Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F
Mikoyan-Gurevich · USSR · first flew 1951 · fighter
The MiG-17F (NATO: Fresco-C) is the afterburner-equipped definitive MiG-17 mark, distinguished from the MiG-15 by its sharper wing sweep, longer fuselage, and three wing fences per side rather than two. It outmanoeuvred USAF F-105s over North Vietnam.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Longer, more slender fuselage with a visibly different length-to-diameter ratio than the stubby MiG-15 |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- More sharply swept wing than MiG-15 — 45 degrees versus 35 degrees, visible as a more acute sweep angle
- Longer, more slender fuselage with a visibly different length-to-diameter ratio than the stubby MiG-15
- Three wing fences per side on upper surface — visible in close inspection from above
The sharper wing sweep is the key tell against the MiG-15 — the leading edge bites back more steeply. The fuselage is noticeably longer and more slender. Three wing fences per side (MiG-15 has two) are visible from above. The afterburner jet-pipe of the MiG-17F extends further beyond the fuselage than the non-afterburning MiG-17.
Specifications
- The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F has a length of 11.26 m (37 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.63 m (32 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1145 km/h (711 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The MiG-17 was designed to address the MiG-15's transonic handling problems; the MiG-17F added the VK-1F afterburning engine. Massive production in USSR, Poland (Lim-5), China (J-5). North Vietnamese MiG-17s achieved impressive results against US aircraft despite their slower speed, using tight-turning gunfire passes.
Variants
MiG-17 (Fresco-A) is the non-afterburning version; MiG-17PF is the radar-equipped all-weather version. The Lim-5 (Poland) and J-5 (China/Shenyang) are licence versions.
Where you'll see it
Soviet VVS from 1952; massive export including North Vietnam, Egypt, Syria, Cuba, and many African states. Chinese J-5s served into the 1990s. Several airworthy MiG-17s fly on the US airshow circuit.
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