Acompact fighter with variable sweep wings. The MiG-23 combined good performance with rough-field operation. First Soviet mass-produced fighter equipped with Doppler-Pulse radar, providing look down - shoot down capability. Originally developed as a front line fighter fifth strike capability, but later more specialized interceptor versions MiG-23P/MLD appeared, as well as ground attack MiG-23B version, developed later into a MiG-27 "Ducknose".
There was a bizzare story when MiG-23 pilot was ejected on takeoff (by mistake he indicated an engine failure), and abandoned fighter crossed the Europe from Poland to Holland. Then it run out of fuel and crashed into small house killing one person... There was a photo in Soviet newspapers, where destroyed house is shown with MiG’s tail on top of it. So, fly MiG’s, folks! You’ll get far. And high, sure.
The world most built fighter of the third generation - more than 5000 built in 1969-1983. The interceptor versions MiG-23P and MiG-23MLD are used now mostly as a transition trainers between the L-39 primary trainer to fourth generation fighters like MiG-31 and Su-27. Many transferred to storage.
| Technical Data | Photos |
| Role | Jet fighter-bomber | | Crew, prs | 1 | | Ceiling, m | 18,600 | | Range with max.payload, km | 960 | | Range with max.fuel, km | 3,000 | | Max speed, kmph | 2,500 | | Empty mass, kg | 11,000 | | Maximum take-off mass, kg | 18,000 | | Wing area, m2 | 27.3 | | Wingspan, m | 8.2-14.3 | | Lenght, m | 16.8 | | Engines | Tumanski R-29, 120.2kN | | Payload Capacity, kg | 2,000 | | 
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