MiG-9 (l)

MiG-9 (l)

MiG-9

MiG-15

MiG-9 (l)

MiG-9

MiG-15

USSR

V Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
7.7	7.3	7.7

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:53 000

Purchase:300 000

Show in game

This page is about the Russian jet fighter MiG-9 (l). For the early version, see MiG-9 (Family).

Description

The MiG-9 Late is a rank V Russian jet fighter with a battle rating of 7.7 (AB/SB) and 7.3 (RB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

Much like many of the early jet fighters, they looked different, much different than their propeller-driven cousins. Now with jet engines driving the aircraft and the ability for them to go faster than before, aerodynamics needed to be reworked to accommodate leaving many of the first fighters ungainly looking. Not being left out of the mix, one of the USSR’s first jet fighters to roll out into production was the straight-wing, tricycle landing gear, short engine MiG-9.

Early on, Mikoyan-Gurevich’s prototype the I-300 was tested with captured German BMW jet engines. The I-300 was envisioned to be a bomber interceptor and thus was built around the idea to get the fighter to bomber altitudes as fast as possible and then unload on the enemy bombers. Armed with a 37 mm cannon and two 23 mm cannons this fighter was meant to reach 5,000 m within four minutes. The engines were mounted on the underside of the aircraft in hopes that the hot exhaust could be vented away and not damage the aircraft. This new all-metal aircraft with slotted flaps and Frise-type ailerons was ready for testing in 1946.

Early tests showed that the fighter flew well and responded to the pilot’s input without fighting back. Heat shields from the engine exhaust continued to be a problem but were quickly rectified after the redesigning of the tail section. In early 1947 the I-300 was renamed the MiG-9 and began to start rolling off the production floor.

The MiG-9 is a stout little fighter and is flown best as a Boom & Zoom fighter or a bomber hunter. While a stable fighter, the MiG-9 lacks manoeuvrability to compete in turn fights as it tends to haemorrhage energy when making turns. Instead, it is best to get this fighter up to altitude to either focus on bringing down bombers with its three large cannons or to set up for diving attacks on the enemy below. It is critical to maintain speed in this fighter as, without it, it becomes an easy target for other enemy fighters. After completing a diving run, whether it was successful or not, this fighter should have its nose lifted and zoom back up to its place in higher altitudes to set up for another run. Staying low and slow only puts this fighter in a vulnerable position and if being used for ground or naval attach, should only be done if no enemy fighters are in the area. When attacking a MiG-9, aim your ordnance for the middle of the aircraft, there, in a tight compact area, you will find the pilot, huge fuel tanks and the engines. While the fuel tanks may be self-sealing, the engine and pilot are not and critical damage in this area of the aircraft will most likely bring it down.

General info

Flight Performance

When looking at this fighter, a pilot may complain at the lack of ordnance options available, being only limited to a single 37 mm and two 23 mm cannons with what seems to be only a handful of ammunition rounds between them. Without the addition of suspended ordnance, the flight model will not change due to added weight of bombs, missiles, rockets or gun pods, since none are available and the aircraft wasn’t designed to use them.

As such, this fighter was built almost like a rocket, needing to get to bomber altitude as fast as possible and intercept inbound bombers. The limited ammunition prevents the pilot from just ‘’spraying-and-praying’’, but instead requires trigger control to maximize rounds on target. This is especially important in realistic and simulator battles where after the ammunition is expended, the pilot must return to base to reload.

The MiG-9 has enough speed to get to 5,000 m within about 4 minutes, however once there, it is best to either target bombers and go higher if needed (13,500 m is maximum altitude for the fighter) or to then turn the MiG-9 into a diving fighter and going for quick hits before zooming back up. Immlemans and Split-S manoeuvres are recommended to change directions as this fighter is a very slow turner, taking about 30 seconds to make a complete circle. It is important to keep the speed up on this fighter due to when it becomes slow, it then becomes an easy target for enemy aircraft.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	916	890	13500	27.2	27.9	22.8	21.5	800
Upgraded	986	967		25.0	26.0	33.8	28.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
X	✓	✓	X	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1020	380	N/A	480	300	~11	~4

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 550	< 600	< 720	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Empty mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
Klimov RD-20F		2	3,655 kg		274 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)			Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		8m fuel	20m fuel	28m fuel
670 kg	Axial-flow turbojet		4,068 kg	4,621 kg	4,989 kg	5,590 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (108%)
Condition	100%	108%	8m fuel	20m fuel	28m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	898 kgf	1,000 kgf	0.49	0.43	0.40	0.36
Optimal	898 kgf (0 km/h)	1,000 kgf (0 km/h)	0.49	0.43	0.40	0.36

Survivability and armour

• 55 mm bulletproof glass - canopy windscreen
• 12 mm steel plate - just in front of the pilot, between the instrument panel and the 37 mm magazine
• 12 mm steel plate - just in front of the 37 mm magazine

The MiG-9, unfortunately, is not built like a tank and as a bomber interceptor, it had to be constructed like one, sacrificing weight for speed. The aircraft does feature 55 mm of bulletproof glass on the canopy windscreen and two 12 mm steel plates on both sides of the 37 mm ammunition magazine, but that is it for aircraft protection. All the protection is in the front which is meant to offer defence from any defensive gunners on enemy bombers. From the front profile, the armour plates and glass do a good job of shielding the critical components, however, from just about any other angle, the pilot, engines and fuel tanks are clustered in the centre of the aircraft and are all vulnerable from machine gun, cannon, missile and rocket damage. The MiG-9 (I) does have a little more of a weight issue that the standard MiG-9 in that it has fuel pods at the end of the wing-tips which both add more weight and slightly decrease manoeuvrability.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The MiG-9 (l) is armed with:

• 1 x 37 mm N-37D cannon, nose-mounted (40 rpg)
• 2 x 23 mm NS-23K cannons, chin-mounted (80 rpg = 160 total)

To fulfil the role of a bomber hunter, the best weapons for mid to late 1940s aircraft was rockets and cannons. Bombers were typically large aircraft and machine guns would not do the job. Bomber interceptors needed to get to the target and spend the least amount of time on target not only for their own safety but to be able to intercept multiple targets before needing to return to base to refuel or rearm. The N-37D and NS-23 cannons centrally mounted on the MiG-9 virtually nullify the need for messing with convergence, allowing the pilot to sling both ammunition types at bombers at 690 m/s. In a high speed pass only so many rounds could be fired off before the MiG was zooming past and needed to set up for another run if they missed.

Having the 37 mm and 23 mm cannons helped ensure if the critical areas are hit, only one pass is needed. Without rockets or missiles to provide backup or alternative weapon options, proficiency with the cannons is a must. Air Target ammunition belts provide a good mix of armour-piercing, fragmentary and high-explosive rounds which can devastate a bomber or even fighter if the rounds connect with the target.

Usage in battles

The MiG-9 (l) requires altitude to be most effective in either of its two main roles. While flying full afterburner into the middle of the map may seem like the noblest thing to do, it may end your piloting career faster than you care for, not allowing you to reach your full potential during the match. Best bet for this fighter is to start side climbing on the map or working on gaining altitude away from where the main group of aircraft are flying as this provides you with a relatively safe area to climb and allows you to see any enemy aircraft which may be gunning for you and give you enough time to respond or dive away. It is important to begin your side climb at an angle of about 8-10° until the fighter reaches speeds of about 400-500 kph when the climb angle can be increased to about 15°.

When you reach an altitude of where the bombers are at, you can then begin to patrol and set up for any attack runs. Typically it is best to have some altitude over the bombers as this will allow you to gain more speed when driving and make it that much more difficult for the defensive gunners to hit you. Flying towards the rear of the bomber is the worst angle to come at, while it makes it easy for you to line up the target, you will actually be flying into bullets fired at you causing them a chance for deeper penetration into your jet than if you came from another angle. Due to the limited amount of ammunition, controlled bursts are best especially when aimed at engines, cockpits or fuel tanks. Carefully aim at these critical components and let the ammunition do the rest for you. It is best not to linger around a target, instead, add full power and zoom away until you are at least a kilometre or two away and outside of the range of any defensive turrets before manoeuvring for another run.

If there are no bombers to attack, either because they have all been destroyed or waiting for more to spawn (in arcade battles, some pilots tend to leave their attackers/bombers as late match reserves), then when at altitude, you can patrol and look for unsuspecting fighters or you can work to lure aircraft up into a stall fight. From your perch, you can start to dip down towards a fighter as if you are going to pounce on it, if they take the bait and climb to meet your MiG-9 (l), then pull up as if you ‘’chickened-out’’ and are running, begin a moderate climb with your speed and watch as they follow up, especially watch for the condensation trails coming from their wings, this is a good indication that they are beginning to stall and are an easy target. The MiG-9 (l) has a rather larger rudder and can make use of it for a wing-over manoeuvre which will put you in line with the stalled out target allowing for you to get a quick shot off before returning to your patrol altitude.

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Compressor		Offensive 23 mm
II			Airframe	New 23 mm cannons
III	Wings repair			Offensive 37 mm
IV		Engine	Cover	New 37 mm cannons

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Powerful armament for bomber hunting
• Somewhat cheap initial repair cost
• All armour is in the front of the aircraft to protect against defensive weapons
• Engines do not overheat at 100% throttle

Cons:

• Two different trajectories for both guns
• Limited ammunition of 160 (NS-23) and 40 (N-37D)
• No access to bombs or other payload options
• Underwhelming acceleration (though a bit better than the MiG-9 Early)
• Unimpressive climb-rate (likewise, improved from the earlier version)
• Control lock starts at around 800 km/h
• Loses a lot of speed during turns
• Very bad turn rate even compared to some jet bombers
• Difficult jet for beginners (hard to use due to its weapons and flight characteristics)

History

During the 1930s, the turbojet engine was developed in both Germany and Great Britain and began the prototype jets of the day. In the early 1940s test aircraft now flew built by Gloster, Heinkel, Messerschmitt and Bell aircraft companies. At this point, the USSR was still ambivalent towards the turbojet engine and focused on other technologies. It wasn’t until 1944 when all of the Soviet aircraft design teams were brought together and were tasked with producing a ‘jet air force’ with early designs coming from prominent companies at the time like Mikoyan-Gurevich, Yakovlev and Sukhoi. It wasn’t until later in 1945 that pressure was put on both Mikoyan-Gurevich and Sukhoi do design and develop a single-seat jet fighter utilizing two captured German BMW 003 engines. These BMW engines are the same type which was utilised in the HE 162 and the Ar 234C. The Soviet military had seized the blueprints to the engines in Germany and had been in the process of building them to use with their new jet fighters.

Initially, Mikoyan-Gurevich was tasked to develop a single-seat fighter, however, in attempting to build it around the BMW engines; they came up with a pod and boom prototype in which the pod housed the cockpit and engines with a single tail boom. The pod did not run the entire length of the boom but instead terminated as short as possible as not to lose any unnecessary pressure or thrust. To accommodate this unusual configuration, MiG designed the fighter with tricycle landing gear which allowed for both better visibility during takeoff and landings but also maintained better airflow through the air intakes at lower speeds. Though the aircraft was all metal, there were constant issues for years where the metal plating after the engines constantly warped and buckled causing vibrations and other problems during flight. The wings were upswept, however, they were outfitted with Frise ailerons and slotted flaps to help with manoeuvring much like the American F-86D bomber interceptor.

Initially, the MiG-9 was configured with two 23 mm NS-23 cannons and a single 57 mm N-57 cannon, however, due to the off-gassing when firing the 57 mm cannon, many times it choked out the jet engine and caused it to flame out. Later the 57 mm was replaced with a 37 mm cannon which did not produce as much off-gassing and did not cause problems with the engine. The weapon configuration of the MiG-9 was simple, as a bomber hunter, it maintained its cannons in the centerline of the fighter, therefore the pilot did not have to worry about the convergence of the weapons when lining up his shot.

Test pilots noted that the MiG-9 was a very stable and easy jet to fly and was very responsive to the pilot’s input. While the rate of climb and cruising speeds were average at best, the aircraft maintained manoeuvrability in a dive, however, difficulties with the aircraft’s heat shielding, lack of ejection seat and an unpressurized cockpit continued to plague its early production.

By 1947, the MiG-9s which were rolling off the assembly line had some of their problems taken care of such as a improved lateral stability due to a larger and reinforced vertical tail and reworked rear fuselage contoured to smooth the flow of air from the engine exhausts and help prevent the overheating and skin buckling problems experienced on earlier aircraft. By the end of 1947, 243 MiG-9 fighters had been produced and by the end of 1948 another 302 were constructed. Unfortunately, at this time, the MiG-15 which began to fly in late 1947 was easily outperforming the MiG-9 in all aspects causing its obsolescence. While the MiG-9 was no longer the front runner jet in the Soviet air force, it remained in service and was subjected to further tests.

In the 1950s, the Soviets transferred 186 MiG-9 fighters to China to defend its cities against the Nationalist Chinese and train Chinese pilots who were new to jet aircraft operations. When training was complete, all of the MiG-9 fighters were handed over to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

In-game description

An all-metal, single-seat cantilever monoplane with two turbojet engines, mid-mounted wings, and retractable tricycle landing gear.

It was clear by the end of World War II that the piston-engine-and-propeller combo had reached the limit of its potential. Soon it would be necessary to switch to new engine types.

Jet aviation in the USSR changed for the better at the very end of the war when captured German turbojet engines, particularly the BMW-003, arrived in the Soviet Union. The aforementioned engine was studied in the shortest time possible, and a Soviet copy, the RD-20, was launched into mass production.

In the end of 1945, the Mikoyan Design Bureau began the development of a jet fighter with two BMW-003 engines (producing 800 kg of thrust). On 24 April 1946, test pilot A.N. Grinchik first flew the prototype I-300 (F-1), the first Soviet fighter with a turbojet engine. The plane reached a speed of 920 km/h and had powerful armament: a 57mm N-57 cannon and two 23mm NS-23 cannons.

In 1946, the I-300 began full-scale production and was accepted for service with the Air Force under the designation of MiG-9 (Product FS). Before producing it on a full-scale basis, the designers of the Mikoyan Design Bureau reworked the fighter's construction (particularly its fuselage) from scratch to adapt it to production in large quantities.

The power unit of production MiG-9s consisted of two RD-20 turbojet engines producing 800 kg of thrust apiece. At first, planes of this model had RD-20A-1 engines, with a service life of 10 hours. Actually, these engines were captured BMW-003s, reassembled in the USSR. Subsequently, MiG-9s featured only Soviet-produced turbojet engines: the RD-20A-2, with a service life of 25 and 50 hours, and later the RD-20B, with a service life of 75 hours.

The armament of the production planes differed from that of the prototypes. The MiG-9 (Product FS) had one 37mm Nudelman N-37 cannon with 40 rounds and two 23mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-23K cannons with 80 rounds each.

In 1947, it was decided to equip the MiG-9 with RD-21 uprated engines producing 1,000 kg of thrust. The engine was uprated due to increased gas temperature and turbine revolutions.

A prototype I-307 (Product FF) aircraft was built and tested with these engines in 1947. The testing showed that the I-307 had higher flight characteristics than production MiG-9s. The I-307 remained a prototype, since in March 1948 a decision was made to start the full-scale production of the more advanced MiG-15.

The last production aircraft were handed over to the Air Force in December 1948, and in factories they were supplanted by a new plane from the Mikoyan Design Bureau, the MiG-15. A total of 602 MiG-9 fighters were produced.

The MiG-9 was the beginning of the jet MiG's history. The success of the MiG-15 fighter all over the world would have been impossible without the experience gained in the processes of design, building, testing, mass production, and operation of the first Soviet jet fighter, the MiG-9.

As new fighters were received by the Air Force, some MiG-9s would be delivered to China. These planes became the first jet fighters of the People's Liberation Army Air Force of China.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

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• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
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