Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG
Mikoyan-Gurevich I-350
The Mikoyan‑Gurevich I‑350 was a Soviet prototype interceptor developed by the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG in the early 1950s as a response to the growing need for a high‑altitude, supersonic defender of the airspace. Design work began in 1952, and the first flight took place on 23 June 1955 from the test fields near Zhukovsky. Although only three airframes were completed and the program was cancelled in 1957, the I‑350 left a lasting imprint on Soviet aeronautical engineering.
Key features included a thin, 55‑degree swept wing, a twin‑boom tail configuration, and an after‑burning Klimov VK‑3 turbofan that propelled the aircraft beyond Mach 1.2 at altitude. The prototype incorporated an early pulse‑Doppler radar, a fully pressurised cockpit, and a weapons suite of two 30 mm cannons with provision for air‑to‑air rockets. Its airframe employed new aluminium‑lithium alloys and honey‑comb panels, reducing weight while enhancing structural rigidity.
The I‑350’s experimental data directly informed the design of later MiG fighters, most notably the MiG‑21, helping to establish the swept‑wing, single‑engine jet doctrine that defined Soviet combat aviation for decades. Its brief existence demonstrated the USSR’s rapid transition from subsonic to supersonic technology and underscored MiG’s pivotal role in advancing Cold‑War air defence capabilities.
Key features included a thin, 55‑degree swept wing, a twin‑boom tail configuration, and an after‑burning Klimov VK‑3 turbofan that propelled the aircraft beyond Mach 1.2 at altitude. The prototype incorporated an early pulse‑Doppler radar, a fully pressurised cockpit, and a weapons suite of two 30 mm cannons with provision for air‑to‑air rockets. Its airframe employed new aluminium‑lithium alloys and honey‑comb panels, reducing weight while enhancing structural rigidity.
The I‑350’s experimental data directly informed the design of later MiG fighters, most notably the MiG‑21, helping to establish the swept‑wing, single‑engine jet doctrine that defined Soviet combat aviation for decades. Its brief existence demonstrated the USSR’s rapid transition from subsonic to supersonic technology and underscored MiG’s pivotal role in advancing Cold‑War air defence capabilities.
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Classification
Production & History
- Units Produced
- 1
- First Flight
- 1951
Design & Classification
- Country of Origin
- Manufacturer
- Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG
- Developer
- Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG
- Wikidata ID
- Q1933758