Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21

Country: Soviet Union 🇷🇺

First flight: 1955

Role: Supersonic fighter / interceptor

Top speed: About Mach 2 (over 2,100 km/h)

Design: Delta wing, very small and fast

Armament: Cannons, air-to-air missiles, bombs

Famous for: Being the most-produced supersonic jet fighter ever

Used by: Over 50 countries during the Cold War and after

McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II

Country: United States 🇺🇸

First flight: 1958

Role: Fighter-bomber / interceptor

Top speed: About Mach 2.2

Crew: 2 (pilot + weapons officer)

Design: Large, twin-engine jet

Armament: Missiles, bombs, later a built-in gun

Famous for: Heavy use in the Vietnam War

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird 

Country: United States 🇺🇸

First flight: 1964

Role: Strategic reconnaissance

Top speed: Mach 3+ (over 3,500 km/h)

Altitude: Over 85,000 ft

Crew: 2

Famous for: Being almost untouchable—too fast and too high to intercept