ON JANUARY 14TH, 1950, THE PROTOTYPE SI (I-330) AIRCRAFT, SOON AFTER NAMED THE MIG-17, TOOK HER MAIDEN FLIGHT. EVEN THEN THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED BETTER FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS THAN ITS PREDECESSOR, THE MIG-15BIS JET FIGHTER. THE MIG-17 WAS IN SERVICE WITH MANY ARMED FORCES AND WAS USED IN INTENSE COMBAT BECOMING THE PRINCIPAL FOR CHINESE, POLISH, AND CZECHOSLOVAKIAN LICENSED COPIES.
