The Mikoyan Design Bureau's first swept-wing jet fighter; the MiG-15 Fagot; which gained world fame (or notoriety; depending on which side of the Iron Curtain you were on) after the Korean War; served as the basis for a more refined model; the MiG-17 Fresco. No sooner had the MiG-15 entered production and service than the designers decided to increase the wing sweep from 35 degrees to 45 degrees; initially by way of experiment. The resulting aircraft showed higher performance than the MiG-15; exceeding Mach 1 in a shallow dive during a test flight; something the Fagot had been unable to do.Following its production entry the MiG-17 was constantly improved; with Mikoyan developing a succession of production and experimental versions. Firstly; an afterburning engine was fitted to improve performance. Secondly; the increasingly frequent incursions by NATO reconnaissance aircraft; coupled with the knowledge that the West was developing all-weather fighters; led the Soviet 'fighter makers' to develop a number of radar-equipped interceptors. The all-weather versions of the MiG-17 proved to be the most successful and some of them were cleared for production. Starting in the mid-1950s; the MiG-17P; MiG-17PF and MiG-17PFU (the latter version was armed with air-to-air missiles) were the most widespread interceptors in the Soviet Air Defence Force for the nearly two decades. The MiG-17F day fighter was widely exported and saw a good deal of fighting; receiving its baptism of fire in the Middle East where Egyptian Frescos were pitted against Israeli Dassault Mystère IVs. However; the type became really famous after the Vietnam War where it successfully opposed the supersonic McDonnell F-4 Phantom II and other US aircraft.Being displaced from first-line fighter service by more modern types; the MiG-17 and MiG-17F found use as a fighter-bomber--both at home and abroad. The MiG-17F and MiG-17PF saw service with nearly all Warsaw Pact nations; as well as many Asian and African countries and Cuba. The book fully describes the MiG-17's development history and charts the type's combat operations in various major wars and local conflicts. A separate chapter also compares the MiG-17 and its foreign counterparts and the book concludes with details of MiG-17 fleets and operators worldwide.lllustrated with many unique photos; color side views; line and cutaway drawings this latest addition to the Famous Russian Aircraft series forms a details record of the type and will appeal to modelers and historians alike.
#5004369 in Books Arms Armour 1997-03Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.75 x 6.25 x 1.00l; #File Name: 1854093428320 pages
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