THE MIKOYAN 1.44
By: Abhijay Bhosale
Welcome to the Unknown Off-Ground Series. Over the course of the next 5 editions, we'll be talking about forgotten ideas and prototypes of things that could have altered history, all operating off the ground, and sometimes out of the Earth. This week's edition will show the Mikoyan 1.44, the plane that almost destroyed the west. With 2 Saturn AL-41 engines, a top speed 300 mph more than the F-35, and capacity to carry 12 missiles without a bomb bay, this fighter truly could have once and for all outmatched American aviation.
The Need For A Plane Like This
The Mig 1.44 was a plane drawn up by Soviet engineers to outmatch the west, mainly American Aviation. When word got out about the development of the F-22, still the most fearsome fighter at the time of writing, the Soviets needed one that could not only match, but decimate this new plane. A fighter squadron could take off from an airbase in Alaska, airfields in Europe, and even from the southwest NATO countries. The USSR needed a plane that could be enough to put a stop to any attack across its massive territory, and also carry out an attack. With the resources from Soviet countries, they had the power to manufacture this plane. So, the engineers went to their drawing boards and started up dreaming the possibilities for an absolutely ridiculous plane. And with their vodka-filled lives, it was easy to make a monster like this.
Analyzing The Plane
The Wings:
The wings of the aircraft were something called as "delta wings." While normal wings protrude from the aircraft, delta wings slowly flow with the body of the plane. This signature look can be found in a variety of planes, one of which is the Eurofighter Typhoon. In the images below, you might also notice another thing: The 2 wings at the front. Delta wings are more unstable than normal, so for smooth flight, most delta wing fighters have 2 wings at the front to support and stabilize the airflow. The air travels below the front wings, and then it carries on to the bigger wing behind it. Think of it as a dampener to absorb the initial shock of the wind, making it clearer and and easier for the air to travel below the plane. Another detail you might notice is the small tick on the front wings of the Mig 1.44. Although it's subtle, it makes a huge difference. Sometimes, while the frontal wings of the plane keep it stay airborne, it also slightly creates a small air pressure indifference, meaning less control of the aircraft. In fact, sometimes it can make the plane not able able because of the air pressure leading it to either constantly lift up, down, or bank left/right. All these intricate details truly make the Mig 1.44 one of the greatest aerodynamic engineering marvels of the Soviet Union.
Eurofighter Typhoon: Mig 1.44:
The Engines:
The engine of the plane was actually the lifeblood for this project. Without this engine, the whole thing could've never been possible. When the Saturn AL-41 turbofans were developed, it was an unopened treasure waiting to be found. The possibilities of such an engine were astounding. A difference you might find while researching this topic on your own in the Saturn AL-41F engines, not the same as the AL-41 ones. Admittedley, the AL-41F was a more advanced engine, but had less power and the boldness of the regular one. The Al-41F was used in the Sukhoi 57 (the current Russian 5th generation fighter), but the reason they had to remake the engine was one main reason: It was too big. The Mig 1.44 was designed around the engine to allow it to fly. Because of the design and requirements in mind, the Mig 1.44 could far outperform the Su 57 even while the Su 57 had a slightly superior engine. The twin engine design also had separate intakes so that each of the turbofans could be controlled independently. This means the Mig 1.44 could also thrust vector (use engines independently to make in-flight maneuvers like the Su 57), meaning it could have a better engine and better maneuverability. Although the better engines meant it could outperform its adversaries, its range was severely limited compared to Russian-Soviet aircraft. Compared to the Su 57, it had about 1000 miles less than the plane. Still, its engines made it one of the most maneuverable planes of all time.
The Armament:
The armament of this plane was among the best in the Soviet Union. Even without the bomb bay, test models could carry 12 air to air missiles (AAMs) and had an automatic Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-1 cannon. The GSh-30-1 was a 30 mm (the bullets it shot were 30 millimeters in diameter) 900 m/s muzzle velocity (the bullets it fired were traveling 900 meters per second when fired) that could shoot high-explosive rounds. The range for air-air combat was considered good at 200-800 meters while for air-ground combat it was 1200-1400 meters. This gun could decimate the F-35 in a dogfight as the projected mm bullet needed to pierce its armor was 25mm. Still, it's not like it could have mattered considering the F-35 could down a plane from 300 miles away. Still, the cannon was lighter than some since it used shorter recoil that lead it to having a lower fire rate but not compromising its maneuverability. It had a relatively low round load too, but it made up for it in the high-explosive round. It also used a water-cooling system to avoid the rounds exploding in the gun and destroying the plane. Moving on to the original planned stock missiles, there were 3 selected for use. The R-77 AAM, R-73 AMM, R-37 AAM. All of these missiles have different ranges and different qualities, but they all are homing and cause a lot of aerodynamic abilities of the plane to detriment. Still, this is only based off the fact that test flight version didn't have a bomb bay. The specific armament for this plane is impressive in its peak conditions, but it's not meant for that many multirole behaviors. This severely made the plane terrible in a long range battle, but for close by defense and offense, this plane served its purpose.
The Downfall of the Mig 1.44
The fall of the Soviet Union was a major contributor to the ending of the Mig 1.44. While other projects of the USSR were put on hold or stopped completely, that wasn't the case for the Mig 1.44. It's development and production was of utmost importance since the US was already asserting its position of the best plane maker and the USSR needed a way to defend itself and attack its targets. Eventually, the sheer cost or making the plane was enough to put a stop to it. On top of that, Mikoyan was suffering from its own corruption problems, so the project was transferred to Sukhoi, a fresh company with a good sales reputation. Why did a sales reputation matter? Because that was another reason the Mig 1.44 fell off. Countries simply weren't interested in buying such a high-cost aircraft, and some people even doubted if could be considered a fifth-generation aircraft. It had the speed factor achieved, but the rounded surfaces on the plane, such as the tip of the nose, was put under scrutiny since it was open to radar. Stealth was a part of being a fifth generation aircraft, yet the Mig 1.44 didn't fulfill that. There was also the resources. While the breaking apart of the Soviet Union was a hit to resources from the countries, some of Russia's own trade routes were closed off. Something interesting to note is that one of the major natural gas pipelines connecting Russia to western Europe goes through Ukraine (another reason for why Russia is invading Ukraine?). The armament on the plane also was out of date, or least couldn't fulfill the range needed. While the plane was perfect for dogfights, a plane like the F-35 or the F-35C that can be launched from an aircraft carrier, as previously mentioned, could down a plane from 300 miles away. But with a little bit of modifications, it could have decimated the west, just like its intent. And that's why the Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig 1.44 will go down forever as one of the greatest planes even made.
Post-Script
The Mig 1.44 was an amazing plane, but the next edition will deal with something else. While this plane didn't get cancelled because of the downfall of the Soviet Union, the many more that were cancelled included this.This next one... shouldn't even be called a plane. First found by the US on their radars and identifying it as a water-borne machine, it turned out to be one of the craziest and revolutionary planes for the Soviets. Made by a legendary Soviet engineer, this plane was dubbed as a submarine hunter and cargo plane, one where its size worked to its advantage. This... is the VVA-14.
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