The MiG-21 was the world’s most-produced jet fighter: a Soviet machine that shattered the Mach 2 barrier and became the first Soviet aircraft equipped with heat-seeking missiles. From the jungles of Vietnam to the deserts of the Middle East, this overclocked jet left American strategists stunned and forced the Pentagon to rethink its air war doctrine. The many high-speed clashes between MiG-21s and Phantoms over Vietnam are etched in the history of aerial warfare. What secrets gave the MiG-21 it’s unmatched longevity across six decades of service in over 60 nations and how could such a minimalist design take on and sometimes defeat far more sophisticated Western jets? We take you inside the MiG-21 and show how it was built, how it flew, and how it fought.