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MiG-3 ICM
Reviewed by Tom Cleaver
The Soviet Union had an extremely-bureaucratic method of creating new airplanes up until 1939. A requirement for a new design would be passed to either the TsAGI (the Central Aero and Hydrodynamic Institute) whose department of Experimental Aircraft Design was headed by Andrei Tupolev, or to the TsKB (Central Design Bureau), whose experimental aircraft section was supervised by Nikolai Polikarpov. This system had resulted in the creation of two fighters - the I-15 and I-16 - which were at least the equal of western designs if not in advance of them at the time the aircraft first appeared, and the SB-2 bomber which was in advance of any similar type when it became operational. However, the People's Commissariats for the Aviation Industry and for Defense were forced to conclude by late 1938 that V-VS fighters had fallen behind world standards - as revealed in the Spanish Civil War - and that no successors were in prospect. Even communists can resort to pragmatism, and the result of this situation was the decision that the more talented design brigade leaders within these two organizations would now be encouraged to form their own experimental design bureaus and compete with one another in fulfilling official specifications. It would soon be seen that this decision was made just in time to save the Soviet Union in the in the war everyone could see coming in 1939. The result of this competition would see the development of the two major Soviet fighter designs of the war, those created by Alexsandr Yakovlev and those from the design table of Semyon Lavochkin. There would also be a third design that would result from this change of policy. Artem Mikoyan, highly-creative but relatively-inexperienced, joined with an older and appreciably more experienced engineer, Mikhail Gurevich to form a design bureau. (The fact that Mikoyan was the younger brother of a ranking Politburo member, and therefore highly likely to have his views heard, probably never entered Gurevich's mind when he decided to join forces to form the what became the MiG bureau.) In early 1939, the V-VS issued a requirement for a single-seat interceptor fighter offering maximum performance at altitudes above 6,000 m (18,290 ft), to be powered by the supercharged AM-35A engine newly developed by Alexsandr Mikulin at the TsIAM, the Central Institute of Aviation Motor Construction. When Mikoyan and Gurevich looked into the various requirements they might possibly meet with a new design, this one struck Mikoyan particularly, inasmuch as it called for an airplane optimized for speed over all other capabilities, as compared with the requirements for a medium-altitude fighter which required compromise, since maneuverability was regarded as important as other performance aspects. The result was the smallest practical airframe capable of accommodating the AM-35A engine, pilot and armament, submitted in October 1939 as the I-200. It was immediately accepted, and such was the urgency attached to re-equipment of the V-VS with modern aircraft that instructions were issued to factory "Zavod I" to commence tooling for production prior to the flight of the prototype. The first aircraft of 100 I-200s ordered flew on April 5, 1940, just five months from the commencement of construction. On May 4, 1940, a level speed of 403 mph (648.5 km/h) was obtained at 6,900 m (22,640 ft). From the outset of flight test, it was obvious the I-200 was - at best! - no novice's aircraft. Smaller than the Spitfire but with a heavier wing loading, the airplane had poor longitudinal stability, and its controls were heavy; it had a marked proclivity to spin at the least provocation. Takeoffs and landings required a high degree of competence from the pilot. By the summer of 1940 it was obvious only a major redesign could completely eradicate the less desirable features; however, the airplane was in production, and the need was such the line could not be shut down for such an undertaking. (Both the I-22, which would become the LaGG-3 and the I-26, the future Yak-1, were experiencing similar problems at the time.) Aleksei Shakurin, recently appointed Commissar for Aircraft Production by Stalin, took the position that the most important difficulties could be ironed out without major redesign and disruption of the assembly line. The I-200 became the MiG-1 in series production, and retained all of the bad qualities of the prototypes; these in fact worsened with the additional weight of such items as weapons, ammunition and protective armor. Speed at maximum altitude dropped to 390 mph (628 km/h), and a bit over 320 mph at 1000 m (3,500 ft). At the time, the extreme speed loss at low and medium altitude was not considered a problem, since it was assumed the airplane would not be operating in such an environment in combat. The airplane introduced the V-VS to the phenomenon of the high-speed stall/spin, which did little to endear it to its pilots, who became cautious in how they threw it around the sky in simulated combat. As predicted by Shakurin, a number of small design changes were made, most notably modification of the air intakes, forward extension of the ventral radiator bath, and several degrees of additional dihedral to the outer wings. These marginally improved performance and decidedly improved stability. These resulted in a designation change to MiG-3. Still no novice's aircraft and demanding a highly-skilled pilot in an air force which had many of the former and few of the latter, the MiG-3 was nonetheless a major improvement over its predecessor. MiG-3s began entering service in the spring of 1941. The units operating them had little time to familiarize themselves before they were thrown into the caldron of "Operation Barbarossa," the German invasion of the Soviet Union which began June 22, 1941. Alexsandr Pokryshkin gained his first kill with a MiG-3 on the first day of the war, but Luftwaffe fighter pilots reported that MiG-3 units seemed particularly lacking in aggressiveness. This was recognition that the airplane was at a distinct disadvantage against the Bf-109F at altitudes below 18,000 ft., where the majority of combat was taking place. MiG-3 pilots tried to avoid combat with German fighters and go after the bombers and reconnaissance aircraft the MiG had been designed to kill. With the MiG-3 available in substantially greater numbers than the "frontal fighters" - the LaGG-3 and Yak-1 - and despite its manifest unsuitability for any mission other than high-altitude interception of bombers, the first six months of its war was spent fulfilling missions it was never designed for. Hanging RS-82 rockets under the wings improved ground attack capability at the expense of what little maneuverability the fighter had at the outset. After the Soviet Union turned back the German offensive at the gates of Moscow in December 1941, and with the increasing availability of Yak-1s and LaGG-3s, the MiG-3 was withdrawn from frontal fighter units and assigned to the IA-PVO air defense units. With this change in assignment, the 12 IAP in the western sector of the Moscow PVO so distinguished itself in combat that it was awarded the coveted "Guards Regiment" title in March 1942. With virtually all combat on the eastern front taking place at low to medium altitudes, a high altitude interceptor was a luxury the Soviet Union quickly discovered it could not afford. The MiG-3 was taken out of production in November, 1941, with a total of 3,322 aircraft delivered since the previous March. It remained in service until the end of the war, assigned to rear-area air defense. Mikoyan and Gurevich, who were somewhat "unemployed" as a result, became involved in the brand-new development of turbojet power; their fame would come later.
The kit arrives on four sprues of medium-grey plastic, crisply molded with nice detail. The internal cockpit structure is fully complete and done with a fineness of detail in the tubular structure that one would expect from Accurate Miniatures. The wing comes in no less than thirteen parts, including separate ailerons, and very adequately captures the intricacies of concave and convex surfaces associated with the cowling and wing fairings of this very streamlined-looking airplane.
The three-piece canopy is about as thick as that in the Accurate Miniatures Yak kit, and with a coat of Future will likely be quite clear. It is easily posed open. Decals are provided for no less than ten different aircraft, five in differing non-winter camouflage, and five in winter camouflage, including three from the 12 IAP which became the "Guards Regiment" with these aircraft during the defense of Moscow in 1941-42. While these decals are not up to Aeromaster standards, I have used them before and they work better than the stick-tenaciously-to-the-first-thing-they-touch Propagteam decals.
I compared this kit to my built-up Classic Airframes MiG-3. It is longer (which I understand is right), and only fails in comparison to the older kit in the heaviness of the fabric effect on the control surfaces. A good sanding-down will take care of this. Other than that, it looks much better in terms of surface detail than the C-A kit. The is a good model of an important aircraft used by a major air force, and as such is well-qualified for a place on your model shelves. At a price of US$12.95, it's a steal. Thanks to Squadron Mail Order for the review sample. Buy yours at Squadron Mail Order - http://www.squadron.com/new.html
Click on the thumbnails to view
images full-sized.
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As a
company, ICM is proof that at least one group of former Soviets have learned
that the key to success in a market economy is to learn quickly from one's
previous efforts, and apply this to the follow-on products. The company first
came to notice two years ago with its Yak-9 series, at the time the only Yaks
available in 1/48 scale. They were acceptable, but certainly outclassed on all
points but cost by the release a year later of Accurate Miniatures' Yak series.
ICM came back with the Yak-7 series, which clearly showed the results of
studying the competition and putting that knowledge to work within the
restrictions of cost and available technology. Their new MiG-3 is the best kit
yet from this company, fully capable of competing with the product of any
western company.
A
complete AM-35A engine is included, which can be seen if the modeler leaves off
the separate engine cowling panels. I do not know how accurate the engine is,
but the rest of the model seems quite accurate, so I will conclude the designers
didn't fall down when they went for items inside the fuselage. The engine cries
out for detailing, and anyone suffering from AMS can "AMS away" to
their heart's delight here, at a very nominal price.
