num_pages: 21
description: This publication features two military aviation articles by noted historian Barrett Tillman. TALES OF THE MiG-21 Barrett Tillman The Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau produced many of the Soviet Unions front-line fighters from the Great Patriotic War (World War II) through the end of the Soviet Union. Moreover MiG became synonymous with Soviet jet fighters for the entirety of the Cold War and it remains a generic term today. Almost from its first flight in 1956 the MiG-21 became one of the worlds yardsticks for fighter-interceptor aircraft. Possessing exceptional speed and rate of climb it was capable of nearly twice the speed of sound and could reach 40000 feet less than a minute after takeoff. Soviet fighter regiments charged with defending the Rodina from imperialist aggressors were deployed around the periphery of the homeland and far afield. In all more than fifty nations have flown the type from Afghanistan to Zambia. The MiG-21 is the most-produced supersonic aircraft of all time with more than 11000 built in the Soviet Union China Czechoslovakia and India. Nothing else comes close. Just a few of its combat arenas include Vietnam the Middle East and Africa. Yet for all its production success and widespread use the MiG-21 is an anomaly: the worlds most-sold military aircraft with a losing record in combat. This article by Barrett Tillman a leading aviation historian for forty years examines the Soviet jets historyand its possible future. TOMCAT Hail and Farewell Barrett Tillman In its era the Grumman F-14 Tomcat epitomized U.S. Naval aviation. Though its combat record was limited between 1972 and 2006 the big swing-wing fighter captured the publics attention in a blockbuster movie even as it demonstrated Americas growing ability to defend carrier task forces at sea. In this retrospective naval aviation historian Barrett Tillman captures the F-14s mystique while introducing a few of the colorful fleet operators who flew the type. Two isolated incidents near Libya in the 1980s and Operation Desert Storm in 1991 represented the bulk of F-14 combat often to the chagrin of pilots and radar intercept officers. But his assessment touches upon the Tomcats problems as well as its lofty acclaim. The original enginesmarginal for the large heavy airframeeventually were replaced by more powerful jets that helped realize the fighters potential. But with too few new purchases the F-14 grew long in the tooth and was phased out when maintenance requirements became excessive. Yet ironically Tomcats remain flying in Iran with that nations lesser supply and maintenance capability. Still nothing flying from carrier decks today approaches the last of the Cats in Grummans long line of naval fighters. And it is unlikely that anything else ever will. Certainly that sentiment remains among F-14 aircrews and maintainers who still sport the Grumman logo with a two-tailed cat boasting Anytime baby. 
language: English
title: Tales of the MiG-21 & Tomcat
publisher: Pacifica Military History