Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (Fishbed)

The successful Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig-21 Fishbed was a giant leap from earlier MiG turbojet swept-wing fighters.

The MiG-21 was undoubtedly the most successful Cold War fighter in terms of reach, operating in over 50 air forces around the globe and seeing production well past the 10,000 example mark. The aircraft was developed with lessons learned in the Korean War based on after-action reports and valuable pilot input. The end-product for the Mikoyan-Gurevich firm would be the pinnacle of MiG fighter development that began in 1938 during World War 2 and culminated in over a decade of research, testing and development to produce the exceptional MiG-21. Despite having limited range (common in many of the early thirsty jet-powered implements), the MiG-21 was none-the-less easy to operate, easy to maintain and cost-effective to the point that many-a-nation went on to field the type - some even to this day.