The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-17) is a jet fighter aircraft produced in the USSR from 1952 and operated by numerous air forces in many variants. Licence production was carried out in East Germany, Poland (PZL-Mielec Lim-6) and the Peoples Republic of China (Shenyang J-5). NATO reporting name "Fresco", USAF/DoD reporting name "Type 38",
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.
Despite the SI prototype's crash on 17 March 1950, tests of another prototype "SI-2" and experimental series aircraft "SI-02" and "SI-01" in 1951, were generally successful, and on 1 September 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 manoeuvrability 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. 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.
The second prototype variant, "SP-2", was an interceptor equipped with a radar. Soon a number of MiG-17P all-weather fighters were produced with the Izumrud radar and front air intake modifications. In early 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.
Design
Day-fighter variants (MiG-17, MiG-17F) were armed with two 23 mm NR-23 cannons (80 rpg) and one 37 mm N-37 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 37 mm N-37 was replaced with a third 23 mm NR-23 (carrying 100 rpg) to compensate for the weight aft of the radar. All variants could carry 100 kg (220 lb) bombs on two underwing pylons and some could carry 250 kg (551 lb) bombs; however, these pylons were usually used for 400 l (106 US gal) fuel tanks. The MiG-17R was armed with two 23 mm cannons. Most MiG-17s in third world service today fly as ground attack or trainer aircraft.
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 to carry unguided rockets or bombs on additional pylons. MiG-17s in Cuba could be armed with AA-2 "Atoll" missiles.
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.
Licence production
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 28 November 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.
In China, an initial MiG-17F was assembled from parts in 1956, with license production following in 1957 at Shenyang. The Chinese-built version is known as the Shenyang J-5 (for local use) or F-5 (for export). 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.
Many Soviet and licence-built examples remain in service to this day, though not all are currently active, making the MiG-17 one of the longest serving fighters ever built.
Operational history
The strategic purpose of this, and most other Soviet fighters, was to shoot down US bombers, not engage in dogfights. This subsonic (.93 Mach) fighter was effective against slower (.6-.8 Mach), heavily loaded US 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 powered by piston 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 Hustler 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.
MiG-17s were not available for the Korean War, but saw combat for the first time over the Straits of Taiwan when PRC MiG-17s clashed with ROC F-86 Sabres in 1958. The MiG-17 was the primary interceptor of the fledgling Vietnam People's Air Force in 1965 and scored its first victories and saw considerable action during the Vietnam War, when they frequently worked in conjunction with MiG-21s and MiG-19s. Some North Vietnamese pilots, in fact, preferred the MiG-17 over the MiG-21; it was more agile, though not as fast.
The American fighter community was shocked in 1965 when elderly, subsonic MiG-17s downed 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 (DACT) in training programs such as "TOPGUN", which employed subsonic A-4 Skyhawk aircraft to mimic more manoeuvrable opponents such as the MiG-17. The US Navy also set Adversary squadrons equipped with the nimble A-4 at each of its fighter and attack Master jet bases to provide DACT.
At least 24 of them served with the Nigerian Air Force and were flown by a mixed group of Nigerian and mercenary pilots from East Germany, Russia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Australia during the 1967-70 Nigerian Civil War. Four were hurriedly supplied by the USSR to Sri Lanka during the 1971 insurgency and were used for bombing and ground attack in that conflict.
Twenty countries flew MiG-17s. 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. The MiG-17 still flies today in the air forces of Angola, Mali, Mozambique, North Korea, Sudan and Tanzania.
Variants
- I-300
- Prototype.
- MiG-17 (Fresco-A)
- Basic fighter version powered by VK-1 engine ("aircraft SI").
- MiG-17A
- Fighter version powered by VK-1A engine with longer lifespan.
- MiG-17AS
- Multirole conversion, fitted to carry unguided rockets and the K-13 air to air missile.
- MiG-17P (Fresco-B)
- All-weather fighter version equipped with Izumrud radar ("aircraft SP").
- MiG-17F (Fresco-C)
- Basic fighter version powered by VK-1F engine with afterburner ("aircraft SF").
- MiG-17PF (Fresco-D)
- All-weather fighter version equipped with Izumrud radar and VK-1F engine ("aircraft SP-7F").
- MiG-17PM/PFU (Fresco-E)
- Fighter version equipped with radar and K-5 (NATO: AA-1 'Alkali') air-to-air missiles ("aircraft SP-9").
- MiG-17R
- Reconnaissance aircraft with VK-1F engine and camera ("aircraft SR-2s")
- MiG-17SN
- Experimental variant with twin side intakes, no central intake, and nose redesigned to allow 23 mm cannons to pivot to engage ground targets. Not produced.
- Shenyang J-5
Some withdrawn aircraft were converted to remotely controlled targets.
Operators
Afghanistan- Afghan Air Force. Around 100 MiG-17F acquired by the Afghan Air Force from 1957.
Albania- Albanian Air Force - 20 aircraft, including 8 Chinese-made JJ-5 trainers, were acquired. All Albanian fighters are in storage, retired from active service, due to lack of spare parts
Algeria- Algerian Air Force
Angola- MiG-17 in service.
Bangladesh- Bangladeshi Air Force
Bulgaria- Bulgarian Air Force
Burkina Faso
Cambodia- Cambodian Air Force - possibly in storage
China- see also Shenyang J-5
- People's Liberation Army Air Force
- People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force. JJ-5 trainers still in limited service. Single seat fighters have been retired and sold to other counties.
Republic of the Congo- Congolese Air Force
Cuba- Cuban Air Force
Czechoslovakia- Czechoslovakian Air Force
East Germany- East German Air Force
Egypt- Egyptian Air Force
Ethiopia- Ethiopian Air Force
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Indonesia- Indonesian Air Force - Using MiG-17F and MiG-17PF. All of the aircraft acquired in 1961. Used during the preparation of Operation TRIKORA in 1962 to retake Western New Guinea, now Papua and Papua Bara, from the Netherlands. Some of the aircraft were used intensively in Air Forces / TNI-AU Acrobatic Team in 1962 for air show events around Indonesia. All aircraft were grounded in 1969. None have been in service since 1970.
Iraq- Iraqi Air Force
Hungary- Hungarian Air Force
Libya- Libyan Air Force
Madagascar
Mali- MiG-17 in service.
Mongolia- Mongolian Air Force - Between in 1970-1977 received than 17 aircraft
Morocco- Royal Moroccan Air Force
Mozambique- MiG-17 in service.
Nigeria- Nigerian Air Force
North Korea- North Korean Air Force - J-5 still in service.
Pakistan- Pakistan Air Force
Poland- Polish Air Force
Romania- Romanian Air Force - 12 MiG-17PF and 12 MiG-17F entered service in 1955 and 1956, respectively.
Somalia- Somali Air Corps
Somaliland
Soviet Union
Sri Lanka- Sri Lankan Air Force - All retired from service.
Sudan- Sudanese Air Force - MiG-17 and J-5 still in service
Syria- Syrian Air Force
Tanzania- Tanzanian Air Force - J-5 in service.
Uganda- Ugandan Air Force
Vietnam- Vietnam People's Air Force
Yemen- Yemen Air Force
Zimbabwe- Air Force of Zimbabwe
Specifications (MiG-17F)
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: 1× Klimov VK-1F afterburning turbojet, 33.1 kN with afterburner (7,440 lbf)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 1,144 km/h at 3,000 m (711 mph at 10,000 ft (3,000 m))
- Range: 1,080 km, 1,670 km with drop tanks (670 mi / 1,035 mi)
- Service ceiling: 16,600 m (54,500 ft)
- Rate of climb: 65 m/s (12,795 ft/min)
- Wing loading: 237 kg/m² (48 lb/ft²)
- Thrust/weight: 0.63
Armament
- 1x 37 mm Nudelman N-37 cannon (40 rounds total)
- 2x 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.
See also
Related development
Comparable aircraft
Related lists
References
- Notes
- ^ Parsch, Andreas and Aleksey V. Martynov. "Designations of Soviet and Russian Military Aircraft and Missiles."Non-U.S. Military Aircraft and Missile Designations, revised 18 January 2008. Retrieved: 30 March 2009.
- ^ Parsch, Andreas and Aleksey V. Martynov. "Designations of Soviet and Russian Military Aircraft and Missiles: 5.1 "Type" Numbers (1947-1955)." Non-U.S. Military Aircraft and Missile Designations, revised 18 January 2008. Retrieved: 30 March 2009.
- ^ a b Crosby 2002, p. 212.
- Bibliography
- Butowski, Piotr (with Jay Miller). OKB MiG: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. Leicester, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1991. ISBN 0-904597-80-6.
- Crosby, Francis. Fighter Aircraft. London: Lorenz Books, 2002. ISBN 0-7548-0990-0.
- Koenig, William and Peter Scofield. Soviet Military Power. Greenwich, Connecticut: Bison Books, 1983. ISBN 0-86124-127-4.
- Robinson, Anthony. Soviet Air Power. London: Bison Books, 1985. ISBN 0-86124-180-0.
- Sweetman, Bill and Bill Gunston. Soviet Air Power: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Warsaw Pact Air Forces Today. London: Salamander Books, 1978. ISBN 0-51724-948-0.
- Toperczer, Istvan. MiG-17 and MiG-19 Units of the Vietnam War. (Osprey Combat Aircraft: 25). London: Osprey Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84176-162-1.
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