Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-8

The Mikoyan‑Gurevich MiG‑8, often called the ‘Tattoo’, was a Soviet experimental aircraft built by the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG in the late 1940s. First flown on 5 September 1947, the low‑wing, wooden‑frame monoplane served as a testbed for novel aerodynamic concepts, chiefly the laminar‑flow wing and pusher‑propeller layout. Its airframe combined a compact fuselage with a single Shvetsov M-11 radial engine mounted at the rear, driving a two‑blade fixed‑pitch propeller. The MiG‑8 featured a pronounced shoulder‑mounted wing of 12.5 m span, high aspect ratio, and carefully faired surfaces to minimise drag. Though only two prototypes were constructed, the aircraft yielded valuable data on stability, control, and pilot visibility that directly influenced the design of later Soviet fighters such as the MiG‑15 and MiG‑17. The distinctive “tailless” appearance and pusher configuration also provided insights into unconventional layouts later revisited in experimental jet projects. In aviation history, the MiG‑8 is remembered as a pivotal stepping stone in the transition from piston‑engine trainers to high‑performance jet fighters, demonstrating MiG’s willingness to explore radical ideas that shaped Cold‑War aeronautics. Although it never entered production, the MiG‑8’s experimental results contributed to aerodynamic research programs throughout the 1950s and affirmed MiG’s reputation for innovative design.

Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-8

Classification

Production & History

Design & Classification