The Sukhoi Su-9 (ASCC/NATO-codename ‘Fishpot’) was based on the same basic concept as the MiG-21, but much larger and more powerful. Right from the start it was equipped with the R1L (ASCC/NATO-codename ‘High Fix’) airborne intercept radar and could carry four K-5/RS-2U (ASCC/NATOcodename ‘AA-1 Alkali’) air-to-air missiles. While a slightly modified example of this ‘Defender of the Cities’ set a new world record for absolute height on 4 September 1959, reaching 28,852m (94,658ft), the maximum ceiling of the operational variant was 20,000m (66,000ft) – which should have been enough to catch a U-2. The exact bort numbers of the Su-9s flown by Captain Doroshenko on 9 April 1960, and Captain Mientiukov on 1 May 1960 remain unknown, but all the jets of this type were painted in two layers of clear lacquer with, apparently, a slightly higher percentage of aluminium powder than on earlier MiGs, resulting in the colour generally known as ‘silver-grey’. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)