MiG-3 - the Soviet fighter

The MiG-3 (Russian: МиГ-3) was a World War II fighter of the Soviet Union. It was a further version of the MiG-1, which reduced the handling problems of the aircraft. Although these issues were never definitively resolved, the model was considered a success. The MiG-1 was designed as a high-altitude fighter, and the MiG-3 even surpassed the latter in this area. However, most of the battles against German fighters took place at very low altitudes, and the MiG-3 was not particularly adapted to such heights. Attempts were made to use this aircraft as a ground attack fighter, but such use was soon abandoned. The end of production of the MiG-3 was due to the discontinuation of the AM-35 engine (so that Alexander Mikulin could focus more on the AM-38 engine, used in the production of the Il-2). There were attempts to use the AM-37 engine, specially developed for the MiG-3, in the fighter. This modification was named MiG-7, but soon after the production of this engine was stopped, the project stopped. From the spring of 1942, MiG-3s were transferred from front-line units to anti-aircraft defense squadrons, and some of them, used these aircraft even until the end of the war. The last attempt was to use the ASh-82 radial engine, the same engine used in the La-5 fighters, that replaced the LaGG-3 fighters. The latter prototypes were named I-210 and I-211, and the result was so successful, that it was decided to begin mass production of the model under the name MiG-9 (not to be confused with the later jet-powered MiG-9). However, the La-5 was already in production, and I-211 could not offer anything better, than the La-5. Throughout the war, Mikoyan and Gurevich improved the MiG-3 to high-altitude aircraft class standards, creating significantly larger and more powerful prototypes from the I-220 to the I-225 (some sources mistakenly attribute the MiG-7 to one of these prototypes). Although these models were promising, the air battles over Germany showed, that the era of propeller-driven aircraft was slowly dying out, so series production did not begin.

A well designed and highly detailed model of medium difficulty with full mechanization of the wing and tail plates, very attractive camouflage. It is very suitable for experienced and intermediate modelers. However, it is not too difficult for advanced beginners and modelers with little experience, but we recommend, that they assemble the model under the supervision of a more experienced colleague and do it without the cockpit interior, wing mechanization and with the landing gear included. Some of the details are double-sided printing, given a considerable reserve of colors - even camouflage.