This Day in Aviation History
June 10th, 1967
First flight of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23.
 
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-23; NATO reporting name: Flogger) is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third-generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 “Foxbat”. It was the first attempt by the Soviet Union to design look-down/shoot-down radar and one of the first to be armed with beyond visual range missiles. Production started in 1970 and reached large numbers with over 5,000 aircraft built. Today the MiG-23 remains in limited service with some export customers.
 
The basic design was also used as the basis for the Mikoyan MiG-27, a dedicated ground-attack variant. Among many minor changes, the MiG-27 replaced the MiG-23’s nose-mounted radar system with an optical panel holding a laser designator and a TV camera…..
 
Source:
Wikipedia, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23: http://gstv.us/1sU31ED
 
YouTube, MiG-23: http://gstv.us/1QmC7zg
 
YouTube, MiG 23 Restoration Hangar Air Force Museum: http://gstv.us/2rzTinE
By ErikJohnston at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
 
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Photo from: http://gstv.us/1sU34jE
 
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