On January 14, the MiG-17 fighter celebrated its 75th anniversary.

On January 14, the MiG-17 fighter celebrated its 75th anniversary. On that day in 1950, the first prototype – the experimental SI aircraft – made its maiden flight.
The fighter was a development of its predecessor, the MiG-15. The main difference was a new wing design that improved the aircraft’s performance, particularly its maximum speed and maneuverability at high altitudes. However, significant issues emerged almost immediately, and two months after its first flight, the SI prototype crashed. Test pilot Ivan Ivashchenko, who had Ukrainian roots, lost his life.
The aircraft was quickly refined, and by September 1951, it was decided to launch mass production at five factories in the USSR. In addition, licensed production of the MiG-17 was established in Poland under the name Lim-5, in Czechoslovakia as the S-104, and in China as the J-5. In fact, China continued producing the JJ-5 training version until the end of 1986. A total of nearly 10,900 MiG-17 aircraft were built in various versions, including frontline fighters, interceptors equipped with guided missiles, reconnaissance planes, fighter-bombers, and more.
The MiG-17F frontline fighter was equipped with a VK-1F afterburning engine with a maximum thrust of 3,380 kgf. The aircraft was 11.36 meters long, had a wingspan of 9.6 meters, a maximum takeoff weight of 6,069 kg, a maximum speed of 1,145 km/h, and a practical range of 1,240 km. Its armament included three cannons: one 37-mm and two 23-mm. It could also carry up to 500 kg of bombs.
The MiG-17 earned a reputation as a reliable, maneuverable, and low-maintenance aircraft, which contributed to its popularity far beyond the countries that produced it. Overall, aircraft of the MiG-17 family were used in 40 countries worldwide, including Angola, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Vietnam, Egypt, Indonesia, Cuba, Pakistan, Romania, and Somalia. The MiG-17 saw extensive use in regional conflicts, including the Vietnam War, the Arab-Israeli wars, and the Indo-Pakistani wars.
In the territory of Ukraine during the Soviet period, various MiG-17 versions served in frontline aviation regiments and air defense aviation. Additionally, they were used at the Volchansk Aviation School of the Volunteer Society for Cooperation with the Army, Aviation, and Navy to maintain the professional skills of reserve pilots.
The State Aviation Museum named after O.K. Antonov houses a MiG-17 with serial number 61-01 in its collection. The aircraft was received in 2002 from the O.P. Dovzhenko film studio in a severely damaged state and was restored within a year by specialists at the Lviv State Aircraft Repair Plant.