Okb Mig: A History of the Design Bureau and Its Aircraft [ILLUSTRATED] (Hardcover)

by Piotr Butowski (Author), Jay Miller (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Following the formal birth of their design bureau in 1939, the Mikoyan and Gurevich design team ascended with extraordinary rapidity into the ranks of the aerospace elite. This meteoric rise was not without justification, as their perseverance had resulted in the development of a number of truly exceptional fighters in an environment that would have defeated a less tenacious pair in short order. Beginning with the MiG-1 and MiG-3 piston engine fighters, their work consistently represented the state-of-the art in the Soviet Union for some four decades and did not end with their respective deaths in 1970 and 1976. Talented engineers such as Rostislav Belyakov were quick to fill the voids left by their mentors, and as result, the legacy of excellence continues.

This is the culmination of many years' research. It is a complete and thorough textual and photographic history of this most-admired of Society fighter design teams, and includes highly detailed and authoritative historical and technical data describing every known MiG aircraft and missile. Additionally, brief but thorough biographical sketches are provided on a variety of MiG bureau personalities, and early chapters include significant insight into the Soviet system of hardware acquisition and development.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 250 pages
• Publisher: Specialty Press (MN); illustrated edition edition (July 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0904597806
• ISBN-13: 978-0904597806
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,214,968 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great MiG and fighter development history, July 28, 1998

By	"cobrachen" (Sterling, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This is the first book with comprehensive information of MiG and those figter series. With details of history, design and performance, this is a great book to read and reference to.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive book, huge technical database, May 13, 2003

By	"chelutzu" (Texas United States) - See all my reviews

Even now, I can not believe my luck, buying it from a "used book" store, in like new condition for almost nothing.
The book gives a thorough presentation of the MiG bureau, its history and more important, its planes.
From the MiG-1 of WW II age to the latest MiG, the "31" Foxhound, all planes are presented in detail, with A LOT of data! For example, you can find, FOR EACH plane version even, the initial and sustained turn rate, engine rating/type, armament, etc. Also, the countries who use/used them are also cited.
Each plane is presented in detail, from it's prototype stage to full operational status, with A LOT OF PHOTOS! In fact, the last part of the book is a HUGE photo album. In a good move, the airplanes engines are also presented, with pictures and data, and same for the armament and missiles.
THE BEST book, hands down, about the MiGs, you can get. One huge difference from all the others "russian" books I own and red...the writing style and the english is nice and easy to read and understand, maybe having an english native as second author helped.
I recomend this book with both hands! If you want to know more about the MiG history, about ALL MiG planes, this is the book to own.
I can not give it though five stars...towards the end, with the apparition of MiG-29 and -31, the information is somehow sketchy (but still the most complete one you can find outside military reports), maybe due to censorship and military secret. Also, the engine/guns/missiles chapter could have been a little more comprehensive, but maybe now I am geting picky.
Buy it and you will not regret it!

4.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have for aviation buffs, August 24, 1998

By A Customer

Relatively error free and lacking editorial slant, this book is a great ref for historians, modellers, fans and the like. Not without blemish, but an excellent resource.