HOBBY MASTER AIR POWER SERIES

Historical:

Libya is believed to have had 60 MiG-25s. In 1973 Libya declared the Gulf of Sidra as being part of their territory but this claim was never accepted by international law. When President Ronald Reagan came to power he tested the Libyan Air Force by sending a carrier force into the area. A couple of Libyan Su-22s were intercepted approaching the U.S. force and when they didn't leave they were shot down by F-14s. Later a force of Libyan aircraft including MiG-25P approached but turned away rather than engage.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-25; NATO reporting name: Foxbat) is a supersonic interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft that was among the fastest military aircraft to enter service. It was designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau, and is one of the few combat aircraft built primarily using stainless steel. It was the last plane designed by Mikhail Gurevich before his retirement. The first prototype flew in 1964, and the aircraft entered service in 1970. It has an operational top speed of Mach 2.83 (Mach 3.2 is possible but at risk of significant damage to the engines), and features a powerful radar and four air-to-air missiles. When first seen in reconnaissance photography, the large wing suggested an enormous and highly maneuverable fighter, at a time when U.S. design theories were also evolving towards higher maneuverability due to combat performance in the Vietnam War. The appearance of the MiG-25 sparked serious concern in the West and prompted dramatic increases in performance for the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle then under development in the late 1960s. The capabilities of the MiG-25 were better understood in 1976 when Soviet pilot Viktor Belenko defected in a MiG-25 to the United States via Japan. It turned out that the aircraft's weight necessitated its large wings.

Info: MiG-25PD Foxbat-E LIbyan Air Force 1025th Aerial Sqn, Black 6717