MiG 3
MiG 3 Black 7, Capt A. V. Shlopov
6. IAP, 6 IAK PVO The Defence of Moscow, December 1941.
The now famous Russian fighter aircraft manufacturer MiG was formed
in 1939 by its two founding engineers Artyem Ivanovich Mikoyan and Mikhail
Iosifovich Guryevich, the combination of their two names became the
company name MiG.
Artyem Ivanovich Mikoyan was son of carpenter in Sanain (now Tumanyan),
born on the 5th of August 1905. He joined Red Army and entered Frunze
Military Academy. Moved to Zhukovskii VVA 30, and worked as a design
engineer. Mikhail losifovich Guryevich was born into a more academic
family near Kursk, on the 12th of January 1893. He studied at Kharkov
University, L'Academic de L'Aeronautique (Paris) and Kharkov tech institute
before working for many aircraft companies including Douglas during
1936-38 on the DC-3 programme.
Mikoyan and Guryevich formed their company in 1939 and it has grown
to be one of the most famous names in aviation of all time. Mikoyan
was promoted to the position of General Constructor on the 20th of December
1956 Mikoyan immobilised by a blood clot in May 1969, died on the 9th
of December 1970. Guryevich retired in 1964 but lived to 1976.
The MiG 3 was developed from the MiG 1 which had evolved from their
first aircraft the I-200, a design to meet the need for a high altitude
interceptor. Constructed from a combination of plywood and aluminium
this MiG design certainly made a very good looking aircraft but instead
of being used for high altitude work it was mainly used to combat the
Luftwaffe fighters during the German advance into Russia, codenamed
operation Barbarossa. The MiG 3 was a match for the Messerschmitt Bf
109F in most combat situations but being heavier was not as agile.
'Black 7' was flown by A V Shlopov in the defence of Moscow and bares
the slogan "Za Stalina!" (For Stalin!) painted on each side
of the fuselage.
Scale 1:72 Wingspan 5.6" (142 mm) Base
size 6.37" (162 mm) square (No. 4)
Weight not including base 7 ozs (201 grams)
Price £76.00 plus delivery
