Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19

MiG-19
Role	Fighter aircraft
National origin	Soviet Union
Manufacturer	Mikoyan-Gurevich
First flight	27 May 1952
Introduction	March 1955
Status	Retired
Primary users	Soviet Air Forces (historical) People's Liberation Army Air Force (historical)
Number built	2,172 (excluding production in China)
Developed from	Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17
Variants	Shenyang J-6 Nanchang Q-5

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-19; NATO reporting name: Farmer) is a Soviet second generation, single-seat, twin jet-engined fighter aircraft. It was the first Soviet production aircraft capable of supersonic speeds in level flight. A comparable U.S. "Century Series" fighter was the North American F-100 Super Sabre, although the MiG-19 would primarily oppose the more modern McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II and Republic F-105 Thunderchief over North Vietnam.

Design and development[edit]

On 20 April 1951, OKB-155 was given the order to develop the MiG-17 into a new fighter called "I-340", which was to be powered by two Mikulin AM-5 non-after-burning jet engines (a scaled-down version of the Mikulin AM-3) delivering 19.6 kN (4,400 lbf) of thrust. The I-340 was supposed to attain 1,160 km/h (630 kn; 720 mph) (Mach 1) at 2,000 m (6,600 ft), 1,090 km/h (590 kn; 680 mph) (Mach 0.97) at 10,000 m (33,000 ft), climb to 10,000 m (33,000 ft) in 2.9 minutes, and have a service ceiling of no less than 17,500 m (57,400 ft). The new fighter, internally designated "SM-1", was designed around the "SI-02" airframe (a MiG-17 prototype) modified to accept two engines in a side-by-side arrangement and was completed in March 1952.

The I-340 suffered from poor cockpit pressurization and the engines proved temperamental with frequent flameouts and surges with rapid throttle movements. The engines were upgraded to the AM-5A standard delivering 21.1 kN (4,700 lbf) of thrust each, which exceeded the power output of the Klimov VK-1F in afterburner while providing better fuel economy. The SM-1 was barely supersonic, reaching 1,193 km/h (644 kn; 741 mph) at 5,000 m (16,000 ft) (Mach 1.03). This performance was deemed insufficient for the new supersonic fighter and an after-burning version of the engine, the AM-5F, was proposed. While not implemented, the AM-5F served as the basis for the Tumansky RD-9 which powered production aircraft. Further development of the twin-engine concept resulted in a government request for the "I-360", internally designated "SM-2", powered by the AM-5F engines, but featured a highly swept wing.

The I-360 (SM-2), built in 1952, had 1.6 m (5.2 ft) longer fuselage, wingspan reduced to 9.04 m (29.7 ft), and weight increased to 6,802 kg (14,996 lb) and a new 55° sweep wing. The Nudelman N-37D cannon were moved to the wing roots to open space in a nose for the radar. Cockpit and landing gear were redesigned and a vertical stabilizer of increased area mounting a T-tail was fitted. In April 1952 the first prototype was sent to the Letno-Issledovatel'skiy Institut (en:flight research institute) (LII), flying for the first time on 27 May 1952 by G. A. Sedov. It was immediately clear that the AM-5A engines were not powerful enough, and they were replaced with AM-5F delivering 21.09–26.49 kN (4,740–5,960 lbf) (dry – wet), allowing a maximum speed of M=1.19 in horizontal flight. Flight testing prompted modifications to the air-brakes and control surfaces, re-designated as the SM-2A and after further modifications the prototype was re-designated again as the SM-2B.

The second prototype, SM-2/2 introduced horizontal stabilizers mounted on the upper rear fuselage and guns with shorter barrels. However the AM-5F engine was still not considered powerful enough, and both prototypes received yet more powerful 25.5–31.9 kN (5,700–7,200 lbf) (dry – wet) Mikulin AM-5B engines. Production versions of the AM-5 (Tumansky RD-9) were re-designated RD-9B and the SM-2B was re-designated SM-9/1 when these engines were fitted, effectively becoming the prototype of the MiG-19 series, flying for the first time on 5 January 1954, piloted by G. A. Sedov, making a total of 132 flights. Final changes included a modified air intake, new 23 mm (0.906 in) Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 guns with 340 rpg, RSIU-3M "Klen" radio, "Uzel-1" transponder, and SRDM-1M "Konus" radio-rangefinder.

Initial enthusiasm for the aircraft was dampened by several problems, the most alarming inherited from MiG-15/MiG-17 was the danger of mid-air tank implosions when more than half of the fuel had been used—the leaking fuel of the crushed fuselage fuel tanks located between the engines would then ignite, leading to a fatal explosion.^{[citation needed]} Furthermore, deployment of air-brakes at high speeds caused a high-g pitch-up, elevators lacked authority at supersonic speeds, and the aircraft possessed a high landing speed of 230 km/h (120 kn; 140 mph). Absence of a two-seat trainer version slowed pilot transition to the type. Handling problems were addressed with the second prototype, SM-9/2, which added a third ventral air-brake and introduced all-moving tail-planes with a damper to prevent pilot-induced oscillations (PIO) at subsonic speeds, flying for the first time on 16 September 1954, and entering initial production as the MiG-19.

The Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union issued an order #286-133 to start serial production on 17 February 1954 at factories in Gorkiy and Novosibirsk. Factory trials were completed on 12 September 1954, and government trials started on 30 September. Problems with the initial production MiG-19, were addressed in the SM-9/3 prototype which presaged the MiG-19S production version, which supplanted the initial MiG-19 in production at Gorkiy and Novosibirsk from June 1956.

Approximately 5,500 MiG-19s of all versions were produced, in the USSR, Czechoslovakia as the Aero S-105 and People's Republic of China as the Shenyang J-6. The aircraft saw service with a number of other national air forces, including those of Cuba, North Vietnam, Egypt, Pakistan, and North Korea. The aircraft saw combat during the Vietnam War, the 1967 Six-Day War, and the 1971 Bangladesh War.

All Soviet-built MiG-19 variants were single-seaters only, although the Chinese developed the Shenyang JJ-6 trainer version of the Shenyang J-6. With stabilization problems and "numerous crashes", the Russians had lost faith in the MiG-19, and moved on to the newly emerging MiG-21.^[1]

The J-6 remained a staple of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) until the 1980s and has also been developed into the Nanchang Q-5 (NATO reporting name "Fantan") attack aircraft. Despite its age, the MiG-19 and its descendants exhibit good handling characteristics at low altitude and a surprisingly high rate of climb, and their heavy cannon armament, (a one-second burst from three 30 mm (1.181 in) Nudelman-Rikhter NR-30 cannon had a total projectile mass of 18 kg (40 lb) making the MiG-19 a formidable adversary in close combat.

Russian built MiG-19s were still in service in North Korea and Zambia as of 2014^[update].

Operational history[edit]

During their service with Soviet Anti-Air Defense and in East Germany, MiG-19s were involved in multiple interceptions of Western reconnaissance aircraft. The first documented encounter with a Lockheed U-2 took place in the autumn of 1957. The MiG-19 pilot reported seeing the aircraft, but could not make up the 2,234 m (7,000 ft) difference in altitude. When Francis Gary Powers's U-2 was shot down in the 1960 incident, one pursuing MiG-19P was also hit by the salvo of S-75 Dvina (NATO: SA-2 "Guideline") missiles, killing the pilot Sergei Safronov. In a highly controversial incident, on 1 July 1960, a MiG-19 shot down an RB-47H (S/N 53-4281) reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the Arctic Circle with four of the crew killed and two captured by the Soviets (they were released in 1961). In another incident, on 28 January 1964, a MiG-19 shot down a T-39 Sabreliner which had strayed into East German airspace while on a training mission; all three crewmembers were killed.

Vietnam War[edit]

Hanoi decided in early 1969 to strengthen its air defenses by creating a third jet fighter unit; the 925th Fighter Regiment. This unit would consist of late model MiG-17s and the newly acquired MiG-19s (nearly all of which were Shenyang J-6s from the People's Republic of China (PRC)). The regiment was established at Yen Bai, and by April 1969, nine combat-rated MiG-19 pilots were posted for combat duty. While some of North Vietnam's MiG-17s and all of their MiG-21s were supplied by the Soviet Union, the MiG-19s (J-6 models) were supplied by the PRC, which seldom exceeded 54 MiG-19s in number.^[2]

The first use and loss of a U.S. fighter to a MiG-19 (J-6) was in 1965 when a USAF Lockheed F-104 Starfighter piloted by Captain Philip E. Smith was attacked by a PLAAF aircraft over Hainan Island. His Starfighter took cannon fire which damaged a portion of his wing and missile mount. Smith gave chase and did receive missile tone on the MiG but, within a millisecond of pressing his missile firing button, his Starfighter lost all power. He ejected and was captured. Smith was held prisoner until released on 15 March 1973, due to improving US-China relations following U.S. President Richard Nixon's visit to China in 1972.^[3][4]

The Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) began receiving the MiG-19 at the end of Operation Rolling Thunder, which ended in 1968. Despite their limited numbers, MiG-19s were involved in extensive combat during Operations Linebacker and Linebacker 2. The VPAF claimed only seven victories over U.S. aircraft, using the MiG-19, all of which were F-4 Phantom IIs.^[5] The MiG-19 was tested by U.S. pilots in the United States in 1969 after receiving a Chinese J-6 (F-6 exported model) from Pakistan.^{[N 1][6]} In addition to finding the aircraft to have a good canopy allowing good visibility for the pilot, along with three hard hitting 30mm cannons, U.S. pilots found the MiG-19 (J6/F6) to be an excellent fighter, "like the MiG-17, it could easily out-turn the Phantom...and could out-accelerate the F-4 out to Mach 1.2, but was slower than the MiG-21.".^[7] However, the MiG-19's strongest fault was its extremely short range, as one U.S. test pilot remarked, "after going in full after-burner at low altitude for five minutes, the MiG driver will be looking for a place to land!"^[8] This, combined with the aircraft's twin engines, which were difficult to maintain, made the MiG-19 unpopular with North Vietnamese pilots.^[9]

VPAF and Chinese air-to-air kills; all six with 30 mm cannon.

MiG-19/J-6 Aerial combat victories in the Vietnam War 1965-1972^[10][11]

Date	MiG-19 unit	Aircraft destroyed	Destroyed aircraft unit/comments
9-20-1965	Unknown	F-104C Starfighter	USAF 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron/Downed by Chinese MiGs.[12][13]
8-21-1967	Unknown	(2) A-6 Intruders	USN VA-196/Downed by Chinese MiGs[14]
5-10-1972	925th Fighter Regiment (FR)	F-4D Phantom II	USAF 555th TFS
5-10-1972	925th FR	F-4E	USAF 58th TFS
5-18-1972	925th FR	F-4D	USAF 421st TFS

The MiG-19 lacked mounts for air-to-air missiles but it had the one advantage over the early model F-4 Phantom II: it was armed with a cannon. VPAF MiG-19s had three 30 mm cannons which "were notable for their large muzzle flash"^[15] when fired. The aircraft were loaded with 90 rounds per cannon, giving approximately six seconds of firing time. A single two second burst of 90 shells could impact a U.S. aircraft with 81 lb (37 kg) of metal.^[16] This contrasted to a U.S. 20 mm cannon such as the Vulcan which would deliver 39 pounds of metal.^[17]

U.S. claimed 10 VPAF MiG-19s were lost in aerial combat. On 2 June 1972 a MiG-19 was the first recorded jet fighter to be shot down in aerial combat by cannon fire at supersonic speeds,^[18] by a USAF F-4 Phantom flown by Phil Handley. The VPAF claimed 12 enemy aircraft were shot down by MiG-19s^[19], at a cost 8 MiG-19s were lost in air combat^[20]

China[edit]

The MiG-19 was in front line service with the PLAAF, and saw limited combat against the Nationalist Republic of China Air Force. One major air battle between Communist and Nationalist Chinese aircraft occurred in 1967, with 12 J-6s taking on four Lockheed F-104 Starfighters. Each side claimed one kill.

Reports surfaced of PLAAF J-6s flying combat missions during infrequent border squabbles with the Soviets, though with no records of dogfights, and encounters during the Vietnam War with U.S. aircraft that strayed into Chinese airspace. These confrontations resulted in a few losses of U.S. aircraft, with no recorded losses of Chinese aircraft, although the MiGs made hasty retreats back into the safety of Chinese airspace before the Americans could respond with reinforcements.

Middle East[edit]

In 1962, Egyptian MiG-19s saw some action in the ground-attack role during the civil war in Yemen that took place during the early 1960s. The first reported air combat in the Middle East with the MiG-19 happened on 29 November 1966 when an Israeli Air Force (IAF) Dassault Mirage III shot down two Egyptian MiG-19s which were trying to intercept an Israeli reconnaissance Piper J-3 Cub in Israeli airspace. The first MiG was destroyed with a R.530 radar guided missile fired from less than a mile away, marking the first aerial kill for the French made missile. The second MiG-19 was dispatched with cannon fire.^[21] Around 80 MiG-19s were in service with Egypt during the Six-Day War in June 1967, but more than half were destroyed on the ground during the opening Israeli airstrikes of Operation Focus. Israeli pilots, however, did find the MiG-19 a potentially dangerous adversary because of its performance, maneuverability, and heavy armament.

Following the war, the Egyptians organized the surviving MiG-19 aircraft and assigned them air defense tasks of Egypt's interior. The Soviet Union did not supply Egypt with any replacement of the MiG-19s destroyed in the Six Day War, but Egypt might have received some from Syria and Iraq, so that by the end of 1968 there were 80+ MiG-19s in service with the Egyptian Air Force. The aircraft also saw combat during the War of Attrition; in one engagement on 19 May 1969, a MiG-19 aircraft engaged two Israeli Mirages, shooting down one with cannon fire while the other escaped.^[22] Egypt had around 60 Mig-19s in service during the Yom Kippur War of 1973 in which they served as close air support aircraft.

Iraq obtained some MiG-19S fighters in the early 1960s, but later sold most of them (a couple remaining in local museums), though a few remaining airframes did see some action against the Kurds in the 1960s. Iran acquired its own batch of Chinese J-6s, with 100 airframes being delivered between 1980 and 1987. ^[23]

Pakistan/India War 1971[edit]

The Chinese F-6 was inducted into the Pakistan Air Force PAF in 1970. Three operational F-6 squadrons were used extensively and effectively against Indian Air Force as well as providing ground support to Pakistan Army. Pakistani F-6s scored air to air kills on the enemy using gunfire as well as Aim9B Sidewinders, that were modified to be carried under wing stations.^{[citation needed]}

Horn of Africa[edit]

In the Horn of Africa, the Somali Armed Forces flew the F-6 against the Ethiopian National Defense Force during the Ogaden campaign. The SAF also used the aircraft against rebel positions in the late 1980s.

Nile Valley[edit]

In the Nile Valley, Sudan used its MiG-19S fighters against separatists in southern Sudan. At least one such aircraft was shot down.

African Great Lakes[edit]

In the African Great Lakes region, Tanzania flew MiG-19S fighters against Uganda during the war between the two states in 1978 and 1979.

Variants[edit]

Production aircraft designations[edit]

Data from::^[24]

MiG-19 (NATO reporting name - "Farmer-A"; OKB- SM-9/1)^[25]

First production version armed with three 23 mm NR-23 cannon.

MiG-19P (NATO - "Farmer-B"; OKB - SM-7)^[25]

Version equipped with RP-1 Izumrud radar in the nose and armed with two 23 mm NR-23 (later two 30 mm NR-30) cannons in the wings. Had provision for an unguided rocket pack under each wing, elongated tailfin fillet, all-moving tailplane, third airbrake added behind the ventral fin. Vympel K-13 (AA-2 'Atoll') air-to-air missile (AAM) capability was added late in its service life; entered production in 1955.

MiG-19PF

Single-seat radar-equipped, all-weather interceptor fighter aircraft; built in small numbers.

MiG-19PG

MiG-19P equipped with the Gorizont-1 ground control datalink.

MiG-19PM (NATO

"Farmer-E")

Variant with removed cannons, armed with four Kaliningrad K-5M (NATO: AA-1 "Alkali") beam-riding missiles. Entered production in 1957.

MiG-19PML

MiG-19PM with Lazur ground control datalink.

MiG-19PU

Rocket pack fit similar to MiG-19SU.

MiG-19PT

A single MiG-19P equipped to carry Vympel K-13 (NATO: AA-2 "Atoll") missiles.

MiG-19PU

MiG-19R

Reconnaissance version of the MiG-19S with cameras replacing the nose cannon and powered by uprated RD-9BF-1 engines.

MiG-19S (NATO - "Farmer-C"; OKB - SM-9/3)^[25]

Further development equipped with Svod long-range navigation receiver and armed with three 30 mm NR-30 cannons. Had provisions for an unguided rocket pack or a FAB-250 bomb under each wing; entered service in 1956.

MiG-19SF

Late production MiG-19S powered by the same uprated RD-9BF-1 engines as the MiG-19R.

MiG-19SV

High-altitude version for intercepting reconnaissance balloons, reached 20,740 m (68,040 ft) on 6 December 1956; entered service in 1956.

MiG-19SMK

two missile guidance testbeds for the K-10S cruise missile system.

MiG-19SVK

MiG-19SV with a new wing, small increase in altitude above MiG-19SV; did not warrant production.

MiG-19SU (OKB SM-50)^[25]

High-altitude version to intercept the Lockheed U-2, equipped with a self-contained liquid-fuel booster rocket pack; appears to have been abandoned because of inability to control the aircraft at very high altitudes and the aircraft's tendency to enter supersonic spins.

MiG-19M

Target drones converted from the MiG-19 and MiG-19S (M- mishen' - target.

SL-19

A research aircraft modified from a MiG-19 with a variable track / skid-base skid undercarriage (SL- samolyot-laboatoriya - aircraft laboratory).

M-19

an alternative designation for the MiG-19M

M-19M

an alternative designation for the MiG-19M

OKB designations[edit]

SM-6

Two MiG-19Ps converted to flying laboratories for testing the Grushin K-6 developmental AAM (intended for the Sukhoi T-3 jet fighter) and Almaz-3 radar.

SM-7

Three prototypes of the MiG-19P all-weather interceptor, (SM-7/1, SM-7/2 andSM-7/3), built concurrently with the SM-9 prototypes, exhibiting all the same failings.

SM-9/1

first prototype of the MiG-19 series, developed from the SM-2.

Sm-9/2

prototype of the initial MiG-19 production series.

Sm-9/3

prototype of the tactical fighter MiG-19S production series.

Sm-9/9

projected tactical nuclear strike version, abandoned due to poor performance estimates with the weapon loaded

SM-12

New fighter prototype, developed into the MiG-21; four aircraft built.

SM-20

Missile simulator for testing the Raduga Kh-20 (NATO: AS-3 "Kangaroo") cruise missile.

SM-30

Zero-length launch (ZeLL) version with PRD-22R short-duration burn booster rocket.

SM-50

:High-altitude version (MiG-19SU) to intercept the Lockheed U-2, equipped with a self-contained liquid-fuel booster rocket pack; appears to have been abandoned because of inability to control the aircraft at very high altitudes and the aircraft's tendency to enter supersonic spins.

SM-51

High-altitude experimental version, (MiG-19PU), fitted with a U-19 booster rocket.

SM-52

High-altitude experimental version, (MiG-19PU), fitted with a Sevrook re-usable booster rocket.

SM-K

Missile simulator for testing the Raduga K-10 (NATO: AS-2 "Kipper") cruise missile.

izdeliye designations[edit]

izdeliye 59

internal GAZ-21 (Gor'kiy) designation of the MiG-19 initial production series.

izdeliye 25

internal GAZ-153 (Novosibirsk) designation of the MiG-19 initial production series.

izdeliye 61

internal GAZ-21 (Gor'kiy) designation of the MiG-19S production series.

izdeliye 62

internal GAZ-21 (Gor'kiy) designation of the MiG-19P production all-weather interceptor.

izdeliye 26

internal GAZ-153 (Novosibirsk) designation of the MiG-19S production series.

izdeliye 61

internal GAZ-21 (Gor'kiy) designation of the SM-12PMU

izdeliye SM-2/A

a weapon system development MiG-19 for ground attack weapons.

izdeliye SM-2/B

a weapon system development MiG-19 for ground attack weapons.

izdeliye SM-2/G

a weapons test-bed for ARS-160 HVARs, discontinued when the SM-2/G was almost complete.

izdeliye SM-2/I

a weapons test-bed for the K-6 air-to-air missile.

izdeliye SM-2/M

a weapons test-bed for the K-5M (RS-2-U) air-air missile.

izdeliye SM-2/V

a weapon system development aircraft for ground attack weapons, converted from the izdeliye SM-2/B.

izdeliye SM-6

a weapons test-bed for the K-6 air-air missile.

izdeliye SM-9K

possible alternative designation for the izdeliye SM-30

izdeliye SM-9R

OKB designation for the MiG-19R tactical reconnaissance aircraft.

izdeliye SM-9V

OKB designation for the MiG-19SV high altitude interceptor prototypes with MiG-19 rear fuselage / tail unit.

izdeliye SM-9V/3-V

OKB designation for the MiG-19SV high altitude interceptor with MiG-19S rear fuselage / tail unit.

izdeliye SM-9V/3-VK

OKB designation for the MiG-19SVK experimental high altitude interceptor.

izdeliye delta SM-9

weapons aiming testing with the ASP-5N computing gunsight and SRD-1 gun ranging radar.

izdeliye SM-9/3T

a MiG-19S modified to test the K-13 / R-3S (NATO - AA-2 Atoll).

izdeliye SM-7

the SM-7 all-weather interceptor prototypes.

izdeliye SM-7/3

the MiG-19P production all-weather interceptor.

izdeliye SM-7A

OKB designation for a MiG-19P weapons test-bed with gun armament.

izdeliye SM-7M

OKB designation for a MiG-19P weapons test-bed with missile armament.

izdeliye SM-7/1M

the first SM-7 prototype modified with the K-5M missile system to be fitted in the MiG-19PM.

izdeliye SM-7/2M

the second SM-7 prototype and five MiG-19P aircraft modified with the K-5M missile system to be fitted in the MiG-19PM.

izdeliye 65

internal GAZ-21 (Gor'kiy) designation of the MiG-19PM production series.

izdeliye SM-7/2T

A single MiG-19P equipped to carry Vympel K-13 (NATO: AA-2 "Atoll") missiles as the MiG-19PT.

izdeliye SM-9D

possible alternative designation for the izdeliye SM-10.

izdeliye SM-10

an in-flight refuelling test-bed aircraft using the wing-tip to wingtip hose system.

izdeliye SM-11

a projected version of the MiG-19S fitted with a Yastreb-SIV-52 infra-red search and track system.

izdeliye SM-12

prototypes fitted with extended nose and new intake system from the Ye-2A and Ye-5 research aircraft.

izdeliye SM-12/3T

the third SM-12 prototype modified to carry K-13A AAMs for testing.

izdeliye SM-12/4T

the fourth SM-12 prototype modified to carry K-13A AAMs for testing.

izdeliye SM-12PM

intended production version of the SM-12 armed with the K-51 weapon system.

izdeliye SM-12PMU

the second SM-12 prototype fitted with a U-19D booster rocket in an identical installation to the MiG-19SU.

izdeliye SM-20

missile simulators used to test the guidance systems for the Kh-20 (NATO - AS-3 Kangaroo) missile, air-dropped from a Tupolev Tu-95 mother-ship.

izdeliye SM-21

the SM-2/V converted, for the third time, to test the APU-5 launch rails on outboard hard-points.

izdeliye SM-20P

alternative designation for the SM-20/1 manned missile simulator (P - peeloteerooyernyy)

izdeliye SM-30

zero-length launch (ZeLL) test-beds with PRD-22R booster rocket.

izdeliye SM-30/3

projected production zero-length launch (ZeLL) fighters.

izdeliye SM-50

:High-altitude version (MiG-19SU) to intercept the Lockheed U-2, equipped with a self-contained U-19 liquid-fuel booster rocket pack.

izdeliye SM-51

High-altitude experimental version, (MiG-19PU), fitted with a U-19 booster rocket.

izdeliye SM-52

High-altitude experimental version, (MiG-19PU), fitted with a Sevrook re-usable booster rocket.

izdeliye SM-K

two missile guidance test-beds, (SM-K/1 and SM-K/2), for the K-10S cruise missile system.

Licence built versions[edit]

Aero S-105

Czechoslovak licensed built MiG-19S by Aero Vodochody. 103 were built between 1958 and 1962.^[26]

Shenyang J-6

Chinese-built version of the MiG-19. This version was inducted into the Pakistani Air Force as the F-6. The F-6 was later modified by the Pakistani Air Force to carry U.S.-built AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.

Shenyang JJ-6

two-seat trainer version of the J-6

Operators[edit]

 Afghanistan

Afghan Air Force. 36 acquired by the Royal Afghan Air Force from 1964.

 Albania

Albanian Air Force. 85 Soviet and Chinese-built. All retired in 2005.

 Bangladesh

Bangladesh Air Force

 Bulgaria

The MiG-19 served in the Bulgarian Air Force from 1958 to 1973.

 China

Chinese-built variant Shenyang J-6, all single-seaters retired from frontline combat service in 1992, except for Nanchang Q-5 variant,^[27] some J-6 was converted to target/attack drone (number not confirmed). As of 2010 all were decommissioned.

• People's Liberation Army Air Force
• People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force

 Cuba

Cuban Air Force

 Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovak Air Force operated many MIG-19S, MIG-19P, MIG-19PM and licensed build S-105

 East Germany

East German Air Force 12 x MiG-19S and 12 x MiG-19PM served to 1969 ^[28]

 Egypt

Egyptian Air Force

 Hungary

Hungarian Air Force Operated 12 MiG-19PM from 1959 to 1973.

 Indonesia

Indonesian Air Force. The Indonesian Air Force acquired a number of MiG-19S in 1961 and used during the preparation of Operation Trikora in 1962 (the taking of Western New Guinea from the Netherlands) in Western New Guinea (now Papua and Papua Barat). Several of these aircraft crashed. All aircraft sold to Pakistan

 Iraq

Iraqi Air Force

 Mozambique

Military of Mozambique

 North Korea

North Korean Air Force. J-6 still in service.

 Pakistan

Pakistan Air Force. Operated Chinese J-6 from 1965 to 2002. Some of them are on display on squares in various cities.

 Poland

Polish Air Force. A total of 22 MiG-19P and 14 MiG-19PM interceptors served between 1957 and 1974

 Romania

Romanian Air Force. A total of 17 MiG-19P and 10 MiG-19PM aircraft were in service between 1958 (1959 for the PM) and 1972.

 Somalia

Somali Air Corps

 Soviet Union

• Soviet Air Force
• Soviet Anti-Air Defence
• Soviet Naval Aviation

 Sudan

Sudanese Air Force.

 Syria

Syrian Air Force

 Tanzania

Tanzanian Air Force

 Vietnam

Vietnam People's Air Force

 Zambia

Zambian Air Force

Specifications (MiG-19S)[edit]

Data from historyofwar.org,^[29] web.archive.org,^[30] MiG:Fifty Years of Secret Aircraft Design^[31]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1
• Length: 12.54 m (41 ft 2 in)
• Wingspan: 9 m (29 ft 6 in)
• Height: 3.8885 m (12 ft 9 in)
• Wing area: 25 m² (269 ft²)
• Empty weight: 5,172 kg (11,402 lb)
• Loaded weight: 7,560 kg (16,660 lb)
• Max. takeoff weight: 8,832 kg (19,446 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 2,170 l (480 imp gal; 570 US gal) internal; 760 l (170 imp gal; 200 US gal) with 2 drop tanks
• Powerplant: 2 × Tumansky RD-9B afterburning turbojets
  • Dry thrust: 25.5 kN (5,730 lbf) each
  • Thrust with afterburner: 31.9 kN (7,178 lbf) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 1.35 (1,452 km/h; 902 mph) at 10,000 m (33,000 ft)
• Range: 1,390 km (864 mi; 750 nmi) at 14,000 m (45,000 ft) with 2 × 760 l (170 imp gal; 200 US gal) drop tanks
• Ferry range: 2,200 km (1,367 mi; 1,190 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 17,500 m (57,400 ft)
• Rate of climb: 180 m/s (35,000 ft/min)
• Wing loading: 353.3 kg/m² (72.4 lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.86

Armament

• Guns: 3 × 30 mm Nudelman-Rikhter NR-30 autocannons (75 rounds for wing-root guns, 55 rounds for the fuselage gun)
• Hardpoints: 4 × underwing pylons with a capacity of up to 500 kg (1,100 lb) of stores and provisions to carry combinations of:
  • Rockets: 2 × ORO-57K(5V) rocket pods with 4 × S-5 rockets each
  • Bombs: 2 × 250 kg (550 lb) bombs^[32]

Avionics

• SRD-3 Grad gun ranging radar
• ASP-5N computing gun sight
• RSIU-4 Doob UHF radio

See also[edit]

Related development

• Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17
• Nanchang Q-5
• Shenyang J-6

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Dassault Super Mystère
• North American F-100 Super Sabre

Related lists

• List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS
• List of fighter aircraft

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

Bibliography[edit]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19.

• RB-47H Shot Down – National Museum of the United States Air Force
• MiG-19 FARMER at Global Security.org.
• MiG-19 Farmer at Global Aircraft
• Cuban MiG-19