Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-3

The MiG-1 was the first Soviet fighter of WW2, and the first to bear the signature of Artem I. Mikoyan and Mikhail I. Gurevich, two designers who were to become world famous. Its sucessor, the MiG-3, started production in December 1940, and was designed as a high altitude interceptor. Unfortunately, it suffered heavy losses due to combat usually occurring at lower altitudes in the Eastern Front. This unit is from the 120th fighter squadron, Moscow, winter of 1942. The slogan says "For the Motherland" (Za Rodinu).