Here I would like to add some more info on MIGs I read in the references I gave early (
http://ultrapack.il2war.com/index.php/topic,2840.30.html ), and some other sources.
There were several peculiarities in steering of Mig-15bis at high speed. See the links in my
post (
http://ultrapack.il2war.com/index.php/topic,2840.msg29404.html?PHPSESSID=kg3r4if2fria7nj6sjgjvnkut1#msg29404 ).
1) So called "valezhka" - uncontrol airplane's roll (it even can put an airplane on its back with
the follow-up consequences) which in extreme cases can't be eleminated by a "stick". (The
early production Mig-15 had the start of the valezhka at ~ 970 km/h, and some airplanes even
at 850-950 km/h - see below).
Numeral attempts to eleminate the valezhka by modifications of the airplane took place but
they just partly succeed. The late-production MIG-15bis had the following speed limitations to
avoid the valezhka:
V=1070km/h indicated speed) for H<0.9km;
M=0.92 (M=Mach number) for 0.9km<H<5km; M=0.96 for 5km<H<7.5km; M=1.0 for
H>7.5km
Beyond these limits the airplane was affected by the valezhka which could be fatal.
2) The reverse reaction on rudder's pedalling at M=0.86-0.95 .
This means that if a pilot press (for example) a rudder's pedal to steer his MIG to the right,
then the plane rolls to the left. At M>0.95 the reaction returns to normal.
In general the plane's reaction on steering was very weak at high-speed, so a pilot must apply
strong force to a "stick" to steer his arcraft. For example aileron's efficiency quickly
degrades at M>0.92 and becomes very low at M~0.96-0.98.
Mig-15bis had some moderate oscillations at speed 720-750km/h.
Also at M>0.92 a pilot feels some moderate airplane's vibration.
According to the Soviet pilot's log during the war in Korea at speed 1050-1100km/h Mig is
poorly streered and unstable which makes aiming and firing cannons difficalt.
Its gun sight ASP-3N gave erroneous lead angle for target's speed more than 600km/h (and
aspect angles >2/4), and for target's speed more than 800km/h (and aspect angles >1/4). Also
during intensive maneuvering its mesh sight leaves the field of view or "dissolves", which
makes aiming impossible (in the November 1952 Migs based in Korea began to get a modified
gun sight ASP-3NM. Its mesh sight didn't leave the field of view and didn't "dissolve").
As mentioned before Mig's artificial horizon AGK-47B gave wrong reading (it "fell") at roll
more than 30 degrees.
Some peculiarities of steering an early Mig-15 (with RD-45f engine) at high speed:
1) At M > 0.91 an airplane pitches up strongly.
2) The valezhka commences at M~0.88 at H<3km, and M~0.92 at H>10km.
3) At 0.87<M<0.95 there is the reverse reaction on rudder's pedalling (similar to Mig-15bis).
4) At M~0.9 efficiency of aileron degrades and becomes zero at M~0.93-0.95.
At 1>M>0.95 the aileron action is reverse - i.e. for example if a right aileron went down, then
the airplane rolls to the right (and not to the left, as normal).
Now about Mig-17.
The first production Mig-17 rolled out in 1952 (the Soviet production ended in 1955).
Number of produced Mig-17 in the Soviet Union is 5497.
Its high- speed steering was better than of Mig-15bis.
Nevertheless at M>0.86 Mig-17 became "heavy" - it was hard to steer it.
Fortunately the reverse reaction on rudder's pedalling (which Mig-15 was affected - see
above) was absent in Mig-17.
Regarding Mig-17 flight data I can say that sometimes it can vary a little from source to
source. I admit that it could be from Mig-17 long life and various minor modifications.
For Mig-17 maximum allowed speed:
altitude H< 3 km -- 1060 km/h (indicated)
3 km < H < 7 km - 1200 km/h (TAS)
7 km < H - no limits
The valezhka during recovery from diving at H=5km commences at 950-960km/h (indicated
speed). High G (overloads) increased the valezhka.
In practice Mig-17 can attain its maximum speed just above H~7-8 km due to strong
pitching-up at lower altitudes. The pitching-up started at M~0.93.
Mig-17 (as well as Mig-15bis ) had some moderate oscillations at speed 720-750km/h
(indicated).
According to a Soviet Mig's ace Zabelin Mig-17 had a large drop of altitude ("kilometers")
while recovering from diving. (
http://www.airforce.ru/history/cold_war/zabelin/chapter5.htm )
According to the 1972 flight manual the best turning time (seconds) for Mig-17 at various
altitudes:
0km - 20;
2km - 25;
4km - 31;
6km - 39;
8km - 49;
10km - 63;
12km - 79;
and from the same manual its ROC is
H=1km - ROC=41m/s; H=2km ROC=38.5m/s; H=4km ROC=33m/s; H=6km ROC=27.5m/s;
H=8km ROC=22m/s; H=10km ROC=16.5 m/s; H=12km ROC=11km; H=14km ROC=3.5m/s
But other sources give other ROC (see below).
For example according to the 1971 manual ROC (m/s):
0km - 50
1km - 47
2km -44
3km -41
4km -38
5km - 35
6km -32
7km -29
8km -26
9km - 23
10km - 20
11km -17
12km -13.4
13km -9.7
14km - 6.2
15km -2.6
From another source for Mig-17 and its derivatives:
ROC (H=0km):
MIG-17 - 35
MIG-17F - 65
MIG-17PF - 55
ROC H= 5km:
MIG-17 - 35
MIG-17F - 65
MIG-17PF - 55
I admit that ROC for Mig-17 at H=0km (35m/s) is a mistype.
Indeed from the 1955 manual
http://www.aviation.ru/Leonid.Mehanikov/MiG-17_Flight_Manual/addend.htmROC for MIG-17 - MIG-17P
H =1km - 47.0m/s - 36.7m/s
5km - 35.0 -27.0
10km - 20.0- 15.0
It seems that the proper way for ROC data would be to accept average between the 1971 and
1972 documents, i.e. for example ROC (at H=1km) = (41+47)/2=44m/s, etc.
Accuracy (dispersion) of fire from 23mm cannons was worse (apparently comparing with
Mig-15) - (improved later?).
MIG-17f
The first production Mig-17f (and Mig-17pf) rolled out in 1954. Number of Mig-17f produced
in the Soviet Union was 1702.
Maximum allowed speed of Mig-17f and Mig-17PF was limited to 1060km/h (indicated)
(H<3km), 1150km/h (TAS)(3km<H<7km), and 1100 km/h (TAS)(H>7km)
Maximum speed and ROC (75.8m/s) of Mig-17f with afterburner was attained at H~3km.
(see more info in the Mig-17f ROC given early).
Some info on loaded weight:
Mig-17 - 5340kg;
Mig-17f - 5354kg;
Mig-17pf - 5620kg;
MiG-17PF ROC
(from
http://www.aviation.ru/Leonid.Mehanikov/MiG-17_Flight_Manual/chapt11.htm ,
table 14)
H(km) - TAS with afterburner (AB) turned off (km/h) - ROC (m/s) -(TAS afterburner ON -
ROC)
0km - 780km/h -33.8m/s - (990km/h - ?m/s)
1 -780 -31.8 - (990 -?)
2 - 780 -29.8 - (990 -?)
3 - 780 -27.8 - (990 -?)
4 - 780 - 25.8 - (990 - 59.5)
5 - 780 - 23.8 - (990 - 55.0)
6 - 780 - 21.8 - (990 - 50.5)
7 -780 -19.8 - (990-46.0)
....
10 - 780 - 13.7 - (990 -32.3)
...
14 - 780 - 1.6 - (920 -11.1 )
Another source gives Mig-17PF (with AB) ROC =55m/s at sea level.
The best turning for MIG-17f and MiG-17PF for altitude 10km:
MIG-17f: 64.4 s (54.2 with an afterburner(AB))
MIG-17PF: 85s (radius 2850m, speed 440km/h), and 62s with AB (r=2050m,speed 450km/h)
Some words about the afterburner (AB). Duration of its start-up time (after its switch is
"ON") is 3-5s, then full thrust achieved for <~ 6s. When the AB is starting a pilot hear a
clap, and its work is accompanied by a weak "boiling" sound. Maximum allowed duration of
continuous work is no more than 3 min below 7km, and 10 min above 7km. Next AB's turn-on
is allowed after cooling no less than for 3 minutes.
I hope that I did not mistype in the data. Anyway there is a lot of data for an accurate FM
in the documents (see ref. in (
http://ultrapack.il2war.com/index.php/topic,2840.msg29404.html?PHPSESSID=kg3r4if2fria7 nj6sjgjvnkut1#msg29404 ).
