The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, the Cold War's defining fighter aircraft and the workhorse for air forces on four continents, sits today at a complicated juncture, its legendary status now inextricably linked with a heartbreaking safety record.

With more than 11,000 units produced since its launch, the MiG-21 maintained the record-breaking world record for the largest production run of a supersonic jet fighter in the world. Produced every year from 1959 to 1985 (and by China as the J-7/F-7 afterward), the jet has been sold to more than 60 countries and is still in limited service seven decades after its first flight.

A Revolutionary Design

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Nicknamed the "Tailed Delta" for its characteristic triangular wing and traditional tailplane, the MiG-21 was a grou

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