The MiG 1.44/1.42; Mikoyan’s DIY “What-If?”
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024
- When the American's were coming up with the F-22 Raptor, the Soviet's were busy devising their own fifth generation fighter.
And though it ultimately came to just a single prototype, the MiG 1.44/42 remains one of history's great "what-ifs?"
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The NATO codename was obviously suggested by the British, with tongue firmly in cheek: MFI ('multi-functional front line fighter') = MFI (Mullard Furniture Industries) - a large national furniture company in the UK that specialised in cheap self-assembly furniture, and who dominated the UK market until driven out of business by competition from Ikea.
Hahahaha! Perfect mate!
Mikoyan DIY at it's finest.
And IKEA is Swedish and Swedish VIkings liberated parts of UK and the Russians fears the WASA ship and Gripen.
@@realshompa started on the weed early today did we?
The U.K. didn’t come up with the names, the US did
I love the Soviet esthetic in airplane design, favorite being TU-22M but they are all very stylish.
The original Tu-22 was.. less attractive.
I agree, MiG 1.44 looked so much better than meh Su-57.
Soviet aircraft looks so pretty
I wish the NATO countries that still have them in service could get manufacturing licenses and upgrade these designs to NATO standards.
The game Ace Combat 5 released in 2004 featured this aircraft. It was classified as Multirole, and had unguided bombs carried internally. It had excellent speed and maneuverability, and had performance characteristics typical of a 4.5 or 5th gen fighter.
It's bizarre what planes they decide to add or leave out in AC games. AC7 has the darkstar concept as dlc and the blackwidow 2 in vanilla..but not this
@@doodsalot270
Yeaaah, a lot of it has to do with permissions and licensing from the manufacturer to use their design in the games 😔
Ace Combat 5 was amazing. Miss those old games.
@@lemob182 it really is crazy how a videogame has to ask sukhoi, northrop, lockheed etc for permission to use them
The first Air Force Delta for Dreamcast had this plane but it looked different. (and better in my opinion) It was also the last boss.
OMG yes, Love this plane and want to learn more about it. This and the Mikoyan-Gurevich Ye-8 are some realy 'what might have been' aircraft that had some very modern features.
Honestly, I'm still happy to see the MiG-1.44 still fly. It deserves at least that. Still has a certain beauty to it that I rather like even if I found the designation a little iffy.
Parts of it fly in the J-20 as parts from F 22 and Eurofighter do. Would like to see a comprehensive video about it.
Basically the last new deisgn from the MiG design bureau, before it got reduced to making just modernized 29s in the decades that followed as Sukhoi's dominance took over Russian aerospace. The MiG-35 that actually ended up being built and in service is nothing more than a MiG 29 airframe with modernised avionics and new engines.
And the Mig-35 will be lucky to see more than 36 jets ever made
Always interesting stuff Ed. 👍👍
Thanks 👍
As a Brit of a certain vintage, I'm wondering if the NATO codename of the prototype, 'Flatpack', was chosen by a fellow Briton and had something to do with its 'MFI' designation, MFI, at that time, being a purveyor of flat-pack furniture.
That is entirely possible :)
Interesting, is this sort of like a British Ikea?
@@shaider1982, I guess so, but without the one-way system, the weirdly named products or the meatballs.
I seem to remember that they sold a lot of chipboard and melamine furniture. They did kitchens too, at one point they were everywhere.
They went out of business in 2008.
@@shaider1982 kinda but of lower quality one of the nicknames was "Made for Idiots"
When the Soviet Union came to an end MiG tried to sell the MiG 29 to the international market and brought it to the UK. Some British RAF test pilots flew it and was very impressed by how easy it was to fly. The MiG representative said that this was because Soviet pilots were getting so little flying time they had to make it easy.
Smeltka at its finest
@@bohba13Smekalka*
Top tier channel. Always look forward to new posts.
Much appreciated!
@@EdNashsMilitaryMatters Mr. Nash, do you have a Patreon account? I would like to support your channel. It would not be much. I appreciate your work. Your channel and you deserve some compensation for your excellent work.
Sure do. Should be details in the video description. Plus I post a video a month just for supporters.
And call me Ed ;)
It's interesting that they went with an air intake under the body, given the Soviet's obsession with operation from unimproved airfields (and the FOD dangers that come with it.) This is why many think Ukraine will stay away from adopting the F-16. And I'm skeptical about the internal weapons storage. I'm sure the engines were big, and after you fit the landing gear where would that weapons bay go?
Have you ever seen where the intakes are located on Su-27 series aircraft, and the MiG-29? FOD issues were solved long ago with debris doors and shutters located elsewhere, usually on top of the intake as in the MiG-29.
Or....you could maintain your runways. Seems cheaper and easier to sweep the runway then design debris doors into your fighter that you have to spend time and money maintaining.
@@kdrapertrucker Oh yes! Indeed! But...I wonder,could it be that the Russians even with their inferior mentality when compared to all of the western geniuses might be thinking that those runways wouldn't be so easy to maintain in times of conflict? Surely not!
@@orlandoventor1754 No no! The Ruskies are dumb barbarians that built systems to actually work in a conflict!
You must put yourself into the NPC state when on RUclips, especially channels like this.
No independent thought processes are allowed.
When it comes to unimproved airfields - i've read an interview with Russian offices and he stated there ia a big difference in this regard between Su-27/35 fighters which are delicate, requiring clean maintained airstrips and MiG-29 which was rugged and could takeoff and land from basically any hardened spot like Su-25.
Could fire missiles backwards, was an amazing aircraft. Ahead of its time. If the USSR continued their upcoming aircraft would have been crazy, yak-141, 1.44, the Sukhois would have entered service earlier and in greater numbers.
I for one salute our new algorithmic overlords
NATO missed the opportunity to call it the 1.44 Floppy …
Sooorry, I see myself out!
I used to read about this one in some aircraft encyclopedia. I understand way more about this prototype now. Thank you.
One of my favourite “what if” aircraft. I’ve been dying to get my hands on a diecast model or a prebuilt and painted kit model but sadly I haven’t come across any of these to add to my collection
Zvezda make a 1/72 version, calling it the MiG 1.44...hth
@@svartmetall yeah it’s a model kit. I’m the world’s worst painter and don’t really have the time to learn to become better. If you feel like building and painting it for me let me know :D
@@mustang5132 You can try e bay, sometimes there are some modelers who sell built and painted models.
@@Zorglub1966 yeah I’ve checked on there and my country’s version of eBay. I’ve gotten quite a few models I couldn’t have found otherwise like this but this one still hasn’t popped up. If you ever stumble upon it, please do let me know in this comment :)
That was a fine looking plane, I'd love to have seen what it was really capable of doing
No, you wouldnt.....
That is definitely one I've never heard of.
People may say it wasn't stealthy but there is stealth everywhere you look. The overall design approach was for a blend of continuous curvature and 0 90° rather than hard angles only. It would preserve the aerodynamic capabilities that 5th generation aircraft typically lose with the hard angles. None of the hard angles on the aircraft are actually 90° either. Different philosophy.
"Sounds Swedish"
🤣🤣
Love your work, thanks again :)
You could see it in action in Command and Conquer General game.
WE DEFEND CHINA'S AIRSPACE!
This thing looks as stealthy as whoopie goldberg at an all-you-can-eat buffet at a Klan meeting.
Such a great looking jet. Imagine if they actually put it into service.
Clint Eastwood made a movie in the eighties where he plays an American pilot who speaks Russian and he is chosen to steal the soviet Foxfire (based on MiG/1.42) which is controlled by the pilots THOUGHTS. Since Clint's character speaks Russian he can think in Russian and the advanced helmet follows his thoughts. It's as nuts as it sounds. I'm a MiG 15 fan, also a Sabre fan.
I think that movie is better known than you think buddy :)
Called firefox
One of my favorite movies !
@@ozzy7763 Clint makes insane stories sound and look good.
“Think Russian.”
Beautiful plane
Thank you Ed, that is fantastic content again!
The MiG-21 was an interceptor and it would work well today if it had them in good condition with a little element, but what was missing the MiG-21 was that it was not able to easily and quickly change direction and radar of course. And MiG 1.42 -44 was quite a logical solution so there is no doubt whose design this is. It's enough to look at the back of the plane of course we have 2 engines here.
The Chinese later copied the design and stuck Napalm missiles on it.
God I miss C&C. TD through C&C3 all deserve AOE2 Definitive Edition-quality remasters.
C&C:Generals was awesome.👍
Its zero hour reference?
You thought that's a joke and a C&C Generals reference but look at J-20...
Wonder if it comes with napalm missiles
That reference threw me down nostalgia lane. Good Times.
Flat pack from MFI was a thing in the UK until 2010
I think in the end, the engineers at TsAGI figured out that the radar cross signature of the MiG design was not really that great. As such, Sukhoi started over again with a better design that became the Su-57.
@@DIREWOLFx75 I think the success in selling the Su-27/33/35 proved crucial in the Russian Air Force selecting what became the Su-57. With a little more development, the Su-57 could be a truly phenomenal fighter.
@@DIREWOLFx75 I believe that if it did went through to service it will probably around the same level as the Eurofighter at least at the time.
Su-57 is not stealthy at all, it is low observable like the F/A-18 E/F super hornet.
@@kdrapertrucker The Su-57 has internal weapons bay. The Super Hornet does not.
@@kdrapertrucker source? "aviation geek club" lol. no official sources, only baseless claims backed by lies
Brill as ever. Just read your book.... highly recommended.
A great video about an airplane I knew very little about.Have a good one Mr.Ed.
Thank you Ed.....
Shoe🇺🇸
People should keep in mind that the MiG 1.44 was a technology demonstrator and would have undergone many changes before entering production. Also, it wasn't supposed to be a 5 Gen aircraft, but a heavy 4++ that would reduce the gap between the F22 and the Soviet Air force. A sort of very maneuverable MiG-25 or heavy Typhoon, with some stealthy features but NOT a stealth fighter.
Wtf? It was not meant to be anything like MiG25 interceptor.
@@TheGrindcorps I meant "a very maneuverable MiG-31 of sorts".
It was fun to play in Ace Combat 5
It must have been seen as a bit of a joke to call the MFI the Flatpack😉
A very commonly misquoted detail: the MFI was actually Project 1.42 (NATO codename Foxglove). Project 1.44 (Flatpack) was the tecnology demonstrator. Though the two are very similar, 1.42 was the end product. Think of it like the difference between the JSF X-35 and the F-35A.
2:20 That would be Su-47 Berkut not Mig- 1.44.
Out of the two Berkut was selected and it was supposed to go on and have a lot more modifications. But USSR collapsed.
Never knew about this aircraft, thanks for the video!
Awesome thanks 👍
I would take this plane over any su27 30 35's. This was the best of all worlds!! This plane just like the Yak 141 came out at the wrong time!
Always wary of wonder designs that never have to undergo the rigours of actual service life.
Great video, Ed...👍
From the 1/4 view, it looks like it is made of nothing but radar traps. The boundary splitter alone...... ouch.
Ikr lol. When he said it was designed with stealth in mind, I was like "What???". As the old saying goes: there are 4 steps to rcs reduction, shape, shape, shape, and materials. I think they skipped some steps 😂
Brilliant video mate.
The Chinese got some good use of these aircraft in the War on Terror, so I won't exactly call it a forgotten aircraft.
Who remembers this from the game JetFighter Full Burn from 1998?
A single look at the Mig 1.44 prototype shows that it isn't even a little bit stealth. That gap between airintake and fuselage alone creates a bigger radar return than the entire F-22. And let's not even get started on the fact that it was put together with rivets.
All that Jazz indeed!
As I was watching this video Ed, I couldn't help but feel as though I'd seen this plane somewhere before. Am I looking at the real-life inspiration for the movie that starred Clint Eastwood called Firefox?
As the movie came out in 1982 (IIRC), maybe the Soviets decided to "copy paste" the Hollywood design! ;)
Ever play C&C Generals?
Soviet collapse was no excuse for aiming low, or making ugly aircraft. 👍
3:40 "was to integrate stealth characteristics" with plenty of 90-degree angles 🤣
Yeah...they dont seem to have got the memo on that.
There is no way this design can be made stealthy.
Adding a bomb bay would have dramatically change aerodynamics, leading to a very different aircraft, to start with.
Then, engine lips would have required an extensive redesign.
And many parts would have had to be replaced by composite or radar absorbent materials.
This aircraft is not even a demonstrator, in that respect.
Also, to the air force, I think it's safe to say they allocated a new codename to a new model just in case it'll go online for active service. Better play it safe than sorry
There was a counterpart in the Sukhoi bureau; S-37 Berkut...
I'm not sure it would be successfull or not, but it looked SO much better than Su-57. But Soviet Union had incomparably greater resources, industry and engineering base than Russia. My brother had small photo of 1.44, cut from newspaper, when he was a kid.
The EuralFighter.
Is this a wind-up? 'flatpack' part of the MFI program?
Well the idea got to the “Jet Fighter” pc games as the MIG-42 “Foxglove”. Unfortunately the Russian government in real life cancelled this plane and went with the PAK-FA / SU-57.
It kooks much bigger when you see the pilot in it
Liked: "All that jazz".
Mig is very smart.
Wow, that’s a gorgeous plane! Not quite as gorgeous as the SU 57 though.
12 internal hardpoints? Where exactly were they going to cram those?
Low RCS with those intakes?
I have to express scepticism about how stealthy it would have been. I especially do not like the vertical stabilizers.
It was a dead end...there is a reason that design lost the PAK-FA contract to Su-57. Yak-41 was just tragic story and the program should have continued
I recollect having read that the 1.44 was to use some sort of aircraft enveloping magnetic shield to enhance stealth characteristics and that the factory could not get this to work properly.
Ah hellnaw i see this aircraft in CnC generals and thought its a real thing😭
Known about this one for many years. Interesting design, but ultimately a poor man's Eurofighter.
The soviets had some really good aircraft designers. They didn't need to copy our stuff, they just didn't have the technology to bring the designs to production. That's what they had to steal and reverse engineer.
1. It wasn't "ambitious".. 2. It wasn't "impossible. The issue with the 1.44 was that it came at the time of the dissolution of the USSR and arguable the worst period in Russian history, the early 90's. But the 00's, designs like the Su-47 and Su-57(PAK-FA) were either built or on the drawing board, which were far ahead of the 1.44 design. If the USSR lives on or the early Russian economy wasn't pimped out to the West by a select few oligarchs, then the plane would have been a powerful aircraft which would have been in production by the early 00's. Also, the J-20 using the 1.44 as a basis is not as far fetched as you'd made it out to be, since it is known that many MiG engineers helped China develop the J-20 program.
I remembered this plane and the Su-47 as the Russian attempts at a post-4th gen fighter before settling on the more practical Su-35.
Did anything ever come of the “plasma stealth” claims?
Never heard anything about the"Plasma Stealth" thing.
But most likely it's the propose fighters ECM/EW suites along with it's Stealth Coating. I dunno, that's the only thing I can think of that is close to how it would work.
Looks like it has the rcs of an airliner.
LOL but the Chengdu J-10 may also be derived from the cancelled Israeli fighter IAI Lavi and design/technology aspects from other Westsern fighters like the F-16, Saab Viggen...
Literally has nothing to do with any of these
Nice!
It looks like an inedible fish.
I would have thought it were much more likely that the J-10 was influenced by the MiG-1.44 (than the J-20) seeing as it shares mostly the same configuration.
J10 development started from the 70s dude, 10years earlier than the mig. before that there was J9, which was a twin engine delta design. truth is everybody started using delta since the 70s due to its supersonic performance. rafale, typhoon. the copy theory is getting ridiculous, how do you copy something that comes out later than you?
Oooh, mini Firefox!
If they paint it black and call it Firefox that would be cool
اعتقد ان الثعلب النارى الروسى fire fox هو من هذه الطائرة وان روسيا ستندم على عدم إكمال تصنيع وتحديث 1.44الى ميج 35 الثعلب النارى
F-22A flying footage : "from USAF"
Ah sorry man, I thought it was USMC, I almost got excited
Sure, a Marine F/A-18 could be recording it.
Good job sir . Thank you
Where would the radar have fitted? thats a very pointed nose. Also massive radar trap between the air intakes and the body of the aircraft presumably as they hadnt solved the issue of body air.
The Cold War never ended. It changed shape as the Soviet Union dissolved, but it didn't end. We still have adversaries with nuclear weapons, and people haven't changed.
MFI... ah so that is why it was called the "Flat Pack" then ?
Nice if I declare my house as an independent micronation I will be able to assemble my own jet fighter airforce even on a ham sammich defense budget
She's not the prettiest plane I've ever seen, but I think that foot print scaled up to make a super sonic STOL light transport or platform for launching anti-ship or medium range cruise missiles or cratering bombs (designed to take out roads or airfields) might have been an interesting idea as a vehicle to do a lot of dirty work kinda like the old World War II light fighter bombers did.. At least in an age before drone, as well those are cheaper to operate and maintain.
I'm not sure you could take out a Escort Destroyer or a Helicopter Carrier with one mind which you could do with a light-medium super sonic missile platform . Has anyone ever thought about using a jet to drop Torpedoes that might be an idea too. So I like the ideas it inspires more than the thing itself that looks more like an F-15 XL wannabe to me than an F-22 wannabe. It's kinda cute though in a 'the prettiest girl at the tractor factory' kinda way.
Is it just me or does this interesting plane bear *more* than a passing resemblance to the just as ill fated Ye-8?
The USSR has finished researching kitbash technology.
A few moments later.
The USSR has begun kitbashing Mig-29 and EF-2000 Typhoon.
Install good radar systems to detect Us possible platforms
J 10 must come from this MiG 1.44
Even for its time, its construction looked to be 10-15 years behind.
Course riveting and a general design, that was mostly based on the 70's.
It looks like an entirely different plane, depending on which angle you view it from. Like an F-22 from a top angle and an F-15 from the side.
Just one look at it and I can say there no way it had very good radar masking capabilities. This was no Stealth fighter.
I mean how can you tell? The Rafale supposed had the best stealthy characteristics among 3.5 gen fighters, yet it looks more like MiG 1.44 than most other aircraft of its class.
Why dose the design remind me of the j20
Like the Commanche, this had a longer service life as a video game vehicle, in this case, C&C Generals.
Also some Ace Combat games
2:38 "Sounds Swedish" LOL
If this was the Russian answer to the F-22, then Russian design bureaus have their work cut out for them.
supercruise at supersonic speeds... damn. double supersonic 😅
2:35-39 Name that show