This forgotten MiG was China’s air combat workhorse

When the term 'MiG' is thrown about, some planes come to mind immediately. The MiG-15, which fought the North American F-86 Sabre for control of the skies over Korea, is one of the more famous designs. The MiG-21 Fishbed, which still sees active service, was the best plane used by the Soviet-backed North Vietnamese. The MiG-29 Fulcrum is a front-line fighter for some countries.

But one MiG escapes the limelight: the MiG-19 Farmer. Despite being relatively unknown, this aircraft had its own moments of glory as the backbone of the People's Liberation Army Air Force.

As MilitaryFactory.com notes, the MiG-19 was seen by the Soviets as a stopgap to replace the MiG-17 Fresco until the MiG-21 was ready. The Chinese Communists got a production license before the Sino-Soviet split and began building their own copy of the plane, called the J-6 Farmer. The MiG-19 had a top speed of 902 miles per hour and a maximum range of 1,367 miles.

The MiG-19 saw action over Southeast Asia and the Middle East. In one moment of glory, MiG-19s shot down the F-4 Phantom, flown by Air Force pilots Robert Lodge and Roger Locher, as it tried to shoot down a MiG-21. While some versions of this aircraft carried missiles, most relied on a battery of three 30mm cannon for air-to-air combat.

The Soviets produced just over 2,700 MiG-19s, many of which went to allies in the Middle East. Communist China produced over 3,000 of the J-6 Famers, some of which went to North Vietnam and flew alongside Soviet-built fighters, like the MiG-17 and MiG-21.

Learn more about this often-forgotten plane in the video below: