Evaluation of MiG-21 By USAF
Video from the channel Steve Pribish about Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 2:00. Language: English. Video type: Archive footage.
Excerpt from a United States Air Force film in which an evaluation pilot summarizes the performance of a MiG-21 flown in tests. The aircraft reaches Mach 2 at altitude and is limited to 595 knots below 16,000 feet and 640 above. It sustains more than 6 g at around 500 knots at 15,000 feet, loses a lot of speed in tight turns below 400 knots, and remains maneuverable down to 120 knots.
The recording does not specify the date or location of filming.
The pilot points to that weakness as an advantage for friendly aircraft. He also highlights the MiG-21's simplicity and reliability: over 100 flights, sometimes three a day with 30-minute turnarounds, only tires, brakes and the oil filter were changed, at flight 50, and there were three minor electrical faults in the EGT system.