Hobby Master HA6511a | MIG-29A Fulcrum Strizhi Aerobatic Team No 31, Russian Air Force, 2019

General Background:

The MiG-29 is a twin-engine supersonic fourth generation air superiority jet fighter developed in
the Soviet Union in the 1970’s. The aircraft entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1983 and still is in use with them  as well as equipping over twenty four other countries over the years. The NATO designation for the MiG-29 is Fulcrum and it was designed to counter the American F-16
and F-18. The MiG-29 was first seen in the West in 1986. The MiG-29 (9-13) is designated the
Fulcrum C.

The  Aircraft:

In 1991 the Russian Aerobatic Team the Strizhi (Swifts), performed their first demonstration when
they visited Sweden’s Uppsala airbase. MiG-29 31 Blue c/n 29607729380 was produced in 1990
and became part of the team. The Strizhi members are made up of pilots from the 237th Guards
Proskurov Aircraft Demonstration Centre based in Kubinka Air Base. When not flying with the
demo team, these pilots are fighter training instructors. In 2019 the Strizhi flew at the Aviamiks Air
Show, MAKS-2019 Moscow International Airshow and normally about 50 per year.

General Specifications Mig-29

Manufacturer – Mikoyan Gurevich

Role – Supersonic Multi-Role Jet Fighter

Entered Service – 1983

Production All Variants – 1,600 +

Crew – 1


Dimensions
Length – 17.32 m   (56 ft 10 in)
Wingspan – 11.36 m   (37 ft 3 in0
Height – 4.73 m   (15 ft 6 in)

Weight
Empty – 11,000 kg   (24,250 lb)
Loaded – 14,900 kg   (33,730 lb)
Maximum Takeoff – 18,000 kg   (44,100 lb)

Performance
Powerplants – 2 X Klimov RD-33 Afterburning Turbofans Each Producing 81.59 kN   (18,342 lbf)
Maximum Speed
@ Altitude – Mach 2.25   (2,400 km/h)   (1,490 mph)
Range – 1,430 km   (888 mi)   (772 nmi)  With Maximum Internal Fuel
Service Ceiling – 18,000 m   (59,100 ft)
Rate-Of Climb – 330 m/s   (65,000 ft/min)
Ferry Range – 2,100 km   ((1,300 mi)   (1,130 nmi ) With 1 Drop Tank

Armament
Gun – 1 X 30 mm Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1 Auto-Cannon W/150 Rounds
Hardpoints – 7 X (6 Under-Wing, 1 Fuselage Capable Of Carrying Up To 4,000 kg   (8,800 lb) Of
Various Weapons
Rockets
S-5
S-8
S-24
Missiles
2 X R-27R/ER/T/ET/P Air-To-Air
4 X R-60 AAMs
4 X R-73 AAMs
Bombs
6 X 665 kg   (1,466 lb) Bombs