Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19, part one, MiG-19 sans suffixe

In 1950 the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau, began working on a new fighter which would have a greater range than both the MiG-15 and the MiG-17, and would also have supersonic level flight capabilities.
Consequent work resulted in both the Mikoyan-Gurevich SM-2 (AKA I-360) and the I-370 which was developed in parallel.
The MiG SM-2, which was powered by two Mikulin A5MF jet engines, suffered from serious handling problems and, as the engine generated an inadequate amount of thrust, the Mikulin design bureau designed and developed a new engine to replace it, the AM-9B (later known as the Tumansky RD-9). This new engine was rated at 5.700 lbf (2.585 kg) of thrust power at dry, and 7.160 lbf (3.248 kg) with afterburner. A single SM-2/2 was refitted with this engine, received the denomination of SM-9/1 and flew for the first time on 5th January 1954. Its performance impressed Soviet authorities and it was therefore, ordered into production as the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 on 17th February 1954, despite factory testing had barely begin.
This first production model served exclusively with the VVS (Soviet Air Forces) and 401 machines were manufactured at Gorky's Aircraft Factory No.21 and Novosibirsk Aircraft Factory No.153 between 1955 and 1957.
As the aircraft was rushed into production, it had serious problems. The type suffered in-flight explosions which were eventually traced back to the poor insulation between the aircraft's engines and the fuel tanks in the rear fuselage which exploded as they were overheated by the engine. This problem was partially solved by installing a heat shield between the engines and the tanks. The aircraft's elevators proved ineffective at supersonic speeds and all-moving slab-tail was tested in the second and third SM-9 prototypes.
The new fighter was delivered to the VVS in June 1955, with the type being unveiled to the public on 3rd July, and 48 MiG-19s taking part in a flypast during an air show at Tushino airfield, in Moscow. The NATO assigned the codename of 'Farmer-A'.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-19
2. http://www.aviastar.org/air/russia/mig-19.php
3. https://www.valka.cz/Mikojan-Gurevic-MiG-19-kod-NATO-Farmer-A-t81703
4. https://www.sas.upenn.edu/~jasonrw/mig19.htm
5. https://pickledwings.wordpress.com/mikoyan-gurevich-mig-19-farmer-the-forgotten-mig/
6. Midland Publishing - Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 - The Soviet Union's First Production Supersonic Fighter
7. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters