Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25
High-altitude supersonic interceptor
In the museum reserve
The answer to American Mach-3 reconnaissance aircraft was a machine whose airframe is 80 per cent stainless steel: at 3000 km/h the skin heats to hundreds of degrees, and aluminium cannot take such a regime. Two R-15B-300 engines pushed the 36-tonne interceptor to the edge of the stratosphere.
The experimental E-155 machines set 29 world records, some unbeaten to this day, including the absolute flight altitude record of 37 650 metres. Reconnaissance MiG-25Rs flew over Sinai untouchable by any interceptor.
The reserve machine is a MiG-25PD interceptor awaiting restoration. It can be viewed on the Hangar Z guided tour.
