Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21F-13 "Fishbed"

Mikoyan-Gurevich · Soviet Union · first flew 1960 · fighter

The MiG-21F-13 is the first widely exported production variant of the Fishbed, a clear-weather day fighter with a short fin and minimal avionics.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, delta
E — Engines	1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	14.1 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Short, shallow dorsal spine barely rising above the fin — the most slender spine of any MiG-21 variant
Only two underwing hardpoints visible, giving the wings an uncluttered appearance
Small vertical fin with an abbreviated chord compared to later MiG-21 variants

Versus the later MiG-21bis or MF, the F-13 is identified by its thin, low dorsal spine, abbreviated fin, and only two wing pylons. The large intake shock-cone and delta planform are shared by all Fishbeds, but the minimal spine is the key early-mark tell.

Specifications

The MiG-21F-13 has a length of 14.1 m (46 ft).
It has a wingspan of 7.15 m (23 ft).
Its maximum speed is 2175 km/h (1351 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Entering Soviet service around 1960 and exported to a dozen countries by the mid-1960s, the F-13 established the MiG-21's global footprint. It was built under licence in India, Czechoslovakia, and China (as the J-7/F-7).

Variants

The F-13 supplanted the earlier F (Type 72) with R-3S missile capability and a slightly larger intake; it in turn gave way to the radar-nosed PF series.

Where you'll see it

Largely retired in front-line service by the 1980s, surviving F-13s appear in museums across Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa; several remain airworthy at airshows.

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