MiG 25 HAPPY (High Altitude Photography Platform/laboratorY). NASA Dryden Flight Research Centre September 2008.
MiG 25 HAPPY - 16 by
Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
In 2006 India retired their MiG 25s due to a lack of spare parts. NASA, whose connections with MiG were better than those of the Indian armed forces, saw an opportunity to acquire an aircraft that could fly higher and faster than anything currently in their inventory (barring experimental aircraft) and arranged to obtain five airframes.
MiG 25 HAPPY - 1 by
Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Two airframes were converted for atmospheric sampling, two aircraft for photographic use and one for non-specific purposes possibly related to electronic emissions that we don't talk about
MiG 25 HAPPY - 14 by
Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
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The main feature of the photographic HAPPYs is the replacement of the Saphir-25 radar and all the other equipment forward of the pilot with a sophisticated rotating lens camera setup. The camera bodies are mounted rigidly to the airframe with the lenses, fitted into a high precision rotating nose section, focussing images into them via a system of prisms and mirrors. Camera operation is controlled from a second aircraft (usually a highly modified Lockheed Viking or Gulfstream G IV) callsign GRUMPY, which accompanies the HAPPY and to which the images are streamed.
A number of different nose sections are available containing different lens configurations with the one being fitted depending on the mission requirements.
MiG 25 HAPPY - 6 by
Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
During conversion to HAPPYs MiG 25s had their outer wing hardpoints removed. The inner pair were retained as some mission profiles require additional stores. These missions are rare however, and generally the only things hung on them are F-15 Eagle belly tanks on adaptor flanges.
MiG 25 HAPPY - 15 by
Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
NASA are very happy with their MiGs. But then wouldn’t you be if you could fly at mach 2.8 and reach 80,000 ft? Politicians with connections to the US aviation industry lobby will keep trying to scrap them for being “un-american” and NASA will keep refusing while pointing out there is nothing to replace them that is as easy to operate and doesn’t need treating with kid gloves, pampering, and running on special and expensive fuels.
MiG 25 HAPPY - 19 by
Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
The Model
MiG 25 HAPPY - 21 by
Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
Hasegawa MiG 25 (first release – 1978).
Nose cone replaced with part of what may be a 1/24 WW2 Luftwaffe drop tank.
Original flat exhaust outlets cut away and a pair of texter caps used to deepen them.
Two Hasegawa McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle belly tanks
Home made transfers.
MiG 25 HAPPY - 22 by
Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
And finally a couple of size comparisons.
1) With an F-15.
MiG 25 HAPPY - 23 by
Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
And 2) what you were all wondering. Yes, a MiG 25 is large enough to park a Spitfire on.
MiG 25 HAPPY - 25 by
Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
