Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15 Fagot

YEFIM GORDON AND PETER DAVISON

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VOLUME 40

MIKOYAN GUREVICH o

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YEFIM GORDON AND PETER DAVISON

COPYRIGHT © 2004 BY YEFIM GORDON AND PETER DAVISON

Published by Specialty Press Publishers and Wholesalers 39966 Grand Avenue North Branch, MN 55056 United States of America (800) 895-4585 or (651) 277-1400 http://www.specialtypress.com Distributed in the UK and Europe by Midland Publishing 4 Watling Drive Hinckley LElO 3EY, England Tel: 01455254450 Fax: 01455233737 http://www.midlandcountiessuperstore.com ISBN 1-58007-081-7 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher in writing. Material contained in this book is intended for historical and entertainment value only, and is not to be construed as usable for aircraft or component restoration, maintenance, or use. Printed in China Front Cover: Steve Hinton was photographed flying MiG 15 N87CN near Chino, California, on 11 October 1998. This particular MiG 15, c/n 910-51, last saw service with the Chinese Air Force (as 83277) before being imported to the United States during 1991. The MiG is operated by The Air Museum Planes of Fame at Chino and is a regular flyer, often performing a Korean War airshow routine with the museum's F-86 Sabre. (Michael O'Leary) Back Cover (Left Top): The MiG-15 fuel tank was located aft of the cockpit between the engine's inlet ducts flanking the cockpit. An avionics bay was placed ahead of the cockpit. The engine had a long extension jetpipe. Back Cover (Right Top): Polish Navy/7. PLS SBLim-2A (6010 Red, c/n lA06010) undergoes maintenance before flight. This view shows the removable access panels and the large underwing drop tanks of Polish manufacture. 6010 Red is now preserved at the Polish Armed Forces Museum in Warsaw. (Waclaw Holys) Back Cover (Lower): The only identified Egyptian Air Force UTI-MiG-15, 3224, was almost certainly a CS-102. Egyptian MiG-15s gained serials only after the formation of the United Arab Republic on February 1, 1958 (only green-outlined white identification bands around the rear fuselage and wingtips had been worn prior to that). (Yefim Gordon archive) Title Page: The MiG-15 (SV) - the first production aircraft (c/n 101003) - during checkout tests at NIl VVS following an upgrade. Note the small teardrop fairings characteristic of the new NR-23 cannons on the port side forward fuselage. The inner skin of the flaps is perforated to save weight. (Mikoyan OKB)

WARBIRDTECH

TABLE OF CONTENTS MIKOYAN GUREVICH MIG-IS FAGOT

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CHAPTER 1

JET REVOLUTION •••••.••.•••••••••••••.••••••••• TIME FOR A NEW FIGHTER

CHAPTER 2

THE SOVIET WAY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 8 DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

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CHAPTER 3

DIFFERENT STROKES • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • . • • • • • • . . • •. MIG-IS VARIANTS

CHAPTER 4

OVERSEAS PRODUCTION ••.••••••••••••••••••••• 37 BUILT IN MANY PLACES

CHAPTER S

MILITARY OPERATORS ••••••••.•••••••••••.••••• A WHO'S WHO OF THE EASTERN BLOC

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CHAPTER 6

THE MIG-15BIS •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• STRUCTURAL DETAILS

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COLOR SECTION

COLORFUL MIG-ISs • • • • • . • • • . • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • •• A WIDE VARIETY OF PAINT SCHEMES

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CHAPTER 7

THE FAR EAST. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 82 THE MIG-IS IN CHINA AND KOREA

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CHAPTER 8

FIRST JET COMBAT. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • . • • • • • •• MIG-IS VERSUS SABRE

CHAPTER 9

OTHER COMBAT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 96 A LONG LIST OF ENEMIES

ApPENDIX A

ApPENDIX B

MODELING THE MIG-IS ••••••••••••••••••••.•• By RICHARD MARMO

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PRODUCTION

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MIG-IS PRODUCTION IN THE USSR ApPENDIX C

ALL THE NUMBERS •.••••••.••••••••••.•••••••• MIG-IS FAMILY SPECIFICATIONS

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ApPENDIX D

SIGNIFICANT DATES ••••••.••••.•••••••••••••••• KEY EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE MIG-IS

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INTRODUCTION To THE MIKOYAN GUREVICH MIG-IS FAGOT he MiG-IS was to have a long service career. It was built in huge numbers both within and outside the Soviet Union and paved the way for Soviet fighter design for the next decade. Many are active even now, mostly as privately owned warbirds. The MiG-IS was not a new aircraft, nor was it designed entirely in the Soviet Union. It was a major rework of the projected Focke-Wulf Ta 183 developed by Kurt Tank. It would never have appeared without

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the use of captured German research data and "captive brains." Many nations made use of captured German technology, and given the pressures of the incipient Cold War, Soviet engineers had very little time to produce an "answer to the West" - months, sometimes literally days. Under the regime of Josef Stalin, failure to meet the objective could mean prompt execution. This is why Soviet engineers sometimes preferred to play it safe by using "imported technologies." This serves only to per-

The famous Soviet aviation designers Artyom 1. Mikoyan and Mikhail!. Gurevich. Mikoyan was Chief Designer, with Gurevich as his deputy; together they designed the fighters bearing the MiG brand from the MiG-I to the MiG-27. The Mileoyan OKB was headed by Rostislav A. Belyaleov. (Mikoyan OKB)

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petuate the old myths associated with the MiG-IS to the effect that the Soviet Union, the Cold War enemy, is by definition incapable of creating anything worthwhile. Sure enough, the MiG-IS's designers made use of German technologies and a British powerplant, but this only served to accelerate the fighter's development. The design in itself was entirely indigenous, not just a rehash of the Ta 183, and such a fighter w0l11d still have appeared without imported technologies, albeit years later. The main factors in the success of the MiG-IS were a turbojet rated at over 2,000 kg (4,409 lb), a new configuration with swept wings and empennage, and new pilot survival aids including an ejection seat. These, together with heavy armament and ease of manufacture and operation, made the MiG-IS a superb technical product.

Editor's Note: Due to the photographic technology available and the USSR's political climate during the Cold War, high-quality photographs of the MiG-IS are extremely difficult to find, especially when compared to the number and quality of images available for us aircraft of the same era. However, we feel that all the photos in this volume are rare and interesting enough to warrant inclusion for our readers. We should also note that this boole, unlike other volumes in the series, is written from a Russian perspective. The author is justifiably proud of his country's aviation accomplishments; we trust that the reader won't mistake that pride for bias.

JET REV LUTION TIME FOR A NEW FIGHTER he war with Germany caused turbojet development in the USSR to be put on hold. The work resumed only in 1944 when the outcome of the war could be foreseen and it appeared possible to spare some efforts for the development of new advanced engines.

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Powerplant By then, however, jet engines and aircraft were in production in the West. The USSR risked falling far behind. To save time, the Soviet government chose the only realistic option - to launch production of German axial-flow turbojets: the 900-kg (1,984-1b) Junkers Jumo 004 Orkan (Hurricane) and the 800-kg (1,763-1b) BMW 003 Sturm (Storm). The reverse-engineered versions were designated RD-10 and RD-20, respectively. These/turbojets (and the Yakovlev YaJl-15 and Mikoyan/Gurevich)1iG-9 fighters they powered) gave the Soviet aircraft industry its first taste of jet technology. At the same time, it was decided to buy the most advanced Western turbojets with centrifugal-flow compressors, the Rolls-Royce Nene and Derwent, and build them under license in the USSR. "Uncle Joe" reacted with typical spontaneity: "What fool will sell us his secrets?" However, Soviet-Western relations were still cordial at the time, and Stalin's "fools" abounded at Rolls-Royce and in the British Labour Government. Hence, aircraft designer Artyom Ivanovich Mikoyan, engine designer Vladimir Yakovlevich Klimov, and

metallurgical engineer S. Kishkin were sent to England to negotiate the purchase. They bought 30 Derwent V and 25 Nene lIII engines, which were carefully studied at the Central Institute of Aero Engines (TsIAM - Tsentrahl'nyy institoot aviatseeonnovo motorostroyeniya). Production of the British turbojets began in Moscow. The Derwent V was manufactured under the local designation RD-500, while the Nene I and N ene II became the RD-45 and RD-45F, respectively. The "F" stood for forseerovannyy, which means uprated. The designation usually applied to afterburning turbojets at the time, but not in this instance, as the RD-45F was non-afterburning. The numbers 500 and 45 were the numbers of the engine plants producing the respective models. In choosing the RD-45 for its new fighter, the Mikoyan/Gurevich design bureau took a calculated risk, just as it had done in 1939 with the

MiG-I, powered by the brand-new Mikulin AM-35 engine. The risk paid off; the RD-45-powered MiG-15 (and the MiG-15bis, powered by the RD-45F) became the mainstay of the Soviet fighter force. Although the competing Yakovlev fighters were more agile, the MiG was faster and more heavily armed. As was typical with the Soviet aircraft industry, early RD-45s and RD-45Fs had a short service life (only some 100 hours, less than the original Nene) because poor-quality indigenous materials had to be used. Later, Soviet designers developed the RD-45FA, introducing new materials and structural improvements and doubling the engine's service life. Building on experience gained with the RD-500 and RD-45 (and benefiting from TsIAM research into centrifugal compressors), the Klimov OKB (opytno- konstrooktorskoye byuro - experimental design bureau) developed more powerful and fuel-

A British Nene-1 turbojet is installed here in one of the 1-310 prototypes. This view shows how the rear fuselage could be detached for engine maintenance and gives details of the engine bearer. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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efficient centrifugal-flow turbojets. The 2,700-kg (5,952-lb) VK-1 turbojet emerged in 1949. The VK initials stood for Vladimir Klimov, suggesting that enough Soviet research had gone into the engine to qualify it as an indigenous design. In due course, the VK-1 engine was fitted to the MiG-15bis, an upgraded version of the MiG-IS.

of the aircraft, ahead of the CG and located aft, which was much more the wings. The fuel tanks were in aerodynamically efficient. the CG zone to minimize CG travel With the engine(s) buried in the caused by fuel burn, while the crew aft fuselage, two air intake types was placed behind the CG. The were possible: nose and lateral weight of the engine and propeller inlets. Both types had advantages was balanced by the weight of the and shortcomings. A nose intake made it necessary to increase the rear fuselage and tail. If a turbojet were mounted in forward and center fuselage crosssimilar fashion in the aircraft's section, since there needed to be nose, the exhaust gases would have extra room to route the airflow STRUCTURE to exit under the fuselage. Placing past the cockpit. Lateral intakes engines on or under the wings increased fuselage width ahead of Early jet aircraft were designed eliminates this problem. the wings. The advent of a poweralong the same lines as their pisful but bulky nose-mounted radar Turbojets were lighter than piston-engine predecessors. As turbo- ton engines, allowing the cockpit to largely settled the issue, as nose jets were improved, however, it be moved forward to improve the intakes were made impractical. became clear that changes had to pilot's forward and downward be made to the aerodynamics and view. Since there was no propeller SWEPT-WING DESIGN general arrangement. demanding large ground clearance, Positioning the center of gravi- the landing gear could be shortWind tunnel tests showed that a ty (CG) is one of the major chal- ened. A tricycle landing gear elimi- thin symmetrical wing section and lenges in aircraft design. For con- nated the need to locate a tail wheel swept wings could resolve the ventional designs, the CG must be in the jet exhaust, as had been the "shock-wave crisis," or the violent located at 25-33% mean aerody- case with the Yak-IS. pitching caused by lift migration namic chord (MAC), which means The next logical step in jet fight- associated with swept wings and 25-33% back from the leading edge er development was to move the rel- high speeds. As early as 1935, the (or average of the leading edge, in atively lightweight turbojet back- German aerodynamicist Dr. Alfred the case of a swept-wing design. ward, placing it in the fuselage aft of Busemann came up with the sweptWith a piston engine, this meant the cockpit. This resulted in a cigar- wing concept. He continued his positioning the engine at the front shaped fuselage with the nozzle research during the war and the Germans used wings with a 30-38degree leading-edge sweep on several fighters (the Me 262 and Me 163 Komet). A spate of swept-wing aircraft, including the Ta 183, which bore a passing resemblance to the future MiG-IS, was on the drawing boards or at the prototype construction stage by the end of the war. The main peculiarity of the swept wing was that airflow was divided into two components: one flowed from the leading edge to the trailing edge; and the other from root to tip, which could cause tip stall, and also reduced the efficiency of the wing's control surfaces. To prevent An exploded view showing the major assemblies of the MiG-15. Note that the verti- this, many Soviet aircraft featured cal tail was builtin two halves with the horizontal tail sandwiched in between. The boundary layer fences on the wing rear fuselage was detachable for engine maintenance and changing. upper surface, which generated vor-

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tices, reducing this flow and preventing early airflow separation. In the USSR, the swept-wing idea was devised in 1964 by V. Stroominsky of TsAGI (Tsentrahl'nyy

aero- i ghidrodinameecheskiy institoot: the Central Aerodynamics & Hydrodynamics Institute, named after Nikolay V. Zhukovskiy). Basic concepts for swept-wing aircraft stability and control analysis were formulated. TsAGI embarked on a major program to study a 35-degree swept wing. This was exactly the wing later recommended for the La-160 (the first Soviet swept-wing aircraft) and the Mikoyan/Gurevich 1-310 (the MiG-IS prototype). Initially, swept wings were tested on gliding models dropped from a Tu-2 mothership. However, in 1945-48, Pavel Vladimirovich Tsybin designed the LL-1, LL-2, and LL-3 gliders. As the designations imply, these were research aircraft for studying transonic aerodynamics at about 1,158 km/hr (621 kts). The LL1 had straight wings and the LL-2 had forward-swept wings; the LL-3, which was never completed, was to have a 30-degree sweepback. The gliders had water ballast and a solid rocket booster. The experiment was conducted in a dive with the booster operating for maximum speed. SURVIVABILITY

With the advent of jet aircraft capable of transonic speeds, bailing out in the old-fashioned way became sheer suicide. New crew rescue methods, such as ejection, were required. The first attempts to facilitate bailing out were undertaken in Germany in the late 1920s and early 1930s, but these did not progress beyond the ground test stage. Ejection systems were used for the first time during World War II in German high-

speed piston-engine and jet aircraft. Two ejection systems were developed in Germany: a cartridge system, and one using compressed air. After the war, the work of German designers was the object of close scrutiny by the Allies. Many German documents and prototypes were captured by the British, and German work was carefully analyzed in the USSR and the United States. The first Soviet attempts to design an ejection seat date back to 1940. In the course of new fighter development, designers Il'ya Florent'yevich Florov and Aleksey Andreye- The ejection seat of MiG-l5bis. The carvich Borovkov addressed the problem tridge-fired seat was initially triggered by of pilot survival at speeds of 528-850 a single handle on the right-hand side of km/hr (285-459 kts) and altitudes up the seat pan as shown here. A second to 6,000 m (19,685 ft). handle was added later to pennit ejection It was not until the end of the even if the pilot's right arm was woundwar that work on crew escape sys- ed. The dished seat accommodated the tems resumed in the USSR. The parachute on which the pilot sat. Mikoyan OKB teamed with TsAGI, LIl, and the Aviation Medicine Insti- his credit, was chosen for the tute to become a leader in ejection manned test. On July 24, 1947, he seat development. Trials were per- successfully performed the first ejecformed at LIl, at first using a test rig tion in the USSR. with a trolley that moved along a The first ejection seat was of vertical guide rail; the trolley was cartridge-fired design; the ejection accelerated by an explosive charge gun and the seat pan were attached and then slowed by powerful to the seat's frame. The pilot sat on brakes. LII engineers determined the his parachute that lay in the seat size of the charge required to gener- pan. There was no provision for ate the necessary G load. After tests automatic parachute opening; the with dummies and animals, it was parachute's static line was attached decided to carry out the first to the seat, which meant the pilot manned test. Six strong men were had to push the seat away forcibly successfully"ejected" from the rig after ejection in order for the parawith the maximum G load. chute to open. The minimum safe Flight tests came next. The engi- ejection altitude was 200 to 300 m neers proceeded cautiously, using a (656 to 984 ft). At speeds over 700 dummy for the first actual ejections. km/hr (378 kts), the procedure A converted Petlyakov Pe-2 Buck often resulted in injuries because dive-bomber was used; its twin tails the seat offered no protection for made it ideal for ejection seat trials, the pilot's face or limbs. reducing the danger of the seat strikThis first-generation Soviet ejecing the vertical tail in the event of a tion seat was fitted to the MiG-IS, failed ejection. Gavriil Kondrashov, MiG-15bis, MiG-17, and La-IS. It an experienced parachutist with saved many lives when the MiG-IS more than 700 parachute jumps to and MiG-15bis saw action in Korea.

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

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... ErWAY

THESO

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

duction in the USSR. Development of the ejection system in 1946-47 also went successfully. The Mikoyan/Gurevich OKB chose swept wings for its new fighter. The flight-test aircraft was preceded by several preliminary devel-' opment (PD) projects. The first was a twin-engine fighter that was dropped when it became obvious that Soviet engine plants could not provide enough engines for mass production. The wings proposed by TsAGI, featuring 35-degree sweep at quarter-chord and 2-degree anhedral (angled downwards from the fuselage), turned out to have an extremely poor lift/ drag (L/D) ratio in takeoff and landing mode. This meant the aircraft would not meet the VVS (Voyenno-vozdooshnyye seely - Soviet Air Force) field performance requirements. To cope with the problem, the OKB even considered variable geometry. Eventually the engineers selected another solution, reducing the wing loading. This made for acceptable landing speeds even with a poor L/D ratio. It has to be said here that the Soviet aircraft industry had a few quirks. The all-pervasive secrecy wrapped around the industry by the notorious KGB often proved detrimental. Soviet experts were well versed on American advanced development projects but knew almost nothing about what their colleagues in other Soviet OKBs were doing. For this reason, designers often wasted Note the wool tufts visualizing the airflow over this full-scale mockup of the 1-310 time and state money, duplicating in the TsAGI T-I02 wind tunnel. Aerodynamics was an issue of major concern, as each other's efforts. This problem got this was Mikoyan's first fighter to feature swept wing and tail surfaces. (Yefim worse in areas of high-tech systems Gordon archive) and avionics.

he specific operational requirement (SOR) was quite tough. Maximum speed was to be 1,000 km/hr (540 kts) at sea level and 1,020 km/hr (551 kts) at 5,000 m (16,404 ft). The fighter was required to climb to this altitude in 3.2 minutes and have endurance in excess of one hour. Range in economical cruise at 10,000 m (32,808 ft) was specified as 1,200 km (648 NM) with a takeoff and landing run at 700 and 800 m (2,296 and 2,624 ft), respectively. The aircraft was to have adequate armament and avionics to cope

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with US and British warplanes of the era. Initially, one 45-mm (1.77 caliber) cannon and two 23-mm (.90 caliber) cannons were envisaged, though the former was soon replaced by a 37mm (1.45 caliber) weapon. Provisions for carrying two 100-kg (220-lb) bombs on the regular drop tank hard-points were also demanded. Last but not least, the new fighter was required to be easily maintainable. The powerplant issue had already been decided; the fighter was to be designed around the RR Nene that had entered licensed pro-

WARBIRDTECH :w

/ This is the I-310 (aka 5-1), the first prototype MiG-15, during manufacturer's flight tests, December 1947. Note the absence of the triangular airbrakes ahead of the jetpipe orifice; these were not introduced until the third prototype was built. (Mikoyan OKB) In develoBing the 1-310 (the state-allocated design number), designers found that balancing the CG was quite a problem. With the engine in the aft fuselage, the CG was too far aft, impairing stability and handling. The problem was partly solved by slightly increasing the wing area aft of the rear false spar, resulting in a kinked trailing edge (its innermost portion was unswept). The final solution was to move the engine forward so that it was located immediately aft of the main spar and use a long extension jet pipe. This created a bonus in the form of a fuselage made up of two sections; the aft section easily detached, leaving the engine completely exposed for maintenance or removal. A lot of problems were caused by the engine's inlet duct. It had a complex shape due to the numerous obstructions, including cockpit and fuel cells. Outside air entered a subsonic intake with a center splitter. It separated into two flows passing .along narrow ducts on either side of the front avionics bay, nose wheel well, cockpit, and main fuel cell; the two flows converged at the engine's compressor face. Another challenge with the 1-310 was how to accommodate the main landing gear units in the relatively thin wings (stowing them in the fuselage was out of the question

- there was simply no room). The problem boiled down to the fact that the thin, high-aspect-ratio wings were constructed of threespar stressed-skin aluminum and the structure would be excessively weakened by the main wheel wells. This prompted studies on how to develop a light, yet rigid structure. Eventually, a stiff and lightweight one-piece stamped main spar was introduced, but not before the aircraft experienced lateral stability problems caused by insufficient wing torsion stiffness.

1-310 wing static testing took place at the Moscow Aviation Institute. With the initial wing design, skin cracks appeared at 120% of the maximum design load, indicating that the structure could be lightened. The OKB's structural department considered it possible to reduce structural weight by 180 kg (396 lb), but overdid it - the new wings failed at only 70% of maximum load. Finally, in a compromise between high strength and low weight, the wings were lightened from the original design by 162 kg (357 lb); now

Like the production MiG-15 that followed, the I-310 packed a heavier punch than American fighters of the era. Shown here is the 37-mm cannon on the starboard side. (Mikoyan OKB)

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In the West, spin recovery was often accomplished by using a parachute mounted in the aircraft's tail. OKB MiG tried a differ~ ent approach. This is the second prototype (5-2), with spin recovery rockets mounted under the wings, well outboard of the main landing gear units. To help recover from a spin, the pilot could fire the rocket on the inside of the spin, helping to reestablish controlled flight. (Mikoyan OKB)

the structure failed at exactly the maximum design load. For armament access, engineer N. 1. Volkov proposed a simple and ingenious solution: all three cannons and their ammo boxes were neatly mounted on a single tray under the cockpit, the N-37 to starboard and the two NS-23KMs to port. This tray could be wound down quickly by means of a hand crank and four pulleys for reloading and maintenance. By December 19, 1947, the prototype had been completed and trucked to LII's airfield in Ramenskoye, southeast of Moscow. Viktor Nikolayevich Youganov, who worked for Mikoyan since 1946 and had flown the 1-270, was appointed project test pilot. He was an excellent airman; he was often compared to famous test pilot Valeriy

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Pavlovich Chkalov for his flying skills - and his devil-may-care attitude as well, as you shall see. To keep to the planned schedule, the first aircraft, or S-I, had to take its maiden flight by the end of December. However, the wea ther was poor and it was clearly better to postpone the flight rather than risk losing the only aircraft. The OKB leaders decided to wait until the beginning of 1948. But Youganov was short of money (at the time, a Soviet test pilot making the first flight of a new aircraft was paid 10,000 roubles - quite a lot of money) and insisted that the first flight be performed before the year was out. On December 30, 1947, the cloud-base was 2,000 m (6,560 ft), which meant the first flight could not be performed under the rules

WARBIRDTECH .....

then in force. Still, Yuganov decided he would fly anyway, so he nonchalantly climbed into the cockpit, had the aircraft towed to the holding position to save fuel, started the engine, and took off. Retracting the landing gear, he made two circuits of the field below the cloud-base and landed. Unfortunately, General Designer Artyom I. Mikoyan was not there to witness the first flight of the future MiG-15; he cong\atulated Youganov by phone. The second prototype, S-2, differed mainly in being powered by a Nene-2 engine (construction number (c/n) 1039) rated at 2,270 kg (5,004 lb) and having the wings moved 80 mm (3.15 in) aft, with a new airfoil at the root. Other detail changes included thinner forward fuselage skins, wing

spars made of V-95 aluminum alloy instead of Type 30KhGSA steel, increased aileron area, and a simplified canopy frame, giving better allround visibility. An ASP-IN automatic gun sight was installed, along with an S-13 gun camera on the air intake upper lip. The main gear units were modified in order to increase landing gear wheelbase, internal fuel volume was increased, and a provision was made for 250-lit (55-Imp gal) slipper tanks immediately outboard of the outer wing fences. Some sources state drop tank volume was 260 lit/57.2 Imp gal. The third prototype, the S-3, was completed in March 1948. It was, in effect, a pre-production aircraft. Like Here is a close-up of the anti-spin rocket installed under the wing of the second prothe S-2, it was also powered by a totype of the MiG-IS fighter. The rockets were very compact units; note the exposed Nene-2 and earmarked for State electrical wiring at the front for igniting the charge, and the slot in the wing underacceptance trials. This aircraft intro- side where the hardpoint is. (Mikoyan OKB) duced hydraulic airbrakes that were almost triangular in shape on the Mikoyan OKB in 1945. The manu- VVS facility at Novofyodorovka airrear fuselage sides, with an area of facturer's flight test program lasted field (Saki, on the Crimean Peninsu0.48 m 2 (5.16 sq ft) each. Wing until October 15. In total, 48 flights la) where it underwent checkout anhedral was increased from -1 to -2 were made by Ivaschchenko and tests until December 3. Stage B of degrees, minor changes were made Sergey N. Anokhin, in the course of the State acceptance trials ended that to the fin and ailerons, and the eleva- which the aircraft attained a top same day. Test pilots Yuriy A. speed of Mach 0.934. Antipov and Vasiliy G. Ivanov made tors were fitted with mass balances. On November 4, 1948, the third 35 flights at Novofyodorovka. On Fuel capacity was increased to 1,460 lit (321.2 Imp gal) from the prototype was transferred to the NIl December 23, Air Marshal K. Ver1,340 lit (294.8 Imp gal) capacity of the first prototype. Provisions were also made for carrying bombs on wing hard-points, giving the MiG15 a secondary attack role. An AFA1M reconnaissance camera covered by a hinged door was installed in the forward fuselage. The weapons tray was beefed up and the N-37 cannon was fitted with a flash suppressor, receiving the designation N-37D (dorabotannaya - revised). For technological reasons, the aircraft also used different structural materials, which resulted in a slight increase in empty weight. The S-3 took to the air on July This view of the S-2 prototype shows its drop tanks. The same type of slipper tanks 17, 1948, at the hands of test pilot 1. - a "first" for a Soviet fighter - would later be used on production MiG-ISs. T. Ivaschchenko, who had joined the (Mikoyan OKB)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

liG-R5

11

This is the S-2 prototype during State flight tests in 1948. (Yefim Gordon archive) shinin, Commander-in-Chief of the VVS, signed an order to introduce the MiG-IS into the VVS inventory. After the West got news of the

type's existence, the MiG-IS was allocated the reporting name "Falcon" by the NATO's Air Standards Coordinating Committee (ASCC).

This was promptly changed to Fagot because Falcon was too complimen~ tary - "knock 'em" was part of the idea with all those reporting names!

This is one of the first two prototypes without airbrakes on the aft fuselage. (Mikoyan OKB)

This is the third prototype (S-3) nearing completion in the Mikoyan OKE's experimental shop (MMZ No. 155). The forward fuselage, with the wings in place, is jacked up and waiting for the rear fuselage/tail unit assembly to be attached. Note the maintenance hatch in the rear fuselage. Visible beside the aircraft is the inverted nose section of the Mikoyan OKE's next product, the twin-engined, two-seat I-320 radar-equipped interceptor (note the mounting ring for the radome, which is at the bottom of the air intake in this view because it is lying upside down in the process ofassembly). The I-320 fared rather worse than the MiG-IS: only two prototypes were built because of then-insurmountable development problems with the radar. (Mikoyan OKB)

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DIFFERE

STROKES

MIG-15 VARIANTS he first production MiG-IS was built by aircraft factory . Number 1 in Kuybyshev (now Samara) in southern Russia. This was the only aircraft to have the designation "izdeliye S." It took to the air on December 30, 1948, exactly one year after the first flight of the 1-310 (S-l), and became one of the "dogships" on which various improvements were tested. Concurrently, the Nene II turbojet entered production at plant Number 4S as the RD-4SF.

T

MIG-15

FAGOT-A TACTICAL

FIGHTER (rZDELIYE

SV; rZDELIYE 50)

The first major production version of the MiG-IS, known in-house as izdeliye SV, was rolled out in June 1949 and attained initial operational capability with the VVS the same year. Initial production MiG-ISs still had manually controlled ailerons. The guns' rate of fire was also inadequate, which meant a change of armament was needed. Other bugs were eliminated as development proceeded. For example, the aircraft's never-exceed speed (VNE) was Mach 0.92, but initially it was restricted to Mach 0.88. The reason for this restriction was the MiG-IS's tendency to drop a wing, . called val' ozhka in Russian, which had first manifested itself on the third prototype (S-3). On one occasion, it nearly caused two MiG-ISs to collide right over Red Square during the 19S0 May Day parade! There were two kinds of val'ozhka: low-altitude val'ozhka, which occurred below 3,000 m (9,842 ft), and high-altitude val'ozhka. Low-alti-

tude val'ozhka was caused by torsion- structural modifications were made al stiffness asymmetry in the port as described later. and starboard wings, while high-altiInitial production MiG-ISs were tude val'ozhka was caused by aerody- prone to engine flameouts above namic asymmetry - the wings had 8,000 m (26,246 ft) caused by insuffislightly different airfoils. This struc- cient fuel pressure. Adding an extra tural asymmetry meant that the pump and tank for inverted flight wings produced different amounts corrected this problem. of lift; this was not critical at low In the summer of 19S0, the airspeeds, but as airspeed increased, craft was tested with recalibrated the difference became appreciable. landing gear shock absorbers. This On the production line, it was major effort with shock absorbers quite difficult to make both wings was brought about by complaints absolutely identical due to varia- from the VVS that the aircraft sometions in skin thickness, riveting, times bounced uncontrollably durinaccurate manufacturing, etc. The ing heavy landings. Mikoyan OKB toughened manufacSo great was the Soviet Air turing discipline at aircraft factories Force's demand for the new fighter and added bendable trailing edge that eight more were added. Earlytrim tabs (called nozhee - knives). production MiG-ISs were still These were adjusted individually armed with NS-23KM cannons, and after each aircraft's first flight. How- few had the OSP-48 ILS (instrument ever, the problem persisted until the landing system). In the final batches MiG-1Sbis entered production, and of MiG-ISs (izdeliye SV), the push-

The MiG-IS (SV) - the first production aircraft (cln 101003) - during checkout tests at NIl VVS following an upgrade. Note the small teardrop fairings characteristic of the new NR-23 cannons on the port side forward fuselage. The inner skin of the flaps is perforated to save weight. (Mikoyan OKB)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH 13

button circuit breakers were replaced by conventional switches. These late "non-push-button" aircraft were assigned to Soviet units fighting in Korea, where the MiG-IS was to prove its worth in combat. Typical of Soviet military aircraft, testing at NIl VVS continued even after the type became operationat as air force test pilots explored the fighter's potential. The tests showed that control forces increased considerably at speeds approaching VNE; still, the program was duly completed. In service, some MiG-ISs (izdeliye SV) were retrofitted with improved avionics and equipment. The type also spawned a multitude of versions described below, some of which were one-off aircraft and were not developed further.

MIG-IS

(IZDELIYE

SA-I/SA-2)

DEVELOPMENT AIRCRAFT

More views of the MiG-IS (SV) - the first production aircraft (c/n 101003) - during checkout tests at NII VVS following an upgrade. (Mikoyan OKB)

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In order to verify the OSP-48 ILS, the complete system was retrofitted to the second Moscow-built MiG-IS. This aircraft was unusual in being powered by a VK-I engine, as was the MiG-ISbis, being developed in parallel. The ARK-S ADF (automatic direction finder) had a loop aerial buried in the aft fuselage and a whip aerial on the starboard side immediately aft of the cockpit. A redesign of the aft integral fuel tank was required, which consisted of two halves (port and starboard) with an avionics bay in between. The ADF and marker beacon receiver aerials were fitted flush with this bay's access hatch cover, while the ADF unit was installed in place of the AFA-IM reconnaissance camera. In addition, the RSI-6 HF radio and a new cockpit air conditioning system were introduced, and the canopy had a single layer of thick Perspex (clear

After the start of production and the completion of official State flight tests, air-brake panels were installed on the rear fuselage sides, as on this production MiG-15. The airbrakes are used during air combat or for keeping formation with slower aircraft. Note that the outer skin of the airbrakes is made of steel, which is why they stand out against the aluminium skin of the rear fuselage. (Mikoyan OKB)

acrylic) instead of the standard two thin layers with a gap in between. Called izdeliye SA-1 by Mikoyan, the modified MiG-IS underwent manufacturer's flight tests from February 4 to March 10, 1950. These were followed by preliminary State acceptance trials in March and April. The OSP-48 system performed acceptably but was not recommended for production.

MIG-IS

(IZDELIYE

had an automatic airbrake extension in case the Mach 0.95 speed limit was exceeded, and in-flight engine starting capability was added.

MIG-IS

(IZDELIYE

SO)

DEVELOPMENT AIRCRAFT

In 1949, an early-production Kuybyshev-built MiG-15 was fitted

with an experimental sliding mount for the standard ASP-3N gun sight, consisting of a telescopic tube and an inverted U-shaped support attached to the windshield frame. The aircraft resumed State acceptance trials the next year, but the gun sight was rejected again and the SO program was terminated in July 1950.

SA-3)

DEVELOPMENT AIRCRAFT

In 1950, sixteen production RD-45F-powered MiG-15s were retrofitted with the OSP-48 ILS in order to perform the system's service trials. They were operated by regular VVS units with good results. Soon the system became standard equipment for all versions.

MIG-IS

(IZDELIYE

SA-4)

DEVELOPMENT AIRCRAFT

The instrument panel was revised yet again, featuring a generator failure warning light, a KI-ll compass, and a Mach meter reading up to Mach 0.95. The aircraft also

This is a Kuybyshev-built MiG-15 (cln 115002) during checkout tests at NIl VVS. The construction number is stencilled on the fuselage nose, the cannon barrel fairings, and the main gear doors. Note that the extreme nose is covered with soot as a result offiring the cannons. (Yefim Gordon archive)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

liG-~5

15

This production MiG-15 (c/n 107019) underwent tests at NIl VVS in the summer of 1950. The heavy style of the Soviet Air Force serial characters on this machine is unusual for Kuibyshev-built MiG-15s. Note also the pre-1955 location of the national insignia in eight places (above/below both wings, on the rear fuselage, and on the fin). (Yefim Gordon archive) MIG-IS (IZDELIYE SU) DEVELOPMENT AIRCRAFT AND WEAPONS TEST BED

On September 14, 1950, the Mikoyan OKB began working on

movable cannon armament for the MiG-I5. Usually, a fighter pilot had to take aim by pointing the whole aircraft, but on a fighter with movable armament, the pilot could bring his guns to bear on the target much

more quickly and more accurately. Hence, a Kuybyshev-built MiG-15 was converted to take the V-1-25-Sh3 experimental weapons system, replacing the standard armament. These guns could elevate +11/-7 degrees. The aircraft received the inhouse designation "izdeliye SU," with movable armament. The izdeliye SU prototype was completed on December 29, 1950. In the course of the trials, large gun blast panels made of heat-resistant steel were riveted to the underside of the fuselage nose and nose gear doors because it turned out that firing the guns damaged the aluminum skin. The movable cannon armament enhanced the MiG-15's combat potential. Still, izdeliye SU did not enter production because the system was too complicated and the elevation angle was too small. MIG-IS (IZDELIYE SSH) DEVELOPMENT AIRCRAFT

In 1950, two RD-45F-powered MiG-15s built in Kuybyshev were fitted with a single 23-mm Shpital'nyy Sh-3 cannon replacing the portside NS-23KMs. The trials resulted in some modifications to the Sh-3 cannon, which in improved form was fitted to the MiG-15 (izdeliye SSh). MIG-15BIS FAGOT-B TACTICAL FIGHTER (IZDELIYE SD; IZDELIYE

One of the last Novosibirsk-built Fagot-As, 616 Red (C/n 0615316), with Nudelman/Suranov NS-23KM cannons. These were a standard fit on the early batches. MiG-15 c/n 0615316 was used by test pilot A. P. Sooproon to find out the reason for the Air Force's complaints that the fighter sometimes bounced uncontrollably during heavy landings. The aircraft had the canopy removed and a massive roll bar fitted immediately aft of the cockpit to protect the pilot in case the fighter rolled over. The tests demonstrated clearly that the problem was caused by poor airmanship rather than any deficiency of the aircraft. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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53, IZDELIYE 55)

The advent of the VK-1 engine rated at 2,700 kg (5,952 lb) in early 1949 enabled the Mikoyan OKB to radically upgrade the MiG-15. With. the VK-1 upgrade, the MiG-15 would be known as the MiG-15bis. The VK-1 had slightly larger dimensions than the RD-45F and an extension jet pipe of a larger diameter, necessitating changes to the internal

This is the V-1-25-Sh-3 flexible gun mount with the barrels in the intermediate position. The cannons' travel limits were + 11 °/_ r Note the much-enlarged gun blast shield. (Mikoyan OKB) contours of fuselage frames 21-28 and a 60-lit (13.2-Imp gal) reduction in the capacity of the aft fuel tank.

The tail cone above the engine nozzle was enlarged and the aft end of the fuselage adjacent to the nozzle

was redesigned with a kinked edge in side view instead of a straight one. A GS-3000 starter-generator and

MiG-l5bis Fagot-B prototype (cln 105015) during manufacturer's tests. The new model was outwardly distinguishable from the Fagot-A by the enlarged trapezoidal airbrakes, which are almost invisible in these views. (Mikoyan OKB)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MnG-15

17

"Kuybyshev-built MiG-I5bis 235 Red (c/n 122035) during manufacturer's tests. Note the steel gun blast shield riveted to the lower forward fuselage skin and the larger drop tanks attached to the wings by triple struts at the front and a single strut at the rear. (Yefim Gordon archive)

a modified oil filler incorporating a wire mesh filter were introduced. A BU-l reversible hydraulic actuator was installed in the starboard wing as part of the aileron control circuit. Elevator area and balance were improved and rudder leading edges were reshaped. The airbrakes were modified to alleviate the MiG-15's annoying tendency to

pitch up when the airbrakes were deployed, complicating gun aiming. A signal flare launcher was installed on the starboard side of the rear fuselage, with a control panel showing the color and number of used flares. As might be imagined, the new engine proved troublesome, being prone to surge at full military

This Moscow-built MiG-15 (c/n 3810203) is powered by an RD-45F. LII test pilot Aleksandr M. Tyuterev attained Mach 1.01 in this aircraft in a dive from 11,750 m (38,550 ft). (Yefim Gordon archive)

18

..WARBIRDTECH -i_ _

power above 8,000 m (26,246 ft). It also introduced a high-frequency vibration that reverberated through the airframe. Trials showed an overall improvement in performance, with the exception of range, which was 180 km (97 NM) shorter because of the reduction in fuel capacity and the thirstier engine. Generally, the results were deemed satisfactory and the fighter was recommended for production. From 1951 onwards, however, this version became the MiG-15bis. Apart from val'ozhka - the tendancy to drop a wing, the MiG-15 had a few quirks discovered by NIl VVS pilots. Above Mach 0.87, the aircraft displayed reverse roll reaction to rudder inputs. Also, aileron. efficiency was poor at speeds in excess of Mach 0.86 and Mach tuck (sudden pitching down) appeared. Based on these findings, the MiG-15's flight manual was suitably amended.

In 1951, to improve rearward vision for the MiG-15 pilot, the canopy received 10-mm (0.39 in) thick glazing. The W-shaped internal upright at the rear of the sliding canopy was deleted and the transverse canopy frame member adjacent to it was replaced with steel strips. The new canopy was tested successfully in September 1951 and improved MiG-15s began to be delivered in 1952. Other changes introduced in 1952 included the introduction of gsuits, slightly enlarged airbrakes, a new retractable LFSV-45 landing light in the port wing root, and changes to the ejection seat that allowed the pilot to use either hand to eject. The first Soviet rear-view periscopes for fighters were also introduced in the 1950s. The brand-new Sirena Radar Homing and Warning System (RHAWS) carne next. Fifteen aircraft of the 133rd and 216th Fighter Divisions fighting in Korea were equipped with it for service trials in October 1952. The results were excellent. In the next month, the standard ASP-3N gun sight was replaced by an improved ASP-3NM. The new model featured an electromagnetic damper, increasing aiming accuracy and reducing aiming time during sharp maneuvers. The new sight made its service debut in Korea.

Here is a view of izdeliye SU (cjn 109035), the test bed for the V-1-25-Sh-3 experimental elevating weapons system. The aircraft did not enter production because the movable cannon system was too complicated and the elevation angle was too small. (Mikoyan OKB) Test flights gave disappointing results. On the "field-modified" MiG-15bis, wing drop was easily countered at up to 1,020 krn/hr (551 kts) IAS (indicated air speed) at 700 to 2,000 m (2,296 to 6,561 ft). However, the prescribed limit of 1,040 km/hr lAS could only be reached with full stick deflection to keep the

wings level, which of course was totally unacceptable, as the required stick travel was not to exceed 1/3. The two aircraft with stiffened wings did better, and a fourth MiG15bis, modified with an even stiffer wing structure, incurred a 47-kg (103.6-lb) weight penalty compared to 30 kg (66 lb) for the previous two

MIG-ISBIS (IZDELIYE SYA)

During September 1950, three MiG-15bises were handed over to NIl VVS in an attempt to cure the wing drop problem. The two Kuybyshev-built aircraft had a stiffened wing structure, a "knife" (bendable trim tab) 40 mm (1.57 in) wide on the wing trailing edge, and a similar tab 30 mm (1.18 in) wide on the starboard aileron.

So great was the Soviet Air Force's demand for the new fighter (partly because of the war in Korea) that the MiG-15 was produced by nine (!) plants in the Soviet Union alone. This MiG-l5bis, 421 Red (c/n 2104), was built by the Saratov aircraft factory Number 292. At most factories, the initial production version was allocated the in-house product code "izdeliye 50." (Yefim Gordon archive)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MiG-i5

19

This MiG-15bis, 201 Blue, was equipped with an RSI-6 radio and a Bariy-M IFF and was tested at LII. Note that the barrel fairing of the N-37D cannon has been removed; of course it would be reinstalled before flight. (Yefim Gordon archive) aircraft. Hence these three Fagot-Bs were known as izdeliye SYa, the letter Ya referring to the designer (izdeliye S s krylom Yatsenko - with Yatsenko

In Saratov, the serial was written "back to front" in relation to the cln, since the batch number - or the last digit of the batch number - always came first under the pre-1955 serial system. This is 633 Blue (C/n 3306), a Batch 6 Saratov-built MiG-l5bis. (Yefim Gordon archive)

wings). This was tested with good results from November 11 to 28, 1950, so the reinforced wings entered production. Even though

the wing drop problem was cured, poor roll control and reverse roll reaction to rudder inputs at high speed remained.

A production MiG-l5bis (cln 53210850,850 Red) is shown here during manufacturer's testing at Zhukovskiy. Note that the slipper tanks of the Fagot-B are larger than and have a different shape from those of the Fagot-A, featuring characteristic creases down the sides. This particular aircraft was later heavily converted to become the prototype of the MiG-17F; only the forward fuselage and landing gear remaining unchanged. (Mikoyan OKB)

These two shots illustrate the different serial styles worn by Kuibyshev-built Fagots. The style used on 182 Red (cln 121082) was rarely used; most aircraft had the serial painted on as on 588 Red (cln 125088). Note that 182 Red has the RV-2 radio altimeter aerial located under the belly. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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MIG-15BISS FAGOT-B (IZDELIYE SD-UPB) ESCORT FIGHTER

The late 1940s advent of the first Soviet jet tactical bombers, the 11-28 and Tu-14, created a need for an escort fighter capable of reaching 900 km/hr (486 kts), with a range of at least 2,500 km (1,351 NM). A requirement for an escort fighter derivative of the MiG-15bis with a range of 2,000 km (1,081 NM) at 10,000 m (32,808 ft) was Initially, Soviet Air Force Fagots often had the air intake lip and/or fin cap painted drawn up in 1950. in squadron colors as shown here. This particular MiG-15bis, 302 Blue, is of The OKB took delivery of a unknown origin, as the style of the serial digits is not normal for any factory that MiG-15 fitted with huge slipper built the type. (Yefim Gordon archive) tanks of all-metal welded construction, each holding 600 lit (132 Imp MIG-15BIS (IZDELIYE SD-P) brake parachutes. The fourth chute, a gal). Because of the greater 15-m2 (161-sq ft) PT-2165-51, worked endurance, oxygen capacity was Between May 20 and July 20, well and was recommended for pro- increased from 6 lit (1.32 Imp gal) to 1951, Mikoyan undertook trials duction. The parachute was housed 8 lit (1.76 Imp gal). This aircraft and aimed at shortening the MiG-15's in a special bay under the jet pipe; the subsequent MiG-15s were fitted landing roll. The UA-ll anti-skid unit dual bay doors and the chute release with expander-tube wheel brakes was tested as were four models of lock were actuated pneumatically. and more durable tires to cope with

Izdeliye SD-UPB, the prototype MiG-l5bisS escort fighter (c/n 53210114) has 600-lit (132-Imp gal) drop tanks. The tanks shown here turned out to be lemons because they were not strong enough, which led the Mikoyan OKB to develop new tanks of identical capacity as depicted on MiG-l5bis 850 Red shown earlier. (Mikoyan OKB)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MliG-i5

21

this higher gross weight (6,010 kg/13,249 lb). The SD-UPB completed initial flight tests with redesigned 600-lit tanks in November 1950. In January 1951, the aircraft was tested and passed satisfactorily, although G loads with full drop tanks were limited to 3.76.

MIG-15BISR (IZDELIYE SRi 55) PHOTO RECONNAIS-

IZDELIYE

SANCE AIRCRAFT

Plans evolved to create a photo reconnaissance (PHOTINT) version of the MiG-15bis. Mikoyan OKB developed a short-range tactical reconnaissance version of the MiG15bis equipped with an AFA-BA/40 camera. An AFA-BA/40 camera with a 40-mm focal length was mounted on the weapons tray between frames 8a and 9 and was "fired" from a control panel in the cockpit. Trials were deemed unsuccessful because of insufficient cover-

This is the view from the cockpit of the MiG-l5bisR reconnaissance prototype. The cockpit looked pretty much like that of any production MiG-l5bis, except for a couple of unobtrusive switches controlling the camera. Note the heavy frame of the bulletproof windshield and the soft pad on the gunsight, which reduced the risk of injury if the pilot hit his head on it in a crash landing. (Yefim Gordon archive)

Here are some photos of the MiG-15bisR reconnaissance prototype. The aircraft carries the newstyle ("pinchbottle") 600liter slipper tanks. The camera port is not visible . here, but the absence of the rear portside NR-23 cannon is (the cannon was deleted to make room for the AFA-BA/40 camera).

(Yefim Gordon archive)

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WARBIRDTECH .....

age width, inconvenience of operation, and cockpit temperature problems. The military did appreciate the heating system for the camera, which also warmed the pilot's feet.

MIG-15BIS

(IZDELIYE

SD-ET)

DEVELOPMENT AIRCRAFT

As noted earlier, the lack of selfcontained engine starting had been a longstanding complaint. After the new 12SAM-25 DC battery had been successfully tested, a Novosibirskbuilt MiG-15bis was fitted with an ST2-48 starter. Tests showed that the 12SAM-25 battery enabled at least 10 sorties lasting 30-40 minutes with self-contained engine starting. With the 12A-30 battery, engine starting was slow, but the old battery could still be used until the 12SAM-25 entered production. The back-plates of the NR-23 cannons were reinforced. Nose gear oleo pressure and tire pressure were reduced. Hydraulic pressure was reduced from 140 kg/cm2 (2,000 psi) to 130 kg/ cm2 (1,857 psi) to improve hydraulic system operation. A Mach meter was installed that automatically initiated airbrake deployment at a preset speed. The drop tank jettisoning pattern was changed, enabling the pilot to set the tanks for selfdestruction after jettisoning. A GF-ll03 chemical filter was added to the air conditioning system to clean the air supplied to the cockpit. The aircraft, assigned the company designation "izdeliye SD-ET," .passed its State acceptance trials successfully, and the go-ahead was given to many features tested on this MiG-15bis.

MIG-15BISP

(IZDELIYE

SP-l)

EXPERIMENTAL INTERCEPTOR

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Soviet Union was faced

The SP-1 converted from MiG-15 c/n 102005 was Mikoyan's first attempt to create an all-weather interceptor. The aircraft's nose is dominated by the bulbous radome of the Toriy-A radar. (Mikoyan OKB)

with the task of equipping its interceptors with radar. The research establishments and OKBs with the greatest expertise were entrusted with radar development. All four Soviet fighter OKBs joined in the program. The single-seat aircraft was to be based on the MiG-15bis and designated izdeliye SP-I. The original SP-l, however, was converted from a very early FagotA, not from a bis. The forward fuselage up to frame 9 was redesigned to

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MiG-15

accommodate the radar set and dish. The radar dish was located in a large bullet-shaped fairing on top of the air intake, which, despite its bulk, reduced intake cross-section only slightly but protruded perceptibly above the nose contour. The S-13 gun camera was moved from its usual location on top to the starboard side of the air intake. The nose gear unit was moved forward and reinforced. A special dielectric material had to be devel-

23

ordering the construction of a small batch of these aircraft for service trials. Work on conversion blueprints began in 1951. Five new-build Fagot-Bs were converted to SP-1 standard; these aircraft have sometimes been called MiG-15bisP.

MIG-ISBIS

(rzDELIYE

SP-S)

EXPERIMENTAL INTERCEPTOR AND AVIONICS TEST BED.

The SP-l is seen here during the manufacturer's flight test program. The redesigned nose gear unit gave the interceptor a marked nose-up attitude on the ground. (Mikoyan OKB)

oped for the radome. The canopy was modified to accommodate the radar display and PKI-1 collimator gun sight, featuring a new windscreen. The standard RD-45F engine was replaced by a VK-l. Enlarged MiG-15bis-style airbrakes were fitted. To make up for the weight penalty incurred by the radar, the two portside NR-23 cannons were deleted, leaving the SP-l with a single 37-mm N-37D. This was located as close to

24

the fuselage centerline as possible in order to maintain balance. Tests showed that the radar was rather unreliable, shutting down on its own accord if engine RPM dropped below 7,600-8,000 and acting up when the cannon was fired. On August 23-29, 1950, the SP-1 went through further tests, after which MAP(Minsterstvo aviatseeonnay promyshlennosti - ministry of aircraft industry) issued a directive

WARBIRDTECH

In the early 1950s, the Mikoyan OKB continued the development of radar-equi pped in terceptors. Designing the RP-1 Izumrood-1 radar took three years of hard work. The Mikoyan OKB decided to try the Izumrood-1 radar for its allweather interceptor. The main challenge was finding the best locations for the two antennas. The engineers incorporated the search antenna into the air intake upper lip and the tracking antenna into the air intake splitter. This arrangement, with its characteristic twin radomes (a "fat lip" and small bullet-shaped intake center body), became standard for all Mikoyan aircraft equipped with the Izumrood radar. Known in-house as izdeliye SP-5 (and likewise referred to by some sources as MiG-15bisP), the interceptor prototype with the Izumrood radar was completed in mid 1950. During the trials, a large fairing that housed test equipment was added under the center fuselage. In June and July 1951, the Mikoyan OKB converted a production MiG-15bis aircraft to use the new Klimov VK-5 centrifugal-flow engine rated at 3,000 kg (6,6131b). To this end, the main engine bearers were changed, the fuselage tail cone was modified, and a new extension jet pipe installed. The idea was not pursued further because axial-flow engines were clearly superior to centrifugal-flowengines.

The Toriy-A single-antenna radar turned out to be unreliable and too complicated for a single pilot to handle. Hence the Mikoyan OKB tried integrating the RP-l Izumrood (Emerald) twinantenna radar linked with the normal gunsight. The result was the SP-5 interceptor prototype seen here during manufacturer's tests. The search antenna is incorporated into the air intake's upper lip and the target tracking antenna is housed in a bullet-shaped radome on the air intake splitter. This characteristic arrangement became stan'dard for all Mikoyan aircraft equipped with the Izumrood radar - the MiG17P/PF/PFU and the MiG-19P/PM. Note also the redesigned cockpit windshield topped by a gun camera to record the picture on the radar display. (Mikoyan OKB)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MiG-i5

25

This is 510 Red (C/n 125010), one of the two izdeliye SYe aerodynamics research aircraft. These views illustrate the modified wings and the enlarged vertical tail to improve controllability; the tail modification was done by simply fitting a new constant-chord upper fin/rudder section, resulting in a kinked leading edge. Note also the bulges on the rear end of the canopy housing cine cameras to record the airflow over the wings, which would be tufted. (Yefim Gordon archive) MIG-ISBIS (IZDELIYE SYE, LL) AERODYNAMICS RESEARCH AIRCRAFT

In order to eliminate the MiG15's reverse roll reaction to rudder inputs at high speeds, LII engineers proposed offloading the ailerons and increasing rudder area. Three aircraft were tested at LII in June and July 1951 by Anatoliy M. Tyuterev. Tests revealed that the structural changes did not resolve the reverse roll reaction problem, and the program was abandoned.

with some airframe life left were converted into target drones with remote-control equipment replacing the ejection seat.

drop tank attachment points. The maximum payload comprised two rockets and two 300-lit (66 Imp gal) slipper tanks; the latter had to be jettisoned before the rockets were fired.

MIG-ISBIS (IZDELIYE SD-21) MIG-ISBIS (IZDELIYE SD-S7)

WEAPONS TEST BED

DEVELOPMENT AIRCRAFT

This was to be a ground-attack version armed with two heavy unguided rockets. The OKB fitted a MiG-15bis with D3-40 shackles on small pylons located about halfway between the main gear units and the

In June 1952, a MiG-15bis, serial number 803 Red, was fitted with two experimental rocket pods, each with 12 ORO-57 launcher tubes for 57-mm (2.24-in) ARS-57 Skvorets

MIG-ISBIS AVIONICS TEST BED WITH SRD-3 GRAD GUN RANGING RADAR

In mid 1952, the Mikoyan OKB converted a production MiG-15bis into a test bed for the SRD-3 Grad (Hail; pronounced grahd) gun ranging radar, a reverse-engineered copy of the AN / APG-30 fitted to the F-86 Sabre, an example of which had been captured in Korea. MIG-15M TARGET DRONE

When the MiG-15 was phased out by the VVS, a number of Fagots

26

32 Red was a MiG-l5bis converted to a MiG-15M (M-15) target drone. The ventral pannier with guidance equipment, the probe aerials on the stabilizers, and the fairings on the aft fuselage are all clearly visible. (Yefim Gordon archive)

WARBIRDTECH ..... i_ _

:w

This MiG-15M, coded 30 Red, has drop tanks to increase range and endurance. (Yefirn Gordon archive)

(Starling) folding-fin aircraft rockets (FFAR). The pods were carried on D4-50 shackles at the standard drop tank attachment points.

MIG-ISBIS

(IZDELIYE

trically controlled and aft-fitted gun cameras were installed for trials. Designated izdeliye SD-5, the aircraft was tested in November 1952 but did not enter production.

SD-S)

DEVELOPMENT AIRCRAFT

PROSAB-100 anti-aircraft bombs. The aircraft commenced its State acceptance trials at NIl VVS on February 29, 1952.

MIG-ISBIS MIG-ISBIS

(IZDELIYE

SD-IO)

(IZDELIYE

SD-2S)

DEVELOPMENT AIRCRAFT

DEVELOPMENT AIRCRAFT

This aircraft had D3-40 shackles for carrying two FFAR pods, each with eight ORO-57 launcher tubes for ARS-57 FFARs. Firing was elec-

A version was developed for attacking enemy bomber formations by dropping two 100-kg (220-lb)

Another MiG-15bis armed with two 250-kg (551-lb) PROSAB-250 bombs underwent trials in late March 1952. Tests showed that the

Kuibyshev-built MiG-I5bis "407 Red"(c/n 134007), was the SD-21 weapons test bed, shown here with ARS-212 (5-21) unguided rockets. These weapons were never used on the MiG-I5bis, but they did find use on MiG-17s operated by the Soviet Air Force's fighter-bomber units. (Mikoyan OKB)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MiG-15

27

The SO-57 weapons test bed, 803 Red, was used to test ARS-57 Skvorets FFARs in 12-round pods. The rockets passed the trials successfully and were used on numerous Soviet tactical aircraft and battlefield support helicopters. Conversely, the pods depicted here were not accepted; other models were developed instead. (Mikoyan OKB) anti-aircraft bomb's thin shell was deformed by the shackles in flight. Modifications were made and this rather unorthodox weapons system was recommended for service use.

installed in front of the cockpit, and the armored headrest (the armored seat back was fitted to late-production aircraft only). MIG-1SBIS (ISH) EXPERIMENTAL

MIG-1SBIS (.fAGOT-B) ATTACK

FIGHTER!ATTACK AIRCRAFT

AND FIGHTER-BoMBER VERSIONS

By the early 1950s, the VVS was left with virtually no operational battlefield support aircraft, so the MiG-15bis was retrofitted with two BD3-56 pylons about halfway between the main gear units and the drop tank attachment points. Generally, the results were satisfactory and the conversion was recommended for service. As a fighter-bomber, the MiG15bis was handicapped by its modest bomb load and the lack of adequate navigation and weapons-aiming equipment. Another disadvantage was the Fagot's vulnerability to ground fire due to poor armor protection, consistillg only of the bulletproof windshield, an armor plate

28

In an attempt to enhance the combat potential of the MiG-15bis,

the Air Force's Aircraft Operations and Repair Research Institute developed a specialized attack version from 1958 to 1964. The aircraft was designated MiG-15bis (ISh), the suffix standing for istrebitel'-shtoormovik (fighter / attack aircraft). The MiG-15bis had reinforced wing spars and huge weapons pylons extending far beyond the

This MiG-15bis (24 Blue, ex 2811 Red, c/n 2815311) was converted into the "pro_ duction" fighter-bomber prototype at the Gor'kiy aircraft factory in early 1958. The aircraft carries two 400-lit drop tanks and two 5-1 heavy unguided rockets on extra pylons. (Yefim Gordon archive)

WARBIRDTECH .....

ow

These views of the MiG-I5bis (ISh) in happier times when it was safely tucked away in a hangar show the triple-tandem weapons racks on each mega-pylon; these could be angled down 15 degrees, allowing six FFAR pods to fire at once when the aircraft was in level flight. Note also how the top of the pylon passes over the top of the wing. wing leading edge, about halfway between the main gear units and the drop tank attachment points. These were fitted with triple weapons racks located in line, permitting the carriage of three 50- to laO-kg bombs, FFAR pods, or heavy unguided rockets under each wing. An experimental batch of 12 aircraft was built; some sources, though, quote a much lower figure (three flying prototypes and a static test airframe). One of them survives at the Russian Air Force Museum in Monino, east of Moscow.

portside to a winch in the fuselage to the bomber again for the journey operated by the tail gunner. The home. method was as follows: The bomber From July 28 to August 24, 1951, paid out 80-100 m (262-328 ft) of the system passed its acceptance tricable, the fighter closed in on the als. However, technology quickly drogue and fired a harpoon into it; made the Burlaki system then the pilot shut down his engine obsolete,and it never entered serand was towed like a glider. If vice. The Tu-4 was replaced by the enemy fighters attacked, the fighter Tu-16 jet bomber and experiments pilot started his engine, broke con- began with flight refueling systems tact with the bomber, and engaged for fighters; some of them are the enemy, subsequently hooking up described below.

MIG-ISms CAPTIVE LONG-RANGE ESCORT FIGHTER (PROJECT BURLAKI)

To provide fighter escort for the Tu-4 Bull long-range heavy bomber -in 1948, the concept of carrying captive or "parasite" fighters was evaluated. The system involved towing MiG-15bis fighters, with automatic coupling and uncoupling. The system was code-named Burlaki. The Yakovlev /OKB-30 system used a drogue deployed by the Tu-4, the towing cable running through an external conduit on the rear fuselage

Here's 27 Red (ex 2168 Red, c/n 2115368), the sale surviving MiG-l5bis (ISh) fighter-bomber, in the open-air display at the Russian Air Force Museum in Monino. This view shows the large extra pylons. (Yefim Gordon)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MiG-~5

29

.l

MiG-I5bis, 408 Red (c/n 53210408) was the first to be fitted with the Burlaki towing system. It allowed a Tupolev Tu-4 bomber to tow a captive fighter with the engine shut down on long-range missions; the fighter would restart the engine, disengage itselffrom the bomber, and fend off attacking enemy fighters when needed. The fighter is shown here during State acceptance trials. (Yefim Gordon archive) MIG-ISBIS FLIGHT REFUELING SYSTEM TEST BEDS

Initially, the existing Burlaki system was modified by adding new elements. The fighter's harpoon incorporated a valve and plumbing to the fuel system. After the fighter made contact with the tanker's towing drogue, a hose terminating in a smaller drogue was paid out along the towing cable, and the fighter accelerated, locking

the two drogues together. When refueling was completed, the smaller drogue was automatically disengaged and the hose rewound. Another arrangement proposed by OKB-918 involved two hose drum units (HDDs) installed in the forward bomb bay, with the hoses running inside the wings and exiting from specially modified wingtips. The system was simple, reliable, and offered a high fuel transfer rate.

MiG-I5bis 2204' Red is shown here refueling from the Tu-4 tug/tanker. Both the cable and the hose are clearly visible. (Yefim Gordon archive)

30

WARBIRDTECH

The first in-flight refueling system tested on the MiG-IS was an adaptation of the Burlaki system. Here, MiG-I5bis 2204 Red (c/n 2215304) is shown during the system's ground tests. Note the fuel transfer drogue and hose slide along the towing cable, making contact with the towing drogue. (Yefim Gordon archive)

MIG-15BIS AERODYNAMICS RESEARCH AIRCRAFT/FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM TEST BEDS

This is the entire pre-production batch of Burlaki-equipped MiG-l5bis during service trials. All of them were Novosibirsk-built aircraft. (Yefim Gordon archive)

In 1952, two Fagot-Bs were modified to test flight spoilers assisting the ailerons for roll control; the spoilers were 1 m (3 ft 3.37 in) long on one aircraft and 0.22 m (8.66 in) long on the other one. Unfortunately, nothing furtheris known about the time frame and the results of these tests.

The MiG-l5bis during air-to-air refueling. This was a complex procedure, and the development process was fraught with problems concerning hose durability and drogue stability. Several versions of the hose and drogue had to be tried before the result was satisfactory. Yet, changing priorities meant that Soviet tactical aircraft would not benefit from IFR capability until more than two decades later. (Mikoyan OKB)

MiG-l5bis 342 Blue was one of the "pure" hose-and-drogue refueling system test beds. Unlike the "wet Burlaki," the probe was not designed for towing on these aircraft - it was strictly for refueling only. (Mikoyan OKB)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

InG-15

31

LII converted 172 Blue (cln 121072), a MiG-I5bis, for aerodynamics research. Note the modified upswept wingtips and the modified fin top featuring a rounded contour. (Yefim Gordon archive) MIG-ISBIS AERODYNAMICS RESEARCH AIRCRAFT

An early-production Luybyshev-built MiG-15bis was converted for aerodynamics research by LII. The aircraft had a non-standard rounded fin tip and redesigned upswept wingtips with a modified airfoil. Unfortunately, nothing is known about the time frame and the results of these tests.

The ST-l (cln 104015) was the first prototype of the UTI-MiG-15 trainer, seen here during manufacturer's flight tests; the cln is that of the production single-seater from which the prototype was converted. Originally the aircraft was designated 1-312. (Mikoyan OKB)

32

WARBIRDTECH .....

:w

UTI-MIG-1S MIDGET ADVANCED TRAINER (1-312, IZDELIYE ST-1, AND ST-2) The need for a trainer version of the MiG-15 became obvious from the beginning. The trainer was to have maximum commonality with the standard RD-45F-powered MiG-15, differing mainly in seating and control arrangement, and have no appreciable deterioration in performance. The aircraft received the preliminary service designation 1-312 and the manufacturer's designation izdeliye ST. Prototype construction proceeded rapidly, and the un-serialled aircraft was rolled out in late May 1949. The ST-1 differed from the MiG-15 in having tandem seating, with the student pilot up front and the instructor in the rear cockpit. The one-piece canopy with multiple frames originally envisaged was replaced by a two-piece canopy, the forward portion of the canopy hinging open to starboard and the rear portion sliding aft. In May 1950/ the aircraft was recommended for production under the service designation UTI-MiG-15 (UTI = oochebno-trenirovochnyy istrebitel' - training fighter). In the West the trainer was code-named, rather unkindly, Midget. In March 1952/ a production UTI-MiG-15 was modified to test several equipment updates. A custom-built UTI-MiG-15 was delivered to the Cosmonauts/ Detachment at ·Chkalovskaya airbase near Moscow for zero-G training as part of the program for manned space flight. The aircraft had a reinforced airframe to withstand the considerable stress and strain experienced when the aircraft followed a special parabolic trajectory to create weightlessness. The zero-G Midget resides at the Russian Air Force Museum in Monino.

The ST-l during State acceptance trials. The tandem cockpits with a sidewayshinged forward canopy and an aft-sliding rear canopy gave the UTI-MiG-15 a very distinctive appearance. In contrast, many Western jet trainers of the day had sideby-side seating. (Yefim Gordon archive)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH 33

.-~-

The ST-7 radar trainer was based on the UTI-MiG-15, combining the latter's airframe with the "radar nose" housing an RP-l radar as tested previously on the SP-5. Like the latter version, the ST-7 was destined to remain a development aircraft. Note the different, more sharply raked windshield and the gun camera offset to starboard. (Mikoyan OKB)

UTI-MIG-15P INTERCEPTOR ST-7 AND ST-8)

TRAINER (IZDELIYE

After the RP-1 Izumrood radar successfully passed its trials, two UTI-MiG-15 radar trainers designated izdeliye ST-7 were rolled out in August 1953. The ST-7 had a modified forward fuselage similar to that of the MiG-15bisP. The canopy had a non-standard, sharply raked wind- . shield that was extended to provide room for the radar display. The ST-8 was effectively a test bed for the RP-3 radar that was fitted to some MiG-17P interceptors and later evolved into the RP-5 radar.

34

WARBIRDTECH .....

:w

-

The ST-l0 ejection seat test bed was converted from the first production Kuibyshev-built UTI-MiG-15 (101u Blue, c/n 10101; the Kuibyshev-built trainers had five-digit c/n's as opposed to the single-seaters' six digits). In this instance, the forward cockpit is used for the experiment; on other similarly modified UTI- MiG-15s, the experimental seat was fired from the rear cockpit. Note the calibration markings on the fuselage and fin, as well as the faired cine cameras atop the wingtips to capture the ejection sequence. (Yefim Gordon archive) UTI-MIG-IS DRONE DIRECTOR AIRCRAFT

As remote-controlled target drone conversions of obsolescent fighters and bombers were developed and tested, the need for a drone director aircraft arose. Hence, two Kuybyshev-built UTI-MiG-15s were converted into director aircraft for Yak-25MSh drones and were tested in early 1960. A transmitter was installed in the weapons tray and the drone operator sat in the front cockpit of the 'director' aircraft; this was particularly important for a successful drone landing, unless it was destroyed in combat training.

ejection seat fired from the front and rear cockpits. In the former configuration, 101 U Blue was a nearly standard Midget with the prototype seat installed in the forward cockpit. The hinged forward canopy was replaced by a metal fairing with a large opening through which the seat was ejected. In its other configuration, the aircraft had the sliding rear canopy replaced by a large shallow metal fairing extending almost all the way to the fin.

UTI-MIG-IS (rzDELIYE ST-IO) EJECTION SEAT TEST BED

Experience with first-generation ejection seats showed that pilots were often injured in highspeed ejections because the un-stabilized seat offered no protection from the slipstream. In 1954, a UTIMiG-IS (I01U Blue) was converted by LII for conducting ejection seat tests with both dummies and pilots. The aircraft was flown in two configurations with the experimental

The designation ST-I0 has also been quoted for two other UTI-MiGISs converted into ejection seat test beds. The second aircraft had the prototype seat in the rear cockpit. The sliding rear canopy was replaced by a large shallow metal fairing extending almost all the way to the fin. Initially, the ST-I0 fired a standard MiG-IS ejection seat suitably modified for the experiment, with a non-standard canopy over the rear cockpit. Two clamps on the seat headrest engaged two lugs on the

,.Li

t

23

~.

This Midget coded "23 Blue" is a so-called UTI-MiG-15stk ejection trainer. The rear cockpit, from which the trainee was ejected, has no canopy at all in order to avoid jettisoning the standard canopy (which inevitably would be damaged in the fall). (Yefim Gordon archive)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

li6-15

35

This heavily retouched but nevertheless interesting shot shows the moment of ejection from a UTI-MiG-15stk. (Yefim Gordon archive)

canopy, causing it to rotate up and forward. The front end of the canopy slid aft along guide rails until it locked into position on the seat pan, disengaging itself from the guide rails. The canopy now offered protection for the pilot. The seat, complete with canop~ weighed 225 kg (4961b) and was ejected by a telescopic ejection gun at an initial speed of 18.519.0 m/sec (60.7-62.3 ft/sec). Tests began in the second half of the 1950s. Several stabilizing systems were tried, including stabilizing parachutes on telescopic booms extending aft of the seat. The program was conducted by test pilot Edward V. Yelyan and test parachutist V. Golovin. As a result, an ejection mount with a sliding canopy for pilot protection was recommended for all Soviet fighters capable of exceeding 1,000 km/h (540 kts). As part of the MiG-21 development program, the third UTI-MiG-15 was converted into a test bed for its parachute-stabilized SK ejection seat. The front canopy section, complete with fixed windshield, was replaced by a one-piece, forwardhinged canopy. This was rather lower than the rest of the canopy, resulting in a pronounced step.

"UTI-MIG-15sTK" MIDGET EJECTION TRAINER

In the USSR, the UTI-MiG-15 was manufactured by three factories in Kuibyshev, Khar'kov, and Ulan-Ude. The examples with the pre-1955 serials 501U Blue (c/n 10501) and 621u Blue (c/n 10621) are Kuibyshev-built; the U suffix stands for "uchebnyy samolyot," trainer. (Yefim Gordon archive)

36

WARBIRDTECH ..... i_ _

VVS pilots flying the MiG-IS were apprehensive, fearing that the first-generation seat could cause injury if used at low level; to overcome this psychological obstacle and restore the pilots' confidence in the aircraft, the VVS decided that some of the UTI-MIG-15s were to be used. as ejection trainers. The UTI-MiG15stk differed from the standard Midget in having the sliding rear canopy replaced by low Perspex sidewalls so that the rear cockpit was more open.

.- - --- =-=-~----==========~==

OVERSEAS

ODUCTION

BUILT IN MANY PLACES

he MiG-IS was manufactured under licesnse in various countries aroudn the world, as listed below_

T

CHINA

In March 1950, the Chinese government turned to "Big Brother" the USSR - for help in building modern jet aircraft. Assistance was promptly provided; in October 1951 (when Soviet and Chinese pilots had already been flying Soviet-built MiG-ISs in the Korean War for a year), 847 Soviet specialists of varying rank were sent to China. However, when everything was ready, the Chinese made a logical decision to build the more modern MiG-17, which started coming off the production line at Shenyang in mid 1956. Thus, contrary to reports by some Western sources, the MiG15bis was never built in China. Yet,

during the Korean War, 534 battledamaged Fagot-As and -Bs were repaired at Shenyang. Interestingly, MiG-ISs overhauled at Shenyang incorporated some equipment items from the MiG-17. Despite not being built locally, the MiG-15bis was allocated the local designation Jianjiji-2 (fighter aircraft, type 2), often shortened to Jian-2 or J-2. Fagot-Bs were still operational in China in the early 1970s. Some aircraft were later resold (e.g., to Albania and Cambodia) under the export designation F-2 ("F" for fighter).

5henyang JJ-2 (FT-2) Midget Advanced Trainer The UTI-MiG-15 trainer was produced in China under the designation Jianjiji Jiaolianji-2 (fighter trainer aircraft-2), often shortened to Jianjiao-2 or JJ-2. The RD-45F turbojet that powered it was built

This Shenyang JJ-2 (Chinese-built UTI-MiG-15), 67973 Red, is on display at the Chinese Army Museum in Peking. The JJ-2 (or FT-2 for Fighter Trainer, as it was designated for export) was virtually identical to the Soviet original. (Keith Dexter)

under license in Harbin as the Wopen-5 (turbojet engine modelS), often shortened to WP-5 (or TJ-5 for export). Besides being supplied to China's People's Liberation Army Air Force, the trainer was exported to Albania, Bangladesh, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, Tanzania, and North Vietnam under the export designation FT-2 ("FT" for fighter trainer). CZECHOSLOVAKIA

5-102 (MiG-IS) Fagot-A Tactical Fighter In 1950, the Soviet and Czech governments agreed to launch MiG15 production in Czechoslovakia. The license agreement was signed in Moscow on April 17, 1951, and deliveries of manufacturing documents began the following month, coinciding with the preparations for delivery of Soviet-built MiG-ISs to the Czech Air Force (CzAF). At first, MiG-IS production was assigned to the Rudy Letov plant at Letnany . On May 6, 1951, the Czechs took delivery of a Kuybyshev-built Fagot-A as a pattern aircraft. Soon after, an additional 10 fighters were delivered as completely-knocked-down (CKD) kits for the assembly of a pre-production batch; the first of these made its maiden flight at Prague-Kbely on November 6, 1951. After 160 aircraft had been completed at Rudy Letov, production was transferred to the newly-commissioned Aero-Vodochody plant north of Prague in July 1953. The first aircraft flew on April 28, 1953,

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MiG-15

37

when the factory - including the runway - was still incomplete. Five more were completed the same day but flew at a later date. In all, Czech production of the Fagot-A totaled 821 aircraft in 12 batches. The RD-45F turbojet was also built under license by Zavody Jana svermy (formerly Walter; later renamed Motorlet) at Prague-Jinonice. Like the aircraft itself, the engine had a local designation, M-05 ("M" for motor). No fewer than 5,094 engines were delivered between 1952 and 1962 (the engine also powered the 11-28).

This photo was taken during an air-to-air study of 3668, an 5-103 (MiG-15bisJ built by Aero-Vodochody. (Utectvi+Kosmonautika)

SR-55 FFAR pods for 55-mm (2.16in) LR-55 FFARs. The standard cenMiG-1SSB Strike Aircraft ter hard-points were usually carried 400-lit (88 Imp gal) drop tanks but In 1958, CzAF units flying the could also be used to carry OFABFagot-A converted to the MiG-l9S 100M bombs or experimental FFAR Farmer-c. The MiG-15 was relegat- pods of Czech design, which resemed to the strike role and suitably bled slipper tanks. converted by the overhaul plant at Normal takeoff weight (TOW) Prague-Kbely. was 5,826 kg (12,844 lb) and rose to Designated MiG-15SB (stfhaci- 6,270 kg (13,822 lb) in overloaded bombardovaci - fighter-bomber), the condition. Hence, the MiG-15SB aircraft had six wing hard-points was unique among Fagots in havinstead of the usual two. The ing provisions for jet-assisted takeinboard and outboard ones were off (JATO). Two SRP-1 JATO bottles used to carry indigenous 130-mm could be fitted to the aft fuselage (5.12-in) LR-130 rockets on launch sides for high-gross-weight takeoffs rails (attached directly to the wing (SRP = startovaci raketa pomocnti or via D3-40 pylons) or 10-round auxiliary takeoff rocket). A brake

------

MiG-1ST Target Tug Several Fagot-As were converted for target-towing duties. The MiG-15 was to work with the L-03 wooden airplane-type target towed on a 2,OOO-m (6,561-ft) cable at 750 kmlhr (405 kts). After a series of tests with quarter- and half-scale models towed by cars, Avia C-2 (Arado Ar 96B) primary trainers, Avia B-33 (licence-built Ilyushin 1110 Beast) attack aircraft, and finally

----

A very new and shiny 5-103 (Czech-built MiG-15bis) with slipper tanks awaits delivery on the factory apron at AeroVodochody. (Yefirh Gordon archive)

38

parachute was also provided. Starting in 1964, they were replaced by Sukhoi Su-7B Fitter-A fighterbombers, and the MiG-15SB was finally retired in 1983.

A Czech Air Force 5-103 (MiG-15bis) serialled 3814 (cln 623814?) sits in front of a hangar in which a Mil' Mi-1 liaison helicopter is visible. Note the open flaps and airbrakes. (Yefim Gordon archive)

WARBIRDTECH .....

ow

These views of the MiG-15bisSB show the extra pylons inboard and outboard of the drop tanks for carrying unguided rockets. Aircraft 3137 carried the unit badge of the 30. Ostravsk SBoLP (stihad-bombatdovad leteck pluk- fighter-bomber regiment) with which it served after conversion from a regular MiG-15bis. (Letectvi+Kosmonautika) MiG-15s, it became clear that a 45hp winch would be needed to fly with the real thing. After completing its trials program, the L-03 target entered production in 1957. The aircraft towing it was designated MiG-15T, the suffix denoting taha (tug) - or possibly (pro vlekanzj tero (for target towing).

5-103 (MiG-15BIS) Fagot-B tactical fighter The MiG-15bis originally had the Czech designation S-103, and the late version with a more comprehensive avionics fit was built under license at Aero-Vodochody. The first aircraft made its maiden

flight on January 4, 1954, and 620 MiG-15BIS with PPZ-1 ILS aircraft had been built when proSeveral CzAF Fagot-Bs were fitduction ended in July 1957. The VK-l turbojet was also produced by ted experimentally with the indigeZavody Jana 'vermy (Motorlet) nous PPZ-l ILS (pYesne pYistavaci under the designation M-06, albeit zaYizeni - accurate landing equipon a much smaller scale; 1,028 ment). Outwardly, these aircraft engines were delivered between could be recognized by the bulletshaped dielectric fairing of the ILS 1954 and 1957. A curious feature of some antenna, usually painted dark blue, Czech bises (S-I03s) was the hooks projecting from the intake splitter positioned near the cannons' case- where the landing light used to be ejector chutes. These were used to on early-production MiG-15s. These attach spent case collectors and were not really avionics test beds, as looked every bit like shopping bas- the aircraft were used operationally. kets! Apart from serving the domestic market, license-built Fagot-Bs MiG-15BIs5B Strike Aircraft were exported to East Germany, This was a fighter-bomber conEgypt, and Syria.

This photo shows the removed camera tray of a MiG-15bisR reconnaissance aircraft. The aircraft was also known simply as fotobis. (Letectvi+Kosmonautika)

An array of armament displayed in front of a MiG-15bisSB. The bombs and unguided rockets are of Czech design and manufacture. (Letectvi+Kosmonautika)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

39

MiG-15BISSB Weapons Test Bed Under a contract with North Vietnam, Aero-Vodochody developed a version of the MiG15SB/MiG-15bisSB armed with R-3S (AA-1 Atoll) air-to-air missiles (AAMs). The AAMs were carried on pylons borrowed from the MiG-21F Fishbed-A, installed at the usual drop tank positions; the N-37D cannon was replaced by an infrared searchand-track (IRST) unit. A single CzAF MiG-15bisSB was converted to test the new armament, but the idea was not pursued further; it is not known if the tests were successful.

MiG-15BIsR Photo Reconnais-

sance Aircraft

OK-lO (cln 612744) was the second CS-102 used as an ejection. seat test bed by VZLU (V?zkumni a zkuaebni leteck? utvar- Flight Test and Development Unit). Here a VS-1BRI ejection seat developed for the Aero L-39 Albatros trainer is test fired during a ground run. (Letectvi+Kosmonautika)

version of the Fagot-B, similar to the MiG-15SB, except for the lack of JATO bottles and brake parachute.

Normal TOW was 5,634 kg (12,420 lb) and maximum TOW 6,241 kg (13,758 lb). Conversion began in 1968.

The CzAF operated two PHOTINT versions of the Fagot-B under the Soviet designation MiG15bisR. One was identical to the Soviet aircraft of the same name with one AFA-IM or AFP-21KT vertical camera installed on the gun mount in place of the inboard NR-23 cannon. This aircraft was also referred to in some sources as MiG15bisR-F1, MiG-15bisF (jotoprozkumnti verze - PHOTINT version), or, in air force slang, simply as "fotobis." The other version, MiG-15bisRF3, differed from its Soviet counter-

Aero CS-102 "2601" (cln 142601) is caught here by the camera just seconds before becoming airborne. It was probably the second UTI-MiG-15 built in Czechoslovakia.

This unmarked CS-102 (cln 142614) seen at the factory airfield in Vodochody is destined for the Soviet Air Force. The Soviet Union was a major customer for Czech-built Midgets.

(Letectvi+Kosmonautika)

(Letectvi+Kosmonautika)

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part in having two vertical cameras on the gun mount and two oblique cameras mounted one after the other in the center fuselage beneath the main fuel tank, causing in a slight decrease in internal fuel capacity.

MiG-15BIST Target Tug This was a target tug conversion of the Fagot-B, similar to the MiG-1ST.

MiG-15/MiG-15BIS Target Drone A brand-new CS-I02 (UTI-MiG-15) on the factory apron. (Yefim Gordon archive)

As in the USSR, time-expired Czech Fagots were converted into remote-controlled target drones, similar to the Soviet MiG-15M.

MiG-15V Target Drone One Czech source mentions that MiG-ISs were converted into towed target drones designated MiG-15V (= vlenter - towed target).

far the most numerous; no fewer than 2,013 were built, and the last aircraft off the line was delivered on January 5,1961. Czech-built Midgets were also used in the USSR for cosmonaut training. It was in such an aircraft, coded 18 Red (call sign 625), that Yuriy Alekseyevich Gagarin, the first man in space, and instructor pilot V. S. Seryogin, were killed in an accident on March 27,1968.

CS-I02 (UTI-MiG-15) Midget Advanced Trainer

UTI-MiG-15 with PPZ-l ILS

Licensed production of the UTIMiG-IS trainer at Aero-Vodochody began in July 1954, under the designation CS-I02. The first aircraft was flown on July 28. The trainer was by

Several CzAF UTI-MiG-15s were fitted with the indigenous PPZ-l ILS (accurate landing equipment), with its distinctive bullet-shaped dielectric fairing on the intake splitter.

UTI-MiG-15P Radar Trainer To fill a Czech MoD order, two late-production UTI-MiG-15s were converted in Ceske Budejovice into radar trainers designated UTI-MiG15P in 1959 for training MiG-17PF pilots. The first aircraft received the temporary registration OK-I0 during manufacturer's flight tests. The Czech UTI-MiG-15P passed its tests successfully but did not enter production.

UTI-MiG-15 Ejection Seat Test Beds In the early 1970s, three Czechbuilt UTI-MiG-15Ps were converted

The UTI-MiG-15P radar trainer was not a direct copy of the Soviet ST-7, but an example of "parallel evolution." It featured a thicker fuselage nose housing a later model of the same Izumrood radar (the RP-5) and retained the standard cockpit windshield. Only two were built. (Letectvi+Kosmonautika)

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A well-known CS-102/ 2514 (cln 922514)/ was also part of the 30 Ostravsk SBoLP and often appeared on press photographs. (Letectvi+Kosmonautika) into ejection seat test beds by VZUJ (Vyzkumni a zkusebni zetecky? utvar Flight Test and Development Unit) in Prague/ the local equivalent of LII. On all three/ the experimental seat was fired from the rear cockpit/ which had a non-standard rear fairing. Only the first aircraft wore military markings. It also had photo calibration markings in the form of stripes and crosses on the forward fuselage and fin and no less than 45 mission markings on the fin to mark successful ejections. This aircraft was destroyed in a crash on April 30/ 1971.

POLAND

Lim-l Fagot-A (PRODUKT C) Tactical Fighter In the early 1950s/ Poland began a major upgrade of its air force and heavy industry. The Yak-17 Feather and Yak-23 Flora first-generation jet fighters gave way to the MiG-15/ which was delivered to the Polish Air Force in mid 1951. Soon the Polish authorities decided the time was ripe for Poland to build its own combat jets. Licensed production was the obvious choice/ and manu-

This is MiG-15bisSB 3244 (cln 613244) of the 30 Ostravsk SboLP/ based at Hradec Kralove AB. (Letectvi+Kosmonautika)

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facturing rights for the MiG-15 were obtained. Relevant documents were supplied in mid-May 1951/ and the Polish aircraft industry association WSK PZL began gearing up for production. The PZL plant in Mielec was chosen to build the airframe/ while the plant in Rzeszow would manufacture the RD-45F engine. As in Czechoslovakia/s case/ several completely knocked-down (CKD) kits were shipped to WSK Mielec as a starter set/ along with a Kuybyshev-built MiG-15 as a pattern aircraft. On July 17/ 1952/ Major Eugeniusz Pniewski successfully test-flew the first MiG-15 assembled in Poland. Five more aircraft were completed before the year's end, and production from locally manufactured components began in January 1953, starting with batch two. Twelve batches/ 227 aircraft/ had been built when production ended on September 1, 1954. Again, as in Czechoslovakia's case/ the aircraft was produced under a separate designation. The Polish-built MiG-15 was designated Lim-1 (licencyjny my[liwiec - licensebuilt fighter), while the RD-45F was produced as the Lis-1 (licencyjny silnik -license-built engine).

A line of production MiG-15bisSB fighter-bombers. The second aircraft from camera/ 3912 (cln 623912n is now preserved at the V?skov Aviation Historical Collection in the Czech Republic. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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Lim-2R Photo Reconnaissance Aircraft Some Lim-2s were built as PHOTINT aircraft, designated Lim2R (rozpoznawczy - reconnaissance). They featured an AFA-21 camera installed in a bulged ventral fairing aft of the portside 23-mm cannons.

Lim-I/Lim-2 Target Tug

Production of the Lim-2 (the license-built version of the MiG-I5bis Fagot-B) lasted until November 1956. Approximately 500 were delivered. 1127 Red in the foreground (cln IB01127) was later camouflaged and fitted with a smoke generator for airshow pelformances; in modified form it was known as "Lim-2 smugacz" (smoker, pronounced "smoogahch"). (Yefim Gordon archive)

Lim-2 Fagot-B (PRODUCT CD) Tactical Fighter The MiG-15bis joined the PWL inventory in late 1953. It was decided to launch production of the type at WSK Mielec as the Lim-2; accordingly, the VK-1A engine would be built by WSK Rzeszow as the Lis-2. Like the S-103, the Lim-2 was a copy of the late-production MiG-15bis with an improved avionics suite. Once again, a Kuybyshev-built MiG-1Sbis was supplied as a pattern aircraft. The first Lim-2 was rolled out on September 17, 1954, seventeen days after the last Lim-I. The aircraft was also referred to as "produkt CD" (a version of the OKB designation izdeliye SD). Originally Lim2s were powered by Soviet-supplied VK-1 engines; the first aircraft to receive a locally-manufactured Lis-2 turbojet was 602 Red, the second aircraft of batch six, completed on February 24, 1955. The 500th and final Lim-2 rolled off the production line on November 23, 1956.

A number of Lim-Is and Lim-2s were adapted for target towing. The modifications were nowhere near as serious as with the Czech MiG15T IMiG-15bisT. The inboard NR-23 cannon was replaced by a lock that protruded downwards aft of the nose gear unit for towing sleevetype targets.

Lim-I,S Tactical Fighter

Lim-2 SMUGACZ Demonstration Aircraft

Later, many Lim-Is were upgraded to Lim-2 status in regards to avionics. The conversion took place at the Polish Air Force's overhaul plants. The upgraded aircraft were known unofficially as Lim-1,S.

For air show performances, Lim2s often carried smoke-generating pods with solid charges under the wings that were electrically lit. However, these worked inadequately; the smoke trail was too thin and

The PZL Lim-l (the Polish license-built version of the MiG-IS Fagot-A) entered production in July 1952. This particular aircraft, 862 Red, has been reported in error as a Lim-l with the cln lA08062, which is way too high. In fact, it is not a Lim-1 but a Czech-built 5-103 (cln 231862)[ (WAF)

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MiG-~5

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')

A late-production (Batch 16) Polish AF Lim-1 (1612 Red, cln 1B01612) undergoes maintenance. This aircraft is now a museum exhibit in A6dz, Poland. (WAF)

broken or too dense and smudgy, preventing the spectators from following the aerobatic maneuvers. To solve this problem, Zenon Klimkowski developed a version of the MiG-15bis known as the Lim-2 smugac2 (smoker). The aft integral fuel tank was removed to make room for two pressurized bottles containing pure engine oil (for gen-

erating white smoke), sometimes with red dye added. The contents of the bottles were sprayed into the jet-pipe. The installation was tested successfully on a Lim-2 at the Polish Air Force's Technical Institute. Several Lim-2s were modified to this standard. Production of the Lim-l and Lim-2 gave the Polish aircraft indus-

try valuable experience in building state-of-the-art jets. The Lim-l and Lim-2 were not exported.

SBLim-l Midget Advanced Trainer The UTI-MiG-15 was not manufactured in Poland, being delivered to the PWL from the USSR and

This rather tatty-looking Polish Air Force aircraft is a Lim-2R reconnaissance version. Note the bulged ventral fairing immediatelyaft of the nose gear containing an AFA-21 camera.(Waclaw Holys)

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Czechoslovakia. However, to meet an urgent need for trainers in the late 1950s, some Lim-1s were rebuilt at military overhaul plants to become SBLim-1 operational trainers. The SBLim-1 had minor structural and equipment differences from the UTI-MiG-15. For example, some were armed with two portside NR-23 cannons instead of the single UBK-E or A-12,7 machine gun, while others appear to have only one cannon.

SBLim-2 Midget Advanced Trainer In the mid 1970s, Poland's stock of Lis-1 engines ran out. Hence, starting in 1975, Lim-2s were similarly converted into SBLim-2 trainers powered by Lis-2 engines and having enlarged airbrakes. Some original UTI-MiG-15s were also converted to this standard by replacing the engine and aft fuselage. The SBLim-2 had just one NR-23 cannon (or machine gun, depending on the aircraft's original identity). Also, it appears that some Lim-1s were converted (or SBLim-1s updated) to SBLim-2 standard. Such aircraft have enlarged Lim-2-style airbrakes but retain their original Lim-1 construction numbers commencing with 1A. In the type's latter days, the engine was de-rated to 2,400 kg (5,291Ib) to save fuel and engine life. This engine was designated Lis-2SB.

In 1957, the MiG-l5bis supplied as the pattern aircraft for Lim-2 production (c/n 137086?) was transferred to the Polish Institute of Aeronautics (Instytut LotnictwaY as a research aircraft and registered SP-GLZ on November 18, 1958. Note the bright yellow vertical tail and the SPD-6 instrumented test pod (sometimes misidentified as a towed gunnery target) on the port wing hardpoint; it was dropped at high altitude for testing a location system designed for weather research rockets. The aircraft remained in use until late 1972 (the registration was cancelled on November 4). (WAF)

SBLim-lArt and SBLim-2Art Artillery Spotter and .Reconnaissance Aircraft (SBLim-lA and SBLim-2A) Some Polish Midgets were modified for battlefield reconnaissance and artillery spotting. Depending on the version, these aircraft were designated SBLim-1Art and SBLim-2Art (for artilleryjski); this was later changed to SBLim-1A and SBLim-2A.

A pair of Polish AF Lim-2s (c/ns lB01505 and lB01423) comes in to land. Lim-2 918 Red (c/n lB00918) flies over some typically flat East European countryside. Many Lim-2s sported red fin caps. (WAF)

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MliG-15

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The Lim-2s that were converted into two-seat trainers were designated SBLim-2. This specific aircraft, however, was converted from a Soviet-built MiG-l5bis (c/n 3517 - most probably the 35th aircraft in Batch 17 built in Saratov), which means the Polish "license-built" designation is not really applicable because the original airframe is of non-Polish origin. This SBLim-2 trainer converted from Lim-2 604 Red (c/n 1B00604) belongs to the Polish Navy's 7. PLM-B (Fighter-Bomber Regiment) at Siemirowice AB, as indicated by the "sea horse" unit badge on the tail. Note how the two cockpits open. (Waclaw HaIys)

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This photo shows one of the versions of the trainer, designated SBLim-2A (or SBLim-2Art). This is a battlefield reconnaissance and artillery-spotting version characterized by a ventral camera pack (which is wide open for maintenance in this view). Actually 417 Red is a 'false SBLim-2A" converted from an apparently Saratov-built MiG-15bis (C/n 4017). (Waclaw Holys)

The SBLim-1A was equipped with a single AFA-21A camera on the gun tray, while the SBLim-2A also had an AFA-39 camera in a prominent ventral fairing amidships (just ahead of the fuselage break point). The camera installation necessitated a reduction of the internal fuel capacity, so the SBLim-2A always carried 600-lit (132 Imp gal) drop tanks. The rear cockpit was for a navigator I camera operator, so the flying controls in the rear cockpit were deleted. Some aircraft featured a rear-view mirror on the forward canopy frame. The aircraft was armed with two NR-23 cannons.

SBLim-2M Advanced Trainer In the late 1970s, after years of operational use, some SBLim-2As were reconverted for the training role with the camera pack removed and full dual controls reinstated. Such aircraft were re-designated SBLim-2M (modyfikowany - modified). The two 23-mm guns were retained.

The photographic pod of the SBLim-2R was mounted under the center fuselage. Here, the open cover shows the inside of the camera port covers; the camera itself is removed. (Waclaw Holys)

SBLim-l Ejection Seat Test Beds Two SBLim-1s were used by the Polish Institute of Aeronautics in Warsaw for ejection seat trials. A line of Polish SBLim-2s, with 407 Red (cln lA04007) foremost. Note the support placed under the tail to stop the aircraft from falling over while parked empty. (WAF)

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One of the Polish SBLim-2s (002 Red, c/n lA05002) was used by Instytut Lotnictwa for testing the ejection seat of the PZL 1-22 Iryda advanced trainer/light strike aircraft. To this end, an 1-22 forward fuselage section with a cockpit was installed on struts above the fuselage. The seat was fired through the canopy during high-speed runs. Of course the aircraft did not fly in this condition. (WAF)

This Polish SBLim-l (1018 Red, c/n lAlO018) was used by Instytut Lotnictwa as a flying test bed for ejection-seat development and for training pilots in emergency procedures. It was a virtually standard Midget with the sliding rear canopy portion removed for easy installation and removal of the ejection seat. (WAF)

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MILITARY A

PERATORS

WHO'S WHO OF THE EASTERN BLOC

any countries around the world operated the . MiG-15. At least initially, most of them were members of the Eastern Bloc, although non-members also operated the aircraft, mainly as hand-me-downs in later years.

M

AFGHANISTAN

In 1957, the USSR delivered three UTI-MiG-15s to the Afghan Republican Air Force for training MiG-17F pilots. Ten MiG-15s were still reportedly operational in late 1991. ALBANIA

The available information on MiG-15 operations in this country is highly contradictory. Deliveries of Soviet-built MiG-15s to the Albanian People's Republic Air Force reportedly began in 1950. Several UTI-

MiG-15s were delivered later. In 1964, Albania began receiving spares for the Soviet-supplied MiG-15s, later augmented by ex-Chinese F-2s (MiG-15bises) and FT-2s (UTI-MiG15s). The Fagots were later relegated to the fighter-bomber role. Albanian MiG-15s were flown in natural metal finish. The original markings (red star on a black roundel) were later changed to red/black/red roundels. ALGERIA

The Algerian Air Force took delivery of its first Soviet-built MiG15bis fighters and UTI-MiG-15 trainers in early 1963, though some sources give the delivery date as 1964-65. More MiGs were delivered via Egypt. Twenty Fagot-Bs and Midgets were still operational in Algeria as advanced trainers in 1984.

ANGOLA

A number of UTI-MiG-15s were delivered to the Angolan Air Force from the USSR. Some sources say three UTI-MiG-15s were supplied from Cuba in 1976. Two Midgets were operational in the mid 1980s. ARMENIA

In 1995, Armenia reportedly operated 20 UTI-MiG-15s inherited from the Soviet Air Force. BULGARIA

The Fagot made its public debut on May I, 1952, when nine Yak-23s and nine MiG-15s took part in a flyby over Sofia, as if to imply that old equipment was giving way to new aircraft. They were supplemented by the MiG-15bis in 1953.

"5-32 Red", an ex-Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force MiG-I5bis, was reportedly operated by the Albanian Air Force Academy at Kucove AB near Berat, although the serial commencing with 5 suggests the 5818 t1, Regiment at Valona AB. The aircraft was sometimes referred to by the spurious designation F-2, implying that it was Chinese-built; but in fact, no singleseat MiG-15s were built in China. (AIR International)

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later days, the Bulgarian Midgets received a three-tone tactical camouflage and the new BVVS roundels in lieu of the socialist-era star markings. CAMBODIA (KAMPUCHEA)

Shenyang JJ-2 5-11 was also with the Albanian Air Force Academy. Note the old star-type roundels; Albania now has different national insignia. (AIR International)

The MiGs equipped two fighter regiments and included one squadron of MiG-15bisRs (12 were delivered in 1960). Some BVVS (Bolgarski Voyenno Vozdooshni Seeli - Bulgarian Air Force) bises were convert-

ed to UTI-MiG-15 standard in the 1960s and 70s, but they retained part of their original armament. Fifteen UTI -MiG-15 aircraft remained operational with the Bulgarian Air Force by 1995. In their

Ex-Chinese MiG-15bis (F-2) fighters and Chinese-built UTI-MiG15s (FT-2s) were delivered to the Royal Khmer Aviation during the reign of Prince Norodom Sihanouk, and they were used operationally against the Khmer Rouge guerrillas during the long and bloody civil war in that country. Eight F-2s were reportedly on strength in 1967. All of them were destroyed in the war. CHINA (PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA)

In 1950, a Soviet Air Force unit with 40 MiG-15s was deployed to China to assist the People's Libera-

A Bulgarian Air Force UTI-MiG-15, 03 Red, with post-Cammunist-era raundels, sits retired at a Bulgarian airbase. Note the pole-mounted MiG-19 fighter in the background at right. (Peter Davison)

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tion Army Air Force in repelling Taiwanese air raids. One aircraft was lost in an accident. When the unit moved to Korea in November to take part in the Korean War, the remaining 39 aircraft were turned over to China. Chinese pilots actually started flying the type only when the war was "in full burner. Conversion training in the USSR took some time and Chinese pilots first saw action in the spring of 1951. During the Korean War, the PLAAF (People's Liberation Army Air Force) and PLANAF (People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force) received dozens of MiG-15 and MiG-15bis fighters from the USSR; these deliveries continued after the war. Initially, the UTI-MiG-15 was supplied by the USSR before entering license production in Shenyang as the JJ-2. As the MiG-17 (J-5) became the main tactical fighter, all surviving bises (known locally as J-2s) were converted into fighter-bombers in the early 1960s, with more than 200 still in service. Some J-2s were sold on to other nations (notably Albania) and by the mid 1980s, only 90 J-2s and 300 JJ-2s were still operational in China, and by 1997 the latter number dwindled to about 100. II

CONGo-BRAZZAVILLE

A flight of J-2 fighters (as the MiG-l5bis was known in Chinese service) flies a training sortie. Unusually, the serials appear to be black, not red. (Yefim Gor-

don archive) In late 1991, the Congo Air Force reportedly had a single UTI-MiG-15 used for training MiG-17F pilots. CUBA

Cuba was one of the first foreign operators of the MiG-15bis; according to some sources, the Cuban Air Force received 12 Czechbuilt Fagot-Bs in April 1960. These aircraft took almost no part in repelling the April 1961 Bay of Pigs. Several UTI-MiG-15s were

delivered in October 1961. A further 30 bises, Czech-built this time, followed in 1962. When MiG-17s and MiG-19s entered service with the FAR, UTI-MiG-15s were delivered from the USSR for pilot training. Of the MiG-15 family, only 20 Midgets were still reportedly operational in Cuba by the mid 1980s; according to Flight International, however, 10plus MiG-15bis tactical trainers and 15 UTI-MiG-15s were still in service in late 1991.

CZECHOSLOVAKIA

The first Czech pilots mastered the MiG-15 under the guidance of Soviet instructors as early as 1951; conversion training initially took place in the USSR. In 1951, the CzAF took delivery of its first Fagot-A. Soviet-built aircraft were supplied at first. In November 1951, however, the MiG-15 entered license production, followed by the MiG-15bis and the UTI-MiG-15 in 1954. From then

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Air Force for use as instructional airframes. The Soviet Air Force loaned 101 MiG-15s to the KVP-Luft in April 1953. On June 10, Manfred "Paul" Grundmann made his first flight in a UTI-MiG-15 with a Soviet instructor, becoming the first East German pilot to fly the type. Curiously, the aircraft arrived at Cottbus from GroBenhain by road. Several more trainees followed, including Iris Wittig - proba~ bly one of the first female pilots to master a jet fighter. However, training was abruptly A well-known Czech Air Force CS-102, 2514 (c/n 922514). Since mid-1957, the alphanumeric serials referring to the unit operating the aircraft gave place to four- discontinued on June 17 when an digit serials matching the last four of the aircraft's c/n. (Letectvi+Kosmonautika) anti-Communist uprising began, and next day the Midget was on, all MiG-15s delivered to the aggressor aircraft. The MiG-15SB returned to the VVS. The 101 singleCzAF were locally -built and initial- and MiG-15bisSB remained in ser- seaters and the five non-flyable airly referred to as S-102, S-103, and vice until 1983, and the last UTI- craft (!) from Kamenz followed suit MiG-15 trainers were retired in 1984. within the following month. The CS-102, respectively. uprising was squashed, but it took a The CzAF had been flying aging while for Moscow to rebuild its trust jets, the Yak-17 and Yak-23. The EAST GERMANY towards Berlin. fighter units were re-equipped with East German tech staff started On June 28, 1956, the first five MiG-15s by 1957. Usually the fighters had natural metal finish, but training for the MiG-15 in July 1952, MiG-15bis fighters were officially some MiG-15s sported very colorful with the assistance of Soviet advi- delivered to the LSK/LV (Luftmarkings for air shows, or for war sors. The school received five non- steitkrafte und Luftverteidigung der games in which they acted as airworthy Fagot-As from the Soviet Deutschen Demokratischen Republik -

A line of CzAF MiG-15 (5-102) in pre-1957 markings, serialled ZF-10 through ZF-17. The letters are a code for the unit operating the fighters. Before the change of serial style, CzAF jets (including the MiG-15) carried the serial on the nose. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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A MiG-I5bis from East Germany. This particular machine serialed 16 Red (c/n 1768) was built in either Komsomol'sk-onAmur or Saratov. However, most of the East German Air Force's Fagots were Czech-built. (Yefim Gordon archive)

Air Force and Air Defenseof the German Democratic Republic), followed by the first 12 UTI-MiG-15 advanced trainers in September. To be precise, these were Czech-built S-103s and CS-102s, flown to Cottbus by Czech pilots. On the whole, some 40 S-103s were supplied to the LSK/LV, along with several Soviet-built bises. Likewise, the vast majority of LSK/LV Midgets were of Czech origin. While the Fagot was phased out in 1958 and replaced by the MiG17F, the UTI-MiG-15 soldiered on well into the 1970s. After German ·reunification, it came to light that some aircraft, including a single UTI-MiG-15, were overhauled by the Dresden Aircraft Repair Plant, allocated new serials and clandestinely exported to Mozambique (referred to for security reasons as Land 58). The deal was so classified that the aircraft in question were officially listed as scrapped!

Most aircraft operated in natural metal finish, but some UTI-MiG-15s later received a light gray overall finish or dark green/dark earth camouflage with pale blue under-

surfaces. As was customary in the East German Air Force, the fighters had red serials, while the trainers, like all other LSK/LV aircraft, had black serials. Initially, East German

The only identified Egyptian Air Force UTI-MiG-15, 3224, was almost certainly a CS-102. Egyptian MiG-15s gained serials only after the formation of the United Arab Republic on February 1, 1958 (only green-outlined white identification bands around the rear fuselage and wingtips had been worn prior to that). A sand/brown/green camouflage was hastily introduced after the Six-Day War of 1967. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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For a while, Finnish Air Force/HiivLv 31 (31st Fighter Wing) UTI-MiG-15s had a large serial on the nose, together with an equally large roundel. This photo of the third example delivered, MU-3, was taken in 1963. (Yefim Gordon archive)

military aircraft wore simple black/red/yellow rhomboid insignia officially adopted on August 1953, but by 1957, it was modified by the addition of the coat of arms of the GDR.

appeared only after the formation of the United Arab Republic, and a sand/brown! green camouflage was hastily introduced after the SixDay War.

German Air Force in 1980. One of the two was still in service in late 1991.

FINLAND

The Hungarian Air Force was among the first foreign air forces to receive the MiG-IS (in 1951); the aircraft was known locally as the Jaguar. Plans to produce the MiG-IS in Adiliget were abandoned because of the 1956 Hungarian uprising. From 1953, MiG-15bis single-seaters and UTI-MiG-15 trainers of Soviet and Czech origin were delivered to the MHRC (Magyar Honvedseg Repulo Csapatai - Hungarian Air Force), and all of the original MiG-ISs were returned to the USSR. Most aircraft retained their natural metal finish and had red threedigit serials based on the aircraft's construction number; a few were camouflaged. For a while, the MiG15bis was operated as a fighterbomber following its replacement by later Mikoyan fighters in the

EGYPT (UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC)

Egypt was the first Arab nation to operate the type. The first of 120 Czech-built Fagot-Bs (S-103s) delivered to the United Arab Republic Air Force (UARAF) arrived in Alexandria in October 1955; 60 were in service by March 1956. A few Fagot-Bs were delivered after 1956, together with UTI-MiG15 (CS-I02) trainers to supplement those supplied earlier. Most of the MiG-ISs that survived the Suez crisis in October-November 1956 were destroyed on the ground during the Six-Day War (June 5-11, 1967). Egyptian MiG-ISs initially flew in natural metal finish and had no serials but wore green/white/ green identification stripes around the rear fuselage and wingtips. Serials

54

In 1962, the Finnish Air Force took delivery of four Czech-built UTI-MiG-15s (CS-I02s) in the latest configuration, including the BariyM IFF and OSP-48 ILS. The aircraft were flown in natural metal finish with the digit of the serial and the squadron badge on the nose. The Midgets remained in service until superseded by five MiG-21UMs in 1978. GUINEA-BISSAU

Guinea-Bissau's tiny air force was established in the 1960s with Soviet assistance. It included two UTI-MiG-15 trainers to support MiG-17F operations at Bissalanca. At least one of them, a Czech-built CS-I02, was acquired from the East

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HUNGARY

The fourth and final Finnish Air Force UTI-MiG-15 MU-4 (c/n 722479) seen here in 1966 shows the more subdued markings worn later. Note the leaping lynx squadron badge of HiivLv 31 on the nose and the new position of the insignia. The aircraft is now preserved at the Central Finnish Aviation Museum in Tikkakoski. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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MiG-15

55

the lack of spares. The UTI-MiG-15s were replaced by T-33A Shooting Stars in 1973. IRAQ After the monarchy in Iraq was overthrown in 1958 and the Casem regime came to power, Soviet- and Czech-built bises and UTI-MiG-15s were delivered to the Iraqi Air Force. Only 30 of the UTI type, including a Czech-built example, were still operational in early 1987.

A pair of Hungarian MiG-I5bises, 703 Red and 059 Red, is seen here in standard natural metal finish. (Yefim Gordon archive) counter-air role. The UTI-MiG-15 stayed in service in Hungary until the early 1980s. INDONESIA In early 1958, a contract was signed for the delivery of 15 Czechbuilt UTI-MiG-15s to Indonesia for

training local pilots flying the MiG17F and MiG-19S. Some sources indicate that up to 60 Midgets were delivered! Other sources say that an unspecified number of MiG-15bis fighters, probably Czech-built, were also supplied. In 1966, however, all Soviet-built aircraft became unserviceable due to

ISRAEL The Israelis captured an Egyptian Air Force MiG-15bis that was ditched in Lake Sirbon near EI'Arish on October 31, 1956, after being damaged by Israeli Defense Forcel Air Force Dassault Mystere IVAs. The aircraft was recovered, repaired, and test flown at Hatzor AB by the Israelis, and pilots

A phased-out Hungarian AF MiG-IS is seen here exhibited at the Hadtbrteneti Muzeum (Transport Museum), Budapest. The serial 1963 Red is afake. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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MOZAMBIQUE

The Mozambique People's Air Force received a number of UTIMiG-15s. Three Midgets were reportedly operational in late 1991. NIGERIA

The Federal Nigerian Air Force received a few UTI-MiG-15s in the late 1960s for training MiG-17F pilots. Only two of the trainers were still operational by the mid 1980s. NORTH KOREA

This is J 767, an Indonesian Air Force UTI-MiG-15. A number of these trainers and other Soviet aircraft were supplied while Indonesia was on good terms with the Soviet Union; deliveries were cut off after the anti-Communist coup d' ftat of 1966 in which President Soekarno was overthrown. (Peter Davison)

logged a total of 500 hours in it. Later, the aircraft was preserved as a war memorial. LIBYA

When Col. Muammar Qaddafi came to power in Libya, Soviet weapons were rushed to the country. Deliveries of combat aircraft to the Libyan Arab Republic Air Force began in the 1970s; these were largely state-of-the-art equipment, but a few obsolete UTI-MiG-15s were supplied to prolong the service life of more expensive combat trainers. By 1987, the UTI-MiG-15s had been withdrawn. MADAGASCAR . (MALAGASY REPUBLIc)

After attaining independence, this former French colony received standard Soviet "humanitarian aid" of the time: MiG-17 and UTI-MiG-15 fighters. Unfortunately, the number of Midgets operated by the air force is unknown. None remained in service by 1991.

MALI

During the period when the USSR and Mali were on good terms, a sole UTI-MiG-15 was delivered to the Mali Air Force for training its MiG-17F pilots. It was reportedly still in service in late 1991. There have also been unconfirmed rep orts in 1973 of six MiG-15s being operated; possibly ordered but never delivered. MONGOLIA

In the mid 1980s, the Mongolian People's Army Air Force had some 150 aircraft, including a few MiG-15bis fighters (later replaced by the MiG-21), and at least three UTI-MiG-15s. The latter version was operated in 1969-86. MOROCCO

In the 1960s, the Kingdom of Morocco purchased a few Soviet military aircraft, including two UTI-MiG-15s. There is no word on how long they were in service.

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

After the Soviet Union and China intervened in Korea in November 1950, extending aid to the Pyongyang government, the North Korean Air Force was recreated with deliveries of Soviet-built MiG-15s - largely flown by Soviet pilots. After the war ended in July 1953, the North Korean Air Force had an inventory of several hundred Fagot-Bs and Midgets, mostly left behind by the Soviet units that had flown them during the war. The MiG-15bis remained a frontline fighter until the late 1950s, when it was replaced by the MiG-17 and MiG-19. The UTI-MiG-15 soldiered on until the early 1980s. North Korean (and quasi-North Korean) MiG-15s originally flew in natural metal finish. The forward fuselages and fin tops were later painted bright red on many aircraft for quick identification purposes. Starting in February 1952, however, these markings were removed and various camouflage patterns introduced, ranging from crudely applied green stripes over natural metal to real three-tone camouflage. Some aircraft operated by night fighter units were painted light gray overall.

57

tactical camouflage. Camouflage colors and patterns varied widely from aircraft to aircraft. ROMANIA

Natural metal Romanian Air Force Fagot-As (almost certainly Czech-built 5102s) lined up as the pilots listen to "all-systems-go" reports from the ground crews. (Yefim Gordon archive)

in late 1954. The PWL received newbuild UTI-MiG-15s (CS-I02s) from When Pakistan established mili- Czechoslovakia and, according to tary ties with China, the Pakistan some sources, from the USSR. AddiAir Force (PAF) received F-2 (ex- tionally, many Lim-Is and Lim-2s PLAAF MiG-15bis) fighters and were converted locally to SBLimShenyang FT-2 (UTI-MiG-15) train- I/SBLim-2 trainer standard. Also, ers. Five FT-2s remained in service some MiG-15bis fighters and CS-I02 in 1979; they have since been retired. trainers were converted to SBLim-2 standard with 0.8-m2 airbrakes. POLAND UTI-MiG-15s stayed on into the 1980s. Some were used as trials airThe Polish Air Force began con- craft by the Polish Air Force's test verting to the MiG-15 in mid 1951. squadron. Some Polish MiG-15s The first MiG-15s were delivered were eventually sold to warbird colfrom the USSR, but later the fighter lectors abroad, notably in the USA. units began receiving license-built Originally, the Polish MiG-15s Lim-Is. The first entered service in and Lims flew in their natural metal late 1952; MiG-15bis deliveries from factory finish. In the late 1960s, surthe USSR began in 1953; and the first viving SBLims and UTI-MiG-15s locally built Lim-2s entered service were painted in two- or three-tone

PAKISTAN

The MiG-15 replaced the Yak-23 in the early 1950s. The MiG-15bis served as a fighter-bomber in the Romanian Air Force until the mid 1980s, and more than 40 UTI-MiG15s were still operational. More than 12 Fagot-Bs and Midgets still served' in the tactical training role in late 1991. The aircraft were either in natural metal finish or painted light gray overall, with red serials. The original star-type national insignia were replaced in 1985 by the current red/yellow /blue roundels. SOMALIA (SOMALI DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC)

Starting in 1963, the Somali Democratic Republic received MiGs from the USSR in return for letting the Soviet Air Force use its bases. The aircraft supplied included one squadron of MiG-15bis fighterbombers plus seven UTI-MiG-15s. SOVIET UNION

Details of the VVS MiG-15s are scarce; however, as noted earlier, until 1955, the Soviet Air Force used three- or four-digit serials based on the c/n, allowing more or less positive identification. These were later replaced by two-digit tactical codes rendering identification impossible. SRI LANKA (CEYLON)

This Romanian Air Force MiG-l5bis (possibly an 5-103) is painted light gray overall and wears the roundels introduced in 1985. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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WARBIRDTECH

On April 22, 1971, the Sri Lankan Air Force received a single UTI-MiG-15 from the USSR for training its MiG-17 pilots. The Midget was operated by the 6th Squadron at Katunayake until 1979.

USA A Novosibirsk-built MiG-15bis, serial number 2057 (c/n 2015337), fell into American hands when it was flown to Kimpo AB near Seoul by defector Ro Kim Suk on September 21, 1953. Painted in USAF markings and re-serialled 7616 (i.e., 47-06167), the fighter was evaluated at Kadena AB (Okinawa, Japan) and later at Eglin AFB (Florida) and Wright-Patterson AFB (Dayton, A line of Polish-built Lim-2s, with Lim-l 10 Red (c/n lAll0lO) foremost; note the Ohio) in 1954. At a late stage of the ground power cable plugged into the receptacle aft of the port wing. The third air- evaluation trials, it received the buzz number TC-616 (the letters reportedcraft in the row is a UTI-MiG-15 (or an 5BLim-l or -2). (WAF) ly stood for Tom Collins, one of the SUDAN TANZANIA test pilots flying it), an Air Force Systems Command badge on the After President Jaffar Nimairy The Air Wing of the Tanzanian center fuselage (on the starboard came to power, the Sudan Air Force People's Defense Force was largely side only), and a USAF-style red received Soviet aircraft, including equipped with aircraft of Chinese caution stripe around the aft fuseUTI-MiG-15s to complement origin, including two FT-2s (UTI- lage. Curiously, this stripe was Shenyang F-5s (MiG-17Fs) supplied MiG-I5s). These were still opera- applied immediately ahead of the by China. No other details are tional in the mid 1980s. fin (approximately at frame 21), not known. at the fuselage break point. The airUGANDA craft is now preserved in accurately restored original markings at the SYRIA Two UTI-MiG-15s were sup- USAF Museum. Later, the Defense Test and The Syrian Air Force ordered its plied to the Uganda Army Air Force first 25 MiG-15bis fighters in 1955. in the mid 1970s to support about Evaluation Support Agency These were delivered from Czecho- 12 MiG-17s. The aircraft were based (DTESA) obtained a number of MiGs from Poland in the mid 1980s slovakia in 1956, along with a few at Entebbe. UTI-MiG-15s, to Abu Sueir AB in Egypt, where the Syrian pilots were taking their training. All but four Midgets were destroyed on the ground at Abu Sueir by Royal Navy Westland Wyvern attack aircraft on November 1, 1956, without having flown a single sortie. Later deliveries included UTIMiG-15s. Syrian MiG-15s took part in all subsequent Middle Eastern conflicts with Israel, but most of the aircraft lost were destroyed on the ground, not in the air. One squadron of UTI-MiG-15s remained by early 1987; more than 25 aircraft were reportedly still Romanian Air Force MiG-15 244 Red (probably a Czech-built 5-102) is shown here in post-1985 markings. It is preserved in a Bucharest museum. (Peter Davison) operational in late 1991.

MIKOYAN GUREVICH 59

This MiG-15bis (called the J-2 by the Chinese) is in the PLAAF Museum in Datangshan. The aircraft is painted in North Korean Air Force markings, but it is by no means certain if they are authentic. (Keith Dexter)

for use in clandestine research programs and for realistic threat simulation during exercises such as Red Flag. Apart from that, numerous Polish- and Chinese-built MiGs began pouring into the USA in 1986 when the Iron Curtain was lifted - much to the joy of warbird enthusiasts and collectors. The Chinese MiG-ISs and other aircraft, hundreds of which had been in storage there, started arriving Stateside in 1986. The biggest chal~ lenge was to get the aircraft registered because the flight manuals needed to be translated for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). (NORTH) VIETNAM

The Vietnamese People's Air Force (VPAF) received weapons from both the USSR and China, thus operating both Soviet- and Chinese-built MiG-ISs. A squadron of UTI-MiG-lSs/JJ-2s remained operational in the mid 1980s, but none of them has been identified. YEMEN (NORTH YEMENIYEMEN ARAB REPUBLIC AND SOUTH YEMEN/PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF YEMEN)

After the 1979 brush with Vietnam, China started experimenting with various camouflage patters. MiG-15bis 6273 Red, one of several preserved at Datangshan, wears a three-tone blue and white splinter scheme. (F. C. W. Kasmann)

Both countries, allies of the USSR, received MiGs, including an unknown number of bises and UTIMiG-ISs (the latter were used for training MiG-17F pilots). By 1979 in the North and South, four and three UTI-MiG-lSs, respectively, were reported to remain in service. A Polish Air Force PZL Lim-2R (cln 1B01809)is shown here on display at the Muzeum Braterstwa Broni (Brotherhood-in-Arms Museum), Drzonow. The aircraft arrived at the museum on April 26, 1979, with 1,599 hours 09 minutes total time and 2,509 landings. (Yefim Gordon)

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WI

1

-15BIS STRUCTURAL DETAILS The following structural description applies to the late-production standard MiG-15bis. TYPE

Single-engine tactical fighter with limited strike capability designed for day and night operation in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and instrumental meteorological conditions (IMC).

intake located at frame number 1 has a vertical splitter which divides it into two elliptical-section air ducts passing along the fuselage sides, flanking the cockpit, nosewheel well, number-one fuel tank, and avionics bays. The forward fuselage has 13 frames (including four mainframes absorbing the main structural loads,

numbers 4, 5A, 9, and 13) and three auxiliary frames. Mainframes number 4 and 5A serve as attachment points for the nose gear unit and gun tray respectively; wing spar attachment fittings are installed at frames number 9 and 13. The latter also carries the engine bearer with 10 attachment points for the engine. Frame 1 has a flanged cutout on top

FUSELAGE

Semi-monocoque all-metal stressed-skin structure with frames, longerons, and stringers. The riveted fuselage structure is made mainly of D-16 duralumin. Type 30KhGSA steel is used for most of the joints, except the frame/longeron fittings that are made of Type 20 steel. Fuselage length is 8.08 m (26 H, 6.11 in), fuselage diameter is 1.45 m (4 ft, 9.08 in), and air intake diameter is 0.747 m (2 ft 5.41 in). Maximum cross-section area (less cockpit canopy) is 1.65 m 2 (17.74 sq ft), and the aspect ratio is 5.57:1. Structurally, the fuselage consists of two sections: forward (up to frame 13, which is the fuselage break point) and rear. The latter is detachable for engine maintenance and . removal. The two fuselage sections are held together by 13 bolts. The forward fuselage incorporates the forward avionics/ equipment bay (frames 1-4), the nose wheel well, the pressurized cockpit (frames 4-9), the armament bay and aft avionics/equipment bay located under it, and the number-one fuel tank (frames 9-13). The circular air

This view shows the air intake of a UTI-MIG-1S (or, to be precise, a Czech-built C5-102, c/n 922272) with an 5-13 gun camera on the upper lip. The gun camera was activated together with the cannons by pushing the fire button and recorded the firing results to provide proof positive that the target had been destroyed. (Dmitriy Komissarov)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH 61

On this preserved example of a MiG-15bis cockpit canopy, the rearview mirror on top of the canopy is missing, as is the cable aerial (the antenna attachment can be seen above the wing root, just ahead of the blade aerial). (Dmitriy Komissarov) for the 5-13 gun camera; the nose fairing with the intake splitter is attached to this frame. There are four forward longerons (two upper and two

lower) running from frame 1 to frame 9, four rear longerons (between frames 9-13), plus an auxiliary central upper longeron between frames 11-13. The longerons are

attached to each frame by welded gusset plates made of Type 20 steel. Finally, the cockpit floor also adds structural stiffness. Fuselage skin thickness varies from 0.6 to 1.2 mm

The MiG-15 fuselage structure. The fuel tank was located aft of the cockpit between the engine's inlet ducts flanking the cockpit; an avionics bay was placed ahead of the cockpit. The engine had a long extension jetpipe.

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houses the engine with its accessories and jet-pipe, the two-section rear fuel tank, and control linkages. The engine jet-pipe is attached to frame 28 by a special flexible fitting. The rear fuselage structure consists of 15 frames, 10 longerons, and a number of stringers supporting the skin. Two lateral airbrakes with an area of 0.24 m 2 (2.58 sq ft) each are incorporated between frames 26 and 28. The airbrakes are electrohydraulically-actuated and deflected 55 degrees. A system of mechanical linkages ensures simultaneous operation.

The original MiG-IS Fagot-A and UTI-MiG-15 had 0.48 m 2 (5.16 sq ft) triangular airbrakes. This picture shows the airbrake in its tucked-away position; the steel skin makes a marked contrast with the aluminium skin of the rear fuselage; the rear end of the aircraft is propped up by a wheel chock. (Dmitriy Komissarov) (0.023-0.047 in). The forward fuselage has numerous hinged or detachable access panels. The cockpit is contained by pressure bulkheads at mainframes 4 and 9 and is enclosed by a bubble canopy. The fixed windshield consists of two curved, triangular Perspex sidelights 8 mm (0.31 in) thick and an elliptical optically-flat bulletproof glass 64 mm (2.5 in) thick. The stamped duralumin windshield

frame is hermetically riveted to the forward fuselage structure. The aftsliding canopy moves on guide rails and can be jettisoned manually or pyrotechnically in an emergency. The blown Perspex glazing held by inner and outer frames is also 8 mm thick. The cockpit features an ejection seat (with guide rails attached to the rear pressure bulkhead), an instrument panel, and side control consoles. The rear fuselage (frames 14-28)

WINGS

The MiG-15bis features a cantilever mid-wing monoplane design. The leading edge is swept at 37 degrees, there is a quarterchord sweep of 35 degrees, an anhedral sweep of two degrees, an incidence of one degree, the aspect ratio is 4.85:1, and the taper is 1:61. The wings use a TsAGI 5-105 airfoil at the root and a TsAGI 5R-3 airfoil at the tip; mean aerodynamic chord (MAC) is 2.12 m (6 ft, 11.46 in) and (Text continued on Page 73)

•

The original MiG-l5bis airbrakes had a distinctive trapezoidal shape and an area of 0.5 m2 (5.37 sq ft). Korean War experience led to afurther increase in airbrake area to 0.8 m 2 (8.6 sq ft). (Mikoyan OKB)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MR~-~5

63

MiG-15 MiG-15bis

MiG-15bis

MiG-15

UTI MiG-15

MiG-15bis

MiG-15bis

MiG-15bis

Three-view drawings ofMiG-15 variants.

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COLORFUL MIG-1Ss A ince the MiG-IS was produced in and flown by a number of countries, it follows that it has appeared in a variety of liveries. Many of the different paint schemes are pictured here in

S

WIDE VARIETY OF PAINT SCHEMES the color section, or in other parts of the book. As a result of the political climate in Iron Curtain Russia and photographic technology available at the time, color photography of the MiG-IS during development and

operation is very hard to come by. Therefore, most of the period photography is in black and white, while most of the following color photos were taken later in museum settings.

Khar'kov-built UTI-MiG-15 trainer, 03 Red (cln 22013), is seen here at the Central Russian Air Force Museum in Monino. This aircraft was reportedly operated by the Soviet Cosmonaut Detachment at Chkalovskaya AB. (Yefim Gordon)

This is 27 Red (cln 2115368), the MiG-l5bis (ISh) fighter-bomber at the Central Russian Air Force Museum in Monino. It is one of 12 aircraft built to this standard. A Czech-built Aero L-29 Delfin (Dolphin) advanced trainer and a Mil' Mi-6PZh-2 fire-fighting helicopter are visible beyond. (Yefim Gordon)

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MiG-15

65

Ex-DOSAAF CS-102, 06 Red (cln 922272), is found at the Great Patriotic War Museum, Poklonnaya Cora, Moscow. The damaged rear canopy glazing has been crudely replaced with sheet metal. (Yefim Gordon)

This MiG-15M (M-15) target drone, 20 Red, was operated by the State Flight Test Centre (GUTs) in Akhtoobinsk as of 1994. (Yefim Gordon)

Sporting the same code 15 Red, this MiG-I5bis is preserved at the Sokol aircraft factory in Nizhniy Novgorod. (Yefim Gordon archive)

66

Ex 64 Red, the UTI-MiG-15 preserved in a residential area just west of Rostov near the Black Sea, at Rostov. The twotone camouflage has faded to nothing during the many years of open storage. (Peter Davison)

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The MiG-l5bis was used widely in the Soviet Naval Air Arm. Shown is a group of Baltic Fleet pilots during a preflight briefing. MiG-15bises 606 Red, 607 Red, and 620 Red are all Go'kiy-built, while 325 Red, 805 Red, and 996 Red are all Kuibyshevbuilt. Note the three MiG-17s at the far end of the flight line. (Yefim Gordon archive)

A UTI-MIG-15 in the Bulgarian Air Force museum at Krumovo helicopter base near Plovdiv. The MiG-15s were replaced by the Czech built L-29 Delfin and subsequently the L-39 Albatross in Bulgarian Air Force service. (Peter Davison)

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~­

20 Red, the UTI-MiG-15 at Vorotinsk airfield situated near Kaluga in 2001. This aircraft was used for ground instruction but has been retained for future preservation. Vorotinsk now houses a helicopter regiment withdrawn from Eastern Europe. The cln is painted on the aircraft as 4301; the full cln must be 10994301, i.e., this is an Ulan-Ude built machine. Note the scrubbed-out titles of the DOSAAF paramilitary sports organization which operated the aircraft. (Peter Davison)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MiG-15

67

A Polish Air Force Lim-2, 712 Red (c/n 1B00712), is displayed at the Muzeum Lotnictwa i Astronautyki (Aerospace Museum), Krakow. (Yefim Gordon)

A disruptive camouflage is shown on MiG-15bis 4195 Red at an exhibit of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Museum at Datangshan near Beijing. Note the rather unusual camouflage scheme. The aircraft has a rather chipped appearance after sitting in the open for years; the serial and national insignia have all but disappeared. (F. C. W. Kasmann)

0732 Red (c/n 1A07032), A Polish Navy/7th PLS (Special Air Wing)/lst Squadron SBLim-2A trainer, proudly displays the unit's seahorse badge. Camouflage patterns varied widely on Polish military aircraft of a given type. (Waclaw Holys)

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Right and Two Below: Polish Navy/7. PLS SBLim-2A (6010 Red, c/n 1A06010) undergoes maintenance before flight. These views show the removable access panels and the large underwing drop tanks of Polish manufacture. 6010 Red is now preserved at the Polish Armed Forces Museum in Warsaw. (Waclaw Holys)

One of the Polish-built SBLim-2s, 006 Red, was operated by the Polish Navy's 7. PLS/1. eskadra (Squadron)!2. klucz (Flight). Note that the pilots are wearing old-fashioned leather helmets. (Waclaw Holys)

Lim-2 N205JM (ex Polish AF 205 Red, c/n 1B01205) starred in several TV films, including Steal the Sky, in which it portrays an Iraqi fighter serial/ed 524. For the movie the aircraft was painted in spurious green/sand camouflage with oversized Iraqi Air Force insignia.

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MiG-15

69

This MiG-15 makes a unique exhibit at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Only the fuselage is on display, and it is spilt at the engine access to allow visitors to look at the Klimov VK-l turbojet. The interior of the air inlet is lit, providing a good view of the details. The Royal Australian Air Force faced MiG-15s in their Vampires and Mustangs during the Unite~ Nations efforts in Korea. (Dennis R. Jenkins)

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I·

This MiG-15bis has been on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum, outside Tucson, Arizona, since June 22, 1992. The aircraft wears North Korean markings and the serial 822 Red. The rather angular serial style suggests Gor'kiy production and hence cln 53210822. Yet, while Gor'kiy-built Batch 8 bises did take part in the concluding stage of the Korean War, this aircraft is an impostor - an ex Polish AF Lim-2 formerly operated by the USAF's Defense Test and Evaluation Support Agency. The photo at right dates from August 2004. (Left: DTESA; Right: Dennis R. Jenkins).

A two-seat MiG-15s is also on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum. (Dennis R. Jenkins)

Bearing the symbolic tactical code 15 Red, this MiG-15 is preserved at the premises of the Mikoyan Design Bureau in Moscow. (Yefim Gordon)

Here's an example of an American, privately owned MiG-l5bis. N90589 is painted as "1170 White" to give the false impression that it is a Novosibirsk-built machine with the cln 1115370. In reality it was built in Komsomol'sk-on-Amur as cln 2292. Imported into the USA by First City Air Charter Ltd. of Los Angeles and first flown stateside on July 29, 1987. It was then sold to James K. Wickersham of Danville, California, becoming N90589 on January 31, 1992. In May 1992, it was resold to Bill Reesman/Yak Attack Airshows, Inc. and repainted in an all-red scheme as Soviet AF "577." Unfortunately, the aircraft suffered a disastrous in-flight fire at Aurora, Colorado, on March 1, 1994, due to a broken fuel line. Though it landed in one piece, it was definitely a write-off. (Helmut Walther)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MiG-15

71

This is ex-DDR UTI-MiG-15, 135 Black, (actually a CS-102, c/n 722650) at the Luftfahrthistorische Sammlung Finow museum north of Berlin in non-authentic markings. Finow displays many of its Eastern Block hardware in hardened shelters for dramatic effect. (Helmut Walther)

This MiG-15bis wearing nine kill stars is preserved in a museum somewhere in China. The North Korean markings may befalee.

A Polish-built SBLim-2. This example, 117 Red (c/n 1B00117?), belonged to the Polish AF's 45 PLM-B (Fighter-Bomber Wing) and was dubbed Biala Dama (White Lady) because of the unusual overall gloss white finish. (Waclaw Holys)

This JJ-2 (Chinese-built UTI-MiG-15) serialled 63138 Red is one of several preserved at in the PLAAF Museum in Datangshan. The serial and the PLAAF "stars-and-bars" insignia have been all but removed by the elements. (Helmut Walther)

72

This is a privately owned British Midget, painted in Soviet markings as 6247 Blue. This aircraft, former Polish Air Force CS-102 (ex 6247 Red, c/n 622047) belonged to Graham Hinkley and wore the appropriate out-of-sequence registration G-OMIG, making its first post-restoration flight on November 19, 1993. Later it went to the Old Flying Machine Company at RAF Duxford. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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(Text continued from Page 63)

mean thickness to chord ratio 10.3 percent. The wingspan is 10.18 m (33 ft, 2.4 in) and wing area 20.6 m 2 (221.5 sq ft). The wings are of all-metal, three-spar stressed-skin structure, with forward spar, main spar, and auxiliary rear spar; they are onepiece structures joined to the fuselage at the root rib. Each wing has 20 ribs and two beams that, together with the main spar, form the main wheel well. Skin thickness varies from 1.0 to 2.0 mm (0.0390.078 in). Each wing incorporates an anti-flutter weight and has a detachable tip fairing attached to rib 20 by screws and anchor nuts. The wing/ fuselage joint is covered by a fillet similarly attached. The wings have hydraulicallyactuated, one-piece TsAGI flaps (modified Fowler flaps) terminating at approximately half-span, with pneumatic extension in emergency. These are single-spar structures with one tip stringer, one auxiliary stringer, 19 ribs, and duralumin skin. The flaps are powered by separate actuators, linked by cables to ensure simultaneous operation; there are three flap settings (fully retracted, takeoff, and landing). Each wing has two boundary layer fences on the upper surface and a ground-adjustable trim tab riveted to the trailing edge. A pitot tube is installed on the starboard wing between ribs 15 and 16.

Take a look at the port wing of this UTI-MiG-15 (CS-102 c/n 922272) in the Great Patriotic War Museum at Poklonnaya Gora in Moscow. The wings are swept back 35 degrees at quarter-chord; the large span of the ailerons is immediately apparent, as are the two boundary layer fences on each wing limiting spanwise flow and reducing drag. These make an interesting comparison with the more sharply swept wings (45 degrees at quarter-chord) and triple boundary layer fences of the MiG-17 visible on the left. Note that the rear canopy of the trainer has been damaged by vandals and crudely repaired. (Dmitriy Komissarov)

TAIL UNIT

The cantilever cruciform tail surfaces are of all-metal, stressedskin construction. The stabilizer leading edge is swept at 40 degrees, of incidence 30 minutes, an aspect ratio of 3:52, a taper of 2:49, and a mean thickness-to-chord ratio of 8.7

The tail unit of the same UTI-MiG-15 at Poklonnaya Gora. Both the fin and the rudder are built in upper and lower halves, the horizontal tail being sandwiched in between. Note the bendable (ground-adjustable) trim tab on the lower half of the rudder, as well as the bullet-shaped mass balances on the control surfaces.

(Dmitriy Komissarov)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH 73

The starboard main landing gear unit. The main gear units had levered suspension and the wheel wells were closed by triple doors. (Dmitriy Komissarov, Yefim Gordon archive)

percent. The fin leading-edge is swept 55 degrees 41 minutes, swept at quarter-chord 45 degrees, with an aspect ratio of 1:21, a taper of 2:67, and a mean thickness to chord

The MiG-l5bis main gear. The leveredsuspension strut is shown in no-load position; the dotted lines indicate the position of the wheel at maximum oleo compression. The 600 x 160 mm main wheels were fitted with expander-tube brakes. Note the corrugated fabric sheath protecting the oleo piston.

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ratio 9.0 percent. The total vertical tail area is 4.0 m 2 (43.0 sq. ft) and total horizontal tail area 3.0 m 2 (32.25 sq ft). The horizontal and vertical tails are both of a symmetrical NACA-0009 section. For technological reasons, the fin is made up of two sections (upper and lower); the lower fin is built integrally with the rear fuselage. The upper section is bolted to the lower and can be easily detached - e.g., for removing the horizontal tail if the aircraft is to be crated, overhauled, etc. The fin is a singlespar structure with a front false spar. There are 11 ribs in the lower section and five ribs in the upper section. The stringers and duralumin skin are 1.2-1.5 mm (0.047-0.059 in) thick. The horizontal tail is built in two symmetrical halves joined at the reinforced central ribs by duralumin plates and fittings; each half is a single-spar structure with a rear false spar, ribs, and 0.8 mm (0.0314 in) thick duralumin skin. The horizontal tail is attached by means of one fitting at the front and two at the rear; the forward fitting is

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adjustable, allowing stabilizer incidence to be varied. LANDING GEAR

The MiG-15bis features hydraulically retractable tricycle landing gear, with pneumatic extension in emergency. The wheel track is 3.81 m (12 ft, 6 in), and the wheelbase is 3.475 m (11 ft, 4.81 in). The

The MiG-l5bis nose gear. The strut had semi-levered suspension and a 480 x 200 mm non-braking wheel; it was actuated by an offset hydraulic ram, and the wheel well doors were closed by mechanical linkages.

nose unit retracts forward, while the main units retract inward into wings so that the wheels lie in the wing roots ahead of the main spar. In the retracted position, the landing gear is secured by uplocks; in the extended position, the gear is secured by shutoff valves that trap hydraulic . fluid in the retraction jacks, which double as downlocks. All three landing gear struts have oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers. The main units have single 600 x 160 mm (23.6 x 6.3 in) wheels with expander-tube brakes; some aircraft manufactured by the Kuybyshev aircraft factory number one in 1952 have a UA-ll anti-skid unit. The nose unit has a single 480 x 200 mm (18.9 x 7.87 in) non-braking wheel and is equipped with a shimmy damper. The castor-like nose wheel can turn ±50 degrees for taxiing, while the steering on the ground is handled by differential braking. Tire pressure is 7.5 bars (107 psi) for the main-wheels and 3.2 bars (45.7 psi) for the nose wheel. The nose wheel well is closed by twin lateral doors, the main wheel wells by triple doors (one segment is hinged to the front spar, one to the root rib, and a third segment attached to the oleo leg). All doors remain open when the gear is down. Landing gear position is indicated by warning lamps on the instrument panel and by mechanical indicators on the wing and forward fuselage upper surfaces. A sprung tail bumper is provided to protect the rear fuselage and jet-pipe in a tail-down landing. Some aircraft built in Kuybyshev in 1952 (izdeliye SD-P) are equipped with a 15-m2 (161.29-sq ft) PT-216551 brake parachute housed in a special bay under the jet-pipe. The dual bay doors and the parachute release lock are actuated pneumatically.

The Klimov VK-l turbojet. This was an improved version of the RD-45F, which in turn was a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Nene I. (Yefim Gordon archive) POWERPLANT

The thrust comes from one Klimov VK-l or VK-IA non-afterburning turbojet rated at 2,700 kg (5,952 lb) or 2,740 kg (6,040 lb) respectively. These engines use a single-stage centrifugal compressor (with dual inlet ducts), nine straightflow combustion chambers, a singlestage axial turbine, a subsonic fixedarea nozzle, and an extension jetpipe (which is attached flexibly). The engine features an accessory gearbox for driving fuel, oil, and hydraulic pumps and electrical equipment. The engines are started electrically by means of an ST2 or ST2-48 starter. The engine is mounted on a bearer via four attachment points: two trunnions on the right and left sides of the compressor casing below the axis of the engine, and two mounting lugs in the upper part of the engine. The engine is attached to fuselage frame 13; when the rear fuselage is detached, the engine is completely exposed. CONTROL SYSTEM

The MiG-15bis has a conventional mechanical flight control system

with push-pull rods, control cranks, and levers. Roll is controlled by ailerons with internal aerodynamic balancing. These are single-spar structures with 12 ribs and duralumin skin 0.8 mm (0.0314 in.) thick. The ailerons are powered by a BU-l (BU-IA) reversible hydraulic actuator. This is mounted on the front spar of the starboard wing to reduce stick forces. The port aileron has a trim tab. Total aileron area is 1.01 m 2 (10.86 sq ft), including 0.39 m 2 (4.19 sq ft) for the aerodynamic balances and 0.02 m 2 (0.21 sq ft) for the trim tab. Relative aileron chord is 18.6 percent, aileron deflection is ±15 degrees, and trim tab deflection is also ±15 degrees. Directional control is handled by the rudder. The rudder is built in two sections like the fin, the upper and lower sections being connected by a universal joint. Each section is a single-spar structure with duralumin skin 1.2-1.5 mm (0.047-0.059 in) thick; the upper and lower sections are suspended on two and three brackets, respectively. The rudder is aerodynamically balanced. Additionally, both sections have mass balances - 3.12 kg (6.87 lbs) for the upper section and 5.8 kg (12.78 lbs) for the lower section.

MIKOYAN GUREVICH 75

Check out this close-up view of a slipper tank under the wing of the MiG-IS. The smallest size that was standard originally (as shown here) held 250 liters; larger models were developed later. The filler cap is easily visible. (Mikoyan OKB) The rudder is controlled by means of pedals and push-pull rods, cranks, and levers. The lower section is equipped with a ground-adjustable trim tab. Rudder area is 1 m 2 (10.75 sq ft), including 0.19 m 2 (2.04 sq ft) for the aerodynamic balance; rudder deflection is ±20 degrees. The elevators are symmetrical, single-spar structures with seven

ribs and duralumin skin 0.8 mm (0.0314 in.) thick. They have both aerodynamic and mass balances, with I-kg (2.2-lb) weights at the tips and a 3-kg (6.6-lb) weight in the middle. Each elevator is suspended on three brackets. The elevators are manually controlled by means of push-pull rods, cranks, and levers; the port elevator

A 400-liter drop tank could fit under the wing of the MiG-I5bis. It was attached by Vee struts at the front and a single strut at the rear, plus a pipeline connector fairing. (Mikoyan OKB)

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features a trim tab. Elevator area is 0.853 m 2 (9.17 sq ft); elevator deflection is -32/ + 16 degrees, and trim tab deflection ±10 degrees. Aileron and elevator trim tabs are remotely controlled by UT-6D electric motors transmitting torque through a system of levers and rods. FUEL SYSTEM

Apart from its obvious purpose, the fuel system maintains the aircraft's center of gravity. Internal fuel is carried in two tanks holding a total of 1,410 lit (310.2 Imp gal). The main fuel cell (bag tank) housed in the forward fuselage between frames 9 and 13 holds 1,250 lit (275 Imp gal). An integral tank of 160 lit (35.2 Imp gal) is located in the rear fuselage between frames 21 and 25 and is divided into left and right halves with an avionics bay between them. To maintain CG position, the fuel is used as follows: 345 lit (75.9 Imp gal) from the main fuel cell, then all fuel from the rear tank, and finally the remaining fuel from the main fuel cell. A gauge in the main fuel cell monitors fuel quantity, illuminating a red warning light when the aircraft is down to "bingo fuel" (emergency reserve) - 300 lit (66 Imp gal).

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A PTsR-1 electric centrifugal transfer pump located below the engine between frames 20 and 21, with associated SO-3 sensor, delivers fuel from the rear tank to the main fuel cell. Thence the fuel goes to the PNV-2 main delivery pump located on the bottom plate of the main fuel cell bay and is fed via a rubber hose to the shut-off cock located aft of frame 13. From there, the fuel goes to the low-pressure filter, and then to the engine. Another cock installed ahead of the low-pressure filter serves for draining fuel and emergency fuel jettisoning. The tanks are equipped with a venting system. The MiG-15bis uses T-1 jet fuel or its Western equivalent, JP-4. Refueling is by gravity via two filler caps immediately aft of the cockpit (offset to port) and on the port side of the aft fuselage. Two "wet" wing hard points provide for carrying 250-lit (55-Imp gal), 300-lit (66-Imp gal), or 600-lit (132-Imp gal) slipper tanks or 400-lit (88 Imp gal) conventional drop tanks on B02-48, B03-53, or 04-50 shackles. The drop tanks are pressurized by engine bleed air at 0.4 bars (5.7 psi). With drop tanks fitted, the fuel burn sequence is changed: 100 lit (22 Imp gal) from the main fuel cell, followed by all external fuel, 250 lit (55 Imp gal) from the main fuel cell, all fuel from the aft integral tank, and finally the remaining fuel from the main fuel cell. A warning light in the cockpit tells the pilot when the drop tanks are empty.

mulator, a filter, safety and return valves, a manometer, hydraulic lines, etc. Hydraulic pressure is 140 bars (2,000 psi) or, on late versions, 125 bars (1,785 psi). Interestingly, the system uses a mixture of alcohol and glycerin rather that the usual oiltype hydraulic fluid. ELECTRICAL

The MiG-15bis has a 28.5-V DC main electrical system with a 3-kW GSR-3000 generator as the main power source. Backup DC power is provided by a 12A-30 (28 V, 30 AH) or 12SAM-25 (28 V, 25 AH) silverzinc battery located in the forward avionics/ equipment bay. High-voltage DC for some systems is supplied by an RU-ll dynamotor, while AC power for other systems is supplied by MA-100 and MA-250 AC converters. There are 13 major wiring circuits, the total length of wiring being 38 km (23.6 mi). Electrical system switches are arranged on the side control consoles in the cockpit. PNEUMATIC SYSTEM

The pneumatic system is divided into two subsystems: main and

emergency. The main pneumatic system actuates the wheel brakes and cannon recharging mechanisms and is responsible for cockpit pressurization. The emergency system is responsible for landing gear, flap extension (in the event of hydraulics failure), and emergency braking. The main pneumatic system has two high-pressure air bottles charged at 110 bars (1,571 psi); the emergency system has one bottle charged at 50 bars (714 psi). The pneumatic system includes shutoff and reduction valves, cocks, pipelines, and flexible hoses. ARMAMENT

Built-in armament comprises one 37-mm (1.45 caliber) Nudel'man N37 cannon on the starboard side with 40 rounds and two staggered 23-mm (.90 caliber) Nudel'man/Rikhter NR-23 guns on the port side with 80 rounds per gun. Both models recharge by recoil action, allowing the heavy-caliber cannons to have a high rate of fire and be relatively lightweight. The N-37 weighs 103 kg (227 lbs) and fires 750-gram (26.475oz) projectiles; the rate of fire is 400 rounds per minute and muzzle veloc-

HYDRAULICS

The hydraulic system works the landing gear, flaps, airbrakes, and the aileron actuator. The hydraulic system includes a hydraulic fluid tank, a low-pressure reduction gear, a pump installed on the engine accessory gearbox, a hydraulic accu-

This is a production MiG-l5bis with two external 400-lit (106-gal) fuel tanks. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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ity is 690 ml sec (210.3 HI sec). The NR-23 weighs 39 kg (86Ibs) and fires 200-gram (7.06-oz) projectiles; the rate of fire is 800-950 rpm and muzzle velocity 680 ml sec (207.2 ftl sec). The rounds for the N-37 and NR-23 weigh 1,300 g (45.89 oz) and 340 g (12 oz), respectively. Initial charging is done by a pneumatic mechanism operating at 30 bars (428.5 psi); the charging buttons are located on a special panel to the left of the gun sight. Firing is controlled electrically; the N-37 is fired by pushing a guarded button on top of the control stick and both NR-23s are fired by pushing a common button on the upper forward part of the stick. The N-37 uses fragmentation I incendiary I traced FI-T) and armor-piercing I incendiary Itraced (API-T) rounds; the NR23 uses FI-T and API rounds. The big cannon can expend its entire ammo supply in a single six-second burst and the smaller cannons in 5.3 seconds. All cannons are belt-fed; belt links and ammo cases are discarded during firing. All three cannons are mounted on a common tray under the forward fuselage that can be lowered quickly by means of a built-in winch for reloading and maintenance. Gun barrel fairings have to be removed and retaining screws loosened before the tray is lowered. The tray also carries the ammo boxes and pneumatic charging mechanisms. In the strike role, the standard MiG-15bis can carry two 50-kg (110lb) or 100-kg (220-lb) bombs on the wing hard points. The bomb release is electrically actuated. The aircraft is equipped with an ASP-3N automatic gun sight. An SThe lowered cannon tray of MiG-l5bis 235 Blue (cln 122035) shows the staggered 13 gun camera mounted on the air arrangement of the NR-23s, the starboard-side N-37D cannon, the ammo boxes, intake upper lip records the firing and the air lines for the cocking mechanism. The N-37 had a fairly low rate offire, and bombing results. The gun cambut its 37-mm (lAS-in) shells were very destructive - a single direct hit against a era can operate independently from Sabre's engine could wreck it altogether. (Yefim Gordon archive) the cannons or in conjunction with

)

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them. Film capacity is 150 exposures; at a speed of 8 frames per second, the S-13 can shoot continuously for 19 seconds.

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OXYGEN SYSTEM

For operations above 9,000 m .(29,257 ft), oxygen bottles are installed in the forward avionics/ equipment bay. AIR CONDITIONING AND PRESSURIZATION SYSTEM

The MiG-15bis has a ventilationtype cockpit pressurized by engine bleed air to a pressure differential of 0.3 bars (4.28 psi). Cockpit air pressure is governed by an RD-2IM pressure regulator. The canopy is sealed with an inflatable rubber hose pressurized to 3 bars (42.8 psi).

The cockpit of the UTI-MiG-15. The canopy was divided into two portions: the trainee's section hinged open to starboard, and the instructor's cockpit with an aftsliding canopy. (Yefim Gordon archive) FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM

Two 3-lit (0.66-Imp gal) fire extinguisher bottles charged with carbon dioxide are installed verticallyon fuselage frame 13. System

operation is manual. In the event of engine fire, several flame sensors trigger a fire warning light in the cockpit and the pilot pushes a button, activating pyrotechnic valves and releasing carbon dioxide into a manifold around the engine. ESCAPE SYSTEM

The MiG-15bis is equipped with a cartridge-fired ejection seat. A Czech source quotes the model as "production code SD 7505," but it is not known if this was a Soviet or a Czech designation. The seat pan is dished to take a ribbon-type parachute. Ejection is accomplished by pulling a canopy jettison handle located on the right side of the seat (or on both sides in the case of aircraft built from July 1, 1952, onwards). AVIONICS AND EQUIPMENT:

Navigation Equipment

The instrument panel and the starboard cockpit console of the MiG-15. This picture is interesting in that it comes from test reports; the cockpits of MiG-15s preserved in museums often do not represent the configuration in which the aircraft was actually flown, to say nothing of the MiGs operated by warbird enthusiasts who usually install Western instruments. (Yefim Gordon archive)

The MiG-15bis navigation equipment includes an OSP-48 instrumental landing system comprising ARKS Amur automatic direction finder (ADF) with omni-directional aerial and loop aerial, RV-2 Kristall radio

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The cockpit of the MiG-15bis. Note the dished seat pan of the ejection seat to accommodate the parachute (on which the pilot sat) and the white vertical line on the instrument panel with which the stick was to be aligned during spin recovery. (Steven Zaloga) altimeter with two aerials on the port wing and the lower forward fuselage, and MRP-48 Dyatel marker beacon receiver. The RV-2, MRP-48, and its antenna and ADF loop aerial are located in the aft avionics bay in the lower rear fuselage. A DGMK-3 remote gyro-magnetic compass is installed in the starboard wing, with two dipole aerials of the RV-2 installed under the wings.

Radio Equipment The radio system consists of a RSIU-3 Klyon two-way VHF radio

80

(RSI-6M receiver and RSI-6K transmitter) in the avionics/equipment bay with a whip aerial installed on the right side aft of the cockpit.

Flight Instrumentation Flight instruments include a KUS-1200 airspeed meter, VD-17 altimeter, RV-2 radio altimeter indicator, AGK-476 artificial horizon, EUP-46 electric turn and bank indicator, VAR-75 vertical speed indicator, DGMK-3 gyro-magnetic compass indicator, M-O,95 Mach meter, and ARK-5 ADF indicator.

IFF Equipment The IFF (identification: friend or foe) equipment consists of SRO-l Bariy-M IFF transponder with a dorsal or ventral blade aerial on the aft fuselage.

Electronic Support Measures (ESM) Equipment ESM equipment includes a Sirena-2 radar homing and warning system (RHAWS) with aerials on the fin, wing leading edges, and wingtips.

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Exterior Lighting The exterior lighting system consists of BANO-45 port and starboard navigation lights. Originally, there was an FS-155 landing/taxi light in the air intake splitter; later aircraft had a retractable LFSV-45 . landing light in the port wing root ahead of the main wheel well. There is also an ESKR-46 four-round signal flare launcher on the starboard side of the aft fuselage.

The front instrument panel of MiG-l5bis. The primary flight instruments are grouped in the middle; the engine instruments are on the right.

Each cadet had to perform a number of familiarization and training flights before his first solo flight. This is a Novosibirskbuilt UTI-MiG-15 with the pre-1955 serial 1684 Red (c/n 1615384); only Novosibirsk-built Midgets wore four-digit serials before the switch to tactical codes in 1955. (Yefim Gordon archive)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

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THE

F R EAST

THE MIG-IS IN CHINA AND KOREA estern intelligence experts paid little attention when a MiG-IS prototype took part in the flyby at Moscow's Tushino airfield in July 1948, making the type's public debut. They were focused on the vast Red Army with its thousands of tanks and soldiers, rather than the Soviet air arm. Later events would cause them to reconsider. They paid closer attention to the traditional May Day parade. On May 1, 1949,45 production MiG-ISs flew over Moscow. On July 17, fiftytwo of the new jets were seen at Moscow-Tushino, and on November 7, 1949 (the October Revolution anniversary), no fewer than 90 flew over Red Square. By May Day 1950, 139 MiG-ISs took part in the show. The first 10 or 15 aircraft for the 29th GvIAP had arrived on February 22, 1949; these were Batch I, 2, and 3 aircraft delivered by rail from Kuybyshev. All MiG-IS units were deemed combat ready between mid 1950 and 1952. The aircraft earned a

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reputation for rugged simplicity, reliability, and ease of maintenance, all invaluable qualities in a war which the MiG-IS would see plenty of. The nickname bestowed on it by its crews, samolyot-soldaht (soldier aircraft), was praise indeed. In 1950, soon after the MiG-IS's service entry, the first Soviet jet display team was formed at Kubinka AB. The team's five Fagot-Bs had the upper surfaces painted bright red, giving rise to the unofficial name Krasnaya pyatyorka (the Red Five), with smoke generators fitted under the wings. In the early 1950s, several MiG15 units were permanently deployed outside the USSR - e.g., in Poland and East Germany. Poland operated the MiG-IS and UTI-MiG-15. TRIAL BY FIRE

The MiG-IS received its baptism of fire in China, not in Korea - while flown by Soviet pilots. When the Republic of China Air Force

The 29th GvIAP Fagot-As are lined up at Dachang in the summer of 1950. The aircraft were painted in Chinese markings for appearance's sake; note the redlwhitestriped rudder. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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(ROCAF) launched air raids against the mainland, Mao turned to Moscow for assistance, and a treaty on (among other things) military cooperation, was signed on February 13, 1950. In the spring of 1950, the 29th GvIAP, then flying Novosibirsk-built Batch 3 Fagot-As, was dispatched to China from Kubinka AB and seconded to the 106th lAD PVO. Its mission was to protect Shanghai from ROCAF raids and keep Taiwanese ships from going up the Yangtse River. The aircraft were painted in PLAAF markings for appearance's sake, and the pilots wore Chinese uniforms, since the Soviet Union was not officially involved in the conflict. No MiG-ISs were lost to enemy fire. When Taiwan signed a defensive pact with the USA in March 1955, the Chinese MiGs occasionally had to deal with USAF aircraft. On May 10, 1955, eight F-86s based in South Korea flew over Antung on a reconnaissance mission. They were pounced upon by PLAAF Fagot-Bs; one Sabre was shot down and two more damaged. The best-known conflict in which the MiG-IS participated is undoubtedly the Korean War. Much has been said and written about this war, and, inevitably, the accounts vary widely, depending upon which side the author was on! In the Cold War years, Soviet involvement in post-World War II conflicts, including Korea, combat reports, etc. were highly classified. Conversely, Korean War stories and "kill" statistics were widely publicized in the West in order to win

public support. Hence, until the recent spate of publications by Russian historians and Korean veterans, the only information that could be obtained was from Western historians and USAF pilots. The following is an attempt to describe those events as seen by the Soviet side, .including Soviet fighter pilots who flew MiG-15s in Korea. The first MiG-15s arrived in Korea in November 1950. It has to be said that North Korean MiG-15s were mainly flown by Soviet Air Force units, and the North Korean marks were usually applied just for appearance's sake. Extensive MiG- With its serial almost obliterated by crude green camouflage, 351st lAP MiG-15bis 15 deliveries to Soviet and Chi- 546 Red is prepared for a sortie at Antung AB in the autumn of 1952. This aircraft nese/Korean units fighting in Korea was flown by Maj. I. P. Golyshevskiy. (Yefim Gordon archive) slowed the pace of re-equipping units in Europe and postponed new nese and Korean pilots for a while, area between this line and the Yalu deliveries to Warsaw Pact allies. during which time the 50th lAD was River soon became known as "MiG Alley." The participation of Soviet MiG- left to fight the air war alone. 15 pilots in the war can be divided Both sides operated under rigid In a rather naIve attempt to hide into three stages: November 1950 to restrictions imposed by the UN on their true identity, Soviet pilots were April 1951, April 1951 to January one side and by the Soviet Union's initially ordered to speak Chinese or 1952, and January 1952 till the end of reluctance to expand the conflict Korean on the radio, but this the war on July 27, 1953. Stage one (and reveal its involvement) on the requirement was later withdrawn. began when the first Soviet units, other. UN pilots were prohibited "At first we were prohibited to hastily relocated to bases in China from crossing the Yalu, while the speak Russian on the radio," pilot G. across the Yalu River, took on the Soviet MiG-15 pilots were ordered to K. Kormilkin recalled. "But when it UN forces in an attempt to strip stay behind an imaginary line came to real combat and our aircraft them of air superiority over Korea. drawn between Pyongyang and started going down in flames, the They succeeded in checking the Wonsan in central North Korea. The Chinese commands were interadvance of their adversary, but only until the F-86 came on the scene. ~ The 64th IAK (istrebifel'nyy aviakorpoos - fighter corps) was formed in late November from VVS, PVO, and Pacific Fleet Air Arm units specifically for fighting in Korea. Its main function was the defense of bridges and power stations on the Yalu River. In December 1950 the 28th lAD was relocated to Xingdao and assigned the task of training Chinese and Korean jet fighter pilots who joined the fray in the summer of 1951 as the Joint Chinese/Korean The crew chief reports to the pilot that the aircraft is ready to fly. This was standard Air Army (JAA). The 151st GvlAD operational procedure before every sortie - except maybe in the case of a hot scramble was also assigned to training Chi- when the field was attacked by Sabres. Dachang, 1950. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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MIKOYAN GUREVICH 83

Here is Maj. I. P. Golyshevskiy in the cockpit of his aircraft at Antung AB, in the autumn of 1952. (Yefim Gordon

archive)

Another 351st lAP MiG-l5bis (976 Red, c/n 2915376) in overall natural metal finish is prepared for a sortie at Antung in the autumn of 1952. Lt (sg) Iskhangaliyev is sitting in the cockpit. (Yefim Gordon archive)

spersed with Russian ones, includ- was on November 1, 1950 - and the ing a good many f-words. When we first losses resulted. A group of 151st came back, we said: no thank you, GvIAD /72nd GvIAP Fagot-As interwe won't speak Chinese; up there cepted a flight of North American Pyou get shot at and even killed. 51Ds near the Yalu River and LieuFrom then on, it was Russian all the tenant, senior grade (the Soviet way." equivalent of 1st Lieutenant) Chizh Soviet MiGs were also prohibit- destroyed one of the P-51 Mustangs. ed from operating over the sea. Western sources, however, deny the These restrictions did not apply to loss of any P-51s that day; moreover, Chinese and North Korean pilots, the MiGs have been misidentified in who could fly pretty much any- some sources as Chinese. where but suffered heavy losses According to Western reports, when unescorted by Soviet pilots. the first jet-versus-jet battle in world The MiG-IS's first encounter history took place a week later, on with USAF fighters in Korean skies November 8, and the reports state

that the MiGs lost it. Six MiG-ISs took off from Antung, climbed to 9,000 m (29,527 ft) and engaged one flight of F-80 Shooting Stars flying top cover. The American pilots turned head on, splitting up the attackers, then tried to lure them down to a lower altitude where the F-80 could outturn the MiG. One MiG-IS went for the bait, and Lt. Russell J. Brown, seeing the enemy aircraft below him, gave chase. The heavier Shooting Star dived faster and closed in, and Brown ripped up the MiG's fuselage with a five-second burst of machine-gun fire.

Preparing for another sortie at Dachang. A technician swings open a cowl to check the breech of the starboard-side N-37D cannon, while another checks the port main landing gear unit for excessive wear or damage. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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Pieces flew off the MiG and it dived into the ground, trailing smoke. Russian aviation historians and VVS records, however, give a totally different account. Firstly, Western authors describing the famous battle rarely mention the fact that five out of six machine guns on Brown's air.craft jammed. This alone makes the "kill" very doubtful indeed, since the MiG-IS has exhibited high resistance to 12.7-mm (.50 caliber) bullets; Sabre pilots sometimes reported that "the MiG absorbed the entire ammo supply and still got away." Secondly, Soviet military archives show that no Soviet (i.e., quasi-North Korean) aircraft were lost on November 8, 1950. Since Soviet units were the only ones operating against UN aviation at the time, Russell J. Brown could not possibly have shot down a Chinese or North Korean pilot, which means he did not shoot down anyone at all. Still, Brown had reasons to believe that he had scored a kill. The most probable explanation is this: When Capt. Afonin's flight made for home, five of the six aircraft made a climbing turn towards Chinese territory. Lt. (sg) Kharitonov, however, dived after an F-80 and was, in turn, attacked by Lt. Brown. When he realized he was under attack, he jettisoned his drop tanks and made for home at low altitude (according to some sources, Kharitonov's aircraft was hit but landed safely at Antung). Now the first thing a fighter pilot does before entering a dogfight is to jettison his drop tanks. However, Soviet pilots in Korea started doing so only a week or two after they joined the action, simply because drop tanks were in short supply at first and the pilots were reluctant to jettison them. Lt. Brown probably did not expect his adversary to begin a dogfight with the drop tanks still in place. When the

A Kuybyshev-built MiG-15 operated by the 324th IAD/176th GvIAp, 823 Blue, was damaged in combat on April 12, 1951. It has been dismantled for repairs at Antung and sits on a special "beaching gear." Most MiGs damaged in combat over Korea were quickly restored to active duty by the technicians. (Yefim Gordon archive)

tanks fell away, streaming fuel, and hit the ground in a cloud of dust and kerosene mist, Brown probably believed the MiG had disintegrated. The first confirmed jet-versus-jet kill took place on November 9, when the MiG-IS had its first encounter with US Navy aircraft. At 10 A.M. , eighteen 139th GvIAP Fagot-As attacked a group of 20 Vought F4U-4 Corsairs and Douglas AD-l Skyraiders that were bombing a bridge across the Yalu River near Sinuiju. They were immediately pounced on by the two escorting flights of Grumman F9F-2 Panthers that were ideally positioned for

attack. The MiGs' disadvantage was worsened by poor visibility and poor teamwork. According to Soviet sources, in the ensuing battle the MiGs destroyed six strike aircraft, three of the kills being credited to Capt. Mikhail Grachov, Commander of the unit's 1st Sqn. Unfortunately, Grachov was "killed" immediately afterwards - he got separated from his wingmen and was shot down by Lt.-Cdr. William T. Amen of VF-lll. On the same day, the MiGs claimed the first B-29s destroyed in the war. The heavy bombers were considered priority targets, since

Camouflaged bises, including 518 Blue, were flown by the Joint Chinese/Korean Air Army. Here, three Chinese technicians report readiness to the Chinese pilot who is about to take off on a night sortie in 518 Blue. (Yefim Gordon archive)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

Mli~-R5

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Gun camera shots from Capt. Soochkov's MiG-15 show a B-29 under attack on April 7, 1951. Soochkov finished the Korean War as an ace with 12 kills to his credit. The MiG-15 proved so effective against the B-29 that the Superfortresses became strictly nocturnal from November 1951 onwards. (Yefim Gordon archive)

they inflicted heavy damage on North Korean and Chinese ground troops. The MiG-IS's cannons proved deadly for the B-29 and could literally rip a wing off the bomber; conversely, the B-29's defensive armament was of little use against the MiGs. The improved MiG-I5bis came to Korea at about the same time as the basic MiG-IS, and the 50th lAD was the first unit to fly it. The 29th GvlAP Fagot-Bs flew their first sorties in the war on November 30 from Angshan AB and had its first dogfight the next day.

Originally, Soviet pilots had to deal with propeller-driven aircraft or early straight-winged jets such as the F-80C (dubbed krest - cross, because of its cruciform shape) and the Republic F-84E/G Thunderjet, which were no match for the MiG-IS. The first encounter with the F-84 Thunderjets was on January 21, 1951, when a flight of Thunderjets attempting to bomb a bridge on the Hangan River was intercepted by six 177th lAP MiG-ISs. Capt. M. Ya. Fomin and Capt. Andryushin each claimed one kill; the two remaining Thunderjets fled.

The UN pilots knew almost nothing about the Reds' new fighter in the early days. Soon, however, the heavy losses inflicted by MiGs caused the USAF to hasten the delivery of the brand-new swept-wing North American F-86A Sabre, and things began to change. The first battle between the F-86A and MiG-IS took place on December 17, 1950. The Sabre came out on top that day. Expending about 1,500 12.7-mm (.50 cal.) rounds, Lt. Col. Bruce Hinton (4th FIG/336th FIS) flying an F-86A-5NA named Squanee (49-1236/"FU-

An F-80 (left), dubbed krest (cross) by the Soviet pilots for its cruciform shape in plan view - and an F-84 (right) in the sights of a MiG-15. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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filii

236") shot down the first MiG-IS in Korean skies, a 29th GvlAP aircraft. The pilot, SOth lAD inspector pilot Maj. Yakov Yefromeyenko, was killed. Four days later, the MiGs retaliated. Capt. Ivan Yourkevich from the same unit became the first MiG-IS pilot to shoot down an F-86 on December 21. Soviet and American accounts of that battle vary widely - Soviet sources claim that three Sabres were destroyed and two MiGs lost, whereas US sources state six MiGs and one Sabre. According to US sources, the first F-86 shootdown of the Korean War took place on December 22 when Capt. Nikolay Yeo Vorob'yov (177th lAP /SOth lAD) shot down Lawrence V. Bach (4th FIG). The USAF noted little MiG activity from January to April 19S1. Consequently, the F-86s were shifted to strike duties, supporting UN ground troops engaged in bitter fighting with the Chinese "volunteers," as they were known (regular People's Liberation Army units). The explanation is this: the first group of Soviet pilots in Korea still had little combat experience in the MiG-IS, and individual pilot training often needed improvement. It was easy to shoot down P-S1s and F-80s, but the F-86 was a far more formidable enemy. The Soviets rotated whole units into and out of combat at once. This approach had an inherent flaw, as newcomers went into combat with-_ ou t experienced colleagues beside them. Pilots who completed a tour of duty could pass along their experience only orally to newcomers. There was a decline of MiG activity after each turnaround of pilots, which led to increased losses. This rotation typifies the way Soviet leaders, military and civil, approached any activity. If something did not succeed, they made

On May 24, 1952, factory test pilot K. P. Barkalaya forgot to extend the landing gear while landing in this Tbilisi-built MiG-15bis (c/n 31530504). The fuel tanks were ruptured in the resulting belly landing and the aircraft was completely destroyed by fire. (Yefim Gordon archive)

shallow decisions that often did not touchthe cause of the problem. If F-86s won a battle against MiG-ISs, Soviet pilots and commanders were blamed and replaced. The Americans, in contrast, rotated individuals, not squadrons; experienced "high-timers" coached newcomers and protected them during missions. A major Communist offensive advancing south to Seoul heralded stage two of the air war, and the second group of Soviet pilots sent to Korea was selected more carefully. Formed in the autumn of 19S0, the 324th lAD under Col. Kozhedoob (comprising the 176th GvlAP and the 196th lAP) was equipped with experienced pilots by Soviet standards. The domination of American air power in Korea was reversed, and the MiGs seized air superiority over the Yalu River area. Whenever UN aircraft entered that area, they suffered heavy losses. The 303rd lAD MiG-ISs introduced high-visibility markings - red noses and fin tips - because in the heat of a dogfight, a natural metal F86 could look like a MiG and do a lot of damage before the MiG pilot realized his mistake. (Not to be outdone, some USAF pilots painted the noses of their Sabres red, trying to fool the

enemy into thinking they were MiGs!) However, these markings were relatively short-lived, giving way to various camouflage schemes in February 19S2. The biggest achievement made by the Soviet fighter units during this stage of the war was putting an end to the daytime activity of B-29 bombers. Six months later, on October 30, known as Black Tuesday, came a battle that completely changed Korean B-29 operations. A large formation of 307th BG(H) B29s escorted by nearly 200 assorted fighters, made for Namsi airbase in the heart of MiG Alley. The enemy aircraft were spotted and forty-four 303rd lAD and 324th lAD MiG-ISs scrambled to intercept. The pilots were ordered to destroy the bombers and not to tangle with the fighters if at all possible. Once again, the MiGs dived through the escorting fighters, causing them to take violent evasive action, and went for the bombers. According to Maj. Gen. G. A. Lobov, the Soviet pilots destroyed twelve B-29s and four Thunderjets for the loss of only a single MiG-IS. (A more recent Russian publication says ten B-29s and no MiGs shot down!) Also, many of the remaining Superfortresses were damaged, with

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This is Korean Sr. Lt. Ro Kim Suk's MiG-l5bis (red number 2057) shortly after his defection to South Korea on September 21, 1953, probably in Okinawa. (USAF) casualties in almost every crew. The shock caused by the Black Tuesday was so great that not a single USAF aircraft appeared in MiG Alley for the next three days. A month later, three B-29s attempted a daytime raid on the bridges across the Yalu, but all three were shot down by MiGs. From then on, the Superfortress became strictly nocturnal. During this second stage of the air war, Soviet fighter units encountered an adversary other than USAF aircraft - namely Royal Australian Air Force Gloster Meteor F.8s. The MiG-IS first met the Meteor in mid August 1951 when a 303rd IAD/523rd lAP pilot, Capt. G. Kh. Dyachenko, accidentally got a twinjet fighter of a type previously unknown to Soviet pilots on his gun camera while attacking an F-86. It was quickly established that the Meteors were flown by the RAAFs 77 Sqn. that had been in action since June 29, 1950 (originally flying P-51s and converting to Meteors in April-June 1951). The first battle between 77 Sqn. Meteors and 303rd lAD /17th lAP

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MiGs took place soon after this first sighting, on August 25. Maj. Grigoriy I. Poolov, 17th lAP CO, and Lt. (sg) Nikolay V. Sootyagin, who went on to become top-scoring Soviet ace of the Korean War, shot down one Meteor each. Generally, the Meteors didn't stand much of a chance against the MiGs; by November 3, 1951, 303rd lAD pilots had destroyed 18 of them, after which the 324th lAD picked up where the 303rd had left off. Maj. Gen. Lobov, 64th IAK Commander, personally prepared the operation aimed at taking 77 Sqn. out of the picture. As he put it later, "the Meteors as such had no major meaning in the huge intervention force, represented primarily by the USA. However, inflicting a defeat on a US ally could have some political effect. We decided to wipe out the Australian squadron with one blow." From January 1952 onwards, 77 Sqn. Meteors were used only in the ground attack role and did not venture into MiG Alley, which says something about the unit's condition!

WARBIRDTECH .....

According to Soviet sources, the total number of UN aircraft shot down by the Soviet pilots reached 510 within less than a year of a conflict. Soviet losses were 22 aircraft in the 324th lAD and about 30 aircraft in the 303rd lAD, i.e., about 50 MiGISs. Thus, the kill ratio with Soviet pilots was 10:1 in favor of the MiG-IS during this period, if we count all UN aircraft shot down and not just F86s. The records of the UN forces indicate that the allies lost about 40 aircraft, not 510, during the first year of the MiG-15's involvement. The third stage of the Soviet involvement ran from January 1952 until the end of the Korean War. Though officially ready for battle, the newly formed 97th lAD was staffed with inexperienced pilots and its debut in Korea coincided with a massive improvement in equipment and training on the part of its adversaries - the F-86E was introduced in August 1951 and the F-86F in March 1952. The result was predictable: in March and April the 97th lAD suffered heavy losses; the Americans resumed massive raids on North Korean communications and other vital targets, engaging Soviet MiGs even over China. Although denied by the USAF, a North American RB-45 Tornado was shot down over Antung by four 50th lAD/29th GvlAP MiGs on December 14, 1950; the crew bailed out and was captured. In April 1951, N. K. Shelomonov (324th IAD/196th lAP) flying MiG-15bis 231 Red seriously damaged another RB-45, which force-landed near Pyongyang. Throughout the Korean War, the MiG-IS was updated and improved. One urgent modification made in the first few weeks of combat was the reinforcement of the stabilizer tips and outer elevator hinges because the elevators buckled during high-G maneuvers.

A few words have to be said about Chinese and North Korean MiG-IS operations in the Korean War. Most Chinese MiG-IS pilots were novices freshly trained by Soviet instructors. However, there were exceptions; some were veterans who had fought against the Japanese duripg World War II. Lack of experience led to many takeoff and landing accidents. Even worse, Chinese pilots often suffered G-Ioc in high-G maneuvers because food was strictly rationed, the result that many pilots were chronically malnourished. PLAAF MiG-ISs targeted the bombers and strike aircraft. In a meeting with Sabres, they had little chances of survival because the hastily trained Chinese pilots were up against real pros - experienced American opponents, many being WW II aces. On one occasion 12 Sabres lined up behind eight PLAAF 4th Fighter Division MiGs and shot down all of them; the pilots, to use a common expression, never knew what hit them! Not being encumbered by bans to fly over the sea, the PLAAF formed a special unit tasked with hunting US Navy IMarines and Royal Navy aircraft, and it had a measure of success in doing so. They gradually gained experience, and some of them even became aces. Wang Hai and Chao Bao-tung had nine kills each; Liu Ming and Fang Wang-chow had eight; and Sun Shen-ku had six. North Korea did not fly the MiG-IS until late 19S2. Like the Chinese, they suffered heavy losses, and the Soviet command soon relegated them to the second echelon of defense in order to preserve pilots who could rebuild the North Korean Air Force after the war. The (real) North Korean Air Force was unique in the world in having female jet fighter pilots. One

of them, Tha Sen Hi, rose to open fire. When it was too late, the squadron leader and was honored uninvited guests shot down seven as Hero of the Korean People's Thunderjets and hightailed it home Democratic Republic. On one occa- at treetop level. Regarding the question of stasion, a group of eight MiGs led by Tha Sen Hi acted with cunning, tail- tistics, Soviet sources state that by ing a group of F-84 Thunderjets the end of the war, 64th IAK pilots, covered by Sabres across the 38th mostly flying MiG-ISs, had parallel and all the way to their destroyed 1,106 enemy aircraft home base. As the Sabres, apparent- (including 6S1 Sabres) in 1,182 airly oblivious of the MiGs, departed to-air engagements. Another 271 for their own base, the F-84s started aircraft, including 181 Sabres, were coming into land. Seeing MiGs so reportedly destroyed by the JAA in far behind the frontlines, the Ameri- 366 engagements. The Americans cans probably believed this was a claim 9S4 Soviet, Chinese, and case of mass defection and did not North Korean aircraft destroyed,

These pictures show more of Ro Kim Suk's Fagot-B (ex 2057 Red, cln 2015357) shortly after"delivery." Notice the "MiG-15" nose titles and spurious markings with a Soviet Air Force star on the fin. (USAF)

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,.

The "donated" MiG was extensively tested by the USAF - first at Kadena AB in Okinawa, and then at Wright-Patterson AFB. Here, it is duly repainted in USAF markings with the last three of the USAF serial on the fin and nose. (USAF)

including 792 MiG-ISs (some 1,500 roubles for each kill - and sources even state 827!), but this fig- Soviet officials were unwilling to ure is definitely exaggerated. "squander the people's money!" The USAF recorded kills by gun Even so, kill statistics by both sides camera evidence only. According to seem equally inflated. K. V. Sookhov (HSU - Hero of the Of course, faced with a potent Soviet Union), this system was adversary in the shape of the MiGabout 75 percent effective. Many of IS, the West was eager to obtain a the MiG-ISs apparently shot down sample for detailed examination, if in flames were only damaged, land- nothing else. The most desirable ing at their home bases. Such air- option, of course, was to obtain a craft were usually repaired - and flyable example so that USAF pilots possibly "re-shot down," and re- could be trained in anti-MiG tactics. repaired etc., until finally they were really destroyed. ACQUIRING A MIG-IS The Soviet side had a stricter system of recording aerial victories. The "acquisition" operation was Confirmation from ground troops or code-named Operation Mullah. It civil authorities was required in reportedly gave the first results in addition to gun camera film if the July 1951 when a downed MiG-IS kill was to be credited; material evi- was lifted from about 5 m (16 ft) of dence, especially manufacturer's water off the Korean coast by Royal plates from the downed aircraft, Navy ships. The aircraft, an earlyrated even higher. If a UN aircraft production Kuybyshev-built Fagotdowned by MiGs fell into the sea or A, was handed over to the USAF for outside MiG Alley and could not be examination at Wright-Patterson Air retrieved, the kill was often not cred- Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Howevited. A possible reason is that Soviet er, this aircraft could not be restored pilots, too, received combat pay - to flying condition.

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A year later, another MiG-IS was located in the mountains of North Korea in good condition. A US Army team in a helicopter was sent to retrieve it but could not extract it in one piece. The team "dismantled" the fighter with saws and hand grenades! The pieces were sent to the Cornell Aero Lab in Buffalo, New York. The first intact Fagot reached the West on March 5,1953 - the day Stalin died - when Porucznik (Lt.) Franciszek Jarecki of the Polish Air Force's 28th Fighter Regiment defected in his MiG-15bis, serial number 346 Red, taking off from SBupsk and landing at R"mne airport on the Danish island of Bornholm. The West was not allowed to keep the fighter; after detailed inspection, the aircraft was returned on May 22. However, two days earlier, another 28th Fighter Regiment pilot, Podporucznik (Lt. (jg)) ZdzisBaw JazwiDski, defected to the same location in another MiG15bis! It should be noted this was not the last defection. On November 7, 1957, a 31st Fighter Regiment MiG-15bis, 1919 Red, flown by Podporucznik Ko I uchowski escaped to Sweden, making a belly landing on Halland Island. At the same time, the UN allies were scattering leaflets over North Korean territory offering a $100,000 reward and political asylum to anyone who would deliver a MiG-IS to the UN side. No one responded until two months after the end of the war, on September 21, 1953, when Lieutenant Ro Kim Suk (who claimed not to have heard about the offer, but collected the $100,000 anyway) flew his MiG-15bis to Kimpo AB near Seoul. The aircraft (2057 Red, c/ n 2015357) underwent detailed evaluation at Kadena AB in 1953, where it was flown by test pilots Tom Collins and Charles "Chuck" Yeager, among

others. It spent the following year at Wright-Patterson AFB and Eglin AFB, Florida. According to USAF specialists, there was nothing unusual in the MiG-IS's structure - no magic. The verdict was that it was a well-built

and reliable combat aircraft but with no special fuel, new structural materials, or other innovations. Western experts noted that the aircraft was lighter than contemporary swept-wing fighters (35% lighter than the F-86F and 47% lighter than

the Hawker Hunter). They liked the neat weapons arrangement and ease of engine change, but they criticized the MiG's oversized inlet, low rate of fire, and its lack of a gun-ranging radar, which reduced the chances of a kill.

The ex-North Korean MiG-l5bis (47-0616?) at a late stage of its evaluation by the USAF. The aircraft wears an Air Force Systems Command badge on the fuselage (below); the TC buzz code reportedly stood for Tom Collins, a USAF test pilot who flew this aircraft. The two photos above show the aircraft earlier during its American flight test program. (USAF)

TC-SJ6 ~-~---

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MiG-15

91

FIRST JE MIG-IS n the Battle of Britain, the usual comparison was between Spitfire and MeI09. After Korea it was "MiG-IS vs. F-86: which was better?" Seldom have two fighters so similar in history and performance faced each other in combat - in fact, there have been uninformed allegations that "the Soviets copied the Sabre!" Both aircraft first flew in 1947 (the MiG-IS on December 30, the XP-86 on October 1); both entered production in 1948 and were built by the thousands in their home countries and abroad. Both fighters were developed into numerous versions and served with the air forces of many nations, becoming true symbols of the jet age in military aviation. The MiG-IS and F-86 were somewhat similar in general arrangement. They were all-metal, single-seat monoplanes with wings swept back 3S degrees at quarter-

I

VERSUS SABRE

chord, swept tail surfaces, and hydraulically retractable tricycle landing gear. They were both powered by a single turbojet buried in a detachable rear fuselage. But here the similarity ended. The MiG-IS had a mid wing, while the F-86 was a low-wing monoplane. The Sabre's wing torsion box was a rigid structure because the main wheels were housed in the fuselage, not the wings; consequently, the wing drop problem that plagued the MiG for a long time was unknown to the F-86. Both fighters had a swept tail; however, the MiG-IS had cruciform tail surfaces, while the F86 had a conventional tail unit with low-set stabilizers. This difference was associated with the difference in wing design (mid wing vs. low wing). The Sabre's vertical tail area was rather smaller. The MiG-IS had a higher wing thickness-to-chord ratio than the F-86; this difference became even

greater when the F-86F came on the scene. Early versions of the Sabre had leading-edge slats for better maneuverability. On the F-86F-2S, the slats were deleted and wing chord increased by extending the leading edge by 6 in (IS2.4 mm) at the root and 3 in (76.2 mm) at the tIp. This reduced thickness-to-chord ratio even more, increasing top speed by 10 km/hr (S.4 kts). The MiG-IS was powered by a centrifugal-flow turbojet, while the F-86 had an axial-flow turbojet. This meant that the Sabre's fuselage had a smaller cross-section and created less drag. All F-86 versions used in the Korean War had non-afterburning engines, although water injection was introduced on the E to increase thrust. In passing, it can be noted that the General Electric J47 turbojet was extremely smoky at high RPM, leading Soviet pilots to believe that the Sabre was equipped with an afterburner! This water-

These shots from Col. Yevgeniy G. Pepelyayev's gun camera show a Sabre under attack on November 28, 1951. Col. Pepelyayev, 196th lAP CO, ranked second highest among Soviet aces in Korea, with 20 kills in 108 sorties; he had the best kill ratio (number of victories per sortie), 0.21:1. (Yefim Gordon archive)

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injection method was not used by the Mikoyan OKB. The F-86 had powered ailerons and elevators, while the MiG-15 had manual controls or, at best, powered ailerons only (on the MiG-15bis). Also, like the MiG, the initial F-86A had conventional stabilizers and inset elevators, but the E introduced one-piece slab stabilizers (stabilators), giving better pitch control. This feature found its way to Soviet fighters only in 1955 on the MiG-I9S. WEAPONS SYSTEMS

There was a striking difference in armament between the two planes. The MiG-15 had a powerful battery of one 37-mm and two 23mm cannons. The rate of fire of the 37-mm cannon was 400 rounds per minute, and the 23-mm cannons' rate was 800-950 rounds per minute. This made the 23-mm cannon a marginal weapon against other fighters when handled by ordinary pilots, but experienced pilots like Yevgeniy Pepelyaev thought that, with skill, the cannon battery was good enough. The heavy cannons were reliable and deadly against bombers, which were the MiGs' prime target. In contrast, the Sabre was inferior with six .50-caliber (12.7-mm) machine guns (three on each side) that fired 6,600 rounds per minute. Both aircraft could expend their ammo supply in 15 seconds. The MiG-15's durability and survivability became a legend in the Soviet Air Force. The aircraft proved extremely resistant to 12.7-mm slugs - MiGs came home with as many as 204 bullet holes! In May 1952, a 190th IAD/821st lAP Fagot-B piloted by Lt. (sg) Veshkin got shot up in a dogfight. The wounded pilot flew 110 km (59 M) to his home base and was almost there when the engine quit and the fighter made a

belly landing five km (2.7 NM) from the airfield. The awed mechanics counted 154 bullet holes; no fewer than 39 heavy slugs had hit the engine, bending every single compressor and turbine blade, and still the engine held! The aircraft was back in service in eight days. A similarly damaged Sabre would be unlikely to return to service. The gun sight was of great importance for both aircraft. The Sabre had an automatic sight linked to its gun ranging radar, giving it an advantage in adverse weather conditions and at night. The Soviet fighter also had an automatic sight, but no ranging radar. Besides, the MiG's ASP-3N sight was troublesome, often failing during high-G maneuvers, so pilots used it as a simple collimating sight. Working with this disadvantage demonstrated the high professionalism of Soviet pilots who succeeded in shooting down Sabres during high-G combat. The Sabre offered good cockpit visibility. The pilot sat high, and the large bubble canopy was a single piece of glass with a simple frame. In contrast, the MiG-15 pilot sat low under a smaller canopy optimized for low drag and high strength. It had double-glazing, but pilots were constantly bothered by annoying reflections from the canopy. The canopy was also prone to misting because water penetrated between the two layers of glass and froze at high altitude, making the pilot practically blind to the rear - from where he was usually attacked. All measures taken by the Mikoyan OKB to cure the problem, such as placing silica gel cartridges between the layers of glass, had little effect. Finally, the MiG's rather complex canopy frame impaired cockpit visibility. The MiG-15's ejection seat was reliable and no cases of pilot death caused by its failure were recorded.

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MiG-15

At first it had a considerable shortcoming: it could only be fired with the right hand. If this hand was injured in combat, the pilot had to reach across with .his left hand, which was certain to lead to an incorrect position during ejection and hence to injury. A second ejection handle was added on the left side of the seat in July 1952. PERFORMANCE AND TACTICS

The MiG-15 had a higher lift-todrag ratio than the Sabre (13.9 versus 11; the bis did even better at 14.6) and a higher thrust-to-weight ratio as well. Consequently, the MiG could out-climb the Sabre. At sea level, they had virtually the same rate of climb, but starting at approximately 6,000 m (19,685 ft), the MiG had an advantage that grew as altitude increased. However, the F-86 could outdive the MiG because it had a smaller fuselage cross-section (thanks to the axial-flow engine) and a lower wing thickness-to-chord ratio, which created less drag. Hence, the heavier F-86 picked up speed in dive more quickly and recovered with less loss of altitude. The increased thrust of later Sabres gave them an advantage in speed; the MiG-15bis and F-86F had approximately equal engine thrust, but the F-86F was 35 km/hr (19 kts) faster. All F-86 versions had better horizontal maneuverability because of their lower wing loading, assisted by the Sabre's leading-edge slats and large airbrakes. The original FagotA's airbrake area was definitely too small. It was increased on the MiG-15bis, but this was not enough, as proved during the Korean War. In 1952, the Fagot-B's airbrakes were enlarged further; still, in this respect the MiG never reached the Sabre's level of efficiency.

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Sabre pilots were equipped tactic later adopted by the Sabres as with G-suits - a luxury MiG-IS well. A group of six offered more pilots could only dream of; this was flexibility and safety. another reason why the Sabre could Quick-reaction alert (QRA) duty pull tighter turns! True, the PPK-l was performed in two-hour shifts, G-suit was tested on the MiG-ISbis each shift being performed by a in 19S2, but it never made it to the squadron of MiGs; thus, the three Korean War. squadrons in a regiment relieved The MiG-ISs fought in basic each other. When the duty shift units of two aircraft. The leader of a received the "Readiness No. I" sigpair and his wingman always stuck nal from the control tower, the pilots to gether, since a single pilot left would climb into their fighters, without cover was very vulnerable. ready to scramble. While on the A "pair" usually included pilots ground, unit commanders tried to with equal tactical skills, able to keep the pilots sitting in their cockswitch attack and cover functions pits as little as possible to save their as required. Full psychological strength in the hot, wet climate. Two compatibility and a shared under- sorties per day was average for MiGstanding of the logic of the combat IS pilots during the Korean War. made a pair of MiG-IS pilots formiIn the Korean War, a Soviet dable in combat. squadron was divided into three At an early stage of the Korean groups for different tactics and purWar, the MiG-ISs operated in poses: attack, cover (known in groups of eight (or, in Soviet termi- American terms as CAP, or combat nology, two flights, since a flight is air patrol), and reserve. The attack two pairs). This was deemed a suit- group included at least one flight able size force for air-to-air combat. and was tasked with destroying the Starting in 19S1, Soviet MiG-IS enemy's main force. The cover pilots began to fly in groups of six group was to protect the attack rather than eight at high altitudes, a group and act as reinforcement in

F-86A-5-NA 49-1319 was shot down by Col. Yevgeniy G. Pepelyayev on October 6, 1951. This aircraft was transported to the Soviet Union and examined in detail.

(Yefim Gordon archive)

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case of need; this made for concentrated firepower when stopping a major enemy air raid. The reserve (one or two pairs) supported these groups and repelled any fresh enemy fighters trying to join the fight. If not needed, the reserves stayed on the ground. The strengths and weaknesses of the aircraft flown by the opposing sides determined the tactics. The MiG-ISs tended to fight in the vertical plane - the Sabres in the horizontal plane. When attacked, the MiGs would often climb in a spiral, trying to gain an advantage in altitude so as to dive down on the enemy. Knowing that, USAF pilots tried to force a turning fight on the MiGs, using the Sabre's superior maneuverability. Another popular Sabre tactic was to roll inverted and dive sharply when under attack. MiG pilots found it difficult to repeat this maneuver because speed built up quickly and the aircraft began experiencing control problems at Mach 0.92; the Sabre had a higher Mach limit than the MiG. The most common tactic of MiG-IS pilots in Korea was hit-andrun. After receiving target information from a GCI (Ground Control Interception) station, the MiGs typically began with a head-on engagement. They usually had the initial advantage of higher altitude and used it by diving on the enemy at high speed, pair after pair. If the enemy broke formation and began defensive maneuvers as the first pair attacked, the second pair changed course and chose the most vulnerable target. After attacking, the MiGs immediately climbed away, using the speed gained during the dive. They tried to avoid sustained combat, but repeated the diving attack whenever possible. Success depended on good timing and, when well

executed, this method made it hard for the enemy to counterattack, since the Sabre did not have enough thrust to climb after the MiGs. A variation on this tactic involved diving on the target out of the sun and exiting toward the sun after making a firing pass. A tactic called "roundabout" was used during point defense of ground targets. Two pairs of MiG15s formed a circle and the pilots covered each other. There were two or three such circles, one above the other, and the upper pair moved toward the enemy. Sabres usually attacked the lower echelon; then, a hit-and-run attack was launched against them from above, and the MiGs went into a new circle after breaking off the attack. This tactic called for good coordination between the pairs. A "pincers" tactic was also sometimes used. Two flights of MiG15s headed south on slightly diverging headings at 10,000 m (32,808 ft). The flights were separated beyond visual range, so their actions were coordinated by ground control. Before meeting the enemy, the MiGs descended to 4,500-6,000 m (14,76319,685 ft) and turned north, heading towards each other. The flight searched for enemy fighter-bombers and small groups of Sabres heading back to their bases. At a predetermined time, a third flight (sometimes a pair) of MiG-15s entered the "pocket" created by the other two flights and shot down the enemy aircraft. A tactic known as "distraction" was fairly demanding, and MiG pilots used it only after gaining enough combat experience. The intention was to lure the patrolling Sabres away from their zones and clear the way for MiG-15s heading south to engage USAF bombers. A ground picket monitored the situa-

tion and gave the OK for the strike group when the way was clear. The distracting group could also engage the Sabres as part of the main objective of air defense. The "snare" tactic was an active method. The Soviet commanders knew well that Sabre pilots delighted in hunting lone stragglers or pairs that had been separated from their groups, and they used this knowledge to set the trap. A squadron of MiGs formed a "ladder," flying in pairs, flights, or sixes, the bottom one being nearest to the enemy. This lower echelon consisted of separate pairs that acted as bait for the patrolling Sabres. When attacked, the bait group turned tail and climbed away towards the other MiGs. The pursuing Sabres now found themselves at a disadvantage, facing attack from above. The "jaws" tactic was similar to the snare. If the Sabres tried to climb after the MiGs acting as bait, the main group of MiGs formed a ladder in two echelons, one above the other, and the Sabres were attacked by the lower echelon. The "hit-from-underneath" tactic was used against Sabres and fighter-bombers flying at low alti-

tude. Pairs of MiG-15s flown by the most skilled pilots entered the combat area at treetop level, destroying any enemy aircraft they detected. When counterattacked they disengaged quickly, flying nap-of-theearth in the mountainous terrain. These tactics required careful planning, and every possible option had to be calculated. The Sabres patrolled above Korea Bay and the mouth of the Yalu in pairs or flights at high altitude. Their pilots had an excellent view of the Soviet airbases and any dust cloud revealing that the MiGs had started their engines. After spotting a group of MiGs, the Sabres immediately entered a steep dive, cracking Mach 1 by the time the MiGs became airborne, and made one firing pass before heading for the sea at top speed. Zero-zero ejection seats (seats designed to be used safely down to ground level) had not yet been invented, and a pilot shot down at a couple of hundred feet had no chances of survival. Nor was there any chance of a belly landing, since the airfields were surrounded by hills. Nearly half of the 64th IAK aircraft lost in September 1952 were shot down in this way.

324th IAD/176th GvIAPFagot-As lined up at Antung in the summer of 1950. The aircraft are painted in North Korean markings for appearance's sake; note the redpainted noses, a quick-identification feature making it easier to tell a MiG from a Sabre in the heat ofa dogfight. (Yefim Gordon archive)

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

MnG-IS

95

OTHER A ost peacetime incidents involving the MiG-IS happened in the Soviet Far East, a highly sensitive area with numerous military installations, and the Baltic republics, all of which were the subject of regular attention by Western reconnaissance aircraft. The first incident in this n secret war" probably took place on December 26,1950, when a USAF RB-29 Superfortress was detected by Soviet air defenses over the Tyumen' -Oola River in the Far East. Two 523rd lAP Fagots flown by Capt. S. A. Bakhayev and Lt. (sg) N. Kotov scrambled to intercept and force the intruder down, but were fired upon by the RB-29's gunners, and so returned fire, destroying the aircraft. Spyplanes and interceptors had a busy year in 1952, with spyplanes making no fewer than 34 incursions into Soviet airspace. On May 11, 1952, a pair of MiG-ISs intercepted a US Navy Martin PBM-5 Mariner flying boat over the Sea of Japan, making six attacks but inflicting only minor damage. On June 13, Baltic Fleet Fagots destroyed a Swedish Navy Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat that had been pestering Soviet air defenses for quite a while. On July 15, a USAF Martin RB-26 Marauder weather reconnaissance aircraft was attacked over the Yellow Sea. Sixteen days later, Pacific Fleet MiG-ISs attacked another PBM-5 in the same spot. On April 15, 1953, a pair of Pacific Fleet MiG-ISs intercepted a USAF Boeing RB-50 reconnaissance aircraft near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy. The intruder refused to obey orders to land and opened fire

M

96

OMBAT

LONG LIST OF ENEMIES

first. The result is predictable - the RB-50 was shot down near the village of Zhoopanovo and the crew went MIA. On November 7,1954, an RB-29 entered Soviet airspace over the Sea of Japan. Two MiG-ISs attacked the RB-29 over Tanfil'yev Island. The damaged Superfortress returned fire and escaped, crash-landing on Hokkaido Island, Japan. On June 22, 1955, a US Navy (VP-19) Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune was attacked and damaged by a MiG-IS over the Bering Strait, crash-landing in the Bering Sea. According to some sources, the MiG pilot did not make it back to base, running out of fuel and ejecting near the coast of Chukotka. On April 18, 1955, MiG-IS pilot Capt. Korotkov shot down a USAF Boeing RB-47 Stratojet near the Bering Islands. In July 1956, a group of 7th lAD (Pacific Fleet) Fagots attacked another P2V near Nakhodka, killing one crewmember. The damaged Neptune ditched in the Sea of Japan and sank; the remaining crew were rescued. Not all such episodes ended well for the MiGs. On November 18, 1952, a fierce fight broke out near Vladivostok in the Far East between four Pacific Fleet/781st lAP MiG-ISs and three VF-718 Grumman F9F-2 Panthers from the carrier USS Princeton. Two of the MiGs were shot down, and pilots Belyakov and Vandalov went missing in action. The pilot of a third MiG-IS, Pakhomkin, was mortally wounded but managed to make an emergency landing on the coast. The "kills" were scored by Lt. I. D. Middleton

WARBIRDTECH ......

:III

and Lt. E. R. Williams; one Panther was damaged. VVS MiG-ISs stationed outside the Soviet Union had their share of hunting, too. The most publicized incident took place on April 29, 1952, when a MiG-IS (reportedly a 73rd GvlAP aircraft based at Kothen iIi. East Germany) attacked an Air France Douglas DC-4 (F-BELI) over the Berlin corridor. The airliner landed at Berlin-Tempelhof airport with 89 holes in the aft fuselage, though fortunately no one was hurt. The incident caused air traffic to West Berlin to be suspended for a while. On June 4, an aircraft carrying the US Supreme Commissioner in Austria was forced down at a Soviet airbase by a MiG-15bis. On October 8, the same thing happened to a USAF Douglas C-47 Dakota flying over the Berlin corridor. An RAF Avro Lincoln bomber (reportedly converted for signals intelligence duties) fared even worse. On March 12, 1953, the aircraft was intercepted outside the Berlin corridor, ignoring orders to land; the bomber was shot down, killing five crewmen and seriously injuring a sixth. Soviet and North Korean Fagots were not the only ones to fire in anger. Albanian Air Force Fagots "arrested and detained" two intruders in December 1957 - a British Overseas Airways Company DC-4 and a USAF Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star (51-4413). The latter aircraft was never returned and was to become a museum exhibit in Gjirokastra. On the night of September 9, 1954, a Bulgarian Air Force MiG15bis piloted by Lt. Iliya Yelenski

shot down an unidentified aircraft that had intruded into Bulgarian airspace. The MiG-IS's career in Bulgarian service was marred by a tragic incident on the night of July 27, 1955, when two fighters on quick-reaction alert intercepted an intruder. This turned out to be a Lockheed Constellation operated by the Israeli flag carrier EI AI; apparently the airliner was behind schedule and the crew decided to make up for lost time by taking a shortcut across Bulgaria. Probably mistaking it for a USAF C-121, the MiG pilots shot the Constellation down. There were no survivors. Chinese MiG-ISs were constantly in action against ROCAF and USAF /USN aircraft. According to Chinese official sources, PLAAF MiGs destroyed or damaged around 200 enemy aircraft between 1954 and 1958, including Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, P-51s, F-84s, F-86s, Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, B-24s, B-25s, and other types. In reality, however, half of these were claimed by anti-aircraft artillery crews. The biggest operation that PLAAF Fagots participated in after the Korean War was the Taiwan crisis of late 1958, which almost resulted in a new major war. Over the course of the conflict, the MiGs fighters shot down or damaged 42 ROCAF aircraft, losing 15 of their own. The Taiwan crisis marked the first operational use of air-to-air missiles. Using this new weapon, Taiwanese fighters shot down four MiGs in a single battle. Later, the MiG-IS was used for reconnaissance flights over Taiwan, which led to more shootdowns. A number of Fagot-Bs were delivered to Taiwan in 1958-91 by defecting Chinese pilots. Many of these and other aircraft obtained in this fashion were used for reconnaissance flights over mainland China, mas-

Israeli technicians examine a UARAF MiG-l5bis at Hatzor AB. The aircraft was shot down and fell into Lake Sirbon on October 31, 1956. It was then recovered, repaired, and test-flown by the Israelis. (Yefim Gordon archive)

querading as bona fide PLAAF aircraft. The MiG-15bis was also used operationally by the PLAAF as a fighter-bomber, e.g., in the suppression of the 1959-60 Tibetan uprising and in the invasion of the Paracel Islands in January 1974. Czech Air Force MiG-ISs also managed to score a few kills. On March 10, 1953, a pair of USAF F-84s entered Czech airspace after taking off from Bitburg AB in West Germany. Two 5. SLP (5th Fighter Regiment) Fagot-Bs piloted by Jaroslav Sramek and Milan Forst took off to intercept. Sramek shot down one of the Thunderjets, but the other got away.

Between 1954 and 1965, a standing task for Czech MiG-ISs was to seek and destroy drifting balloons carrying reconnaissance equipment and printed matter. The total number launched eastward was estimated at 150,000. Nadporucik (1st Lieutenant) Jaroslav Novak earned ace status by destroying five of them! Intercepting the balloons was no easy task because they have a small radar cross section and have to be located visually. They also took a lot of killing - they didn't burst when hit, but rather, deflated slowly, being made up of several independent segments (like an orange) for greater

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

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97

airbases in the Suez Canal area. However, post-attack reconnaissance revealed shockingly low results: the bases were almost empty. The Royal Navy had more success in the afternoon of November I, destroying 27 Syrian Fagot-Bs and Midgets at Abu Sueir, which could not be flown out so easily in the daytime. Only four UTI-MiG-15s flown by Czech instructors managed to escape to Hamaa AB in Syria. The Syrian MiGs did not take part in the fighting. Their presence at Abu Sueir is explained by the fact that Syrian pilots were taking their training there. Hence, the aircraft were delivered to and assembled at Abu Sueir so that the Syrians could depart in their new jets after completing the training course. After that, EAF activity dropped sharply; in the next five days the MiGs succeeded in damaging two RAP Canberras and bombing British assault troops near Ghamil. They had more success on November 6, shooting down another Canberra over Syria. When the conflict ended, Egypt had lost four to eight MiG-ISs shot down by the Israelis and another eight destroyed on the ground. On the credit side, Egyptian MiGs shot down two Israeli aircraft, damaged two more, and destroyed one on the ground. This resulted from the poor training of the Egyptian pilots. Interestingly, the Egyptians foresaw the possibility of air strikes against their bases, so they built plywood mockups of MiG-ISs to confuse the enemy! It is not known whether any such "wooden wonders" were actually destroyed, as the plywood MiGs were given away by the lack of wear and tear and by their unrealistic positions too close to the runway. Six years later, in 1962, Nasser MiG-l5bis 74 Red is exhibited at the Soviet Army Museum in Moscow. (Yefim sent his MiGs to Yemen, extending Gordon archive) support to the Republicans who had

survivability. The pilot had to expend almost all the ammunition to make sure it was shot down. Occasionally CzAF MiGs had to stop aircraft from getting out, not getting in. On December 19, 1971, as. SLP MiG-15bis piloted by Capt. Fiedler scrambled to intercept an aircraft heading for the West German border in an obvious attempt to "go over the wall." The aircraft turned out to be a Zlin Z-226T Trener primary trainer registered OK-MUA. Its pilot, Ladislav Bezeik, had learned that his license as a pilot with SA Czechoslovak Airlines had been revoked and it looked like he was going to be arrested. He was shot down. Another area in which Mikoyan aircraft have seen a lot of action is the Middle East. Egyptian Air Force (EAF) MiG-ISs first saw action during the Suez Crisis (October 26 November 7, 1956). Great Britain was displeased with President Nasser's independent political course, and when Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal on July 26, 1956, this was the last straw. Teaming with France and Egypt's arch-enemy, Israel, Great Britain took action. According to the plan, Israel would start an armed conflict with Egypt, then Great Britain and France would

98

interfere on the pretext of ensuring the safety of international traffic in the Suez Canal and occupy the area. Only 69 of the Egyptian Air Force's 160 aircraft were serviceable at the beginning of the conflict. These included two squadrons of Fagot-Bs (about 30 aircraft). The MiGs drew first blood at daybreak on October 30, intercepting a flight of RAF English Electric Canberra PR.7 reconnaissance aircraft and damaging one of them. At 9 A.M. the same day, four EAF de Havilland Vampires covered by two MiGs strafed positions of the Israeli 202nd Airborne Division near the Mitla Pass, killing 40 paratroopers. Six vehicles were also destroyed. A Piper Cub liaison aircraft attempting to get away was promptly shot down. After the Anglo-French ultimatum to Egypt, President Nasser ordered that the EAF assets be dispersed to remote bases or relocated to Syria and Saudi Arabia, and it was just as well that he did. On the night of November I, Great Britain and France launched Operation Musketeer as planned. RAF bombers detached to Luqa and Malta, and Royal Navy strike aircraft from the carriers HMS Albion, HMS Eagle, and HMS Bulwark attacked Egyptian

WARBIRDTECH ow

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, an aerobatic team was organized at Kubinka AFB. (Yefim Gordon archive)

ISs with crudely overpainted markings attacked government/Soviet anti-aircraft artillery positions near Budapest. Soon, however, all Hungarian airbases were overrun by Soviet forces, and the insurgent air arm ceased to exist. After that, Soviet Air Force Fagots were sporadically used to suppress pockets of resistance and stop any Hungarian aircraft from fleeing to the West. MiG-IS operations in other parts of the world were minimal. The North Vietnamese Air Force had a few Fagots by the time the Vietnam War began, but there is no positive evidence that they were used in the conflict. Algeria used its MiG-ISs on a small scale during the brief tussle with Morocco. Cuban MiG-ISs (of the second shipment delivered in 1962) were in action against aircraft and boats used by anti-Castro groups in the USA for inserting spies and saboteurs. Afghan Air Force UTI-MiG-lSs were occasionally used for reconnaissance and for strike missions against the Mujahideen rebels in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This was probably the last conflict for this famous fighter.

toppled the monarchy. Great Britain, In 1954, a Hungarian MiG-IS Jordan, and Saudi Arabia supported pilot attempted to defect to the West the royalists, sending their aircraft to but force-landed in Yugoslavia after Yemen, but the opposing sides running out of fuel. In a similar incirarely met in air-to-air combat. The dent in early 1956, Soviet Air Force MiGs were used mainly in the Fagots based in Hungary were ground attack role, and a few were called upon to stop a Hungarian shot down by ground fire. pilot from escaping to Austria in a During the Six-Day War (June 5- stolen Tu-2 bomber. 11, 1967), the MiG-15bis was just During the famous uprising, about the only fighter-bomber used part of the Hungarian Air Force by the EAF and the Syrian Air Force joined the insurgents led by Imre against Israeli army positions. More Nagy. On October 30-31, 1956, MiGthan 70 bises operated on both Egyptian and Syrian fronts. However, most of the Fagots that survived the earlier conflict were destroyed on the ground during this war, demonstrating to the world that Arab forces were weak and their Soviet sponsors were throwing money away. A few MiGs, however, survived long enough to take part in the next Arab-Israeli conflict in 1973. Soon after the Hungarian Air Force took delivery of its first MiGISs, they made their mark, forcing down a stray USAF Dakota on November 19, 1951. The type was also used actively against reconnaissance balloons - though one MiG-IS was lost when it collided The UTI-MIG-15 cockpit had a side-hinged forward canopy and a sliding rear canopy. This is again a Czech-built example, c/n 712140. (Yefim Gordon archive) with its target.

MIKOYAN GUREVICH 99

MODELING..--t E MIG-1S By RICHARD MARMO onsidering the very large (Seventh Edition) by John Burns, niche the MiG-IS has Monogram produced a half dozen carved for itself in the "Super Kits" in 1953 and 1954. These annals of aviation history, it's only kits were of various scales and were reasonable that model builders made of solid balsa with plastic would want to add one (or several) detail parts. A 1/60th-scale MiG-IS to their collections. That holds true was the fourth one offered (kit # Teven if your collection simply covers 4). Since I've never seen one, I can't aviation history in general. Howev- comment on the kit, but I would er, if your focus is the jet age, then imagine it was quite good, given it's essential you include a MiG-IS. Monogram's reputation for quality. And that begets the question: Are Airfix, on the other hand, prothere any really good kits of the duced it as its 17th kit, which probaMiG-IS available? Happily, the bly puts it in the 1954-55 timeframe. answer is yes. It was a 1/72nd-scale injected Scale MiG-ISs have been offered styrene kit. Quality was state-of-theby several manufacturers since just art for its day, though now most after the Korean War ended. Which modelers wouldn't even bother to company was the first? I can't say, open the box. Would it compare to but the race was most likely between what we're used to now from Airfix and Monogram. In a sense, Hasegawa, Tamiya, Trumpeter, and you could say they were both first, others? Absolutely not. But in spite because there was an interesting dif- of that, there are many Airfix MiGference between their two efforts. 15 kits that have been meticulously According to The Collectors Value detailed with scratch-built parts (no Guide For Scale Model Plastic Kits aftermarket components) to the

C

Three examples of the various packaging the originall/72nd scale Airfix MiG-IS appeared. The Airfix-72 box was pre-priced at 39 cents!

100

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i_ _

:wi

This box contains a chrome-plated version of the 1/S3rd scale Hawk/Testors kit. Believe it or not, the original kit appeared in a flat, rectangular box that was pre-priced at a mere 50 cents. point that they would take first place in a model contest. But that was just the beginning. The Airfix kit was re-popped three other times under their label (with no changes in the kit), at least one time as an MPC kit, and many times under other small labels. Hawk produced a MiG-IS that purported to be 1/48th-scale, but was actually 1/S3rd, according to the Collectors Guide. It was issued in four different boxes under the Hawk logo. After Testors bought Hawk, that same MiG-IS continued to appear from time to time as a Testors product. Their 1980 catalog also shows it being offered as a chrome-plated kit. In 1976, Monogram released a very nice 1/48th-scale MiG-IS that was state-of-the-art for its time. If you get your hands on one today, it wouldn't be all that difficult to bring it up to current standards. Monogram also reissued the MiG in a double kit with its 1/48th-scale F-86E. In the early 1990s, the same Monogram MiG-IS kit was issued under license by Hasegawa. There's no telling how many

r

I suspect this Hawk/Testors kit qualifies as the first truly good MiG-1S kit. Granted, you still had raised surface detail, but you also had a full cockpit interior, gear-well detail, and separate gear struts. Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of the kit box top. MiG-15 kits - good, bad, or indecent -have been produced over the last 50 years, but one thing's for certain. If you want to model the MiG15 in any scale from 1/72nd to 1/32nd scale, there's a kit out there that'll let you do it. This brings us to the final question - what kits are readily available today? Most of the ones already mentioned can be found at a reasonable price on eBay or from kit collectors, but there's a good choice of current offerings as well. A quick trip to the Squadron Shop website shows eight kits- three 1/72nd, three 1/48th, and

This is only one offive separate sprues containing the model's 136 parts, and each has its own bag. A separate bag is also used for the decals/instrument panel film. For an aircraft that's as relatively small as this one is in 1/48th scale, that's a bunch of parts.

two 1/32nd. Hobbycraft produces a 1/72nd -scale Korean-era MiG-15, and KP (out of the Czech Republic) gives you a choice of two 1/72nd variants, a standard MiG-15 and a two-seat MiG-15 UTI trainer. Next up is a 1/48th MiG-15bis from Tamiya that is definitely different. Originally produced as a standard styrene kit (and an excellent kit at that), it's been repopped as a see-through version. This approach allows you to paint as much of the skin as you wish, leaving sections of interior detail (such as the engine) visible. Moving on to the final four, we have two 1/48th and two 1/32nd kits, all from Trumpeter. The 1/32nd kits (a MiG-15 and MiG-15 UTI trainer) are described as "old technology" compared to the 1/48th-scale efforts. Maybe so, but if the 1/48th MiG-15 that I have on my shelf (which is very nice indeed) is any indication, I certainly wouldn't be afraid of them if my passion was 1/32nd. An indication of just how far things have evolved where model kits are concerned can be seen by juxtaposing that early 1/72nd Airfix kit with one of the latest (MiG-15bis Fagot-B) 1/48th Trumpeter kits. The Airfix kit has 29 parts plus a stand, basic decals, and an even more basic instruction sheet. Surface detail is raised and relatively heavy. Cockpit detail is non-existent. Price? 39 cents. In contrast, the Trumpeter kit consists of 136 parts, full interior (including a film instrument panel), detailed gun bay, complete engine, removable aft fuselage, alternate air brake doors, and a two-piece canopy. Surface detail is recessed and delicate, exactly as you would expect on any quality kit you buy today. Decals give you a choice of a Soviet bird in North Korea from 1953, or a Chinese Peoples' Volunteer Air Force ship, also from 1953. And the instruction

Sometime in the 1980s, Monogram re-popped the MiG-1S by pairing it with its F-86E as an Air Combat Series Combo Kit. Don Greer of Squadron/Signal fame did the box art. sheet uses the familiar international graphic style but is enhanced with text to the point that everything is perfectly clear. The price for all of this? $29.95. For those of you who don't build model kits but would still like to acquire a MiG-15 model, a little time on the internet or perusing catalogs such as Historic Aviation will probably turn up either a die-cast model or a Philippine mahogany display model. If you can't find one now, one will most likely be offered in the near future. And if worse comes to worst, try your hand at building one of the current kits. You'd be amazed at how much enjoyment it can give you.

The latest and greatest (as of May 2004) in the parade of MiG-1S kits to consider is this MiG-1Sbis Fagot-B from Trumpeter. Whether or not it will prove to be the best that's ever been I can't say. But it will certainly be a contender for that crown.

MIKOYAN GUREVICH

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101

TION MIG-IS

PRODUCTION IN THE

USSR

The following table illustrates MiG-IS production in the USSR. The figures in bold type show actual production for each version, year by year; the figures in parentheses indicate planned production (as determined by the Soviet state planning authorities) for the respective years. 1. Kuybyshev aircraft factory No.1, named after Iosif V. Stalin 1949 1950 1951 1952 MiG-IS 510 (550)' 301 (300)' MiG-15bis 401 (350)' 820 (792) 460 (425) MiG-15bisP 5 (5) UTI-MIG-IS 50 (50)' 371 (365)' 333 (315)

1953 2 (0)

1954

1955

1957

1956

1958

1959

127(0)

881 3,380

Total Kuybyshev production: 2. Novosibirsk aircraft factory No. 153, named after Valeriy P. Chkalov 1949 1950 1952 1951 1953 MiG-IS 144 (550) 308 (300) 1 (0) 1 (0) MiG-15bis 360 (500)1,196 (1,173) 863 (840) UTI-MIG-IS 209 (200)

1954

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

715 (700) Total Novosibirsk production:

3. Moscow aircraft factory No. 381 1949 75 (n/a) MiG-IS

1950

1951

1952

4. Gor'kiy aircraft factory No. 21, named after Sergo Ordzhonikidze 1949 1950 1952 1951 367 (350) 992 (937) 425 (395) MiG-15bis (izdeliye 53) MiG-15bisR (izdeliye 55) 64 (60) 300 (300)

1954

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

Total 75

1953

1954

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

Total 1,784 364 2,148

Total 225

1953

1955

1954

6. Komsomol'sk-on-Amur aircraft factory No. 126, named after the Lenin Young Communist League 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 MiG-IS 1 (0) MiG-15bis 42 (250) 362 (337) 428 (400)

7. Saratov aircraft factory No. 292 1949 MiG-IS MiG-15bis MiG-15bisS

1950 2 (0) 131 (275)

1951

1952

509 (457) 49 (100)

354 (350)

1953

1954

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

1956

1957

1958

1959

1957

1958

1959

Total 2 994 49 1,045

Total 1 832 Total Komsomol'sk-on-Amur production: 833

1956

Total Saratov production: 8. Khar'kov aircraft factory No. 135, named after the Lenin Young Communist League 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 UTI-MiG-15 6 (25) 50 (50) 85 (150) 158 (150) 212 (200) 9. Ulan-Ude aircraft factory No. 99 1949 UTI-MiG-15

1950 0(25)'

1951 29 (75)

1952 53 (125)

1953 127 (150)

1954 206 (200)

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

Total 511

1955 245 (225)

1956 173 (0)

1957 113 (0)

1958 106 (0)

1959 65 (0)

Total 1,117

GRAND TOTAL: Notes: 1. Plus 2 MiG-IS ground instructional airframes. 2. Plus 4 ground instructional airframes (2 MiG-ISs, one MiG-15bis and one UTI-MiG-15). 3. Plus 10 UTi-MiG-15 shipsets for assembly elsewhere. 4. Planned production cancelled due to plans for La-ll production (subsequently also cancelled).

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Total 453 2,420 924 3,797

1953

Total Gor'kiy production: 5. Tbilisi aircraft factory No. 31, named after Gheorgi Dimitrov 1949 1950 1952 1951 MiG-15bis 35 (35) 190 (190)

Total 813 1,681

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ALLTH MIG-IS FAMILY SPECIFICATIONS S-1

S-3

MiG-15

UTI-MiG-15 (ST-2)

MiG-15bis

MiG-15bis

Manufacturer (plant number)

No. 155

No. 155

No.1

No. 155

No. 155

No.1

Manufacture Date

Dec 1947

Mar 1948

Apr 1949

Jul1950

Jul1949

Jun 1950

Powerplant

RRNeneI

RRNene II

RD-45F

RD-45F

VK-1

VK-1

Thrust, kg (lb)

2,040 (4,497)

2,270 (5,004)

2,270 (5,004)

2,270 (5,004)

2,700 (5,952)

2,700 (5,952)

Overall Length

10.2 m (33' 5.57")

10.1 m (33' 1.63")

10.1 m (33' 1.63")

10.11 m (33' 2.03")

10.11 m (33' 2.03")

10.11 m (33' 2.03")

3.1 m (10' 2")

3.165 m (10' 4.6")

3.7 m (12' 1.67")

3.7 m (12' 1.67")

3.7 m (12' 1.67")

3.7 m (12' 1.67")

10.08 m (33' 0.85")

10.08 m (33' 0.85")

10.08 m (33' 0.85")

10.08 m (33' 0.85")

10.08 m (33' 0.85")

10.08 m (33' 0.85")

Wing Area, m' (sq ft)

20.6 (221.5)

20.6 (221.5)

20.6 (221.5)

20.6 (221.5)

20.6 (221.5)

20.6 (221.5)

Empty Weight, kg (lb)

3,176 (7,001)

3,149 (6,942)

3,263 (7,193)

3,694 (8,143)

3,582 (7,896)

3,628 (7,998)

Take-Off Weight, kg (lb)

4,840 (10,670)

4,806 (10,595)

4,915 (10,835)

4,850 (10,692)

4,960 (10,934)

4,982 (10,983)

Fuel Capacity, lit (Imp gal)

1,538 (338.36)

1,450 (319)

1,457 (320.54)

1,080 (237.6)

1,400 (308)

1,385 (304.7)

Height on Ground WingSpan

Top Speed, km/hr (kts): 905 (489.18)

1,047 (565.94) ,

1,052 (568.64)

1,015 (548.64)'

1,076 (581.62)

1,068 (577.29)

at 5,000 m (16,404 ft)

1,028 (555.67)

1,031 (557.29)

1,020 (551.35)

1,010 (545.94)

1,045 (564.86)

1,040 (562.16)

at 10,000 m (32,808 ft)

972 (525.4)

983 (531.35)

976 (527.56)

963 (520.54)

987 (533.51)

992 (536.21)

MiG-15bis

MiG-15bis

MiG-15bis

MiG-15bisP(SP-l)

No. 21

No. 153

No. 292

No. 155

No. 292

Jul1950

Oct 1950

Feb 1951

Apr 1949

1951

1951

VK-1

VK-1

VK-1

VK-1

VK-1

VK-1

at S/L

Manufacturer (plant number) Manufacture Date Powerplant

1

Thrust, kg (lb) Overall Length

I

Height on Ground WingSpan

MiG-15bisS (SD-UPB); MiG-15bisR (SR) ; No. 21

2,700 (5,952)

2,700 (5,952)

2,700 (5,952)

2,700 (5,952)

2,700 (5,952)

2,700 (5,952)

10.11 m (33' 2.03")

10.11 m (33' 2.03")

10.11 m (33' 2.03")

10.23 m (33' 6.75")

10.11 m (33' 2.03")

10.11 m (33' 2.03")

3.7 m (12' 1.67")

3.7 m (12' 1.67")

3.7 m (12' 1.67")

3.7 m (12' 1.67")

3.7 m (12' 1.67")

3.7 m (12' 1.67")

10.08 m (33' 0.85")

10.08 m (33' 0.85")

10.08 m (33' 0.85")

10.08 m (33' 0.85")

10.08 m (33' 0.85")

10.08 m (33' 0.85")

Wing Area, m' (sq ft)

20.6 (221.5)

20.6 (221.5)

20.6 (221.5)

20.6 (221.5)

20.6 (221.5)

20.6 (221.5)

Empty Weight, kg (lb)

3,635 (8,013)

3,665 (8,079)

3,652 (8,051)

3,760 (8,289)

3,636 (8,015)

n/a

Take-Off Weight, kg (lb)

4,987 (10,994)

5,037 (11,104)

5,034 (11,097)

5,080 (11,199)

6,106 (13,461)

n/a

Fuel Capacity, lit (Imp gal)

1,390 (305.8)

1,390 (305.8)

1,400 (308)

1,400 (308)

2,612 (574.64)

2,600 (572)

atS/L

1,075 (581.08)

1,036 (560.0) ,

1,075 (581.08)

1,015 (548.64)

800 (432.43)

800 (432.43)

at 5,000 m (16,404 ft)

1,044 (564.32)

1,028 (555.67)

1,045 (564.86)

1,022 (1,022)

990 (535.13)

990 (535.13)

988 (534.05)

979 (529.19)

987 (533.51)

979 (529.19)

918 (496.21)

920 (497.29)

Top Speed, km/hr (kts):

at 10,000 m (32,808 ft)

1. At 2,000 m (6,561 ft); speed at S/L was limited to 905 km/hr (489 kts) due to flutter problems. 2. At 1,500 m (4,921 ft)top speed could not be determined at lower altitude due to wing drop. 3. At 3,000 m (9,842 ft) ;top speed could not be determined at lower altitude due to wing drop. 4. At 2,000 m (6,561 ft); top speed could not be determined at lower altitude due to wing drop. 5. Performance measured with two 600-lit (132-Imp gal) drop tanks.

.~

I

MIKOYAN GUREVICH 103

SIGNIFIO

T DATES

KEY EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE MIKOYAN GUREVICH MIG-IS FAGOT 1935 Swept wind concept developed by German aerodynamicist.

1949 The MiG-I5 attained IOC with the VVS.

Mid-August 1951 MiG-I5 first met the Meteor flown by the RAAF.

1947 The RR Nene, which had entered licenced production in the USSR, was chosen as the MiG-I5 engine.

April 28, 1950 First kill in China.

October 30, 1951 Black Tuesday - interception of a large formation of B-29s escorted by nearly 200 assorted fighters in the heart of "MiG Alley."

1947 First 25 Nene-I engines delivered, work starts on the 1-320 leading to the MiG-I5. 1947 Mock-up reviewed by VVS. December 19, 1947 Prototype trucked to Ramenskoye. December 30, 1947 First flight; in adverse weather conditions. 25 May, 1948 Flight tests completed. July 1948 A MiG-I5 prototype took part in the flypast at Moscow's Tushino airfield making the type's public debut. May 27 through December 3, 1948 State acceptance trials; designated MiG-I5. May 1, 1949 45 production MiG-I5s flew over Moscow.

May Day, 1950 139 MiG-I5s took part in the flypast. Spring 1950 Fagot-As deployed to China to protect Shanghai. July 1, 1950 MiG-I5bis recommended for production. November 1950 The first MiG-I5s arrived in Korea. November 8, 1950 First jet-versus-jet battle in history. December 17, 1950 First battle between the F-86A and MiG-I5. December 26, 1950 The first "secret war" incident probably took place when a USAF RB-29 Superfortress was destroyeded by two 523rd lAP Fagots. May 1951 Delivery of Soviet-built MiG-I5s to the Czech Air Force.

October 1949 First UTI-MiG-I5 delivered.

July 1951 Operation Mullah a downed MiG-I5 recovered off the Korean coast by Royal Navy.

November 7, 1949 90 MiG-I5s flew over Red Square.

August 1951 F-86E introduced in Korea.

104

WARBIRDTECHow

March 1952 F-86F introduced. April 29, 1952 A MiG-I5 attacked an Air France DC-4 over the Berlin corridor. March 5, 1953 The first intact Fagot reached the West but was returned on May 22. March 10, 1953 Czech MiG-I5s shot down a pair of USAF F-84s from West Germany. September 21, 1953 Lieutenant Ro Kim Suk flew his MiG-I5bis to Kimpo AB near Seoul. 1955 VVS switched to the current system of two-digit tactical codes making positive identification impossible. June 5-11, 1967 The MiG-I5bis was used by the EAF and the Syrian Air Force against Israeli army positions. 1970s and 1980s Afghan Air Force UTI-MiG-I5s were used for reconnaissance and strike missidhs against Mujahideen rebels. ~ was probably the last conflict in which the fighter participated.

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X-PLANES PHOTO SCRAPBOOK

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Magnesium Overcast: The Story of the Convair B-36 by Dennis R. Jenkins. The author did extensive original source-material research in various government and company archives around the country, uncovering new and previously unpublished details about the B-36 and its various derivatives (XC-99, YB-60, and X-6). This material includes new photos of the neverflown second prototype YB-60, and the devastating 1952 Texas tornado that almost wiped out a good part of the existing B-36 fleet. Coverage includes a look at weapons,· decoys, and electronics. 10 x 10 inches, 276 pages, 505 b/w and 53 color photos. Hardbound with dust jacket. Item #SP042.

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