OVERVIEW: The MiG-21PFM aka "Fishbed F" aka "Izdeliye 94A"   is a single seat, single engine, short-range, daytime/all-weather, Mach 2.0, 2nd generation point defense interceptor. It also had a secondary ground attack capability. 

DETAILS:   The MiG-21PFM "Fishbed F" is a delta wing design, with a circular air intake and an automatically adjusted moveable intake cone in the nose.  

These design characteristics limited the MiG-21 as a dogfighter, as any turning combat led to a rapid loss of speed. Additionally, the small space available for radar limited its ability as a fighter for anything beyond close-range combat.  It was further hampered as a fighter by its short range. The pilot also had a poor visibility forward and rearward, further limiting its use in ACM.   

Although the Fishbed bled energy in a turn, it also had a smaller turn radius than most contemporaneous U.S. fighters.  It was also sturdy, reliable, and easy to maintain, and its unsophisticated design increased its combat survivability.

The MiG-21PFM is a modernized MiG-21PF/PFS with a new ejection seat and with a slightly reduced fuel capacity.  It also had an upgraded RP-21M radar.  Some later-production versions reintroduced a cannon armament consisting of a GSh-23L cannon and 200 rounds in a centerline mounted conformal pod.  However, excessive vibration of the gun pod resulted in low accuracy.  The gun pod also limited the Fishbed F to a max speed of Mach 1.8.   After 1968, the aircraft was modified to carry the Kh-66 ASM.

The Fishbed F had significant maneuvering limitations.  It could maneuver at 8.5 Gs when clean or carrying only two R-3S missiles and travelling below 0.8 Mach and with less than 1600 liters of fuel.  However, with more fuel, it was limited to only 7 Gs.  Above 0.8 Mach and with more than 1600 liters, or carrying either bombs or a gun pod, the aircraft was limited to only 6 G, and while carrying the centerline fuel tank, the MiG-21PFM was limited to 5 or 4 Gs, depending on the tank capacity.

These limits were mitigated by the Soviet reliance on GCI, which vectored the aircraft to approximately a 20-degree angle from the rear of the target, and making a single high-speed pass before disengaging, thereby minimizing these maneuvering issues.  

The aircraft was powered by a Tumansky R-11F2S-300 turbojet engine, producing 13613 lb. of thrust (afterburner) or 8598 lbs. at military power. The design cruising speed is 478 knots. In the 1970s, some were equipped with the more powerful R-13-300 

NOTES: IOC: 1964. The external gun pod was not interchangeable between aircraft.  Nicknamed the "Peaceful Doves" by users due to having only two short-ranged AAMs. Not to be confused with the East German designation for MiG-21PF aircraft with upgraded RP-21 radars (Izdeliye 76A).



SOURCE: Mladenov, Alexander. Soviet Cold War Fighters. Fonthill Media, 2017, (Kindel ed., locations 1492, 1613, 1933; Mladenov, Alexander. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (Air Vanguard)(Kindle ed., locations 1492)"[1.0] MiG-21 Single-Seat Variants." AirVectors. Accessed January 7, 2022. https://www.airvectors.net/avmig21_1.html#m2. ; "The MiG-21 Page - Performance Data." Imprimante Si Copiatoare, Produse IT: Xerox, Brother, Cisco, Microsoft - Top Edge Engineering. Accessed January 7, 2022. https://www.topedge.com/panels/aircraft/sites/kraft/data.htm. ;  DIA, HAVE DOUGHNUT(U)-TACTICAL, FTD-CR-20-13-69 Vol. II (1 August 1969), pgs 1-6 to 1-7. https://theaviationist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/havedoughnut.pdf; 