft.

It was designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. This aircraft is famous for being the most-produced supersonic jet in history. It is also the most-produced combat aircraft since the Korean War. Because of its unique shape, it earned many nicknames. In Poland, it was called "Ołówek," which means pencil. In Vietnam, it was known as "Én Bạc," or silver swallow. Some called it "Balalaika" because its shape resembles a stringed musical instrument.

The MiG-21's design relies on a specific mechanical layout. It uses a delta wing, which is a large triangular wing shape. This wing type is excellent for fast-climbing interceptors. The aircraft also features a nose air intake. Inside this intake is a movable part called a shock cone. This cone regulates the air flow into the engine. For speeds up to Mach 1.5, the cone stays fully retracted. Between Mach 1.5 and Mach 1.9, it moves to a middle position. For speeds higher than Mach 1.9, the cone moves to its maximum forward position.

Engine performance is a vital part of how this jet operates. It uses a Tumansky R-25 afterburning turbojet engine. This engine can use an emergency power setting known as "Emergency Power Rating" or EPR. In India, this is called the "emergency mode" or "chrezvychaynyy rezhim." Activating this booster allows the engine to produce 97.4 kilonewtons of thrust. This occurs at altitudes below 2,000 meters. During this mode, the engine's RPM increases by 2.5 percent. This also increases the compression ratio and the exhaust temperature.

However, using this extreme power comes with strict limits. The "diamond regime" produces a massive 10 to 12 meter long exhaust. This exhaust often shows brightly glowing rhomboid shock diamonds inside. Pilots can only use this power for two minutes at a time. Using it longer causes the engine to overheat. This is because every second of super-afterburner causes extreme thermal stress. This stress limits the engine's total lifetime to about 750 flight hours. Additionally, using full afterburner increases fuel consumption by 50 percent.

The development of the MiG-21 was a process of constant refinement. It began in the early 1950s with the Ye-1 prototype in 1954. That early design had an underpowered engine and required a redesign. This led to the Ye-2 prototype, which also used swept wings. The first successful prototype with delta wings was the Ye-4. This version made its maiden flight on June 16, 1955. It was later shown to the public in Moscow in July 1956.

Engineers had to manage several complex physical challenges with the aircraft. One major issue was the placement of internal fuel tanks. Because they were ahead of the center of gravity, the balance changed as fuel was used. This made the plane statically unstable and difficult to control. It resulted in an endurance of only 45 minutes in clean condition. Pilots could counter this by carrying external fuel tanks. Another issue involved the air-pressurized fuel tanks. If a pilot performed violent maneuvers with half the fuel gone, the engine could shut down.

Despite these challenges, the MiG-21 was a massive global success. Approximately 60 countries across four continents have flown the aircraft. A total of 10,645 aircraft were built in the Soviet Union alone. These were produced in three main factories: AZ 30 in Moscow, GAZ 21 in Gorky, and TAZ 31 in Tbilisi. The aircraft was very inexpensive to produce. For example, the MiG-21MF was cheaper than the BMP-1 armored vehicle. This low cost made it a favorite for many developing nations.

Today, the MiG-21 remains a significant part of aviation history. While newer planes like the MiG-23 and MiG-29 have replaced it in some roles, it is still in use. Many operators use modern upgrade packages to improve the aircraft. These packages provide new avionics and better armaments. This allows the decades-old design to meet modern military standards. The MiG-21's legacy is defined by its incredible production numbers and its lasting presence in skies around the world.