MiG I-222

The MiG I‑222 was a prototype twin‑engine fighter‑bomber conceived by Artem Mikoyan’s design bureau in the early 1940s. Developed as a heavier complement to the successful MiG‑3, the I‑222 first flew in September 1943 and represented an attempt to combine high speed, long range and a sizable internal weapons load. Its airframe was of all‑metal construction with a low‑set, laminar‑flow wing and a semi‑monocoque fuselage that housed two Klimov VK‑105P V‑12 engines mounted in nacelles beneath the wings. The powerplants delivered 1,200 hp each, allowing a maximum speed of 680 km/h at altitude and a service ceiling of 12,000 meters. Armament comprised three 20 mm Sh-20 cannons and provisions for up to 500 kg of bombs or rockets under the wings. Although flight testing demonstrated respectable performance, the I‑222 suffered from engine overheating and structural vibration, problems that could not be resolved before the end of World II. Consequently, the project was cancelled in 1945. Nevertheless, the aircraft provided valuable data on twin‑engine fighter design, influencing later Soviet types such as the MiG‑15 and the jet‑powered MiG‑17, and it marked an important step in Mikoyan’s transition from piston‑engine to jet propulsion.

Artem Mikoyan

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Design & Classification