Photo Gallery of Post-war MiG-3s
Updated on August 2, 2003
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According to Red Stars n.4, these photos were taken in mid-43 at the Bureau of New Technology of TsAGI.
According to MiG OKB, this was placed on display after the war, but subsequently was scrapped; if so, it could have been the last original MiG-3.
It is a short-nosed example with slats and rocket rails; it was probably repainted green with silver outlined stars and black blades.
 



From Red Stars n.3


from Aviacija n.3

from OKB MiG


After many years, a static replica was built and first displayed in the 1967 Domodedovo Show, and then in the Monino museum. As you see, this replica has a modest resemblance to the original MiG-3, and it resembles a bit more an early MiG-1.


from unknown source

Despite the unsatisfactory general lines, the internal details of this replica are good and resemblant to the original (see drawings); they have probably used parts of an existing plane.
(photos from Dmitriy Sribny via Audrius Nairanauskas, copyright   www.airforce.ru ).





In recent years, a wreckage of a MiG (motor frame, engine, center of the plane and middle part of fuselage) was found at the bottom of Black Sea (near Gelendzhik). We see it is a late example.


The author of these b/w photos Rostislav Bardokin has visited Anapa ( a small town on the Black Sea ) Museum and obtained more information. In this museum are stored machine gun UB, airscrew and armored seat-plate from this MiG.
 
It appears  that this MiG-3 belonged to 7 IAP VVS ChF (Black Sea fleet) , piloted by Fiodor Yegorov. Mig3 was not shot down but felt down into the sea during the take off. The Anapa airfield of regiment was close to the sea and airstrip was toward the slope in direction of the sea. Pilot not survived.
The Mig3 was located about 1 km away from the bank of the sea just in front of the airstrip.
 
After the wreckages were lifted up, they were stored in the port for a long time. The OKB Mikoyan had an interest to these wreckages as well as the aviarestoration group from Novosibirsk, but  museum workers assure that those wreckages were scrapped.

Another wreckage was recovered from the Black Sea ; after being lifted out it was transported to Novosibirsk, where the firm "Avion" restored it over 14 months, making the static example of Pokryshkin's fighter of 1941. This plane was restored by order of the Monino museum, but it is still in Novosibirsk.
The firm "Avion"  has restored many planes: flying I-16s (6 ex.) and an I-153 "Chayka" (all to New Zealand`s "Wanaka Warbirds"), Su-2, P-63 "Kingcobra" (now in Monino), A-20G "Boston" (Monino), B-25C "Mitchell" (Monino)" and others.
 



from Kovalsky Alexey


 
The society "Aviascan" has conducted research for war wrecks in Karelia, finding the central part of this MiG fuselage, wings, and other pieces during the year 2001. This society recovered also the wrecks of one of the I-153 that was restored by the firm "Avion" and now flies in New Zealand. 

Their site is at URL http://www.sampo.ru/~aviascan/ , while the direct link to MiG-3 wrecks page is: http://www.sampo.ru/~aviascan/mig3.htm
 
 


The Tikkanoski Finnish Air Force Museum has many wreckages of some shot down MiG-3.  (thanks to Thomas Siepert ).

Here are the wings of an example different than 2171 (red 1).
Note the use of yellow putty under the green/blue coat and silver paint inside the wooden structures

Here are the horizontal tailplanes of 2171.The horizontal trims are dark red too.

The closer piece looks from another type of aircraft (it's riveted).

A piece of wing. The inner side of the flaps looks light blue or light blue-green primier.

The AM-35A engine


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