MiG-21 "Lazur-M" (Germany)

This page is about the premium jet fighter MiG-21 "Lazur-M" (Germany). For other versions, see MiG-21 (Family).

◊MiG-21 "Lazur-M"

◊MiG-21 "Lazur-M"

Germany

VII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
11.0	11.0	11.0

Class:

PREMIUM

Fighter

Jet fighter

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Description

In the mid 1970s, the East German Airforce would start receiving their first MiG-21bis aircraft, to update their fighter-interceptor fleet from the aging MiG-21MFs and PFMs. East Germany would receive exactly 46 of the type, with 14 of them being the "Fishbed-L" variant, equipped with the Lazur-M GCI (Ground Controlled Intercept) guidance system. The other 32 would be the "Fishbed-N" variant, equipped with the Polyot-OI guidance system instead. To differentiate the two variants, the aircraft received unique names in East German service, being called the MiG-21bis Lazur-M and the MiG-21bis-SAU respectively.

Introduced in Update "Apex Predators", the ◊MiG-21bis "Lazur-M" may sound like it has a fancy name, but is virtually identical to its tech tree brother, the MiG-21bis-SAU, with the only difference between these aircraft being the type of guidance system used, which has no effect on the plane or its gameplay in War Thunder. Like its tech tree copy, the MiG-21bis Lazur still very much plays as you would except from the Fishbed family; that being the ability to hit hard and fast against unsuspecting targets, and punishing most aircraft that decide to dogfight you at high speeds. The Lazur-M, just as with the other Fishbeds of this battle rating, relies a lot more on its great flight performance and strong engine providing quick acceleration to win its engagements, rather than relying on its avionics, radar, and missile selection, which are underwhelming compared to its adversaries at this tier.

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Drogue parachute

Reduces braking distance when landing on any runway

Max speed

at 13 000 m2 240 km/h

Turn time37 s

Max altitude16 000 m

EngineTumansky R-25-300

Type

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight10 t

Characteristics	Max speed (km/h at 13,000 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	2,177	2,142	16000	37.8	38.8	191.0	179.8	750
Upgraded	2,303	2,240		36.4	37.0	262.0	225.0

Details

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

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1365	700	-	500	450	~12	~6

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 650	< 600	< 950	-

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
Tumansky R-25-300		1	6,132 kg		371 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)				Max Gross Weight
Weight (each)	Type		10m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	34m fuel
1,140 kg	Afterburning axial-flow turbojet		6,852 kg	7,532 kg	8,232 kg	8,532 kg	9,783 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
Condition	100%	WEP	10m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	34m fuel	MGW
Stationary	4,040 kgf	7,344 kgf	1.07	0.98	0.89	0.86	0.74
Optimal	4,040 kgf (0 km/h)	9,068 kgf (1,200 km/h)	1.32	1.20	1.10	1.06	0.92

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural1 365 km/h

Gear700 km/h

Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB1 980

RB5 933

SB5 969

Crew training10 000

Experts1 350 000

Aces3 000

Research Aces2 280 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 110 / 310 / 600 %

2 × 238 / 238 / 238 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor New boosters Wings repair Engine	Fuselage repair G-suit Airframe Cover EFS	Flares/Chaff ZB-500 R-3S FAB-250 UB-16 R-3R ns23_belt_pack FAB-500 UB-32 R-13M ns23_new_gun S-24 R-60MK

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns)	CCIP (Rockets)	CCIP (Bombs)	CCRP (Bombs)	EEGS

Offensive armament

The MiG-21 "Lazur-M" (Germany) is armed with:

• 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, belly-mounted (250 rpg)
• 64 x countermeasures

Suspended armament

The MiG-21 "Lazur-M" (Germany) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

	1	2	3	4	5
100 kg OFAB-100 bombs		4		4
250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs		1		1
500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs		1		1
ZB-500 incendiary bombs		1		1
S-5K rockets	16	16, 32		16, 32	16
S-24 rockets	1	1		1	1
R-3R missiles	1	1		1	1
R-3S missiles	1	1		1	1
R-13M1 missiles	1	1		1	1
R-60MK missiles	1, 2	1		1	1, 2
490 l drop tanks	1		1		1
Maximum permissible loadout weight: 1,300 kg Maximum permissible wing load: 650 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 570 kg

Default weapon presets
3 x 490 l drop tanks 2 x R-13M1 missiles 4 x R-13M1 missiles 4 x R-3S missiles 4 x R-3R missiles 4 x R-60MK missiles 6 x R-60MK missiles 64 x S-5K rockets (2 x 32) 64 x S-5K rockets (4 x 16) 4 x S-24 rockets 8 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (800 kg total) 2 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (500 kg total) 2 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (1,000 kg total) 2 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs

Usage in battles

Using the speed of the MiG-21's interceptor role and design is key to success in this aircraft. Utilising a "Boom-and-Zoom" playstyle is most effective, however the MiG-21 does have an ace up its sleeve: it turns remarkably well, you can confidentially turn against F-5 Tigers in it. However, doing so will bleed your speed very rapidly, while F-5 will not bleed that much speed, so try to keep the fight as short as possible as to not get killed by another player. Always be wary of F-5's and F-16's as they can pose a threat to your playstyle as they counter it and as per usual keep an eye out for those missiles.

There are 2 recommended loadouts. You can have 6 R-60Ms, with pretty good turn rate but poor range, or 4 R-60Ms in the exterior mounts and 2 R-13M1s in the interior ones, which have much more acceleration and range, but 10 less G of pull.

Here's how you would want to use this plane to its advantages depending of the state of the game you're in:

At the beginning, climb at a low angle (around 5-10 degrees) and turn off your radar so any enemy flying high can't see you in RWR, it is recommended you stay at lower altitudes (always lower than 5Km to not show a contrail) and keep a relatively high speed (between 900 to 1300 km/h) so that you can turn away from an enemy locking you with their radar/shooting a missile at you. If the enemy you have located is isolated/not paying attention, engage it and use either your missiles or gun to engage it. Try not to lose too much speed as your plane relies on it. don't forget to look around for any incoming threat.

Towards the mid or end-game, keep flying fast and avoid wasting speed in turns. Use Boom-N-Run tactics (fly towards a target at high speed, engage them quickly and run away) and assist the team with any problematic enemies. If you find a lonely target you can dogfight with, go for it as long as you don't have any other enemy nearby, as extended dogfights with the MiG-21bis Lazur Lazur tend to leave it very vulnerable to enemy fire.

Since your main missiles will usually be R-60Ms, try to fire them relatively close to the enemy (between 2 km to 0.5 km). If you're engaging a target flying at high speeds, the minimum distance of engagement will be < 2 kilometres, if your enemy is farther/flying away, try using R-13M1s instead.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Powerful Tumansky R-25 engine with high acceleration, climb rate, and power-to-weight ratio
• Relatively large air-to-air payload for its tier
• All-aspect IR AAMs
• Varieties of air-to-air/ground weapons
• Improved overall performance to previous Fishbeds

Cons:

• Delta wing causes massive speed bleed in turns
• The R-25 engine has rather high fuel consumption at afterburning
• Control surfaces lock at higher speeds

History

The "Lazur-M" (Лазурь-М; Azure-M), also known by its equipment name ARL-SM, was a communication equipment for PVO (Air-Defense Force) jets as part of their land-based air-defense system "Dozduh-1" (Воздух-1; Air-1). Lazur-M was first installed on the MiG-21S and retained on later models of the MiG-21 including the MiG-21bis; these were the base model of earlier MiG-21bis exported to Warsaw Pact countries, and the LSK (East German Air Force) was one of the users. Later deliveries were equipped with the Polyot ILS system (producing the MiG-21bis-SAU; Sistema Avtomaticheskovo Upravleniya, Automatic Landing System).

The default livery in game is Red 872 (build no. 75033151) of JG (Jagdfliegergeschwader)-8, 1.LVD based in Neuhardenberg Marxwalde Airfield (now a regional airport) near Berlin. This aircraft was then numbered 24-27 of Luftwaffe and decommissioned on German Unification Day, and later scrapped in Dresden.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the MiG-21 "Lazur-M" (Germany) from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Related development

• MiG-21 (Family)

External links

• [Shop] Pre-order: new rank VII Premium jet fighters (part 1)