The MiG-3 was one of several new fighters entering service when Germany invaded Russia in 1941. Designed primarily as an interceptor, it was inferior to German fighters at lower altitudes and production tailed off in mid 1942.

Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich began collaborating in the design bureau that was named after them (MiG) in 1938.

Their first aircraft was the MiG-1 that made its first flight in April 1940 but problems with it led to a new version, the MiG-3, that flew for the first time in October 1940.

By the time of the German invasion over 1200 had been produced and 3422 were produced in total, however their poor performance at the low altitudes at which most of the fighting took place, and the end of production of the AM-35 engine, saw them drift out of service by mid 1942.

This model represents a MiG-3 in service with 120 IAP, Moscow Air Defence, mid 1942.

Hobby Boss 1/72 kit. Completed in October 2007.