The MiG-15 jet fighter, which first flew on 31 December 1948, emerged from the design bureau headed by Artem Mikoyan to become one of the most prolific aircraft in aviation history. Over 18,000 units of the jet and its variants were manufactured, establishing a standard for high-performance interceptor craft during the middle of the twentieth century.
Early Career and Education
Born in 1905 in Sanahin, Mikoyan initially worked as a machine-tool operator in Rostov and later at the Dynamo plant in Moscow. After completing his military service, he attended the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy, graduating in 1931. He gained experience working under Polikarpov before being appointed head of an aircraft design bureau in December 1939.
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Early output included the MiG-1 and MiG-3, which were intended as high-level interceptors. Subsequent research led to prototypes such as the MiG-5, MiG-7, and the canard-style MiG-8 Utka. By 1946, the bureau shifted focus toward jet-powered aircraft, tasked by a Council of Ministers decree in 1947 to develop new fighter prototypes.
Jet Propulsion and Innovation
Mikoyan traveled to the United Kingdom to acquire Rolls-Royce Nene centrifugal-flow jet engines, which were subsequently reverse-engineered for the MiG-15. This aircraft utilized swept-wing research derived from captured German documents and experimental designs like the I-310. By 1952, the bureau expanded its scope to include missile systems designed specifically to complement the performance of its airframes, most notably for the MiG-21.
Political Life and Legacy
Beyond engineering, Mikoyan served as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Union. Following a stroke in 1969, he died in 1970 in Moscow and was interred at the Novodevichy Cemetery. The design bureau continued to operate, producing later models including the MiG-23 and MiG-29.
Fast facts
- Born: 1905, Sanahin
- Died: 1970, Moscow
- Education: Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy
- Key Designs: MiG-1, MiG-15, MiG-21
- Primary Employment: Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG
- Highest Honors: Hero of Socialist Labour (1957)
- Burial Site: Novodevichy Cemetery
Questions readers ask
Who co-founded the design bureau with Mikoyan?
He co-founded the bureau with Mikhail Gurevich.
What was the significance of the MiG-15?
It was the first mass-produced swept-wing Soviet jet fighter, with over 18,000 units built.
Achievements
- Affiliated with Dynamo plant and Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG
- Educated at Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy
- Worked as military flight engineer, inventor and politician
