Time Period: Post-WW2
Country of Origin: Russia & USSR
Type: Fighter Aircraft
Manufacturer: Mikoyan-Gurevich
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 Aircraft Overview
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 is a supersonic fighter aircraft that was developed by the Soviet Union in the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was an improved version of the earlier MiG-15 and was designed to be faster, more manoeuvrable, and more capable in combat.
The MiG-17 was designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau, which was headed by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The aircraft first flew in January 1950 and entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1952. The MiG-17 was powered by a single VK-1 turbojet engine, which gave it a top speed of over Mach 0.9 and a range of over 1,000 miles.
The MiG-17 was armed with two 23mm NR-23 cannons and one 37mm N-37 cannon, which made it a formidable air-to-air combat aircraft. It was also capable of carrying unguided rockets and bombs for ground attack missions. The aircraft was known for its agility and high rate of climb, which made it a favorite among pilots.
The MiG-17 saw extensive combat during the Vietnam War, where it was used by the North Vietnamese Air Force against United States forces. The aircraft proved to be a formidable opponent for the United States Air Force and Navy, which relied on older aircraft such as the F-4 Phantom II and F-8 Crusader. The MiG-17 was eventually replaced by newer aircraft such as the MiG-21, but it remains an important part of the history of military aviation.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F Specifications
- Crew: 1
- Length: 11.264 m (36 ft 11 in)
- Wingspan: 9.628 m (31 ft 7 in)
- Height: 3.8 m (12 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 22.6 m2 (243 sq ft)
- Airfoil: root: TsAGI S-12; tip: TsAGI SR-11
- Empty weight: 3,919 kg (8,640 lb)
- Gross weight: 5,340 kg (11,773 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 6,069 kg (13,380 lb)
- Powerplant: 1 × Klimov VK-1F afterburning centrifugal-flow turbojet engine, 26.5 kN (6,000 lbf) thrust dry, 33.8 kN (7,600 lbf) with afterburner
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F Performance
- Maximum speed: 1,100 km/h (680 mph, 590 kn) M0.89 at sea level. 1,145 km/h (711 mph; 618 kn) / M0.93 at 3,000 m (9,800 ft) with reheat
- Range: 2,020 km (1,260 mi, 1,090 nmi) at 12,000 m (39,000 ft) with 2 × 400 L (110 US gal; 88 imp gal) drop-tanks
- Service ceiling: 16,600 m (54,500 ft)
- g limits: +8
- Rate of climb: 65 m/s (12,800 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 268.5 kg/m2 (55.0 lb/sq ft)
- Thrust/weight: 0.63
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F Armament
- Guns: **2 × 23 mm (0.906 in) Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 autocannon (80 rounds per gun, 160 rounds total)
- 1 × 37 mm Nudelman N-37 autocannon (40 rounds total)
- Hardpoints: 2 pylons with a capacity of up to 500 kg (1,100 lb) of stores, with provisions to carry combinations of:
- Rockets: 2 × UB-16-57 rocket pods for S-5 rockets
- Bombs: 2 × 250 kg (550 lb) bombs
- (some versions equipped with 3 x NR-23 autocannons and 2 x K-5 air-to-air missiles)
