Mikoyan MiG-31: Interceptor

FlightCraft

by Yefim Gordon, Dmitriy Komissarov

A history of this advanced Russian jet, including useful information for model makers.   The MiG-31 started life as an advanced derivative of the famous MiG-25P interceptor, becoming the first Soviet fourth-generation combat aircraft. First flown in 1975, it differed from its progenitor primarily in having a crew of two (pilot and weapons systems operator), a highly capable passive phased-array radar—a world first—and new R-33 long-range missiles as its primary armament.   The maximum speed was an impressive Mach 2.82, the cruising speed being Mach 2.35. The type entered service in 1981; more than 500 copies were built between 1981 and 1994. The powerful radar and other avionics allowed the MiG-31 to operate as a “mini-AWACS” scanning the airspace and guiding other interceptors to their targets; a flight of three such aircraft in line abreast formation could cover a strip 800 km (500 miles) wide.   To this day the MiG-31 remains one of the key air defense assets of the Russian Air Force. This book describes the MiG-31’s developmental history, including upgrade programs, and features a comprehensive survey of the MiG-31 model-making kits available on the market.

Genres: Collections

247 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 28, 2005

About the author

Yefim Gordon is arguably the world's leading Russian aviation researcher. Born in 1950 in Vilnius, Lithuania, he graduated from the Kaunas Polytechnical Institute in 1972 as an engineer/electronics designer. He has been a resident of Moscow since 1973, when, as a hobby, he started collecting photographs and books on the history of Soviet aviation; this has now developed into a major archive. Since the 1980s he has been a professional aviation journalist and writer, with over 50 books published on Soviet/Russian aviation in Russian, English, Polish and Czech, as well as close to 100 magazine features and photo reports. He is also an accomplished photographer, with countless photos published in the Western press; the current edition of Jane's All the World's Aircraft features more than 50 of his photographs

Reviews

[Keith Budzynski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Photos

This book is very similar to the Air Vanguard series from Osprey Publishing. A lot of detail on the development and deployment. The photographs are excellent.