Ye-5

The Ye‑5 was an experimental Soviet fighter developed by the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG in the late 1930s as part of the Ye series of prototype designs that ultimately led to the famous MiG‑1 and MiG‑3. Designed by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich, the Ye‑5 first flew in early 1939 at the Khodynka aerodrome. It incorporated a low‑wing monoplane layout, an all‑metal stressed‑skin fuselage and a single Klimov M-105 V‑12 engine delivering roughly 1,040 horsepower. Compared with earlier Ye‑4 attempts, the Ye‑5 featured a revised wing planform with greater span and a more compact empennage, which improved roll rate and high‑altitude performance. Armament provisions included two synchronized 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns and a provision for optional 12.7 mm Berezin BS cannon mounts. Although only a handful of prototypes were built and the type never entered mass production, the Ye‑5 served as a critical testbed for aerodynamic refinements, cooling system layouts and cockpit ergonomics that directly influenced the subsequent MiG‑1 series. Its development demonstrated MiG’s rapid evolution from wooden biplanes to sleek, all‑metal fighters, marking a pivotal step in Soviet aviation that helped shape air combat doctrine on the Eastern Front during World War II.