Artem Mikoyan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Artem Mikoyan
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Mikoyan on a 2005 stamp of Armenia
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Artem Ivanovich Mikoyan
5 August [O.S. 23 July] 1905 Sanahin, Elisabethpol Governorate, Russian Empire (present-day Armenia)
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| Died | 9 December 1970 (aged 65) Moscow, Soviet Union
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| Nationality | Soviet Union |
| Education | Zhukovsky Air Force Academy |
| Occupation | Engineer |
| Engineering career | |
| Discipline | Aeronautical engineering |
| Employer(s) | Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau |
| Significant design | MiG-1 MiG-3 MiG-15 MiG-17 MiG-19 MiG-21 MiG-23 MiG-25 |
| Awards | Hero of Socialist Labor (twice) Stalin Prize (1941, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1953) |
Artem Ivanovich Mikoyan (born August 5, 1905 – died December 9, 1970) was a famous Soviet Armenian aircraft designer. He helped create the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau with Mikhail Gurevich. This team became known for designing many well-known fighter jets, especially the "MiG" planes.
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Early Life and His Start in Aviation
Artem Mikoyan was born in Sanahin, Armenia, on August 5, 1905. His older brother, Anastas Mikoyan, became a very important leader in the Soviet Union.
Artem finished his basic schooling. He then worked as a machine operator in Rostov and later in a factory in Moscow. After serving in the military, he joined the Zhukovsky Air Force Academy. This is where he designed his very first airplane. He graduated from the academy in 1936.
In December 1939, Mikoyan became the head of a new aircraft design office in Moscow. This office is called a "design bureau." With Mikhail Gurevich, he formed the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau. They started making a series of fighter aircraft. In 1942, their bureau was renamed OKB MiG.
Their first planes, like the MiG-1 and MiG-3, had some challenges. The MiG-3 went into production but was not always able to do its job as a high-flying interceptor. Other early designs, like the MiG-8 Utka, were only research prototypes and did not go into full production.
Developing Jet Aircraft
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After World War II, designers in the Soviet Union wanted to build jet fighters. They used their own ideas and also learned from German jet designs. By 1946, Soviet engineers were still working to improve German jet engines.
Then, in 1947, the Soviet government decided to buy advanced jet engines from the British. To everyone's surprise, the British government agreed to sell them the Rolls-Royce Nene jet engine. This engine was then copied and improved in the Soviet Union as the Klimov VK-1 jet engine.
This new engine was very important for the MiG-15 fighter jet. The MiG-15 was a revolutionary design with swept-back wings. It first flew on December 31, 1948. This plane had excellent performance and became the basis for many future fighter jets.
The MiG-15 was originally made to stop American bombers like the B-29 Superfortress. More than 18,000 MiG-15s were built. After the MiG-15, Mikoyan's team developed other famous jets, including the MiG-17 and MiG-19.
MiG Alley and Jet Combat
The MiG-15 jets were used by Communist forces during the Korean War. The area in northwestern North Korea where many air battles happened was called "MiG Alley" by U.S. Air Force pilots. This area was near the Yalu River.
During the Korean War, many dogfights took place between U.S. fighter jets, like the F-86 Sabre, and Soviet-built MiG-15s. MiG Alley is seen as the birthplace of modern jet fighter combat because it was the first time large jet-vs-jet air battles happened.
Later Achievements
From 1952 onwards, Mikoyan also designed missile systems specifically for his aircraft. One of his most famous designs was the MiG-21. He continued to create high-performance fighter jets throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
Artem Mikoyan received the highest civilian honor twice, called the Hero of Socialist Labor. He was also a representative in six Supreme Soviets, which was a major governing body in the Soviet Union.
After Mikhail Gurevich passed away, the design bureau's name changed from Mikoyan-Gurevich to simply Mikoyan. However, the aircraft designs kept the famous MiG name. Many more designs came from this bureau, such as the MiG-23, MiG-29, and MiG-35.
Artem Mikoyan suffered a stroke in 1969 and passed away the following year. He was buried in the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow.
Honours and Awards
Artem Mikoyan received many awards for his work, including:
- Twice Hero of Socialist Labour
- Six Orders of Lenin
- Order of the Red Banner
- Order of the Patriotic War 1st class
- Two Orders of the Red Star
- Lenin Prize (1962)
- USSR State Prize (1941, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1953)
In 1996, Mikoyan was recognized for his achievements and was included in the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum.
See also
In Spanish: Artiom Mikoyán para niños
