- Yes
- No
TL;DR:
Fighter/interceptor, MiG-3 with the M-82 engine.
Overview:
In late 1941 Mikoyan and Gurevich focused on improving their MiG-3 fighter, especially as the AM-35A engine used to power it was being discontinued. Initially they replaced the engine with the AM-35A’s replacement, the AM-38 engine, which showed greater speed but was discontinued after test flights. Concurrently, efforts were made in integrating the new Shvetsov M-82 radial engine into the MiG-3, much like both Yakovlev and Lavochkin would later do. Projected performance would be much better than the MiG-3 and MiG-3 AM-38, and the design was officially approved at the end of August. Variably the design was called the MiG-3 M-82, MiG-9, and I-210, with the final bureau name being the MiG-9 M-82.
Compared to the MiG-3, the MiG-9 was slightly shorter and lacked the large underside radiator because of the radial engine, and featured three 12.7mm MGs instead of the single 12.7mm and two 7.62mm MGs, but otherwise was built to be structurally identical. Construction of the first prototype had started in July of 1941, and it was completed soon after. During test flights it was found to have much worse performance than projected, and a second prototype with an improved structure was built in August. A small pre-production batch of three aircraft also started construction, differing from the prototypes with 2 additional 7.62mm MGs. However testing and construction was interrupted by MiG’s evacuation to Kuybyshev in October 1941. By then it was clear that because of miscalculations the MiG-9 would not be able to meet the projected speeds, the design of the engine cowling creating too much drag. In fact during testing it was found to be slower than the original MiG-3 and taking longer to climb, though the engine and propeller unit had better aerodynamic properties.
In summer 1942 the 3 production planes were sent to the Air Force for testing where they also took part in combat operations. Because of engine defects these planes would later be returned for modifications. The 2nd prototype was also delivered to state testing, where it was compared to the similar La-5 and the Yak-7, and was considered significantly inferior to both. The 3 production MiG-9s were nevertheless redeployed to the Karelian Front after modifications, and were used until 1944 when they completely broke down. MiG didn’t stop development on the design, and in 1943 built a modified MiG-9 M-82, featuring a more streamlined fuselage, 20mm autocannons, and the boosted M-82FN engine, called the I-211(E), which showed much better performance in line with the original projections, but it was not accepted in favour of the La-5FN which had already entered production. After a few more designs, the radial engine MiG-3s became a dead end, and later MiG developments used improved inline engines, culminating in the I-225.
Specifications:
Weight:
Empty: 2720kg
Take-off: 5996kgDimensions:
Length: 8.08m
Wing Span: 10.2m
Wing Area: 17.44m²
Height: 3.5mEngine:
1x Shvetsov M-82A radial 14-cylinder engine
1330 hp
1700 hp takeoff
Fuel: 360kg
Air cooledPerformance:
Max Speed:
475km/h at sea level
565km/h at 6150m
Ceiling: 8700m
Range: 1070km (projected)
Rate of Climb: 896m/minuteCrew: 1
Armament:
3x1 12.7mm Berezin UBS (220 rpg)
2x1 7.62mm ShKAS (650 rpg) (present on the 3 production units)
Images:
Sources:
Butowski, P., and Miller, J. (1991). OKB MiG: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft (pp. 120-123, 175). Midland.
Gordon, Y., and Khazanov, D. (1998). Soviet Combat Aircraft of the Second World War Vol. 1 (pp. 74-75, 175). Midland.
Gunston, B., and Gordon, Y. (1998). MiG Aircraft since 1937 (pp. 23-24). Putnam.
Shavrov, V. B. (2002). Istoriya Konstruktsiy Samoletov v SSSR 1938-1950 gg. (p. 235). Mashinostroenie.
https://www.airwar.ru/enc/fww2/mig9-1.html