The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (; USAF/DoD designation: Type 14;

NATO reporting name NATO uses a system of code names, called reporting names, to denote military aircraft and other equipment used by post-Soviet states, former Warsaw Pact countries, China, and other countries. The system assists military communications by providi ...

: Fagot) is a jet

fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft (early on also ''pursuit aircraft'') are military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air supremacy, air superiority of the battlespace. Domina ...

developed by

Mikoyan-Gurevich Russian Aircraft Corporation "MiG" (), commonly known as Mikoyan and MiG, is a Russian aerospace and defence company headquartered in Begovoy District, Moscow. Mikoyan was the successor to the Soviet Mikoyan and Gurevich Design Bureau (Мик ...

for the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful jet fighters to incorporate

swept wing A swept wing is a wing angled either backward or occasionally forward from its root rather than perpendicular to the fuselage. Swept wings have been flown since the pioneer days of aviation. Wing sweep at high speeds was first investigated in Ge ...

s to achieve high

transonic Transonic (or transsonic) flow is air flowing around an object at a speed that generates regions of both subsonic and Supersonic speed, supersonic airflow around that object. The exact range of speeds depends on the object's critical Mach numb ...

speeds. In

aerial combat Aerial warfare is the use of military aircraft and other flying machines in warfare. Aerial warfare includes bombers attacking enemy installations or a concentration of enemy troops or strategic targets; fighter aircraft battling for contro ...

during the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

, it outclassed straight-winged jet

day fighter A day fighter is a fighter aircraft equipped only to fight during the day. More specifically, it refers to a multi-purpose aircraft that does not include equipment for fighting at night (such as a radar and specialized avionics), although it is som ...

s, which were largely relegated to ground-attack roles. In response to the MiG-15's appearance and in order to counter it, the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

rushed the

North American F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing Sov ...

to Korea.Thompson, Warren. ''Flight Journal'', December 2002. Retrieved: 30 June 2011. When refined into the more advanced

MiG-17 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (; NATO reporting name: Fresco) is a high-subsonic fighter aircraft produced in the Soviet Union from 1952 and was operated by air forces internationally. The MiG-17 was license-built in China as the Shenyang J-5 an ...

, the basic design would again surprise the West when it proved effective against supersonic fighters such as the

Republic F-105 Thunderchief The Republic F-105 Thunderchief is an American fighter-bomber that served with the United States Air Force from 1958 to 1984. Capable of Mach 2, it conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War. It ...

and

McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber that was developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bower ...

in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

of the 1960s. The MiG-15 is believed to have been one of the most produced jet aircraft with more than 13,000 manufactured. The MiG-15 remains in service with the

The first turbojet fighter developed by Mikoyan-Gurevich OKB was the

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-9 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-9 (, USAF/DoD designation: Type 1, NATO reporting name: Fargo) was the first turbojet fighter developed by Mikoyan-Gurevich in the years immediately after World War II. It used reverse-engineered German BMW 003 eng ...

, which appeared in the years immediately after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. It used a pair of

reverse-engineered Reverse engineering (also known as backwards engineering or back engineering) is a process or method through which one attempts to understand through deductive reasoning how a previously made device, process, system, or piece of software accompl ...

German

BMW 003 The BMW 003 (full RLM designation 109-003) is an early axial turbojet engine produced by BMW AG in Germany during World War II. The 003 and the Junkers Jumo 004 were the only German turbojet engines to reach production during World War II. W ...

engines. The MiG-9 was a troublesome design that suffered from weak, unreliable engines and control problems. Categorized as a

first-generation jet fighter Jet fighter generations classify the major technology leaps in the historical development of the jet fighter. Different authorities have identified different technology jumps as the key ones, dividing fighter development into different numbers ...

, it was designed with the straight-style wings common to piston-engined fighters. In 1946 Soviet engine technology was far behind the West's. The Germans had been unable to develop airworthy turbojets with thrust over capable of running for more than a few hours at the time of the surrender in May 1945, which limited the performance of immediate Soviet postwar jet aircraft designs. The Soviet aviation minister

Mikhail Khrunichev Mikhail Vasilyevich Krunichev (; – June 2, 1961) was a Soviet statesman, lieutenant-general in the technical and engineering corps (1944), who was awarded the title of Soviet Hero of Socialist Labour in 1945. Krunichev became a member of the Co ...

and aircraft designer A. S. Yakovlev suggested to Premier

Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Dzhugashvili; 5 March 1953) was a Soviet politician and revolutionary who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until Death and state funeral of Joseph Stalin, his death in 1953. He held power as General Secret ...

that the USSR buy the reliable, fully developed,

Rolls-Royce Nene The Rolls-Royce RB.41 Nene is a 1940s British centrifugal compressor turbojet engine. The Nene was a complete redesign, rather than a scaled-up Rolls-Royce Derwent,"Rolls-Royce Aero Engines" Bill Gunston, Patrick Stephens Limited 1989, , p.111 ...

(having been alerted to the fact that the UK Labour government wanted to improve post-war UK-Russia foreign relations) for the purpose of copying them in a minimum of time. Stalin is said to have replied, "What fool will sell us his secrets?" However, he gave his consent to the proposal and Mikoyan, engine designer , and others travelled to the United Kingdom to request the engines. To Stalin's amazement, the British Labour government and its Minister of Trade, Sir

Stafford Cripps Sir Richard Stafford Cripps (24 April 1889 – 21 April 1952) was a British Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician, barrister, and diplomat. A wealthy lawyer by background, Cripps first entered Parliament at a 1931 Bristol East by-election ...

, were perfectly willing to provide technical information and a license to manufacture the Rolls-Royce Nene. Sample engines were purchased and delivered with blueprints. Following evaluation and adaptation to Russian conditions, the windfall technology was tooled for mass-production as the

Klimov RD-45 The Klimov VK-1 was the first Soviet jet engine to see significant production. It was developed by and first produced by the GAZ 116 works. Derived from the Rolls-Royce Nene, the engine was also built under licence in China as the Wopen WP-5. ...

to be incorporated into the MiG-15. To take advantage of the new engine, the

Council of Ministers Council of Ministers is a traditional name given to the supreme Executive (government), executive organ in some governments. It is usually equivalent to the term Cabinet (government), cabinet. The term Council of State is a similar name that also m ...

ordered the Mikoyan-Gurevich OKB to build two prototypes for an advanced high-altitude daytime interceptor to defend against bombers. It was to have a top speed of and a range of . Designers at MiG's OKB-155 started with the earlier MiG-9 jet fighter. The new fighter used Klimov's British-derived engines,

s, and a tailpipe going all the way back to a swept tail. The German

Me 262 The Messerschmitt Me 262, nicknamed (German for "Swallow") in fighter versions, or ("Storm Bird") in fighter-bomber versions, is a fighter aircraft and fighter-bomber that was designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Messersc ...

was the first fighter fitted with an 18.5° wing sweep, but it was introduced merely to adjust the center of gravity of its heavy

Junkers Jumo 004 The Junkers Jumo 004 was the world's first production turbojet engine in operational use, and the first successful axial compressor turbojet engine. Some 8,000 units were manufactured by Junkers in Germany late in World War II, powering the Mess ...

pioneering axial-compressor turbojet engines. Further experience and research during World War II later established that swept wings would give better performance at

speeds. At the end of World War II, the Soviets seized many of the assets of Germany's aircraft industry. The MiG team studied these plans, prototypes and documents, particularly swept-wing research and designs, even going so far as to produce a flying testbed in 1945 to investigate swept-wing design concepts as the piston-engined "pusher"-layout, MiG-8 ''Utka'' (Russian for "duck", from its tail-first canard design). The swept wing later proved to have a decisive performance advantage over straight-winged jet fighters when it was introduced into combat over Korea. The design that emerged had a mid-mounted 35° swept wing with a slight anhedral and a tailplane mounted up on the swept tail. Western analysts noted that it strongly resembled

Kurt Tank Kurt Waldemar Tank (24 February 1898 – 5 June 1983) was a German aeronautical engineer and test pilot who led the design department at Focke-Wulf from 1931 to 1945. He was responsible for the creation of several important Luftwaffe aircraft of ...

Focke-Wulf Ta 183 The Focke-Wulf Ta 183 ''Huckebein'' was a design for a jet-powered fighter aircraft intended as the successor to the Messerschmitt Me 262 and other day fighters in Luftwaffe service during World War II. It had been developed only to the extent ...

, a later design than the Me 262 that never progressed beyond the design stage. While the majority of Focke-Wulf engineers (in particular,

Hans Multhopp Hans Multhopp (17 May 1913 – 30 October 1972) was a German aeronautical engineer/designer. Receiving a degree from the University of Göttingen, Multhopp worked with the famous designer Kurt Tank at the Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG during Worl ...

, who led the Ta 183 development team) were captured by Western armies, the Soviets did capture plans and wind-tunnel models for the Ta 183.. Plane-crazy. The MiG-15 does bear a resemblance in layout, sharing the high tailplane and nose-mounted intake, although the aircraft are different in structure, details, and proportions. The MiG-15's design understandably shared features and some appearance commonalities with the MiG design bureau's own 1945–46 attempt at a Soviet-built version of the

Messerschmitt Me 263 The Messerschmitt Me 263 ''Scholle'' (plaice)Christopher 2013, p. 142. was a rocket-powered fighter aircraft developed from the Me 163 ''Komet'' towards the end of World War II. Three prototypes were built but never flown under their own power ...

rocket fighter in the appearance of its fuselage. The new MiG retained the previous straight-winged MiG-9's wing and tailplane placement while the F-86 employed a more conventional low-winged design. To prevent confusion during the height of combat the US painted their aircraft with bright stripes to distinguish them. The resulting prototypes were designated I-310. The I-310 was a

swept-wing A swept wing is a wing angled either backward or occasionally forward from its root rather than perpendicular to the fuselage. Swept wings have been flown since the pioneer days of aviation. Wing sweep at high speeds was first investigated in Ge ...

fighter with 35° sweep in wings and tail, with two

wing fence A wing is a type of fin that produces both lift and drag while moving through air. Wings are defined by two shape characteristics, an airfoil section and a planform. Wing efficiency is expressed as lift-to-drag ratio, which compares the bene ...

s fitted to each wing to improve airflow over the wing. The design used a single Rolls-Royce Nene fed by a split-forward air intake. A duct carried intake air around the cockpit area and back together ahead of the engine.Gunston 1995, p. 188. Its first flight was 30 December 1947,Gunston 1995, p. 189. some two months after the American F-86 Sabre had first flown. It demonstrated exceptional performance, reaching at . The Soviet Union's first swept-wing jet fighter had been the underpowered

Lavochkin La-160 The Lavochkin La-160, known as ''Strelka'' (Arrow), was the first Soviet swept-winged jet fighter research prototype. It was designed and manufactured by the Lavochkin Design Bureau from 1946. USAF reporting name - Type 6 Design and development ...

, which was otherwise more similar to the MiG-9. The

Lavochkin La-168 The Lavochkin La-168 was a Jet engine, jet Fighter aircraft, fighter developed for the USSR. Like the better known Mikoyan MiG-15 which was ultimately selected and went on to become one of the most successful jet fighters of its era, the Lavochki ...

, which reached production as the

Lavochkin La-15 The Lavochkin La-15 (Sokol plant, Plant 21 product code Izdeliye 52, USAF reporting name Type 21, NATO reporting name Fantail), was an early Soviet Union, Soviet Fighter aircraft, jet fighter and a contemporary of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 whic ...

, used the same engine as the MiG but used a shoulder-mounted wing and t-tail; it was the main competitive design. Eventually, the MiG design was favoured for mass production. Designated MiG-15, the first production example flew on 31 December 1948. It entered

Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Forces (, VVS SSSR; literally "Military Air Forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics"; initialism VVS, sometimes referred to as the "Red Air Force") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Sovie ...

service in 1949 and subsequently received the

"Fagot". Early production examples had a tendency to roll to the left or to the right due to manufacturing variances, so aerodynamic trimmers called ''nozhi'' (knives) were fitted to correct the problem, the knives being adjusted by ground crews until the aircraft flew correctly. The MiG-15 was originally intended to intercept American bombers like the

B-29 The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined Propeller (aeronautics), propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to ...

. It was even evaluated in mock air-to-air combat trials with a captured US B-29, as well as the later Soviet B-29 copy, the

Tupolev Tu-4 The Tupolev Tu-4 (; NATO reporting name: Bull) is a piston-engined Soviet Union, Soviet strategic bomber that served the Soviet Air Force from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s. The aircraft was a copy of the American Boeing B-29 Superfortress, ha ...

. To ensure the destruction of such large bombers, the MiG-15 carried

autocannon An autocannon, automatic cannon or machine cannon is a automatic firearm, fully automatic gun that is capable of rapid-firing large-caliber ( or more) armour-piercing, explosive or incendiary ammunition, incendiary shell (projectile), shells, ...

s: two with 80 rounds per gun and a single with 40 rounds. These weapons provided tremendous punch in the interceptor role, but their limited rate of fire and relatively low velocity made it more difficult to score hits against small and manoeuvrable enemy jet fighters in air-to-air combat. The 23 mm and 37 mm also had radically different

ballistics Ballistics is the field of mechanics concerned with the launching, flight behaviour and impact effects of projectiles, especially weapon munitions such as bullets, unguided bombs, rockets and the like; the science or art of designing and acceler ...

, and some

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

(UN) pilots in Korea had the unnerving experience of 23 mm shells passing over them while the 37 mm shells flew under. The cannon were fitted into a simple pack that could be winched out of the bottom of the nose for servicing and reloading, allowing pre-prepared packs to be rapidly swapped out. Despite the shortcomings of its armament, the MiG-15's simplicity, ruggedness, and particularly the absence of fuel tanks in its wings made it a formidable air-to-air adversary; its airframe has relatively few vulnerable areas, and shooting one down using the relatively fast-firing but less potent

M2 Browning The M2 machine gun or Browning .50-caliber machine gun (informally, "Ma Deuce") is a heavy machine gun that was designed near the end of World War I by John Browning. While similar to Browning's M1919 Browning machine gun, which was chambered ...

machine guns common in American aircraft almost invariably required multiple hits. An improved variant, the MiG-15''bis'' ("second"), entered service in early 1950 with a

Klimov VK-1 The Klimov VK-1 was the first Soviet jet engine to see significant production. It was developed by and first produced by the GAZ 116 works. Derived from the Rolls-Royce Nene, the engine was also built under licence in China as the Wopen WP-5. ...

engine, another version of the Nene with improved metallurgy over the RD-45, plus minor improvements and upgrades. Visible differences were a headlight in the air intake separator and horizontal upper edge airbrakes. The 23 mm cannon were placed more closely together in their undercarriage. Some "bis" aircraft also adopted under-wing hardpoints for unguided rocket launchers or bombs. Fighter-bomber modifications were dubbed "IB", "SD-21", and "SD-5". About 150 aircraft were upgraded to SD-21 specification during 1953–1954. The MiG-15 arguably had sufficient power to dive at supersonic speeds, but the lack of an "all-flying" tail greatly diminished the pilot's ability to control the aircraft as it approached

Mach The Mach number (M or Ma), often only Mach, (; ) is a dimensionless quantity in fluid dynamics representing the ratio of flow velocity past a Boundary (thermodynamic), boundary to the local speed of sound. It is named after the Austrian physi ...

1. As a result, pilots had to take care not to exceed Mach 0.92, where the flight surfaces became ineffective. The instrument panel had a red warning light that would illuminate when this speed was reached, and during post-Korean War flight tests, American test pilots found that the aircraft would buffet heavily above Mach 0.92 and would pitch up at Mach 0.95. During a high-altitude, full-power dive to determine if the MiG-15 could exceed Mach 1,

Chuck Yeager Brigadier general (United States), Brigadier General Charles Elwood Yeager ( , February 13, 1923December 7, 2020) was a United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot who in October 1947 became the first pilot in his ...

reached Mach 0.98, but the MiG would go no faster, and he lost roll control and did not begin to regain it until flying into denser air at of altitude; he had descended to by the time he fully regained control and recovered from the dive. The MiG-15 tended to

spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...

after it stalled, and often the pilot could not recover. According to American test pilots, this behavior was exacerbated by the lack of a noticeable stall warning. The MiG's proclivity towards sudden spins was deduced by UN pilots before the US was able to test one; during the Korean War, there were 56 recorded instances of UN pilots witnessing a MiG-15 entering a spin in combat, resulting in at least 25 crashes and ten ejections.

Operational history

Chinese Civil War

The large-scale introduction of the MiG-15 occurred during the last phases of the

Chinese Civil War The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led Nationalist government, government of the Republic of China (1912–1949), Republic of China and the forces of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Armed conflict continued intermitt ...

. During the first months of 1950, aircraft of the Nationalist ROCAF, operating from bases in

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

, attacked

mainland China "Mainland China", also referred to as "the Chinese mainland", is a Geopolitics, geopolitical term defined as the territory under direct administration of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War. In addit ...

, including

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

Mao Zedong Mao Zedong pronounced ; traditionally Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Mao Tse-tung. (26December 18939September 1976) was a Chinese politician, revolutionary, and political theorist who founded the People's Republic of China (PRC) in ...

requested assistance with air defense from the USSR. In February 1950, the

50th Fighter Aviation Division 5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. Humans, and many other animals, have 5 digits on their limbs. Mathematics 5 is a Fermat pri ...

(''50 IAD'') of the

Soviet Air Defence Forces The Soviet Air Defence Forces (; ) was the air defence branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. Formed in 1941, it continued being a service branch of the Russian Armed Forces after 1991 until it was merged into the Air Force in 1998. Unlike Western ...

, equipped with the MiG-15bis, was deployed to southern China, to support the

People's Liberation Army Air Force The People's Liberation Army Air Force, also referred to as the Chinese Air Force () or the People's Air Force (), is the primary aerial warfare service of the People's Liberation Army. The PLAAF controls most of the PLA's air assets, includi ...

(PLAAF) and begin training Chinese pilots in the MiG-15. In April 1950, MiG-15s flown by Soviet pilots began operating over Shanghai, thwarting the Nationalist bombing campaign. On 28 April 1950, a

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

Kalinikov shot down a ROCAF

P-38 The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinc ...

, in the first aerial victory for a MiG-15 pilot. Another followed on 11 May, when Captain Ilya Ivanovich Schinkarenko downed a

B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models desi ...

flown by Li Chao Hua, commander of the 8th Air Group, ROCAF.

Soviet MiG-15s in the Korean War

Overview and background

For many years, the Soviet Union actively denied that its pilots flew in Korea during the Korean War; only China and North Korea took responsibility for Korean War operations. After the end of the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

, Soviet pilots who participated in the conflict began to reveal their roles. Books by Chinese, Russian and ex-Soviet authors, such as Zhang Xiaoming, Leonid Krylov, Yuriy Tepsurkaev and Igor Seydov revealed details of the actual pilots and operations. From the beginning, Soviet pilots were ordered to avoid flying over areas in which they might be captured. Soviet aircraft were adorned with North Korean or Chinese markings and even the pilots inside the aircraft wore either North Korean uniforms or civilian clothes to disguise their nationality. For radio communication, they were given cards with common Korean words for various flying terms spelled out phonetically in

Cyrillic The Cyrillic script ( ) is a writing system used for various languages across Eurasia. It is the designated national script in various Slavic, Turkic, Mongolic, Uralic, Caucasian and Iranic-speaking countries in Southeastern Europe, Ea ...

letters. These subterfuges did not long survive the stresses of air-to-air combat, however. Pilots often inadvertently reverted to their native language. UN forces widely suspected the participation of Soviet aircrews, and intercepted radio traffic appeared to include combat pilots speaking Russian. In addition, USAF pilots claimed to have recognized techniques and tactics used by Soviet pilots, whom they referred to as "". When the Korean War broke out on 25 June 1950, the North

Korean People's Air Force The Korean People's Army Air Force (KPAF; ; Hanja: 朝鮮人民軍空軍) is the unified military aviation force of North Korea. It is the second largest branch of the Korean People's Army comprising an estimated 110,000 members.Il-10s and 79 Yak-9Ps, and "40–50 assorted transport/liaison/trainer aircraft"."Korean Air Force."
''korean-war.com.'' Retrieved: 12 September 2010. Propeller-driven, single-engine fighters were also numerically dominant amongst the air forces that would come under

United Nations Command United Nations Command (UNC or UN Command) is the multinational military force established to support the South Korea, Republic of Korea (South Korea) during and after the Korean War. It was the first attempt at collective security by the U ...

(UNC) – such as the

North American P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed by James H. Kin ...

Vought F4U Corsair The Vought F4U Corsair is an American fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Designed and initially manufactured by Vought, Chance Vought, the Corsair was soon in great demand; additional production con ...

and

Hawker Sea Fury The Hawker Sea Fury is a British fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft. It was the last propeller-driven fighter to serve with the Royal Navy. Developed during the Second World War, the Sea Fury entered service two year ...

. Initially, the numerical and technical superiority of UNC fighter units gave them air supremacy, and laid North Korean targets bare to the destructive power of

(USAF)

Boeing B-29 The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the Bo ...

heavy bombers. During 1950, the

Kremlin The Moscow Kremlin (also the Kremlin) is a fortified complex in Moscow, Russia. Located in the centre of the country's capital city, the Moscow Kremlin (fortification), Kremlin comprises five palaces, four cathedrals, and the enclosing Mosco ...

agreed to supply China and North Korea with MiG-15s, as well as train their pilots. The 50th Fighter Aviation Division (50 IAD), equipped with the MiG-15, was already based near Shanghai, as it had taken part in the Chinese Civil War (see previous section). A detachment from the 50 IAD was moved to Antung, next to the border with North Korea in August 1950. They formed the 29th Guards Fighter Regiment (29 GvIAP). When China entered the war in support of North Korea, the Soviets agreed to provide 16 operational air regiments of MiG-15s, including combat pilots. In the meantime, more MiG-15 pilots were recruited; the squadrons earmarked for Korea were drawn from elite units. The pilots had to be younger than 27, and priority was given to World War II veterans. The first large Soviet aviation unit sent to Korea, the 324th IAD, was an air defense interceptor division commanded by Colonel

Ivan Kozhedub Marshal of Aviation Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub (; ; 8 June 1920 – 8 August 1991) was a career aviator with the Soviet Air Forces who first came to prominence as a World War II fighter ace. Universally credited with over 60 solo victories, he is c ...

, who, with 62 victories, was the top Allied (and Soviet) ace of World War II. In November 1950, the 151st and 28th IADs plus the veteran 50th IAD were reorganized into the

64th Fighter Aviation Corps The 64th Fighter Aviation Corps (64th IAK) was an aviation corps of the Soviet Air Forces. The corps was the parent unit for Soviet interceptor units based in northeastern Manchuria during the Korean War. The unit claimed a 3.4:1 kill ratio in favo ...

(64 IAK). Initially, the Soviet fighters operated close to their bases, limited by the range of their aircraft, and were guided to the air battlefield by good ground control, which directed them to the most advantageous positions. For political, security and logistical reasons, they were not allowed to cross an imaginary line drawn from

Wonsan Wonsan (), previously known as Wonsanjin (), is a port city and naval base located in Kangwon Province (North Korea), Kangwon Province, North Korea, along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula, on the Sea of Japan and the provincial capital. ...

Pyongyang Pyongyang () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is sometimes labeled as the "Capital of the Revolution" (). Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. Accordi ...

, and never to fly over the sea. The MiG-15s always operated in pairs, with an attacking leader covered by a wingman. The northwestern portion of North Korea where the

Yalu River The Yalu River () or Amnok River () is a river on the border between China and North Korea. Together with the Tumen River to its east, and a small portion of Paektu Mountain, the Yalu forms the border between China and North Korea. Its valle ...

empties into the

Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea, also known as the North Sea, is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. Names It is one of four ...

was dubbed "

MiG Alley "MiG Alley" was the name given by United Nations Command, United Nations (UN) pilots during the Korean War to the northwestern portion of North Korea, where the Yalu River empties into the Yellow Sea. It was the site of numerous dogfights betwe ...

" and became the site of numerous

dogfight A dogfight, or dog fight, is an air combat manoeuvring, aerial battle between fighter aircraft that is conducted at close range. Modern terminology for air-to-air combat is air combat manoeuvring (ACM), which refers to tactical situations requir ...

s. MiG-15 pilots also proved very effective in the specific role for which the type was originally designed: intercepting formations of B-29s. At the tactical level, large formations of MiGs would wait on the Chinese side of the border. When UN aircraft entered MiG Alley, the MiGs would swoop down from high altitude to attack. If they ran into trouble, they would try to escape back over the border into China. Soviet MiG-15 squadrons operated in big groups, but the basic formation was a six-aircraft group, divided into three pairs, each composed of a leader and a wingman: * The first pair of MiG-15s attacked the enemy Sabres. * The second pair protected the first pair. * The third pair remained above, supporting the two other pairs when needed. This pair had more freedom and could also attack targets of opportunity, such as lone Sabres that had lost their wingmen. After the MiG-15 entered the war, it was shown to be clearly superior to the best straight-wing jets operated by other countries, including the

Gloster Meteor The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' only jet aircraft to engage in combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turbojet engines, pioneere ...

, Lockheed F-80,

Republic F-84 The Republic F-84 Thunderjet is an American turbojet fighter-bomber aircraft. Originating as a 1944 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) proposal for a "day fighter", the F-84 first flew in 1946. Although it entered service in 1947, the Thunde ...

and Grumman F9F. In most measures of performance, the

– which was also a swept-wing design – was the only close contemporary that could match the MiG-15. The USAF has claimed that the F-86 had the advantage in combat kills over Korea between 1950 and 1953. It has been acknowledged that many individual Soviet pilots had larger individual tallies than their UN counterparts, due to a number of factors, although the aggregated claims made by Soviet pilots were probably overstated.Zampini, Diego
"Russian [sic-Soviet] Aces over Korea Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 Fagot pilots".
''Acepilots.com'', 2008. Retrieved: 10 March 2009. According to Soviet/Russian sources, 335 Soviet-piloted MiG-15s were lost in Korea to all causes, including accidents, AA fire and ground attacks. Chinese sources claim that 224 Chinese-piloted MiG-15s were lost over Korea.Zhang, Xiaoming. Red Wings over the Yalu: China, the Soviet Union, and the Air War in Korea (Texas A&M University Military History Series). College Station: Texas A&M University, 2002. . North Korean losses are not known, but according to North Korean defectors, their air force lost around 100 MiG-15s during the war. Thus, around 659 MiG-15s are admitted as being lost. While an overwhelming majority of the losses to UN fighters involved F-86 pilots, several MiG-15s were lost in, or immediately after, combat with each of several other UN fighters: F-80s, F-84s, F9Fs, Gloster Meteors and even propeller-driven F4Us and Sea Furies. The Soviet

(64 IAK), which controlled all Soviet-piloted aircraft in the Korean War, claimed 1,106 aircraft shot down by MiG-15s. The records of USAF units confirm 139 US aircraft were shot down by MiGs, with another 68 lost due to unknown causes, 237 aircraft listed as missing due to unknown causes, and 472 aircraft classified as "other losses". Data-matching with Soviet records suggests that US pilots routinely attributed their own combat losses to "landing accidents" and "other losses".

November 1950 to January 1952

On 1 November 1950, the 50th IAD joined the war with its MiG-15s – their noses painted red and in North Korean markings. That day, eight MiG-15s intercepted about 15 USAF F-51D Mustangs, and First Lieutenant Fyodor V. Chizh shot down Aaron Abercombrie, killing the American pilot. The first-ever jet-versus-jet combat occurred that same day when three MiG-15s from the 50th IAD intercepted ten F-80 Shooting Stars. The F-80C piloted by 1st Lt Frank Van Sickle USAF was shot down by 1st Lt Semyon Fyodorovich Khominich, and Van Sickle was killed. However, the USAF falsely attributed the loss to North Korean AA artillery.Krylov, Leonid and Tepsurkaev, Yuriy. ''Korean War Resources (KORWALD).'' Retrieved: 11 March 2009. However, on 9 November, the Soviet MiG-15 pilots suffered their first loss when Lieutenant Commander William T. Amen off the aircraft carrier shot down and killed Captain Mikhail F. Grachev while flying a

Grumman F9F Panther The Grumman F9F Panther is an early carrier-based jet fighter designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Grumman. It was the first jet-powered fighter aircraft to see air-to-air combat with the United States Navy as well as be ...

.Krylov and Tepsurkaev 2009 To counter the MiG-15, three squadrons of the F-86 Sabre, America's only operational jet with swept wings, were quickly rushed to Korea in December. On 17 December, Lt Col. Bruce H. Hinton forced Maj. Yakov Nikanorovich Yefromeyenko to eject from his burning MiG. Five days later, Capt. Nikolay Yefremovich Vorobyov shot down the F-86A of Captain Lawrence V. Bach in his MiG-15bis. Both sides exaggerated their claims of aerial victories that month. Sabre fliers claimed eight MiGs, and the Soviets 12 F-86s; the actual losses were three MiGs and at least four Sabres. The British Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir

John Slessor Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Cotesworth Slessor, (3 June 1897 – 12 July 1979) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force (RAF), serving as Chief of the Air Staff from 1950 to 1952. As a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps duri ...

, commented: "not only is it faster than anything we are building today, but it is already being produced in very large numbers ..The Russians, therefore, have achieved a four year lead over British development in respect of the vitally important interceptor fighter". At the end of 1950, the Soviet Union assigned a new unit to support China, the 324th IAD (made up of two regiments: the 176th GIAP and 196th IAP). At that time, a MiG-15 interceptor regiment had 35 to 40 aircraft, and a division was usually composed of three regiments. When the new unit arrived at air bases along the Yalu River in March 1951, it had undergone preliminary training at Soviet bases in the neighboring Maritime Military Districts and started an intense period of air-to-air training in the MiG-15. The Soviets trained alongside Chinese and Korean pilots. Both regiments of the 324th IAD redeployed to the forward airbase in Antung and entered combat in early April 1951. The 303rd IAD of General Georgiy A. Lobov arrived in Korea in June of that same year and commenced combat operations in August. MiG-15s curving to attack B-29s over Korea c1951

MiG-15s curving to attack B-29s over Korea c1951

Soviet MiG pilots were trained to attack enemy formations in coordinated attacks from different directions, using both height and high speed to their advantage. The first encounters established the main features of the aerial battles of the next two and a half years. The MiG-15 and MiG-15bis had a higher

ceiling A ceiling is an overhead interior roof that covers the upper limits of a room. It is not generally considered a structural element, but a finished surface concealing the underside of the roof structure or the floor of a story above. Ceilings can ...

than all versions of the Sabre – versus of the F-86F – and accelerated faster than F-86A/E/Fs due to their better thrust-to-weight ratio – versus of the F-86F. The MiG-15's per minute climbing rate was also greater than the per minute of the F-86A and -E (the F-86F matched the MiG-15). A better turn radius above further distinguished the MiG-15. The MiG was slower at low altitude – in the MiG-15bis configuration as opposed to the of the F-86F. All Sabres could also turn tighter below . Thus, if the MiG-15 forced the Sabre to fight in the vertical plane or in the horizontal one above , it gained a significant advantage. Furthermore, a MiG-15 could easily escape from a Sabre by climbing to its ceiling, knowing that the F-86 could not follow. Below , however, the Sabre had a slight advantage over the MiG in most aspects excluding climb rate, especially if the Soviet pilot made the mistake of fighting in the horizontal. The MiG also had more powerful weaponry – one 37 mm N-37 cannon and two 23 mm

NR-23 The Nudelman-Richter NR-23 is a Soviet autocannon widely used in military aircraft of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact. It was designed by A. E. Nudelman and A. A. Richter to replace the wartime Nudelman-Suranov NS-23 and Volkov-Yartsev VYa-23 ...

cannons, versus the six 12.7 mm (.50 in) machine guns of the Sabre. However, the Soviet World War II-era ASP-1N gyroscopic

gunsight A sight or sighting device is any device used to assist in precise visual alignment (i.e. ''aiming'') of weapons, surveying instruments, aircraft equipment, optical illumination equipment or larger optical instruments with the intended target. ...

was less sophisticated than the accurate A-1CM and A4 radar ranging sights of the F-86E and -F. The main mission of the MiG-15 was not to dogfight the F-86 but to counter the USAF

Boeing B-29 Superfortress The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is a retired American four-engined propeller-driven heavy bomber, designed by Boeing and flown primarily by the United States during World War II and the Korean War. Named in allusion to its predecessor, the Bo ...

bombers. This mission was assigned to the elite of the Soviet Air Force (VVS), in April 1951 to the 324th IAD of Colonel Ivan Kozhedub, and later to the 303rd IAD of General Georgiy A. Lobov, who arrived in Korea in June of the same year. On 12 April 1951, 44 MiG-15s took on a USAF formation of 48 B-29 Superfortresses escorted by 18 F-86 Sabres, 54 F-84 Thunderjets and 24 F-80 Shooting Stars heading towards the bridge linking North Korea and Red China over the Yalu River in

Uiju Ŭiju is a kun, or county, in North Pyongan Province, North Korea. The county has an area of 420 km2, and a population of 110,018 (2008 data). Name Ŭiju appears as Uiju in South Korea's Revised Romanization and as Yizhou in Chinese source ...

. The experienced Soviet fliers shot down or damaged beyond repair 10 B-29As, one F-86A and three F-80Cs for the loss of only one MiG. The Soviet air units claimed to have shot down 29 American aircraft through the rest of the month: 11 F-80s, seven B-29s and nine F-51s. 23 out of these 29 claims match acknowledged losses, but US sources assert that most of them were either operational or due to flak, admitting only four B-29s (a downed B-29, plus two B-29s and an RB-29 that crash-landed or were damaged beyond repair). US historians agree that the MiG-15 gained aerial superiority over northwestern Korea. US strategic bombers returned in the week of 22–27 October to neutralize the North Korean aerodromes of Namsi,

Taechon T'aechŏn or Thaechŏn (''in North Korean romanization'') is a ''kun'', or county, in central North P'yŏngan province, North Korea. It borders Taegwan and Tongch'ang to the north, Unsan and Nyŏngbyŏn to the east, Pakch'ŏn and Unjŏn to ...

and Saamchan, taking further losses to the MiG-15. On 23 October 1951, 56 MiG-15bis intercepted nine B-29s escorted by 34 F-86s and 55 F-84Es. In spite of their numerical inferiority, the Soviet airmen shot down or damaged beyond repair eight B-29As and two F-84Es, losing only one MiG in return and leading Americans to call that day "Black Tuesday". The most successful Soviet pilots that day were Lieutenant Colonel Aleksandr P. Smorchkov and 1st Lieutenant Dmitriy A. Samoylov. The former shot down a Superfortress on each of 22, 23 and 24 October. Samoylov added two F-86As to his tally on 24 October 1951,Seydov, Igor. "Dmitriy Samoylov", Mir Aviatsiya, 1–2003, pp. 30–36. and on 27 October shot down two more aircraft: a B-29A and an F-84E. Retrieved: 12 September 2010. These losses among the heavy bombers forced the

Far East Air Forces The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at the Hickam AFB portion of Join ...

High Command to cancel the precision daylight attacks of the B-29s and only undertake radar-directed night raids. From November 1951 to January 1952, both sides tried to achieve air superiority over the Yalu, or at least tried to deny it to the enemy, and in consequence, the intensity of the aerial combat reached peaks not seen before between MiG-15 and F-86 pilots. During the period from November 1950 to January 1952, no fewer than 40 Soviet MiG-15 pilots were credited as

aces An ace is a playing card. Ace(s), ACE(S) and variants may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Awards * ACE Awards (Award for Cable Excellence) Comics * ''Ace Comics'', a 1937-1959 comic book series * Ace Magazines (comics), a 1940- ...

, with five or more victories. Soviet combat records show that the first pilot to claim his fifth aerial victory was Captain Stepan Ivanovich Naumenko on 24 December 1950. The honor falls to Captain Sergei Kramarenko, when on 29 July 1951, he scored his actual fifth victory. Approximately 16 out of those 40 pilots actually became aces, the most successful being Major Nikolay Sutyagin, credited with 22 victories, 13 of which were confirmed by the US; Colonel

Yevgeny Pepelyaev Yevgeny Georgievich Pepelyaev (; 18 March 1918 – 4 January 2013) was a Soviet fighter pilot in the Korean War; most Russian sources credit him as the second-highest scoring pilot in the war with 19 shootdowns, placing him only below Nikolai Suty ...

with 19 claims, 15 confirmed; and Major Lev Shchukin with 17 credited, 11 verified. The MiG leaders, enjoying the advantage from the ground and the tactical advantage of an aircraft with superior altitude performance were able to dictate the tactical situation at least until the battle was started. They could decide to fight or stay out as they wished. The advantage of radar control from the ground also allowed the MiGs, if desired, to pass through the gaps in the F-86 patrol pattern.

January 1952 to July 1952

At the end of January 1952, the 303rd IAD was replaced by the 97th (16th and 148th IAP) and in February the 324th IAD was replaced by the 190th IAD (256th, 494th and 821st IAP). These new units were poorly trained, the bulk of the pilots having only 50–60 hours flying the MiG. Consequently, those units suffered great losses from the now better-prepared American Sabre pilots. At least two Soviet fliers became aces during that period: Majors Arkadiy S. Boytsov and Vladimir N. Zabelin, with six and nine victories respectively. During the six months of February to July 1952, they lost 81 MiGs, and 34 pilots were killed by F-86s, and in return, they only shot down 68 UN aircraft (including 36 F-86s). The greatest losses came on 4 July 1952, when 11 MiGs were downed by Sabres, with one pilot killed in action. Contributing to all this was the secret "Maple Special" Operation, a plan by Colonel Francis Gabreski to cross the Yalu River into Manchuria (something officially forbidden) and catch the MiGs unaware during their takeoffs or landings, when they were at disadvantage: flying slow, at a low level, and sometimes short of ammunition and fuel. Even under these circumstances, MiG-15 pilots would score at least two important victories against US aces: * 10 February 1952: Major

George Andrew Davis, Jr. George Andrew Davis Jr. (December 1, 1920 – February 10, 1952) was a highly decorated fighter pilot and flying ace of the United States Army Air Forces in World War II, and later of the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He was ki ...

, an ace credited with 14 victories, 10 confirmed by communist sources, was shot down and killed. The victor's identity was disputed between 1st Lieutenant Mikhail Akimovich Averin and Zhang Jihui.Seydov, Igor and Askold German. "Krasnye Dyaboly na 38-oy Parallel." Moscow: EKSMO, 1998. * 4 July 1952: A few seconds after shooting down 1st Lieutenant M. I. Kosynkin, future ace Captain Clifford D. Jolley was forced to eject out of his crippled F-86E after being caught by surprise by MiG-15bis pilot 1st Lieutenant Vasily Romanovich Krutkikh.Thompson and McLaren 2002, Appendix B.

July 1952 to July 1953

In May 1952, new and better trained PVO divisions, the 133rd and 216th IADs, arrived in Korea. They would replace the 97th and 190th by July 1952, and if they could not take aerial superiority away from the now well-prepared Americans, then they certainly neutralized it between September 1952 and July 1953. In September 1952, the 32nd IAD also started combat operations. Again, the figures of victories and losses in the air are still debated by historians of the US and the former Soviet Union, but on at least three occasions, Soviet MiG-15 aces gained the upper hand against Sabre aces: * 7 April 1953: The 10-kill ace Captain Harold E. Fischer was shot down over Manchuria shortly after causing damage to a Chinese and a Soviet MiG over Dapu airbase in Manchuria. The attacker's identity was disputed between 1st Lieutenant Grigoriy Nesterovich Berelidze and Han Dechai.Krylov and Tepsurkaev 2008, Chapter 6. * 12 April 1953: Captain Semyon Alekseyevich Fedorets, a Soviet ace with eight victories, shot down the F-86E of Norman E. Green, but shortly afterward was attacked by the future top American ace of the Korean War, Captain Joseph C. McConnell. In the ensuing dogfight, they shot each other down, ejecting and being rescued safely. * 20 July 1953: During a raid deep into Manchuria, and after shooting down two Chinese MiGs, Majors Thomas M. Sellers and Stephen L. Bettinger (the second an ace with five kills) tried to catch by surprise two Soviet MiG-15s that were landing in Dapu. The Soviet fliers skillfully forced the Americans to overshoot, reversed direction and shot both down: Captain Boris N. Siskov forced Bettinger to bail out and his wingman 1st Lieutenant Vladimir I. Klimov killed Major Sellers. This was Siskov's fifth victory, making him the last ace of the Korean War. Those were also the last Sabres downed by Soviet fliers in the war. The MiG-15 threat forced the Far East Air Forces to cancel B-29 daylight raids in favor of night radar-guided missions from November 1951 onward. Initially, this presented a threat to Communist defenses, as their only specialized night-fighting unit was equipped with the prop-driven

Lavochkin La-11 The Lavochkin La-11 (NATO reporting name Fang) was an early post-World War II Soviet long-range piston-engined fighter aircraft. The design was essentially that of a Lavochkin La-9 with additional fuel tanks and the removal of one of the four 2 ...

, inadequate for the task of intercepting the B-29. Part of the regiment was re-equipped with the MiG-15bis, and another night-fighting unit joined the fray, causing American heavy bombers to suffer losses again. Between 21:50 and 22:30 on 10 June 1952, four MiG-15bis attacked B-29s over Sonchon and

Kwaksan Kwaksan County is a ''kun'' (, 'county') in coastal southern North P'yŏngan province, North Korea. It faces the Yellow Sea to the south. By land, it is bordered by Kusŏng city to the north, Chŏngju to the east, and Sŏnch'ŏn to the west. ...

. Lieutenant Colonel Mikhail Ivanovich Studilin damaged a B-29A beyond repair, forcing it to make an emergency landing at

Kimpo Air Base Gimpo International Airport , sometimes referred to as Seoul–Gimpo International Airport but formerly rendered in English as Kimpo International Airport, is located in the far western end of Seoul, some west of the central district of Seou ...

.Seydov, Igor and German, Askold. 1998. A few minutes later, Major Anatoly Karelin added two more Superfortresses to his tally. Studilin and Karelin's wingmen, Major L. A. Boykovets and 1st Lieutenant Zhahmany Ihsangalyev, also damaged one B-29 each. Anatoly Karelin eventually became an ace with six kills (all B-29s at night). In the aftermath of these battles, B-29 night sorties were cancelled for two months. Originally conceived to shoot down rather than escort bombers, both of America's state-of-the-art jet night fighters – the

F-94 Starfire The Lockheed F-94 Starfire is a first-generation jet powered all-weather day/night interceptor aircraft designed and produced by Lockheed Corporation. It was the first operational United States Air Force (USAF) fighter equipped with an afterbu ...

and the

F3D Skyknight The Douglas F3D Skyknight (1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system, later redesignated F-10 Skyknight) is an American twin-engined, mid-wing fighter aircraft, jet fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by the Douglas Air ...

– were committed to protecting the Superfortresses against MiGs. The MiG-15 was less effective in getting past the Marine Corps ground-based two-seat F3D Skyknight night fighters assigned to escort B-29s after the F-94 Starfires proved ineffective. What the squat aircraft lacked in sheer performance, it made up for with the advantage of a search radar that enabled the Skyknight to see its targets clearly, while the MiG-15's directions to find bomber formations were of little use in seeing escorting fighters. On the night of 2–3 November 1952, a Skyknight with pilot Major William Stratton and radar operator Hans Hoagland damaged the MiG-15 of Captain V. D. Vishnyak. Five days later, Oliver R. Davis and radar operator D.F. "Ding" Fessler downed a MiG-15bis; the pilot, Lieutenant Ivan P. Kovalyov, ejected safely. Skyknights claimed five MiG kills for no losses of their own,Grossnick, Roy A. and William J. Armstrong. ''United States Naval Aviation, 1910–1995''. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Historical Center, 1997. . and no B-29s escorted by them were lost to enemy fighters. However, the duel was not one-sided: on the night of 16 January 1953, an F3D almost did fall to a MiG, when the Skyknight of Captain George Cross and Master Sergeant J. A. Piekutowski suffered serious damage in an attack by a Soviet MiG-15bis; with difficulty, the Skyknight returned to Kunsan Air Base. Three and a half months later, on the night of 29 May 1953, Chinese MiG-15 pilot Hou Shujun of the PLAAF shot down an F3D-2 over Anju; Sgt. James V. Harrell's remains were found on a beach during the summer of 2001 just miles from the Kunsan base. Captain James B. Brown is still missing in action. In a

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

Sea Fury flying from a light fleet carrierFury History".
''Unlimited Air Racing''. Retrieved: 9 March 2007. FAA pilot Lieutenant Peter "Hoagy" Carmichael downed a MiG-15 on 8 August 1952, in air-to-air combat. The Sea Fury would be one of the few piston-engined fighter aircraft following World War II's end to shoot down a jet fighter. On 10 September 1952, Captain Jesse G. Folmar shot down a MiG-15 with an F4U Corsair but was himself downed by another MiG. The figures given by the Soviet sources indicate that the MiG-15s of the 64th IAK (the fighter corps that included all the divisions that rotated through the conflict) made 60,450 daylight combat sorties and 2,779 night ones and engaged the enemy in 1,683 daylight aerial battles and 107 at night, claiming to have shot down 1,097 UN aircraft over Korea, including 647 F-86s, 185 F-84s, 118 F-80s, 28 F-51s, 11 F-94s, 65 B-29s, 26 Gloster Meteors and 17 aircraft of different types. According to US, 57 B-29s and reconnaissance variants were lost in combat during the Korean war, almost all by MiG-15s.

Chinese and Korean MiG-15s during the Korean War

The Soviet VVS and PVO were the primary users of the MiG-15 during the war; it was also used by the PLAAF and KPAF (unified under an organizational structure called 1st United Air Army). Despite complaints from the Soviet Union, which repeatedly requested that the Chinese accelerate the introduction of MiG-15, by 1951 there were only two regiments flying MiG-15bis as night fighters. Being not completely trained and equipped, both units were used only for the defence of China, but they became involved in the interception of USAF reconnaissance aircraft, some of which went very deep over China. By September 1951, with enough MiG-15s in the Yalu area, Soviet and Chinese leaders were confident enough to begin planning the deployment of Chinese and new North Korean MiG-15 regiments outside Chinese sanctuaries. Excluding a brief episode in January 1951, the PLAAF did not see action until 25 September 1951, when 16 MiG-15s engaged Sabres, with pilot Li Yongtai claiming a victory, but losing a MiG and its pilot. The North Korean unit equipped with the MiG-15 got into action a year later, in September 1952. From then until the end of the war, units in the 1st United Air Army claimed to have shot down 211 F-86s, 72 F-84s and F-80s, and 47 other aircraft of various types, losing 116 Chinese airmen and 231 aircraft: 224 MiG-15s, three La-11s and four

Tupolev Tu-2 The Tupolev Tu-2 (development names ANT-58 and 103; NATO reporting name Bat) is a twin-engined Soviet high-speed daylight and frontline bomber aircraft used during World War II. The Tu-2 was tailored to meet a requirement for a high-speed bomber ...

s. Several pilots were credited with five or more enemy aircraft, such as Zhao Baotong with seven victories, Wang Hai with nine kills, and both Kan Yon Duk and Kim Di San with five. Based on Soviet archival data, 335 Soviet MiG-15s are known to have been admitted as lost over Korea.Igor Seidov and Stuart Britton. ''Red Devils over the Yalu: A Chronicle of Soviet Aerial Operations in the Korean War 1950–53'' (Helion Studies in Military History). Helion and Company 2014. . p. 554. Chinese claims of their losses amount to 224 MiG-15s over Korea. North Korean losses are not known, but according to North Korean defectors their air force lost around 100 MiG-15s during the war. Thus a total of 659 MiG-15s are admitted as being lost by all causes, while USAF claims of their losses amount to 78 F-86 Sabres in air-to-air combat. Overall UN losses to MiG-15s are credited as 78 F-86 Sabres and 75 aircraft of other types. However, one modern source claims that the USAF has more recently cited 224 losses (circa 100 to air combat) out of 674 F-86s deployed to Korea. Conversely, data-matching with Soviet records shows that US pilots routinely attributed their own combat losses to "landing accidents" and "other causes". According to official US data ("USAF Statistical Digest FY1953"), the USAF lost 250 F-86 fighters in Korea: 184 were lost in combat (78 in air-combat, 19 by Anti-aircraft gun, 26 were "unknown causes" and 61 were "other losses") and 66 in accidents. More recent research by Dorr, Lake and Thompson has claimed the actual ratio is closer to 2 to 1. The Soviets claimed to have downed over 600 Sabres, together with the Chinese claims. A recent

RAND The RAND Corporation, doing business as RAND, is an American nonprofit global policy think tank, research institute, and public sector consulting firm. RAND engages in research and development (R&D) in several fields and industries. Since the ...

report made reference to "recent scholarship" of F-86 v MiG-15 combat over Korea and concluded that the actual kill:loss ratio for the F-86 was 1.8 to 1 overall, and likely closer to 1.3 to 1 against MiGs flown by Soviet pilots. However, this ratio did not count the number of aircraft of other types (B-29, A-26, F-80, F-82, F-84...) that were shot down by MiG-15s.

Defection

MiG-15 wreck salvaged by UN forces Korea 1951

In April 1951, a crashed MiG-15 was spotted near the

Chongchon River The Ch'ŏngch'ŏn is a river in North Korea having its source in the Rangrim Mountains of Chagang Province and emptying into the Yellow Sea at Sinanju. The river flows past Myohyang-san and through the city of Anju, South P'yŏngan Provi ...

. On 17 April 1951, a USAF

Sikorsky H-19 The Sikorsky H-19 Chickasaw (company model number S-55) is a multi-purpose piston-engined helicopter that was used by the United States Army and United States Air Force. It was also license-built by Westland Aircraft as the Westland Whirlwin ...

staging through

Baengnyeongdo Baengnyeongdo (; ), sometimes Baekryeong Island, is an island in Ongjin County, Incheon, South Korea. It is an inhabited island located near the Northern Limit Line, and is closer to North Korea than it is to the South. Since the 1945 division ...

carried a US/South Korean team to the crash site. They photographed the wreck and removed the turbine blades, combustion chamber, exhaust pipe and horizontal stabilizer. The overloaded helicopter then flew the team and samples back to Paengyong-do, where they were transferred to an

SA-16 The 9K38 Igla (, "needle", NATO reporting name SA-18 Grouse) is a Soviet/Russian man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. A simplified, earlier version is known as the 9K310 Igla-1 (NATO: SA-16 Gimlet), and the latest ...

and flown south and then to

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is a United States Air Force base and census-designated place just east of Dayton, Ohio, in Greene County, Ohio, Greene and Montgomery County, Ohio, Montgomery counties. It includes both Wright and Patte ...

, Ohio, for evaluation. In July 1951, the submerged remains of a MiG-15 were spotted by Royal Navy carrier aircraft from . The MiG-15 was broken up, a piece of the engine was visible aft of the center section, and the tail section was located some distance away. The wreck was located in an area of mudbanks with treacherous tides and at the end of a narrow channel that was supposedly mined, about behind the front lines. The MiG-15 was retrieved, transported to Incheon and then to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Eager to obtain an intact MiG for combat testing in a controlled environment, the United States launched

Operation Moolah Operation Moolah was a United States Air Force (USAF) effort during the Korean War to obtain through defection a fully capable Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15, MiG-15 Fighter aircraft, jet fighter. Communist forces introduced the MiG-15 to Korea o ...

, which offered to any pilot who defected with his MiG-15, political asylum and a reward of US$100,000 ().Friedman, Herbert A
"Operation Moolah: The Plot to Steal a MiG-15".
''psywarrior.com.'' Retrieved: 29 November 2011.

Franciszek Jarecki Franciszek Jarecki (born September 7, 1931 – died October 24, 2010) was a pilot in the Polish Air Force, who became famous in early 1953 when he escaped Soviet-controlled Poland in a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 jet, one of the best Soviet planes at ...

, a Polish Air Force pilot, defected from Soviet-controlled Poland in a MiG-15 on the morning of 5 March 1953, allowing Western air experts to examine the aircraft for the first time. Jarecki flew from

Słupsk Słupsk (; ; ) is a city with powiat rights located on the Słupia River in the Pomeranian Voivodeship in northern Poland, in the historical region of Pomerania or more specifically in its part known in contemporary Poland as Central Pomerania ...

to the field airport at Rønne on the Danish island of

Bornholm Bornholm () is a List of islands of Denmark, Danish island in the Baltic Sea, to the east of the rest of Denmark, south of Sweden, northeast of Germany and north of Poland. Strategically located, Bornholm has been fought over for centuries. I ...

. The whole trip took him only a few minutes. Specialists from the United States, called to the airfield by the Danish authorities, thoroughly examined the aircraft. According to international regulations, they then returned it by ship to Poland a few weeks later. Jarecki also received a $50,000 reward for being the first to present a MiG-15 to the Americans and became a US citizen. 8239th AU leaflet 2508

Following this example, a total of four Polish MiG-15 pilots defected. No military maps showed foreign Baltic coastlines and so Franciszek Jarecki navigated using a basic school atlas, three of the four pilots managed to find the small island of Bornholm while one arrived at the Swedish Coast approximately North of Bornholm. A North Korean pilot, Lieutenant Kenneth H. Rowe (born No Kum-Sok) defected at Kimpo Air Base on 21 September 1953. After landing he claimed to be unaware of the US$100,000 reward. This MiG-15 was minutely inspected and was test flown by several test pilots, including Chuck Yeager. Yeager reported in his autobiography the MiG-15 had dangerous handling faults and claimed that during a visit to the USSR, Soviet pilots were incredulous he had ''dived'' in it, this supposedly being very hazardous.Yeager and Janos 1986, p. 208. No informed the Americans that spins in the aircraft were considered very dangerous, and that the KPAF instructed pilots to eject if unable to recover from a spin within three turns. Remarking on the MiG-15's unforgiving behavior, particularly in the hands of an inexperienced pilot, Yeager characterized it as a "flying

booby trap A booby trap is a device or setup that is intended to kill, harm or surprise a human or an animal. It is triggered by the presence or actions of the victim and sometimes has some form of bait designed to lure the victim towards it. The trap may b ...

". Lieutenant No's aircraft is now on display at the

National Museum of the United States Air Force The National Museum of the United States Air Force (formerly the United States Air Force Museum) is the official museum of the United States Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, northeast of Dayton, Ohio. The NMUSAF is ...

near

Dayton, Ohio Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...

The Cold War

During the 1950s, the MiG-15s of the USSR and their

Warsaw Pact The Warsaw Pact (WP), formally the Treaty of Friendship, Co-operation and Mutual Assistance (TFCMA), was a Collective security#Collective defense, collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Polish People's Republic, Poland, between the Sovi ...

allies on many occasions, intercepted aircraft of the NATO air forces performing reconnaissance near or inside their territory; such incidents sometimes ended with aircraft of one side or the other being shot down. The known incidents where the MiG-15 was involved include: * 16 December 1950: A USAF RB-29 was downed over Primore (

Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it ...

) by two MiG-15 pilots, Captain Stepan A. Bajaev and 1st Lieutenant N. Kotov. * 19 November 1951: MiG-15bis pilot 1st Lieutenant A. A. Kalugin forced a USAF

C-47 The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota ( RAF designation) is a military transport aircraft developed from the civilian Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. During the war the C-47 was used for troo ...

that had penetrated Hungarian airspace to land at the airbase at

Pápa Pápa is a historical town in Veszprém county, Hungary, located close to the northern edge of the Bakony Hills, and noted for its baroque architecture. With its 28,549 inhabitants (2024), it is the cultural, economic and tourism centre of the r ...

. * 13 June 1952: Two naval MiG-15s, flown by Captain Oleg Piotrovich Fedotov and 1st Lieutenant Ivan Petrovich Proskurin, shot down an RB-29A near Valentin Bay, over the Sea of Japan. All 12 crew members perished (their bodies were not recovered). * 13 June 1952,

Catalina affair The Catalina affair () was a military confrontation and Cold War-era diplomatic crisis in June 1952, in which Soviet Air Force fighter jets shot down two Swedish aircraft over international waters in the Baltic Sea. The first aircraft to be sh ...

: A Soviet MiG-15 flown by Captain Osinskiy shot down a

Douglas DC-3 The Douglas DC-3 is a propeller-driven airliner manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company, which had a lasting effect on the airline industry in the 1930s to 1940s and World War II. It was developed as a larger, improved 14-bed sleeper ...

reconnaissance aircraft of the Swedish Air Force piloted by Alvar Almeberg near

Ventspils Ventspils () is a state city in northwestern Latvia in the historical Courland region of Latvia, and is the sixth largest city in the country. At the beginning of 2020, Ventspils had a population of 33,906. It is situated on the Venta River and ...

over the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...

. All eight crew members perished. One of the two Swedish military Catalina

flying boats A flying boat is a type of seaplane with a hull (watercraft), hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in having a fuselage that is purpose-designed for flotation, while floatplanes rely on fuselage-mounted floats for b ...

that conducted subsequent search and rescue for the downed DC-3 was also shot down by a MiG-15, though with no loss of life. * 7 August 1952: Two MiG-15 pilots, 1st Lieutenants Zeryakov and Lesnov, shot down a USAF RB-29 over the

Kuril Islands The Kuril Islands or Kurile Islands are a volcanic archipelago administered as part of Sakhalin Oblast in the Russian Far East. The islands stretch approximately northeast from Hokkaido in Japan to Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, separating the ...

. The entire crew of nine died (the remains of one, Captain John R. Durnham, were returned to the United States in 1993). * 18 November 1952: Four MiG-15bis engaged four F9F-2 Panthers off the aircraft carrier

USS Oriskany (CV-34) USS ''Oriskany'' (CV/CVA-34) ( or ) was one of the few s completed after World War II for the United States Navy. The ship was named for the Battle of Oriskany during the Revolutionary War. The history of ''Oriskany'' differs considerably fr ...

near

Vladivostok Vladivostok ( ; , ) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai and the capital of the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia. It is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea of Japan, covering an area o ...

. One MiG-15 pilot, Captain Dmitriy Belyakov, managed to seriously damage Lieutenant Junior Grade David M. Rowlands's F9F-2, but seconds later he and 1st Lieutenant Vandalov were downed by Elmer Royce Williams and John Davidson Middleton. Neither

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

pilot was found. * 10 March 1953, Air battle over Merklín: Two MiG-15bis of the

Czechoslovak Air Force The Czechoslovak Air Force (''Československé letectvo'') or the Czechoslovak Army Air Force (''Československé vojenské letectvo'') was the air force branch of the Czechoslovak Army formed in October 1918. The armed forces of Czechoslovakia c ...

intercepted two F-84Gs in

Czechoslovak Czechoslovak may refer to: *A demonym or adjective pertaining to Czechoslovakia (1918–93) **First Czechoslovak Republic (1918–38) **Second Czechoslovak Republic (1938–39) **Third Czechoslovak Republic (1948–60) ** Fourth Czechoslovak Repu ...

airspace. Lieutenant

Jaroslav Šrámek Colonel Jaroslav Šrámek (3 May 1929 – 16 February 2015) was a fighter pilot, active during the Cold War. He was known as the only pilot from the Czechoslovak Air Force ever to have shot down an enemy jet-propelled plane. Šrámek flew more ...

shot down one of them; the F-84 crashed in

Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...

n territory. The US pilot bailed out safely. * 12 March 1953: Seven airmen were killed when the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

Avro Lincoln The Avro Type 694 Lincoln is a British four-engined heavy bomber, which maiden flight, first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the Avro Lancaster, the first Lincoln variants were initially known as the Lancaster IV and V; these were renamed L ...

they were flying in was shot down by a Soviet Air Force MiG-15 in the Berlin air corridor, near

Boizenburg Boizenburg (, ) is a municipality in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany. It is situated on the right bank of the Elbe, west of Ludwigslust, northeast of Lüneburg and east of Hamburg. It is part of the ...

, northeast of

Lüneburg Lüneburg, officially the Hanseatic City of Lüneburg and also known in English as Lunenburg, is a town in the German Bundesland (Germany), state of Lower Saxony. It is located about southeast of another Hanseatic League, Hanseatic city, Hambur ...

. * 29 July 1953: Two MiG-15bis intercepted a RB-50G near Gamov, in the Sea of Japan, and instructed it to land at their home base. The RB-50 gunners opened fire and hit the MiG of 1st Lieutenant Aleksandr D. Rybakov. Rybakov and his wingman 1st Lieutenant Yuriy M. Yablonskiy then shot down the RB-50. One of the crew members (John E. Roche) was rescued alive, and three corpses were recovered. The remaining 13 crew members became missing-in-action. * 17 April 1955: MiG-15 pilots Korotkov and Sazhin shot down an RB-47E north of the

Kamchatka peninsula The Kamchatka Peninsula (, ) is a peninsula in the Russian Far East, with an area of about . The Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Okhotsk make up the peninsula's eastern and western coastlines, respectively. Immediately offshore along the Pacific ...

. All three crew members perished. * 27 June 1955:

El Al Flight 402 El Al Flight 402 was an international passenger flight from London to Tel Aviv via Vienna and Istanbul. On 27 July 1955, the flight, operated by a Lockheed Constellation registered as 4X-AKC, strayed into then- Communist Bulgarian airspace and w ...

was shot down by two Bulgarian MiG-15 aircraft after penetrating Bulgarian airspace. All 58 passengers and crew perished in the attack.

Suez Canal Crisis (1956)

Egypt bought two squadrons of MiG-15bis and MiG-17 fighters in 1955 from Czechoslovakia with the sponsorship and support of the USSR, just in time to participate in the

Suez Canal Crisis The Suez Crisis, also known as the Second Arab–Israeli War, the Tripartite Aggression in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel, was a British–French–Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956. Israel invaded on 29 October, having done so w ...

. By the outbreak of the Suez conflict in October 1956, four squadrons of the

Egyptian Air Force The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) () is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces that is responsible for all airborne defence missions and operates all military aircraft, including those used in support of the Egyptian Army, Egyptian Navy ...

were equipped with the type, although few pilots were trained to fly them effectively. They first saw aerial action on the morning of 30 October, intercepting four RAF Canberra bombers on a reconnaissance mission over the Canal Zone, damaging one. Later that day, MiG-15s attacked Israeli forces at

Mitla Pass The Mitla Pass (, ) is a pass snaking in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt, wedged between mountain ranges to the north and south. It is located about east of Suez. It is the monotonous ride through here and Nekhel, a wilderness that provides th ...

and El Thamed in the Sinai, destroying half a dozen vehicles. As a result, the

Israeli Air Force The Israeli Air Force (IAF; , commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial and space warfare branch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Indep ...

(IAF) instituted a standing combat air patrol over the Canal, and the next attack resulted in two MiGs downed by IAF Mysteres, although the Egyptian aircraft were able to successfully hit the Israeli troops. The next day, the MiGs evened the score somewhat when they badly damaged two IAF Ouragan fighters, forcing one of them to crash-land in the desert. British and French warplanes then began a systematic bombing campaign of Egyptian air bases, destroying at least eight MiGs and dozens of other Egyptian aircraft on the ground and forcing the others to disperse. The remaining aircraft still managed to fly some attack missions, but the Egyptians had lost air superiority. During air combat against the IAF, Egyptian MiG-15bis managed to shoot down two Israeli aircraft: a Gloster Meteor F.8 on 30 October 1956, and a Dassault Ouragan on 1 November, which performed a belly landing – this last victory was scored by the Egyptian pilot Faruq el-Gazzavi. A third aircraft, an L-8

Piper Cub The Piper J-3 Cub is an American light aircraft that was built between 1938 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. The aircraft has a simple, lightweight design which gives it good low-speed handling properties and short-field performance. The Cub is P ...

, was destroyed on the ground. Mig15bardwvil

An Egyptian MiG-15 was damaged, but the pilot managed to ditch in

Lake Bardawil Lake Bardawil ( or ), is a large, very saline lagoon nearby the protected area of Zaranik (also known for diversities of insects and waterbirds) in Egypt on the north coast of the Sinai Peninsula. Lake Bardawil is about long, and wide (at its ...

, and the aircraft was salvaged by Israeli forces.

Taiwan Straits crisis

After the Korean War ended, Communist China turned its attention back to Nationalist China on the island of Taiwan. Chinese MiG-15s were in action over the

Taiwan Strait The Taiwan Strait is a strait separating the island of Taiwan and the Asian continent. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest part is wide. Names Former names of the Tai ...

against the outnumbered Nationalist Air Force (CNAF) and helped make possible the Communist occupation of two strategic island groups. The US had been lending support to the Nationalists since 1951 and started delivery of F-86s in 1955. Sabres and MiGs clashed three years later in the Quemoy Crisis. Throughout the 1950s, MiG-15s of China's

(PLAAF) frequently engaged

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

(ROC) and US aircraft in combat; in 1958 a ROC F-86 fighter achieved the first air-to-air kill with an

AIM-9 Sidewinder The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a short-range air-to-air missile. Entering service with the United States Navy in 1956 and the Air Force in 1964, the AIM-9 is one of the oldest, cheapest, and most successful air-to-air missiles. Its latest variants rema ...

air-to-air missile An air-to-air missile (AAM) is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft (including unmanned aircraft such as cruise missiles). AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid-fuel roc ...

against a PLAAF MiG-15.

Vietnam

Vietnam operated a number of MiG-15s and MiG-15UTIs for training only. There is no mention of the MiG-15 being involved in any combat against American aircraft in the early stages of the Vietnam War.

Other events

The first man in space,

Yuri Gagarin Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin; Gagarin's first name is sometimes transliterated as ''Yuriy'', ''Youri'', or ''Yury''. (9 March 1934 – 27 March 1968) was a Soviet pilot and cosmonaut who, aboard the first successful Human spaceflight, crewed sp ...

, was killed in a crash during a March 1968 training flight in a MiG-15UTI due to poor visibility and miscommunication with ground control.

MiG-17

The more advanced MiG-17 ''Fresco'' was very similar in appearance, but addressed many of the limitations of the MiG-15. It introduced a new swept wing with a "compound sweep" configuration: a 45° angle near the fuselage, and a 42° angle for the outboard part of the wings. The first prototype was flown in 1953 before the end of the Korean war. Later versions introduced radar,

afterburning An afterburner (or reheat in British English) is an additional combustion component used on some jet engines, mostly those on military aircraft, military supersonic aircraft. Its purpose is to increase thrust, usually for supersonic flight, ta ...

engines and missiles.

Production

The USSR built 1344 MiG-15, 8352 MiG-15bis and 3434 two-seaters. It was also built under license in

Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...

as the S-102 (MiG-15, 821 aircraft), S-103 (MiG-15bis, 620 aircraft) and CS-102 (MiG-15UTI, 2012 aircraft) and Poland as the Lim-1 (MiG-15, 227 aircraft) and Lim-2 (MiG-15bis, 500 aircraft). No two-seaters have been built in Poland as such – the SB Lim-1 and SB Lim-2 variants were remanufactured from hundreds of Polish-, Czech- and Soviet-built single-seaters. In the early 1950s, the Soviet Union delivered hundreds of MiG-15s to China, where they received the designation J-2. The Soviets also sent 847 MiG-15 engineers and specialists to China, where they assisted China's Shenyang Aircraft Factory to prepare to build jet fighters. It was originally planned to build the MiG-15bis fighter at Shenyang, but China decided to build the more advanced MiG-17 fighter instead, together with the MiG-15UTI trainer (designated JJ-2). China never produced a single-seat fighter version, only the two-seat JJ-2, although during the Korean War, Shenyang was used for the repair of battle-damaged MiG-15. The number of JJ-2s built remains unknown and the estimates vary between 120 and 500 aircraft. The designation "J-4" is unclear; some sources claim Western observers mistakenly labelled China's MiG-15''bis'' a "J-4", while the PLAAF never used the "J-4" designation. Others claim "J-4" is used for

MiG-17F The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 (; NATO reporting name: Fresco) is a high-subsonic fighter aircraft produced in the Soviet Union from 1952 and was operated by air forces internationally. The MiG-17 was license-built in China as the Shenyang J-5 and ...

, while "J-5" is used for MiG-17PF. Another source claims the PLAAF used "J-4" for Soviet-built MiG-17A, which were quickly replaced by license-built MiG-17Fs ( J-5s).

Variants

Prototype designations

;I-310 :Designation of S-01, S-02, and S-03 prototypes. ;I-312 :Designation of ''Samolet'' ST prototypes.

Military designations

;MiG-15 :Military designation of ''Samolet'' SV, first production version powered by a

Klimov RD-45F The Klimov VK-1 was the first Soviet jet engine to see significant production. It was developed by and first produced by the GAZ 116 works. Derived from the Rolls-Royce Nene, the engine was also built under licence in China as the Wopen WP-5. ...

. The aircraft was given the product code ''Izdeliye'' 50. ;MiG-15PB :''Podvyesnije Baki'' (Belly Tank), production variant capable of carrying two

drop tank In aviation, a drop tank (external tank, wing tank or belly tank) is used to describe auxiliary fuel tanks externally carried by aircraft. A drop tank is expendable and often capable of being jettisoned. External tanks are commonplace on modern ...

s on the bomb racks. Once modifications became standard on production aircraft, the "PB" was dropped and the designation reverted to MiG-15. ;MiG-15S :''Soprovozdenije'' (Escort), production variant capable of carrying two or drop tanks, or two underwing tanks on the bomb racks. Once modifications became standard on production aircraft, the "S" was dropped and the designation reverted to MiG-15. ;MiG-15SV :''Soprovozdenije Vysoto'' (High Altitude Escort), variant with underwing fuel tanks and

autocannons. ;MiG-15U :''Ustanovka'' (Weapon-Swiveling Device), military designation of ''Samolet'' SU. One built. ;MiG-15''bis'' :''Samolet'' SD, improved single-seat fighter version powered by a

and with enlarged air brakes. Changes made during production include the replacement of the NS-23 autocannons with the NR-23, the addition of an OSP-48 instrument landing system, and a revised canopy to improve view. Aircraft produced at the Gorky factory were given the product code ''Izdeliye'' 53, while aircraft produced at the Kuybyshev factory were ''Izdeliye'' 55 (same as the MiG-15''bis''R). ;MiG-15''bis''F :MiG-15bis modified for unarmed reconnaissance with armament removed to make room for AFA-1M and AFP-21KT cameras. ;MiG-15''bis''R :''Rasvedtchik'' (Reconnaissance), military designation of ''Samolet'' SR, MiG-15bis modified for armed reconnaissance with the 37 mm and one 23 mm autocannon removed to make room for AFA-1M and AFP-21KT cameras. Also known as the MiG-15R''bis''. The aircraft was given the product code ''Izdeliye'' 55. ;MiG-15''bis''S :''Soprovozdenije'' (Escort), long-range escort fighter based on the ''Samolet'' SD-UPB. Also known as the MiG-15S''bis''. Once modifications became standard production aircraft, the "S" was dropped and the designation reverted to MiG-15''bis''. ;MiG-15''bis''P :''Samolet'' SP-5, prototype single-seat all-weather interceptor version of the MiG-15''bis'' with an RP-1 Izumrud radar. Also known as the MiG-15P. ;''Burlaki'' :Proposed

parasite fighter A parasite aircraft is a component of a composite aircraft which is carried aloft and air launched by a larger carrier aircraft or mother ship to support the primary mission of the carrier. The carrier craft may or may not be able to later recove ...

based on the MiG-15''bis'' that would be towed behind a

via a winch. Project canceled after the Tu-4 was replaced by the

Tupolev Tu-16 The Tupolev Tu-16 (USAF/DOD reporting name Type 39; NATO reporting name: Badger) is a twin-engined jet strategic heavy bomber used by the Soviet Union. It has been flown for almost 70 years. While many aircraft in Soviet service were retired af ...

. ;MiG-15LL :''Samolet'' SYe, experimental variant with an enlarged vertical tail and stiffened wings with square-tipped ailerons to improve high-speed handling. MiG-15bis

;MiG-15ISh :''Istrebitel Shturmovik'' (fighter, armored attacker), experimental attack variant with two wing-mounted beam-like pylons each capable of carrying two bombs in tandem or rocket launchers. Reports disagree on the number built, with one claiming only a single aircraft was built and another stating 12 were built. ;MiG-15M :''Mishen'' (Target), target

UAV An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.De Gruyter Handbook of Drone ...

, converted from single-seat MiG-15. Also known as the M-15.Online museum of Russian aviation. MIG-15UTI-hatzerim-2

;UTI MiG-15 :''Samolet'' ST-2, two-seat trainer armed with a single 12.7 mm A-12.7 machine gun. Also known as the MiG-15UTI. ;UTI MiG-15P :''Samolet'' ST-7, modified UTI MiG-15 with an RP-1 ''Izumrud'' radar and armed with a single 12.7 mm UBK-E. One prototype converted from a MiG-15UTI as ST-7, followed by a small number to service units as UTI MiG-15P. ;UTI MiG-15LL :''Samolet'' ST-10, testbed aircraft for ejection seats. At least five converted from MiG-15UTIs. Also known as the MiG-15UTI-LL. ;UTI MiG-15stk :Unofficial designation of an ejection seat trainer with an open rear cockpit. At least two UTI MiG-15s were modified.

''Samolet'' (Aircraft) designations

;''Samolet'' S-01 (С-01) :First prototype, powered by a Rolls-Royce Nene-1 engine and armed with a single 37 mm

NS-37 The Nudelman-Suranov NS-37 () was a aircraft cannon, which replaced the unreliable Shpitalny Sh-37 gun. Large caliber was planned to allow destruction of both ground targets (including armoured ones) and planes (ability to shoot down a bomber w ...

and two 23 mm NS-23 autocannons. Also known as S-1. ;''Samolet'' S-02 (С-02) :Second prototype, powered by a Rolls-Royce Nene-2, with revised landing gear doors and canopy, more complete avionics package, and other small changes. Also known as S-2. ;''Samolet'' S-03 (С-03) :Third prototype, powered by a Rolls-Royce Nene-2, with air brakes, altered tail configuration, increased fuel capacity, and provisions for underwing bombs. Also known as S-3. ;''Samolet'' S (С) :Single pre-production aircraft, as S-03 but with several changes including air brakes skinned with EI-100N steel instead of

duralumin Duralumin (also called duraluminum, duraluminium, duralum, dural(l)ium, or dural) is a trade name for one of the earliest types of age hardening, age-hardenable aluminium–copper alloys. The term is a combination of ''Düren'' and ''aluminium'' ...

and powered by a

. ;''Samolet'' SV (СВ) :First production version powered by a

. Entered service as the MiG-15. ;''Samolet'' SA-1 (СА-1) :Experimental variant fitted with an OSP-48 instrument landing system as well as other improvements. One converted from a MiG-15. The OSP-48 became standard on later production MiG-15''bis'' aircraft. The aircraft was originally the second Moscow-built MiG-15, construction number 3810102, which was fitted with a Klimov VK-1 instead of the standard RD-45F engine. This has led to the aircraft often being confused for a MiG-15''bis'', which was fitted with the VK-1 as standard. ;''Samolet'' SA-2 (СА-2) :Experimental variant similar to the SA-1. One aircraft converted but never submitted for acceptance trials. ;''Samolet'' SA-3 (СА-3) :Experimental variant fitted with an OSP-48 instrument landing system similar to the SA-1, for which the SA-3 is often mistaken as a predecessor. One converted from a production MiG-15. Sixteen RD-45F-powered production MiG-15s were converted to a similar standard for service trials and are often mistaken for the SA-3. ;''Samolet'' SA-4 (СА-4) :Experimental variant fitted with an OSP-48 landing system and many other improvements that later became standard on production aircraft. One converted from a production MiG-15. ;''Samolet'' SO (СО) :Experimental variant to test improvements to pilot protection, including a thickened windscreen, an armored back and headrest, and a sliding gun sight to reduce the chance of head injury during a crash. ;''Samolet'' SSh (СШ) :Experimental variant with the two left guns replaced by a single 23 mm Sh-3 cannon. Two aircraft modified from MiG-15s. ;''Samolet'' SU (СУ) :Experimental variant with all armament replaced by two 23 mm Sh-3 cannons with variable-angle mounts that could automatically track targets. One converted from a production MiG-15. ;''Samolet'' SD (СД) :Improved single-seat fighter version powered by a

and with enlarged air brakes. Entered service as the MiG-15''bis''. ;''Samolet'' SD-P (СД-П) :''Parashyutom'' (Parachute), experimental aircraft to test anti-skid systems and

drogue parachute A drogue parachute, also called drag chute, is a parachute designed for deployment from a rapidly moving object. It can be used for various purposes, such as to decrease speed, to provide control and stability, as a pilot parachute to deploy ...

s. ;''Samolet'' SD-UPB (СД-УПБ) :''Uvieliichennije Podvyesnije Baki'' (Increased Belly Tank), MiG-15''bis'' tested with various external tank configurations. One such configuration of two tanks was made standard on the MiG-15''bis''S. ;''Samolet'' SD-ET (СД-ЭТ) :Prototype based on the MiG-15''bis'' with multiple small improvements, including an ART-8 acceleration control unit, a PN-2FAK fuel-flow restrictor, increased wing stiffness, and improved drop tank jettisoning system. Some of the improvements became standard on production aircraft. ;''Samolet'' SD-5 (СД-5) :Testbed for the ORO-57 rocket launcher on D3-40 pylons. ;''Samolet'' SD-10 (СД-10) :Testbed for the PROSAB-100 anti-aircraft bomb on D4-50 pylons. ;''Samolet'' SD-21 (СД-21) :Testbed for the S-21 rocket on D3-40 pylons ;''Samolet'' SD-25 (СД-25) :Testbed for the PROSAB-250 cluster bomb on D4-50 pylons. ;''Samolet'' SD-57 (СД-57) :Testbed for the ORO-57 rocket launcher on D4-50 pylons. ;''Samolet'' SYa (СЯ) :Experimental aircraft to study remedies for wing drop. Three were converted from MiG-15''bis'' aircraft, with two being modified with stiffened wings and all three being fitted with bendable

trim tab Trim tabs are small surfaces connected to the trailing edge of a larger Flight control surfaces, control surface on a boat or aircraft, used to control the trim of the controls, i.e. to counteract hydro- or aerodynamic forces and stabilise the ...

s. ;''Samolet'' SR (СР) :MiG-15bis modified for armed reconnaissance with the 37 mm and one 23 mm autocannon removed to make room for AFA-1M and AFP-21KT cameras. Also known as the ''Samolet'' SR-1. Entered service as the MiG-15''bis''R. ;''Samolet'' SP-1 (СП-1) :Prototype equipped with a ''Toriy-M'' radar in place of the two 23 mm cannons. Five converted from MiG-15''bis'' aircraft. ;''Samolet'' SP-2 (СП-2) :Prototype equipped with a ''Toriy-A'' radar in place of the two 23 mm cannons. ;''Samolet'' SP-5 (СП-5) :Prototype single-seat all-weather interceptor version of the MiG-15''bis'' with an RP-1 ''Izumrud'' radar and a reduced armament of two NR-23 cannons. Also designated MiG-15''bis''P. ;''Samolet'' SYe (СЕ) :Experimental variant with an enlarged vertical tail and stiffened wings with square-tipped ailerons to improve high-speed handling. Also designated MiG-15LL. ;''Samolet'' SL-5 (СЛ-5) :Testbed for the Klimov VK-5 engine. One converted from a MiG-15''bis''. ;''Samolet'' SE (СЭ) :Testbed new wingtips and vertical stabilizer to improve controllability. ;''Samolet'' ST-1 (СТ-1) :Prototype two-seat trainer based on the MiG-15 (''Samolet'' SV), armed with a single 12.7 mm UBK-E machine gun and one NR-23 cannon. ;''Samolet'' ST-2 (СТ-2) :Production two-seat trainer armed with a single 12.7 mm A-12.7 machine gun. Entered service as the UTI MiG-15. ;''Samolet'' ST-7 (СТ-7) : Modified UTI MiG-15 with an RP-1 ''Izumrud'' radar and armed with a single 12.7 mm UBK-E. Entered service as the UTI MiG-15P. ;''Samolet'' ST-8 (СТ-8) :Experimental variant to test the RP-3 ''Izumrud'' radar. One converted from a UTI MiG-15. ;''Samolet'' ST-10 (СТ-10) :Testbed aircraft for ejection seats. At least five converted from MiG-15UTIs. Also designated UTI MiG-15LL. ;''Samolet'' SDK-5 (СДК-5) :Radio-controlled

target drone A target drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle, generally remote controlled, usually used in the training of anti-aircraft crews. One of the earliest drones was the British DH.82 Queen Bee, a variant of the Tiger Moth trainer aircraft operation ...

s converted from retired MiG-15 and MiG-15''bis'' aircraft. ;''Samolet'' SDK-7 (СДК-7) :Pre-programmed cruise missiles converted from retired MiG-15 and MiG-15''bis'' aircraft.

Chinese variants

;J-2 :(''Jianjiji'' – fighter) Chinese designation of USSR production MiG-15bis single-seat fighter. Plans to produce the J-2 in China were canceled in favor of the

Shenyang J-5 The Shenyang J-5 ( Chinese: 歼-5) (NATO reporting name ''Fresco'') is a Chinese-built single-seat jet interceptor and fighter aircraft derived from the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17. The J-5 was exported as the F-5 and was originally designat ...

. Retired J-2s were exported under the designation F-2. ;JJ-2 :(''Jianjiji Jiaolianji'' – fighter trainer) Chinese production of MiG-15UTI two-seat jet trainers. Retired JJ-2s were exported under the designation FT-2. ;BA-5 :Unmanned target drone conversions of J-2 fighters.

Polish variants

;Lim-1 :(''Licencyjny myśliwiec'' - licensed fighter aircraft) MiG-15 jet fighters built under license in Poland, powered by Lis-1 (licensed RD-45F). 227 built at

WSK-Mielec PZL Mielec (''Polskie Zakłady Lotnicze'' - Polish Aviation Works), formerly WSK-Mielec (''Wytwórnia Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego'') and WSK "PZL-Mielec" is a Polish aerospace manufacturer based in Mielec. It is the largest aerospace manufacturer i ...

factory from 1952 to 1954. The aircraft was given the product code ''Produkt'' C. ;Lim-1.5 :Unofficial designation of Lim-1s with avionics upgrades. ;Lim-2 :MiG-15''bis'' built under license in Poland. 500 built from 1954 to 1956, with first 100 powered by Soviet-built VK-1A engines and remaining aircraft powered by Polish-built Lis-2 engines. The aircraft was given the product code ''Produkt'' CD. ;Lim-2R :Polish-built reconnaissance conversion of Lim-2 with camera replacing the N-37 cannon. ;SBLim-1 :Polish Lim-1 converted to equivalent of MiG-15UTI jet trainers, with Lis-1 jet engines. ;SBLim-1A :(originally SBLim-1Art): Conversion of SBLim-1 into two seat reconnaissance version with observer in rear seat. ;SBLim-2 :Polish Lim-2 or SBLim-1 converted to jet trainers with Lis-2 (VK-1) jet engines. ;SBLim-2A :(originally SBLim-2Art): Conversion of SBLim-1 into two seat reconnaissance version with observer in rear seat. ;SBLim-2M :Reconversion of SBLim-2A to trainer, with dual controls reinstated. ;SBLim-2R :SBLim-2 converted for the reconnaissance role.

Czechoslovak variants

;S-102 :MiG-15 jet fighters built under license in Czechoslovakia, with Motorlet M-05 (licensed RD-45) engines. ;S-103 :MiG-15''bis'' jet fighters built under license in Czechoslovakia with Motorlet M-06 (licensed VK-1) engines. ;CS-102 :MiG-15UTI jet trainers built under license in Czechoslovakia. ;MiG-15SB :S-102 converted for the fighter bomber role with four additional pylons, for a total of six, for bombs and missiles. Takeoff from unpaved runways was aided by SRP-1

booster rockets A booster is a rocket (or rocket engine) used either in the first stage of a multistage launch vehicle or in parallel with longer-burning sustainer rockets to augment the space vehicle's takeoff thrust and payload capability. Boosters are tra ...

, and a

was fitted to the tail. ;MiG-15T :S-102 converted for the target-towing role. All armament was removed. ;MiG-15V :Towed target drone conversion. ;MiG-15''bis''F :S-103 modified for unarmed reconnaissance with AFA-1M and AFP-21KT cameras similar to the Soviet MiG-15''bis''F. ;MiG-15''bis''R :S-103 modified for armed reconnaissance similar to the Soviet MiG-15''bis''R. A AFP-21KT and two other cameras were carried, with the NFT-02 camera being used for night reconnaissance. ;MiG-15''bis''SB :S-103 converted for the fighter bomber role with the four additional pylons of the MiG-15SB, but without the rocket boosters and drogue parachute. ;MiG-15''bis''T :S-103 converted for the target-towing role. All armament was removed. ;UTI MiG-15P :Two-seat dual-control jet trainer, heavily modified by

Aero Aero is a Greek prefix relating to flight and air. In British English, it is used as an adjective related to flight (e.g., as a shortened substitute for aeroplane). Aero, Ærø, or Aeros may refer to: Aeronautics Airlines and companies * Aero (A ...

to accommodate RP-1 or RP-5 Izumrud radar, making it almost identical to the Soviet ''Samolet'' ST-8 except for radar type. Used for MiG-17PF (Fresco D) a MiG-19P/PM (Farmer B/E) crew training. One converted from a CS-102. Not to be confused with the similar Soviet UTI MiG-17P (''Samolet'' ST-7).

Bulgarian variants

;UMiG-15MT :Conversion of single-seat fighters to two-seat trainers, from 1963.

Foreign reporting names

;Fagot :The

for the single-seat MiG-15. After the introduction of the MiG-15''bis'', the reporting name of the original MiG-15 was changed to Fagot-A to differentiate the two variants.4.3 F – Fighters
. designation-systems.net ;Fagot-B :The NATO reporting name for the single-seat MiG-15''bis''. ;Midget :The NATO reporting name for the two-seat MiG-15UTI.

Operators

Current operators

Korean People's Army Air Force The Korean People's Army Air Force (KPAF; ; Hanja: 朝鮮人民軍空軍) is the unified military aviation force of North Korea. It is the second largest branch of the Korean People's Army comprising an estimated 110,000 members.Afghan Air Force The General Command of the Air Force (, Dari: ) also referred to as the Islamic Emirate Air Force and the Afghan Air Force, is the air force branch of the Afghan Armed Forces. The Royal Afghan Air Force was established in 1921 under the reign o ...

; *

Albanian Air Force The Albanian Air Force ( - Air Force of the Republic of Albania) is the air force of Albania and one of the branches of the Albanian Armed Forces. History Early history In 1914 the government of Albania ordered three ''Lohner'' Daimler a ...

; *

Algerian Air Force The Algerian Air Force (, ) is the aerial arm of the Algerian People's National Army. History The Algerian Air Force was created to support the fight of the People's National Army against the French occupying forces. It came as part of the ...

; *

People's Air and Air Defence Force of Angola The National Air Force of Angola (FANA; ) is the air force branch of the Angolan Armed Forces. With an inventory of more than 300 aircraft, FANA is (on paper) one of the largest and strongest air forces of Africa. History Angola became indepen ...

; *

Bulgarian Air Force The Bulgarian Air Force () is one of the three branches of the Military of Bulgaria, the other two being the Bulgarian Navy and Bulgarian land forces. Its mission is to guard and protect the sovereignty of Bulgarian airspace, and jointly with ...

; *

Royal Cambodian Air Force The Royal Cambodian Air Force ( ; ) is the branch of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces which is charged with operating all military aircraft in Cambodia. Organisation The Royal Cambodian Air Force is commanded by General Soeung Samnang, who h ...

; *

People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force The People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF; zh, c=中国人民解放军海军航空兵, p = Zhōngguó Rénmín Jiěfàngjūn Hǎijūn Hángkōngbīng) is the naval aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army Navy. History Histor ...

; *

Congolese Air Force The Congolese Air Force () is the air branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo, in the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville). Former Cold War air force After achieving independence from France in 1960, the Congolese air for ...

; *

Cuban Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force The Cuban Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force () commonly abbreviated to DAAFAR in both Spanish and English, is the air force of Cuba. History Background The Cuban Army Air Force was the air force of Cuba that existed prior to 1959. The a ...

; *

Air Forces of the National People's Army The Air Forces of the National People's Army ( [], ) was the air force of East Germany. As with the , the , and the Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic, Border Troops, it was a military branch of the National People's Army (NVA). A ...

; *

Finnish Air Force The Finnish Air Force (FAF or FiAF; ; ) is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. Its peacetime tasks are airspace surveillance, identification flights, and production of readiness formations for wartime conditions. The Finnish Air ...

; *

Guinea Air Force The Guinean Armed Forces () are the armed forces of Guinea. They are responsible for the territorial security of Guinea's border and the defence of the country against external attack and aggression. Guinea's armed forces are divided into five ...

; *

Hungarian Air Force The Hungarian Air Force (, ), is the air force branch of the Hungarian Defence Forces. The primary focus of the present Hungarian Air Force lies in defensive operations. The flying units operate are organised into a single command; under the A ...

; *

Indonesian Air Force The Indonesian Air Force (, sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF) is the Air force, aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The Indonesian Air Force is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, and is headed by the Chief of Staff of th ...

; *

Iraqi Air Force The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF; ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It is responsible for the defense of Iraqi airspace as well as the policing of its international borders. The IQAF also acts as a support force for t ...

; *

Khmer Air Force The Khmer Air Force (; ; AAK), commonly known by its americanized acronym KAF was the air force component of the Khmer National Armed Forces (FANK), the official military of the Khmer Republic during the Cambodian Civil War between 1970 and 1975 ...

; *Malian Air Force ; *Royal Moroccan Air Force ; *Mongolian People's Army Air Force ; *Mozambique Air Force ; *Nigerian Air Force ; *Vietnam People's Air Force ; *Yemeni Air Force, North Yemen Air Force ; *Pakistan Air Force ; *Polish Air Force *Polish Navy ; *Romanian Air Force ; *Somali Air Force, Somali Aeronautical Corps ; *Yemeni Air Force, South Yemen Air Force ; *Soviet Air Forces *

; *Sri Lanka Air Force ; *Syrian Air Force ; *Uganda Air Force, Ugandan People's Defence Force Air Force ; *

– In the 1980s, the United States purchased a number of Shenyang J-4s along with

s from China via the Combat Core Certification Professionals Company; these aircraft were employed in a "mobile threat test" program at Kirtland Air Force Base, operated by the USAF's 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron. As of 2015, MiG-15UTIs and MiG-17s are operated by a civilian contractor at both the USAF and US Naval Test Pilot Schools for student training. ; *Vietnam People's Air Force

Civilian operators

; : One ex-Polish Air Force CS-102 trainer variant, rebuilt in 1975 as a SB Lim2M and retired in 1987. Privately brought to Argentina in November 1997 and given the experimental registration LV-X216.

Surviving aircraft

Many MiG-15s are on display throughout the world. In addition, they are becoming increasingly common as private sport aircraft and warbirds. According to the FAA, there were 43 privately owned MiG-15s in the US in 2011, including Chinese and Polish derivatives, the first of which is owned by aviator and aerobatic flyer, Paul T. Entrekin. ;Australia: As of July 2015, six privately owned MiG-15s are airworthy and on the Australian civil aircraft register. At least seven others are on static display in museums, including one in the Australian War Memorial. ;Bulgaria: One MiG-15 is on display in Sofia at the National Museum of Military History (Bulgaria), National Museum of Military History. ;Canada: *A flying MiG-15UTI is operated at Region of Waterloo International Airport by Waterloo Warbirds. *One WSK-Mielec Lim-2 (Polish-built MiG-15bis, c/n 1B00316) is on display at Canada Aviation and Space Museum. *An Aero S-103 (Czechoslovak-built MiG-15bis in fighter-bomber SB variant, c/n 713133) is on display at Edenvale Airport near Edenvale, Ontario, Edenvale, Ontario, Canada. ;China: Several MiG-15s (including some in North Korean colours) are preserved at the China Aviation Museum outside Beijing. ;Cuba: A MiG-15UTI of the FAR Cuban Air Force, (Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria) is displayed at the Museo del Aire (Cuba), Museo del Aire. ;Czech Republic *In 2014 one two seat version of MiG-15 was restored into airworthy condition in Hradec Králové. *One Aero S-102 (Czechoslovak-built MiG-15, c/n 231720, built 1953) is on display in Kbely Aviation Museum in Prague. ;Finland Three MiG-15UTIs survive: * Päijänne Tavastia Aviation Museum in Lahti, * Hallinportti Aviation Museum at Kuorevesi, * Central Finland Aviation Museum in Jyväskylä. The Finnish nickname of the aircraft was ''Mukelo'' ("Ungainly"), after the FinnAF aircraft type designation code MU. ;France: One MiG-15bis manufactured in

is on display on the campus of the École nationale supérieure de l'aéronautique et de l'espace, ISAE-Supaero school in Toulouse. ;Indonesia: Three Aero CS-102 (Czechoslovak-built MiG-15UTI) are on display in Indonesia: *J-754 - Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base, East Jakarta, Jakarta *J-759 - Gedung Juang 45 Nganjuk, Nganjuk Regency, East Java *J-767 - Dirgantara Mandala Museum, Sleman Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta ;Norway: MiG-15UTI "RED 18" This aircraft is a SBLim-2 (Polish-built MiG-15UTI), produced by WSK-Mielec in 1952. The aircraft is operated by the Norwegian Air Force. ;Poland *FlyFighterJet.com offers a SBLim-2/MiG-15UTI for adventure flights in Poland *A MiG-15 is parked adjacent to the terminal building at what is now Zielona Góra Airport, near Babimost, Poland, reflecting the former airport's military origins. *MiG-15 and SBLim-2 are on display at the Museum of Polish Military Technology ;Republic of Korea: MiG-15UTI on display at the War Memorial Museum in Seoul. This aircraft is a Chinese built MiG-15UTI flown by the DPRK. ;Romania: A few Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 are on display in Romania: *244, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis, ex-FAR, at the National Military Museum, Romania, Army Museum in Bucharest. *246, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15, ex-FAR, at the National Museum of Romanian Aviation, Aviation Museum in Bucharest. *727, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15, ex-FAR, at the Aviation Museum in Bucharest. *766, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15, ex-FAR, is preserved at Ianca *2543, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI, ex-FAR, at the Aviation Museum in Bucharest. *2579, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15UTI, ex-FAR, at the Aviation Museum in Bucharest. *2713, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis, ex-FAR, at the Aviation Museum in Bucharest. *Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15, in the front yard of Traian Vuia Lyceum in Craiova. Google maps coordinates 44.309248, 23.812195 ;Sweden *WSK-Mielec Lim-2 (Polish-built MiG-15bis, c/n 1B00215) is displayed at Swedish Air Force Museum, Malmslätt-Linköping. ;United Kingdom: *A WSK-Mielec Lim-2 (Polish-built MiG-15bis, c/n 1B01420) is displayed in North Korean colours at the Fleet Air Arm Museum. *A WSK-Mielec Lim-2 (Polish-built MiG-15bis, c/n 1B01120) in Polish colours with red 1120 number is on display at Royal Air Force Museum Cosford. *An Aero S-103 (Czechoslovak-built MiG-15bis in fighter-bomber SB variant, c/n 613677) in Czechoslovak colours is displayed at the National Museum of Flight, East Fortune, Edinburgh. ;United States: MiG-15 USAF

* A Korean People's Army Air Force, North Korean MiG-15 (c/n 2015357, "Red 2057") is on display at the

. This is the aircraft flown to

in South Korea on 21 September 1953 by a defecting North Korean pilot who was given a reward of $100,000 (see above). The aircraft was repainted in USAF markings as "616" and flight-tested on Okinawa Prefecture, Okinawa and then brought to the US to be returned to its "rightful owners" (believed to be the Soviet Union, which denied participating in the Korean War). When this offer was ignored, it was crated and shipped to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in February 1954 and tested from March to October 1954 at Eglin AFB before returning to Wright-Patterson. Further evaluation continued until the aircraft was damaged in a hard landing in 1956, after which it was donated to the NMUSAF for restoration and display. It is on display in the museum's Korean War Gallery in its original North Korean colors. * A MiG-15 is on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum, NAS Pensacola, Florida. * A MiG-15 operated by the

is on display at The Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA * A MiG-15bis is on display at the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum located at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California. * A MiG-15bis, number 83227, undergoing restoration at the New England Air Museum, Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, CT. *A WSK-Mielec Lim-2 (Polish-built MiG-15bis, c/n 1B01016) (FAA Reg. Number N15YY) is on display at the Combat Air Museum in Topeka, KS *Two license-built MiG-15UTI are operated by Red Star Aviation - a WSK-Mielec SBLim-2 (Polish-built, c/n 1A03508, ex-Polish Air Force "358") on behalf of the US Naval Test Pilot School located at Patuxent River Naval Air Station and an Avia CS-102 (Czechoslovak-built, ex-Romanian AF) on behalf of the US Air Force Test Pilot School located at Edwards Air Force Base. These aircraft are used to train test pilots from the US and other nations sending students to the two schools. *A MiG-15 is located at the Southern Museum of Flight, Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport, Birmingham, Alabama. *A Chinese version of the MiG-15bis is on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum at Washington Dulles International Airport, Virginia *A WSK-Mielec SBLim-2 (Polish-built MiG-15UTI, c/n 1A06027, ex-Polish Air Force "627") is on display at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum, Titusville, Florida *A WSK-Mielec SBLim-2 (Polish-built MiG-15UTI, c/n 1A03506, ex-Polish Air Force "306") is on display at the Minnesota Air National Guard Museum, Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport, Minnesota *A MiG-15 is on static display at the Commemorative Air Force Museum in Mesa, Arizona *North Korean MiG-15 "079" under restoration at Palm Springs Air Museum, Palm Springs, California *A MiG-15 is on display at the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum at Cape May airport in Cape May, New Jersey *Soviet built MiG-15bis serial #2292 built in 1954 and supplied to China as a J-2 is on indoor display at the Oakland Aviation Museum Oakland, California. *2 MiG-15s, in flyable condition at Western Sky Aviation Warbird Museum in St. George, Utah. *A WSK-Mielec Lim-2 (Polish-built MiG-15bis, c/n 1B01621, ex-Polish Air Force "1621") is on display at the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Specifications (MiG-15''bis'')

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

* * Butowski, Piotr (with Jay Miller). ''OKB MiG: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft''. Earl Shilton, Leicester, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1991. . * * * * * Davis, Larry. ''4th Fighter Wing in the Korean War''. Atglen, Pennsylvania: Schiffer Publishing, 2001. . * Davis, Larry. ''MiG Alley Air to Air Combat over Korea''. Warren, Michigan: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc., 1978. . * Doran, Jamie and Piers Bizony. ''Starman: The Truth Behind the Legend of Yuri Gagarin''. London: Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 1998. . * Dorr, Robert F., Jon Lake and Warren Thompson. ''Korean War Aces''(Aircraft of the Aces). London: Osprey Publishing, 1995. . * Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. "MiGs." ''Modern Fighting Aircraft.'' Fallbrook, California: Arco Publishing, 1985. * * Gordon, Yefim and Peter Davison. ''Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15 Fagot (WarbirdTech Volume 40)''. North Branch, Minnesota: Speciality Press, 2005. . * * Gordon, Yefim et al. ''MiG-15 Fagot, all variants'' (bilingual Czech/English). Prague 10-Strašnice: MARK I Ltd., 1997. . * * Gunston, Bill. ''The Osprey Encyclopedia of Russian Aircraft: 1875–1995''. London: Osprey Aerospace, 1996. . * * Higham, Robin, John T. Greenwood and Von Hardesty. ''Russian Aviation and Air Power in the Twentieth Century''. London: Frank Cass, 1998. . * Karnas, Dariusz. ''Mikojan Gurievitch MiG-15''. Sandomierz, Poland/Redbourn, UK: Mushroom Model Publications, 2004. . * Krylov, Leonid and Yuriy Tepsurkaev. ''Mir Aviatsiya'' (Translation to English language by Stephen L. Sewell), 1–97, pp. 38–44. Retrieved: 29 March 2009. * Krylov, Leonid and Yuriy Tepsurkaev. ''Soviet MiG-15 Aces of the Korean War''. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publications, 2008. . * Kum-Suk, No and Roger J. Osterholm. ''A MiG-15 to Freedom''. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co. Publishers, 1996. . * Mesko, Jim. ''Air War over Korea''. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc., 2000. . * Nicolle, David. ''Phoenix over the Nile: A History of Egyptian Air Power 1932–1994 (Smithsonian History of Aviation & Spaceflight)''. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian, 1996. . * * * Seydov, Igor and Askold German. ''Krasnye Dyaboly na 38-oy Parallel''. EKSMO, Russia. 1998. * Stapfer, Hans-Heiri. ''MiG-15 Fagot Walk Around (Walk Around 40)''. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc., 2006. . * * Sweetman, Bill and Bill Gunston. ''Soviet Air Power: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Warsaw Pact Air Forces Today''. London: Salamander Books, 1978. . * Thompson, Warren E. and David R. McLaren. ''MiG Alley: Sabres vs. MiGs over Korea''. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2002. . * ''United States Air Force Museum Guidebook''. Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio: Air Force Museum Foundation, 1975. * Werrell, Kenneth. ''Sabres Over MiG Alley: The F-86 and the Battle for Air Superiority in Korea''. Annapolis, Maryland: U.S. Naval Institute Press, 2005. . * Wilson, Stewart. ''Legends of the Air 1: F-86 Sabre, MiG-15 and Hawker Hunter''. London: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd., 2003. . * Yeager, Chuck and Leo Janos. ''Yeager: An Autobiography''. New York: Bantam Books, 1986. . * * Zhang, Xiaoming. ''Red Wings over the Yalu: China, the Soviet Union, and the Air War in Korea (Texas A&M University Military History Series)''. College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University, 2002. .

External links

Noland, David. Fighter Planes: MiG-15. The Air Power of the Evil Empire
*

* [http://www.wio.ru/korea/korea-a.htm MiG-15 in Korea]
MiG-15 Fagot at Global Aircraft

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig-15 Mikoyan aircraft, MiG-015 1940s Soviet fighter aircraft 1940s Soviet military trainer aircraft, MiG-015UTI Single-engined jet aircraft Cruciform tail aircraft Mid-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1947 Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear