| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3 | |
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| General Historical Information | |
| Place of origin | USSR |
| Speed | 610 km/h |
| Category | Interceptor |
| General Ingame Information | |
| Used by | USSR |
| Guns | 1x12.7 mm Berezin UBS machine gun 2x7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun |
| Bombs | 2x 50 kg bombs |
| Rockets | 6x 82 mm RS-82 or BRS-82 |
| Historical Picture | |
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In 1939 design team, led by constructors Mikoyan and Gurevich, started working on fighter for combat at high altitudes. The result was a MiG-1 (named for the first letters of the names of its creators - Mikoyan and Gurevich). Its modified version was designated the MiG-3 and was transferred to mass production in 1941.
It was the most successful fighter in Soviet Air Defence Forces. At a height of seven thousand meters its speed reached 640 km/h, faster than any plane it that time. Due to this and the large ceiling (12 sq m), MiG-3 was used primarily as a fighter-interceptor against bombers and recon planes.
However, it often found itself forced into roles that it was not designed for, such as low altitude fighting and ground attacking. Air battles at Soviet-German front were fought mainly at altitudes of up to 4 km. Thus, the greater altitude of the MiG-3, which was considered at the beginning as undoubted merit, became a disadvantage, since a number of features of a high-rise motor were achieved at the expense of flight performance at low altitudes. In addition, the quality of series production early in the war was not up to par, which further reduced its performance. MiG-3 had unimportant handling qualities and required highly skilled pilots. Wartime difficulties in providing engines Il-2 was forced to stop issuing the AM-35A in favor of the AM-38 required for IL-2. All this led to the cessation of production in 1942. Totally 3300 planes were produced.
On this plane the most famous Soviet ace Alexander Pokryshkin scored his first victory.
Like the Yakovlev Yak-9, the MiG-3 can carry six high explosive 82 mm RS-82 rockets or as many HEAT BRS-82 rockets to deal with tanks. It can also have two 50 kg bombs.
MiG-3-34[]
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3-34 | |
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| General Historical Information | |
| Place of origin | USSR |
| Speed | 610 km/h |
| Category | Interceptor |
| General Ingame Information | |
| Used by | USSR |
| Guns | 2x 20 mm ShVAK (400 Rounds) |
| Historical Picture | |
| File:MiG-3-34.jpg | |
The MiG-3 series 34 was an experimental upgunned variant of the MiG-3. The original armament of the MiG-3 was insufficent as Soviet pilots faced of against the better armed Messerschmitt Bf 109 or against bombers. The Series 34 variant had two 20 mm ShVAK auto cannons in the nose of the aircraft. This modification does not impede the mobility of the aircraft in FHSW. The series 34 is similar to the P variants of the Yak-3 and Yak-9.
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