MiG-23 - interceptor, not included in the history

The MiG-23 fighter did not manage to replace the previously developed MiG-21, although it was created precisely for this purpose. There are several reasons for this, but the main one is that it went into service with the Soviet Air Force at a time when the Vietnamese war is almost over, and the armed conflicts in which it happened could not fully reveal the potential of this machine.

In the design of this aircraft are embodied almost all the innovations that are characteristic for the fighter aircraft mid-late sixties of the twentieth century. General Designer Artem Ivanovich Mikoyan borrowed adjustable air intakes from the "Phantom" for the MiG-23, the ventral crest to increase the area had a swivel mechanism that allowed to take off without risking to hit the runway, and most importantly - the wing could change the sweep angle from 16 to 72 degrees. This feature allowed to significantly reduce the take-off and landing speed, it was only 250 km / h, and, consequently, the length of the VAP could be much smaller. In addition, there was the possibility of flying at an extremely low altitude, which increased the stealth for enemy radars.

The wing position, at which the sweep is 45 °, is intended for high-speed maneuverable air combat, it allows for an increase in overloads for the power structures of the airframe.

And finally, the total deviation of the wing relative to the longitudinal fuselage line, at which the angle is 72 °, is used for supersonic flight, the speed of which can reach two and a half thousand kilometers per hour.

The MiG-23 was created according to the scheme of a monoplane with a high wing, which, in turn, consists of two parts. The fuselage influx serves as a support for the movable console, the position of which is set by the screw transducers receiving the force from the reducers and hydraulic drives.

Such unique flight characteristics promised the new fighter a great future, besides, it was constantly modernized, which, in general, is typical for all combat aircraft. Airborne equipment was improved, modifications were made to the design of the airframe. The top of the perfection was the modification of the MiG-23 MLD, which embodied the full scope of the original design in combination with the achievements of the technical and electronic base of its time.

Participation in the numerous wars and conflicts of the late twentieth century began already in 1974, when the Air Force of Iraq used the latest Soviet fighters as strike attack aircraft in the operation against the Kurdish separatists. Such an application in conditions of complete air domination made it impossible to judge the combat qualities of the MiG-23 aircraft, then it was possible to do with more simple equipment. However, already during the Syrian-Israeli conflict, there were aerial battles. Two victories of the Syrian Air Force were recorded on the account of their pilots who operated these interceptors, however, they did not provide documentary evidence, and Israel did not deny, but did not confirm these facts. The same situation was repeated in the 80s during the fighting in the Lebanese sky. In 1980, the Iran-Iraq war began, during which there was complete information confusion, and each side recorded their victories as much as it wanted.

In Afghanistan, the MiG-23 was not used for its intended purpose, unlike the well-proven Su-25, it was not intended as an attack aircraft.

Other wars in Africa, Asia and the Middle East also did not reveal its superiority. Those "Americans" who were at the disposal of the Americans did not add clarity, and one of them caused the death of General Robert Bond, who was trying to "travel around" him.

Nevertheless, the number of countries buying and operating the MiG-23 aircraft is impressive. Photos, available for viewing on the Internet and in printed publications, often depict these machines with recognizable signs of the most exotic states.

In Russia, these planes have already been removed from combat duty, and the remaining copies are conserved.