MiG-21 modeling discussion.

[Gepard]

ключ means key, so you can translate включ as switch on or activated

АП – Autopilot

КСИ – (Kurssystem) course system

цд - central damper or smoother, is automatically damping the vibrations of the plane during flight

КАП - (Kursautopilot) course autopilot

I think it are different modes of the autopilot. Some soviet autopilots were able to follow a given course of 3 to 5 waypoints and were able to activate some actions, like weapon release. There is also a "panic system", which brings the plane automaticaly in level flight. This is helpfull if the pilot lost the orientation during flying in fog or clouds. It is said, that it worked very brutal and fast. The central damper or smoother is used when flying in aerodynamic turbulences.

[ghostrider883]

On 12/3/2025 at 12:58 AM, torno said:

This model, which was commissioned by someone a while ago, I will soon share with everyone on Combatace.

 

This will become the single biggest reason for me to reinstall SF2 again! 

Speaking on the earlier discussion about MiG-21M and MFs, the MiG-21M was license manufactured in India by HAL in large numbers with the designation Type 88 adn was powered by the R-11 engine to maintain engine commonality with the MiG-21FL which too was license manufactured in India .
Two squadrons worth of MiG-21MFs(Type 96) were acquired off the shelf directly from the Soviet Union which had the capability to fire the Kh-66 missile(the HAL built MiG-21Ms lacked this capability)

Edited January 6 by ghostrider883

[FLOGGER23]

Hello Guys!

While working on the MiG-21PF cockpit found this:

This seems to be a regular gunsight with the holder:

 

But then, I found this one too

Does anyone know about the second one? What was the top panel used for? can the gunsight be attached as well?

TIA.

 

[Svetlin]

I am sorry, I cannot help with useful confirmed information, but here is a picture of a Polish cockpit claimed be a MiG-21PF with the gunsight and a similarly looking, but still not identical additional panel on top of it.

Then, if I may re-post a picture of a MiG-21PFM cockpit, shared earlier by Gepard, where that same panel is clearly visible with the labelling mostly readable:

I can see a selector switch to the left, which maybe allows different modes of the gunsight to be selected depending on the type of weapon to be fired/dropped.

I can read пушка (gun), then РС which stands for unguided missiles, the third one is mostly unreadable and I have no clue, while the last one says бомбы (bombs).

Then the text above the 3 buttons says перезарядка (recharge/reload) and according to AI these 3 buttons are used to activate a pneumatic/pyro charge, which in case of jam help clear it and the gun is reloaded. Apparently this can be done only 3 times in a flight.

The panel in your picture is similar in that it has the 3 knobs and text above probably says перезарядка, but the selector switch is not present.

Based on the history of that ex-Hungarian MiG-21PF board 503, I would question the extent to which its cockpit could be used as final reference.

https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/collections/X003-6783-MiG21PF.pdf

The document in the above link says the aircraft was purchased from the HuAF to be used in a James Bond movie, which means before it was handed over to the movie production, it was most certainly stripped of anything weapons use related, such as the gunsight for example. Then it was brought to the UK, where it was assembled by Hungarian technicians in airworthy condition.

Lastly, as far as I know, the MiG-21PF could not be equipped with a GP-9 gunpod, which was introduced with later variants such as the MiG-21PFS and the MiG-21PFM, so I am curious as to why would there be such a panel with buttons to cleat a jam and reload a gun in the MiG-21PF cockpit.

Edited Thursday at 05:29 PM by Svetlin

[Blade]

3 hours ago, Svetlin said:

Lastly, as far as I know, the MiG-21PF could not be equipped with a GP-9 gunpod

That might not be entirely true.

[Wrench]

How in hell does the pilot see where he's going with all the "stuff" in the way!!! Jeezz!!!

[Svetlin]

10 hours ago, Blade said:

That might not be entirely true.

Thanks, Blade, I stand corrected. Perhaps what I had read about the MiG-21PF was true only for the early built machines, while later ones did get the wiring and capability to carry and use the GP-9 gunpod. That would explain the presence of a panel for gunsight mode selection in the cockpit of a MiG-21PF.

Edited 18 hours ago by Svetlin

[yakarov79]

On 6/2/2024 at 8:31 AM, yakarov79 said:

PF - prod. 76

PFM- product 94 (изделие 94) and type 94N for a nuclear strike capable model.

You have to figure it out this way…more about designation on first page of this topic. There were different habits in naming this bird.

Some earlier models could be retrofitted with gp9. According to Polish manual. 

[FLOGGER23]

Well, here I am now

Do you think @Gepard @Svetlin @yakarov79 it is safe to say that the panel above COULD be an early (before the GP-9 Implementation) weapons panel? 

If so... there will be 2 cockpits made, and that was something I've always wondered.

[yakarov79]

I will try to ask guys in Poland. Since i do not live there anymore, might take time to reach them…but will try. 
sad thing is that some are not with us anymore. 

[Gepard]

So it looks in reality. It is from an east german MiG-21SPS-K, which is similar to a soviet MiG-21PFM with GP-9 gunpod.

On the left site of the panel you have a dial switch (hope this is the correct english term). It is for weapon selection. Left position is for GP-9 gunpod, second to left is for R-3S missile, next is for S-5 rockets in UB-16 pods, right position is for bombs. The buttons 1, 2 and 3 i can only guess. Maybe it is the selection of the weapon station.

 

EDIT:

Correction. I was able to identify the word on top of the panel. It is ПЕРЕЗАРЯДКА, which means reloading. The GSha-23 had 3 so called Pyropatronen (pyrocartidges (?)). When the gun was jammed, the pilot pressed the button and the pyrocartidge was activated. The not working ammocartidge was moved out of the gun mechanism and the gun was ready for firing again.

Edited 5 hours ago by Gepard

[yakarov79]

Also remember, guys, that a particular country could order one thing that differs from the order of another country. So, as long as you do not know the factory designation, it might be pointless. 

It is the same story as with many other aircraft of that era that were exported to many countries. Starfighter.

Another thing is that museum examples are not always 100% original and true to the specific variant.

[FLOGGER23]

Let me make things worse:

+

This one doesn't have the top control panel, was it normal?

[ravenclaw_007]

by looking on this pictures i wonder how the pilot could see anything ???

 

[Gepard]

2 hours ago, FLOGGER23 said:

Let me make things worse:

+

This one doesn't have the top control panel, was it normal?

Could it be, that it is a MiG-21PF or FL?

Edit:

It is a MiG-21PF cockpit. This plane had no gun or gunpod. Thatswhy there is no panel for gun handling above the PKI visier.

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Gepard