Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17

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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17
MiG-17, Central Texas Airshow, USA, May 2003
Type Fighter
Manufacturer Mikoyan-Gurevich
Maiden flight 14th January 1950
Introduced October 1952
Primary user Soviet Air Force
Number built 10,000-/+
Variants Lim-6, Shenyang J-5

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-17) (NATO reporting name "Fresco") is a Soviet jet fighter aircraft, in service from 1952.

[edit] Development

The MiG-17 design was generally based on a previously successful Mikoyan and Gurevich fighter, the MiG-15. The major novelty was its introduction of a swept wing with a "compound sweep" configuration: a 45° angle near the fuselage, and a 42° angle for the outboard part of the wings. Other easily visible differences to its predecessor were the three wing-fences on each wing, instead of the MiG-15's two, and the addition of a ventral fin. The MiG-17 shared the same Klimov VK-1 engine and the rest of its construction was similar. The first prototype, designated "SI" by the construction bureau, was flown on the 14 January 1950, piloted by Ivan Ivashchenko. The second prototype variant, "SP-2", was an interceptor equipped with a radar. Despite the SI prototype's crash on March 17 1950, tests of another prototype "SI-2" and experimental series aircraft "SI-02" and "SI-01" in 1951, were generally successful, and on September 1 1951 the aircraft was accepted for production. It was estimated that with the same engine as the MiG-15's, the MiG-17's maximum speed is higher by 40-50 km/h, and the fighter has greater maneuverability at high altitude.

Serial production started in August 1951. During production, the aircraft was improved and modified several times. The basic MiG-17 was a general-purpose day fighter, armed with three cannons and considered to be most effective in action against enemy aircraft. It could also act as a fighter-bomber, but its bombload was considered light relative to other aircraft of the time, and it usually carried additional fuel tanks instead of bombs.

Soon a number of MiG-17P all-weather fighters were produced with the Izumrud radar and front air intake modifications. In the spring of 1953 the MiG-17F day fighter entered production. Fitted with the VK-1F engine with an afterburner, which improved its performance, it became the most popular variant of the MiG-17. The next mass-produced variant with afterburner and radar was the MiG-17PF. In 1956 a small series (47 aircraft) was converted to the MiG-17PM standard (also known as PFU) with four first-generation Kaliningrad K-5 (NATO reporting name AA-1 'Alkali') air-to-air missiles. A small series of MiG-17R reconnaissance aircraft were built with VK-1F engine (after first being tested with the VK-5F engine).

Several thousand MiG-17s were built in the USSR by 1958.

[edit] Licence production

Lim-5 in Polish Air Force markings
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Lim-5 in Polish Air Force markings

In 1955, Poland received a license for MiG-17 production. The MiG-17F was produced by the WSK-Mielec factory under the designation Lim-5. The first Lim-5 was built on November 28 1956 and 477 were built by 1960. An unknown number were built as the Lim-5R reconnaissance variant, fitted with the AFA-39 camera. In 1959-1960, 129 MiG-17PF interceptors were produced as the Lim-5P. PZL-WSK also developed several Polish attack plane variants based on the MiG-17: the Lim-5M, produced from 1960; Lim-6bis, produced from 1963; and Lim-6M (converted in the 1970s); as well as two reconnaissance variants: the Lim-6R (Lim-6bisR) and MR.

A Soviet-built Egyptian MiG-17
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A Soviet-built Egyptian MiG-17

In China, an initial MiG-17F was assembled from parts in 1956, with license production following in 1957 atShenyang. The Chinese-built version is known as the Shenyang J-5 (for local use) or F-5 (for export — not to be confused with the F-5 Freedom Fighter). According to some sources, earlier MiG-17s which had been delivered directly from the USSR were designated "J-4". From 1964, the Chinese produced a radar-equipped variant similar to the MiG-17PF, which was known as the J-5A (F-5A). The Chinese also developed a two-seat trainer variant, the JJ-5 (FT-5 for export), which integrated the cabin of the JJ-2 (a license-built MiG-15UTI) with the J-5. It was produced in 1966-1986, being the last-produced MiG-17 variant and its only twin-seater variant. The Soviets did not produce a two-seat MiG-17 as they felt that the training variant of the older MiG-15 was sufficient.

[edit] Service

The MiG-17 became a standard fighter in all Warsaw Pact countries in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They were also bought by many other countries, mainly in Africa and Asia, that were neutrally aligned or allied with the USSR.

MiG-17s were not available for the Korean War, but saw considerable service as the main fighter aircraft of the North Vietnamese Air Force during the Vietnam War, when they frequently worked in conjunction with MiG-21s. The American fighter community was shocked in 1965 when elderly, subsonic MiG-17s downed more sophisticated Mach-2-class F-105 Thunderchief fighter-bombers over North Vietnam. To redress disappointing combat performance against smaller, more agile fighters like the MiGs, the Americans established dissimilar air combat training programs such as "Top Gun", which employed subsonic A-4 Skyhawk and F-5 Freedom Fighter aircraft to mimic more maneuverable opponents such as the MiG-17. Some Vietnamese pilots, in fact, preferred the MiG-17 over the MiG-21; it was more agile, though not as fast. MiG-17s also flew against Israel in the various Arab-Israeli conflicts.

Twenty countries flew MiG-17s.

[edit] Application

MiG-17F
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MiG-17F

The strategic purpose of this, and most other Soviet fighters, was to shoot down U.S. bombers, not engage in dogfights. This subsonic (.93 Mach) fighter was effective against slower (.6-.8 Mach), heavily loaded U.S. fighter-bombers, as well as the mainstay American strategic bombers during the MiG-17's development cycle (such as the B-50 or B-36, which were both still propelled by reciprocating engines). Even if the target had sufficient warning and time to shed weight and drag by dropping external ordnance and accelerate to supersonic escape speeds, doing so would have inherently forced the enemy aircraft to abort its bombing mission. By the time the USAF introduced strategic bombers capable of cruising at supersonic speeds, such as the B-58 and FB-111, however, the MiG-17 became obsolete in PVO service and was supplanted by supersonic interceptors such as the MiG-21 and MiG-23.

[edit] Variants

  • MiG-17 - basic fighter with VK-1 engine ("aircraft SI"), Fresco-A
  • MiG-17A - fighter with VK-1A engine with longer lifespan
  • MiG-17AS - attack conversion, fitted to carry unguided rockets
  • MiG-17P - all-weather fighter with Izumrud radar ("aircraft SP"), Fresco-B
  • MiG-17F - basic fighter with VK-1F engine with afterburner ("aircraft SF"), Fresco-C
  • MiG-17PF - all-weather fighter with Izumrud radar and VK-1F engine ("aircraft SP-7F"), Fresco-D
  • MiG-17PM (PFU) - fighter with radar and K-5 (NATO: AA-1 'Alkali') air-to-air missiles ("aircraft SP-9"), Fresco-E
  • MiG-17R - reconnaissance aircraft with VK-1F engine and camera ("aircraft SR-2s")

Among experimental variants, there was an attack "aircraft SN" of 1953 with a central air intake replacing with two side intakes. It also two 23 mm cannons mounted in a new nose which permitted the guns to be swung downward to shoot at ground targets. It was not produced.

Some withdrawn aircraft were converted to remotely controlled targets.

[edit] Description

Armament:
Day-fighter variants (MiG-17, MiG-17F) were armed with two NR-23 23 mm cannons (80 rounds each) and one N-37 37 mm cannon (40 rounds), which were mounted on a common bed under the central air intake. The gun bed could be easily wound down for maintenance. On radar-equipped variants (MiG-17P, MiG-17PF), the N-37 37 mm cannon was replaced with were a third NR-23 23 mm cannon (all carrying 100 rounds) to compensate for the weight aft of the radar. All variants could carry 100 kg bombs on two underwing pylons and some could carry 250 kg bombs; however, these pylons were usually used for 400 l fuel tanks. The MiG-17R was armed with two 23 mm cannons.

The only variant with air-to-air missiles was the MiG-17PM (or MiG-17PFU), which could carry four K-5 ([[NATO: AA-1 'Alkali'). It had no cannons. Some countries occasionally modified their MiG-17s were to carry unguided rockets or bombs on additional pylons.

The MiG-17P was equipped with the Izumrud-1 (RP-1) radar, while the MiG-17PF was initially fitted with the RP-1 which was later replaced with the Izumrud-5 (RP-5) radar. The MiG-17PM was also equipped with a radar, used to aim its missiles. Other variants had no radar.


[edit] Specifications (MiG-17F)

MiG-17 with external fuel tanks
MiG-17 with external fuel tanks

General characteristics

  • Crew: One
  • Length: 11.36 m (37 ft 3 in)
  • Wingspan: 9.63 m (31 ft 7 in)
  • Height: 3.80 m (12 ft 6 in)
  • Wing area: 22.6 m² (243.2 ft²)
  • Empty weight: 3,930 kg (8,646 lb)
  • Loaded weight: 5,354 kg (11,803 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 6,286 kg (13,858 lb)
  • Powerplant:Klimov VK-1F afterburning turbojet, 33.1 kN with afterburner (7,440 lbf)

Performance

Armament

  • 1x 37 mm Nudelman N-37 cannon (40 rounds total)
  • 2x 23 mm Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 cannons (80 rounds per gun, 160 rounds total)
  • Up to 500 kg (1,100 lb) of external stores on two pylons, including 100 kg (220 lb) and 250 kg (550 lb) bombs or fuel tanks.

[edit] Operators

MiG-17 operators
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MiG-17 operators

It is not known if North Korea still operates MiG-17s. Albania was the last known user (F-5s).

  • Interesting note: A specially modified MiG-17F, flown by Bill Reesman, is known as the Red Bull MiG and performs at numerous air shows around the United States.

[edit] External links

[edit] Related content

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Related development

MiG-15 - Shenyang J-5 - Lim-6

Comparable aircraft

F-86D Sabre - Dassault Mystère - Dassault Mystère IV - Hawker Hunter

Designation sequence

MiG-9 (I-210)/MiG-9 (I-301) - MiG-13 (I-250) - MiG-15 - MiG-17 - MiG-19 - MiG-21 - MiG-23

Related lists

List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS - List of fighter aircraft