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Gaining a reputation as a 'hot ship' inthe early years, the Mikoyan-GurevichMiG-3 was plagued by difficult handlingand very poor armament, andalthough among the fastest of Sovietfighters of that period, it proved nomatch for the German Bf 109G or Fw190. Flown in prototype form as the 1-61in the spring of 1940, the initial designincluded the 895-kW (1,200-hp) MikulinAM-35 V-12 engine, and this wasretained in the production MiG-1,which started appearing in September1940, Handicapped by the overalllength of the engine, which resulted inpoor pitch and directional stability,and armed with only three machineguns,the MiG-1 suffered heavily in theopening months of Operation 'Barbarossa',and the MiG-3, delivered duringthe second half of 1941, proved littlebetter with a 1007-kW (1,350-hp) AM-35A engine, which gave the fighter atop speed of 640 km/h (398 mph); introducedat the same time was a constantspeedpropeller, increased wingdihedral and sliding cockpit canopy.Handling was only marginally improved,so the MiG-3 was transferredto attack bomber escort and close supportduties; in 1942 two 12.7-mm (0.5-in) machine guns were added inunderwing fairings by operational units,but gradually the aircraft was replacedby radial-engine fighters suchas the La-5. Total production was 3,422,of which 100 were the earlier MiG-1.SpecificationMikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3Type: single-seat fighterPowerplant: one 1007-kW (1,350-hp)Mikulin AM-35 A V-12 piston enginePerformance: maximum speed640 km/h (398 mph) at 7000 m(22,965 ft); initial climb rate 1200 m(3,935 ft) per minute; service ceiling12000 m (39,370 ft); range 1250 km (777miles)Weights: empty 2595 kg (5,721 lb);maximum take-off 3350 kg (7,385 lb)Dimensions: span 10.30 m (33 ft 9.5 in);length 8.15 m (26 ft 9 in); height 2.67 m(8 ft 9 in); wing area 17.44 mr(187.7sqft)Armament: one 12.7-mm(0.5-m)Beresin BS and two 7.62-mm (0.3-in)ShKAS nose-mounted machine-guns(later increased by two 12.7-mm/0.5-inunderwing guns), plus provision for six8.2-cm (3.23-in) underwing rockets ortwo 100-kg (220-lb) bombs
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