The MiG-21, when first introduced in the late fifties, was considered by some to bo the best Soviet fighter design since the Second World War. But thisopinion was balanced by others who claimed that it continued to reflect the unsophisticated Soviet technology of the 1950s. Whatever you may believe, the fact remains that the MiG-21 first entered service with the Voenno Vbzdusfwye Silt (V\'S -Soviet Air Force) during early 1959 and continued in first line service for more than thirty* years. A record equal, and parallel, to the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. The operational record of the MiG-21, now entering its fourth decade, may well extend into the next century {Chinese-built variants). This is a testament to the Mikoyan and Gurevich OKB which designed and built the MiG-21 series...