Trumpeter 01679 1/72 Russian MiG-31 Foxhound

The Mig-31 ‘Foxhound’ was developed as the replacement of the Mig-25 ‘Foxbat’, the prototype Ye-155MP took the first flight on 16 September 1975.As the heaviest fighter/interceptor in the world, the Mig-31 is much heaver than other similar aircrafts. At the same time, tow powerful D-30-F6 engines and a stronger airframe gave it a top speed to Mach 2.8 at high-altitude and Mach 1.23 at low-altitude.

The Mig-31 enter the operational service with the Soviet Air Defence Force in 1982,they were send for a variety of long-range missions. More than 300 aircrafts are in service in both Russian and Kazakhstan.

The Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-31 is a Soviet heavy twin-engine duralumin-titanium interceptor known in NATO as Foxhound. The flight of the prototype with the designation Je-155MP took place on September 16, 1975. The MIG-31 was to combine the features of MIG-25 and Tu-128 fighters, i.e. high speed with an equally impressive range. The main target of this aircraft would be the American B-1B bombers and the cruise missiles they carry. To cope with this task, the MIG 31 was equipped with a very modern, even avant-garde, avionics. First of all, as the first in the world received the “Curtain” phase-scanning radar, i.e. the machine can detect, control and attack several targets at once. In the 1970s, only the Grumman F-14 had this option! The range of the radar (320 km), even in the 21st century, is also of considerable value. It also uses satellite navigation (Tropic system). Moreover, it is one of the few airplanes produced today that can maintain supersonic speed without afterburners. Two Soloviev D-30F6 engines are used as the drive. The first mass-produced version is the MIG-31A, quickly replaced by the modernized version of the MIG-31B. Both were classic interceptors. However, in the early 1990s, a multi-purpose version (MIG-31FE) was created. At present (2013), aircraft of the Russian Federation are being upgraded to the MIG-31BM standard. The exact number of aircraft produced is unknown. Technical data: length: 22.69m, wingspan: 13.46m, height: 6.15m, maximum speed: 2.83Ma, climb speed: 208m / s, maximum range: 3300km, maximum ceiling 20600m, armament: fixed – 1 cannon GSh-6-23, calibre 23mm, sling – various combinations of missiles and bombs.