The Soviet design bureaus were tasked with developing fighters that were both quick and well-armed. The objective was to design and build a fighter plane that was in every way superior to those utilised by the Luftwaffe. The Mikoyan and Gurevich (Mig) Design Bureau had finished the preliminary design of the new aircraft, which they called the I-200, by the time November 1939 rolled around.
AM-35A engines producing 1350 horsepower each were installed in the aeroplane. The fighter could reach its maximum speed of 628 kilometres per hour at an altitude of 7,000 meters, and its flying range was 780 kilometres when it was at that altitude. If it had external fuel tanks, the reloading version of the aircraft (the one that carried bombs) could serve dual roles as an assault aircraft and an escort fighter.
On April 5, 1940, brand new aeroplanes took to the skies for the first time. Only one fighter made it through the original state testing, the I-200. During the factory and state assessments, there was not a single aircraft or pilot that was lost.
The new fighter now called the MiG-1 was put into service by the Soviet armed forces beginning in the spring of 1941 (the first fighter designed by Mig). One hundred aeroplanes were produced as part of the original run of the series. However, while conducting the operation, the MiG-1’s deficiencies became obvious. The MiG-3 replaced the MiG-1 in December 1940. The MiG-3 was a modified aeroplane that resulted from eliminating flaws in the MiG-1. It was decided that the MiG-3 would be the aircraft to succeed the MiG-1.
