eBay: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG3

[bf109xxl]

IMHO the pic and the profile you posted above ( I have checked on my copy of the booklet ) don't have anything in common with. Unfortunately the series of the MiF isn't too accurate and provides the general info mostly. What is more, there are profiles that are the authour's wishful thinking often.

PS. the painted tail tip had also the 50 IAP IIRC. But their Migs had the large yellow or white three-digital numbers on the fuselage sides.

I've only posted two identical profiles - I suspect both are from the same source, namely the Squadron-Signal brochure. Which picture are you referring to exactly? The eBay picture fits the "yellow 3" profile well - the tail tip is too bright for red I think.
The 31 and 15 IAPs were stationed at Kaunas airfield.
IIRC, the tail tips of I-16s from 10 IAP and I-153s from 15 IAP were colored red regardless of squadron number.
I don't know why Massimo Tessitori decided that the tail tips of 124 IAP had different colors by squadrons. But I can't exclude this option either.

 

[bf109xxl]

A good airplane for the wrong place. It was the fastest of 1941 at its ideal altitude, but most of the Eastern Front was at low altitude. I can't deny that it was difficult to fly, but those who tamed the "disobedient stallion" had a monster on your hands. The speed penalty from the gunpods wouldn't matter much at higher altitude, especially with the thinner air.

The MiG-3 was a big mistake by the Soviets. Almost its only virtue was engine altitude, although it was not designed as a high-altitude interceptor. Its armament was completely inadequate, and its flight characteristics in the altitude range of major air combat were unsatisfactory. I have already mentioned that even Polikarpov himself, who began the development of this aircraft, was against its mass production in the form in which it was proposed by Mikoyan and Gurevich. The attempt to strengthen the armament led to further deterioration of flight characteristics, the aircraft had no prospects as a front-line fighter. An attempt to mount an M-82 on it failed. It was a difficult airplane to pilot, which did not forgive the pilot any mistake.
High-altitude interceptors based on it could be quite effective, but their finalization was too long - mainly because of the engines.

 

[Wurger]

Which picture are you referring to exactly?

I have edited my previous post and attached the three pics of the "7". In the first shot the digit is covered by the wing and can be seen patially only. The top part of the digit fit the shape of the "top of the "3" used at that time by the VVS. As a result it was thoght it was the "3" but not the "7"

Also it can't be excluded the image was taken with a filter that made the light red colour more lighter. If enlarged the white strip at the bottom of it can be noticed. Additionally the digit on the rudder doesn't look like the "3" top anyway.

 

[bf109xxl]

I have edited my previous post and attached the three pics of the "7". In the first shot the digit is covered by the wing and can be seen patially only. The top part of the digit fit the shape of the "top of the "3" used at that time by the VVS. As a result it was thoght it was the "3" but not the "7"

Also it can't be excluded the image was taken with a filter that made the light red colour more lighter. If enlarged the white strip at the bottom of it can be noticed. Additionally the digit on the rudder doesn't look like the "3" top anyway.

1. The top of the number on the rudder on the eBay photo is definitely more consistent with a "3" than a "7".
2. It is difficult for me to imagine amateur shooting with a filter in the field in 1941.
3. The difference in brightness between the tail tip and the blue undercarriage cover is much higher for the "7" than on the eBay photo. Of course, this could be an effect of image post-processing, but it seems unlikely to me.
Okay, too much speculations, I guess I have nothing more to add, but I'll still try to look for more reliable sources if I'm not too lazy.

 

[Snautzer01]

It is difficult for me to imagine amateur shooting with a filter in the field in 1941

You might be wrong there. There was a big enthousiastic bunch of people that took pictures and had those lens filters. Pre war and untill mid 43 the were encouraged. I.g. films etc could be bought in the barracks.

 

[Wurger]

I agree. Here an example .. I-16 type 5. A coulpe of sources say that's the Kaunas airfield while other ones state the Szawle one. The Szawle airfield was located East of Klaipeda but more North of Kaunas ( Kowno). Anyway the left image was taken with a filter ( the clouds in the sky can be noticed ). The middle image is the same as the left shit but B&W. The right one seems to be taken as well with a filter but with a different one that made the tip colour lighter. As a result the tail tip of her has the two different tones if compared both shots. Quite interesting is that the fuselage red star was removed ( retouched ?) for some reson and can't be noticed in the left shot.

the source: the net.

 

[bf109xxl]

As a result the tail tip of her has the two different tones if compared both shots.

Compare with the tone of the landing gear cover of the MiG - it is much brighter in both cases.

Quite interesting is that the fuselage red star was removed ( retouched ?) for some reson and can't be noticed in the left shot.

View attachment 800363

Really interesting!

Most regiments (and most likely all regiments) that received MiGs also had "obsolete" types of fighters - I-16 or I-153. On the latter, the tips of the tails were usually painted, while on the newly received and hastily assembled MiGs, it may have been applied only to some aircraft. In 1941 chaos ruled in the aviation of the Western Special Military District even before the German attack - many concrete runways were under construction at the same time, the aviation was concentrated on a small number of airfields, all this could lead to deviations from the variants of coloring accepted in the regiment, and the latter was not regulated by any standard.

I can only recommend the publications of Mikhail Timin - he tries to describe in as much detail as possible the coloration of Soviet aircraft in 1941 in his articles and books, based on archival documents and photographs. The most of his publications are in Russian, however there is a book in English as well - unfortunately I do not have it still:

 

[Snautzer01]

You might be wrong there. There was a big enthousiastic bunch of people that took pictures and had those lens filters. Pre war and untill mid 43 the were encouraged. I.g. films etc could be bought in the barracks.

Even type of photo paper could be chosen here an order for 17 x halbmatt printing. Also the guy printing can do some adjusting. Years ago i had my own dark room. You can put on filters for the lens of the enlarger to get better result on picture.

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[Gnomey]

Nice shots!

 

[Snautzer01]

wreck airfield

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[Wurger]

 

[bf109xxl]

By the way, the MiG in the right photo has a "flight cap" (as this marking was called by Soviet pilots) on the tail tip. In the book by Timin I mentioned above I did not find any photos of MiGs from the Baltic Military District with a "flight cap", only one of them may have the rudder tip painted.

 

[Wurger]

By the way, the MiG in the right photo has a "flight cap" (as this marking was called by Soviet pilots) on the tail tip. In the book by Timin I mentioned above I did not find any photos of MiGs from the Baltic Military District with a "flight cap", only one of them may have the rudder tip painted.

Rather not in the case ... the enlarged shot reveals that it is the A letter merged with the pic as the watermark .

 

[bf109xxl]

F...king watermarks.

 

[Wurger]

I agree..

 

[Snautzer01]

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[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots!