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Various Eexamples of the MiG-3
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This section is to put in evidence that not all the MiG-3s were identical,
and to give an help to a critical interpretation of photos and profiles, to
the use of optionals and to choose the colors.
Many differences were introduced during the production cycle; the versions are:
- MiG-1 differs from the early MiG-3 for the different configuration of canopy
and ventral radiator cowling;
- the early version of MiG-3 is short-nosed, and can be distinguished from
the later version particularly for the short first exhaust pipe cowling and
for the short bulges over the nose; this version is represented by the Classic
Airframes 1/48 kit;
- the late version of MiG-3 is long-nosed, and is represented by the
ICM 1/48 kit and RPM/ Maquette/Alpha 1/72 kits;
- MiG-3 M-82 (or MiG-9, or I-210) is easily distinguishable because of its
radial engine; it looks very similar to Polikarpov I-185;
- I-211 is a far improved aircraft with radial engine, longer and slimmer
than I-210 and with different undercarriage;
- I-230, or MiG-3U, or MiG-3D, is longer than usual MiG-3, with different
undercarriage, 6-stacks exaust, higher canopy, lower horizontal tail surfaces
and other differences;
- the I-231, or MiG-3DD, is distinguishable from I-230 only for minor details
and the higher position of the tail surfaces.
Only the short- nosed and long-nosed versions are so close to be easily confused
in photos, and to be converted with minor changes to the kits; besides, they are
by far the most common versions, the only ones to be called "MiG-3" without other
attributes.
Differences between short-nosed and long-nosed
MiG-3 versions
When choosing an example from a photo or a profile, one must
consider not only the camouflage and markings, but a series of details, as the
nose, the slats, the radio, the canopy, the rear undercarriage, the underwing
charges and others, in which the different examples could differ.
The individual variants
The most usual colour schemes for MiG-3 are:
- olive green and dark earth uppersurfaces, with light blue undersurfaces
(standard), sometimes with black stripes;
- olive green or factory green uppersurfaces, with light blue undersurfaces;
- olive green and black green or black uppersurfaces, with light blue undersurfaces;
- white undersurfaces with light blue undersurfaces;
- white mottles over camouflaged aircraft;
- exceptionally, overall white or overall silver.
MiG-3 colors and painting
MiG-3 profiles