F 86e Sabre Vs Russian Mig 15 Some Korean Air To Air War Tales Revisited

F-86E Sabre vs. Russian MiG-15 Some Korean Air-to-Air War Tales Revisited By: Lt. Colonel Joseph R. Clark Since the Korean War ended in 1953, several books and articles have been published about the air-to-air battles between the American F-86s and Russian MiGs in the skies over North Korea and China. Some parts of some of the stories that appear in those publications are true, but many of them contain fantasies, exaggerations, and lies that are both preposterous and demeaning to the Air Force. Unfortunately, much of what survives in the west as the history of those epic air battles is found in those partially flawed publications.

As the routed North Korean People's Army (NKPA) withdrew into the mountainous reaches of their country and the People's Republic of China (PRC) funneled in its massive infantry formations in preparation for a momentous counter-offensive, both lacked adequate air power to challenge US and UN. Reluctantly, Josef Stalin agreed to provide the requisite air cover, introducing the superior swept-wing MiG-15 to counter the American's straight-wing F-80 jets. This in turn prompted the USAF to deploy its very best – the F-86A Sabre – to counter this threat. Thus began a two-and-a-half-year struggle in the skies known as “MiG Alley.” In this period, the unrelenting campaign for aerial superiority witnessed the introduction of successive models of these two revolutionary jets into combat. This meticulously researched study not only provides technical descriptions of the two types and their improved variants, complete with a “fighter pilot's assessment” of these aircraft, but also chronicles the entire scope of their aerial duel in “MiG Alley” by employing the recollections of the surviving combatants – including Russian, Chinese, and North Korean pilots – who participated.

The dogfights between World War II prop fighters such as the P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt, Me 109 and Japanese Zero have been well documented over the years. However, very little has been written about the dogfights between the state-of-the-art swept wing jets that fought high above northwest Korea in an arena known as 'MiG Alley'. These pitted the North American F-86 Sabre versus the MiG-15 and they were flown by some of the best fighter pilots in history. The speeds at which these two fought initiated many new tactics for aerial combat. Toward the end of the Korean War, it was determined that the F-86 pilots had been flying against some of the most experienced Russian and Warsaw Pact pilots from the very beginning. Many of the Sabre pilots that had numerous kills against the MiGs were young Lieutenants with no World War II experience. Official USAF records state that 78 Sabres were lost in air-to-air action and 792 MiG-15's were shot down in aerial duels. This established a 10:1 ratio in favor of the F-86, although that figure has remained a controversial subject for over 50 years. With the dangerous air-to-ground missions flown by the aging F-80's and F-84's, the success of the F-86 carried over into the fighter bomber role. In January 1953, the F-51 Mustang Wing and the F-80 Wing converted over to the new bomb-carrying F-86F. This added a new dimension in that the new Sabre could work the close air support and interdiction mission and still defend itself against the MiG-15 threat without escorts. By the end of the war, there were four wings, based in South Korea, equipped with the F-86. This book is filled with personal recollections from the pilots that flew the F-86 - many are so vivid that you feel you are in the cockpit with them. It also contains some of the finest quality color images ever published on the Sabre in combat; most were taken by the pilots and crew chiefs. In addition, there is an aircraft-by-aircraft record of every F-86 that flew during the war. This includes squadron assignment, Sabre losses, and final disposition. Also featured is a complete listing of confirmed kills by Sabres and a roster of Korean War aces. Apart from the eyewitness accounts, detailed Sabre information and superb photographs, 'MiG Alley' also features newly commissioned color artwork and color profiles. If you had to describe this book in only one word... it would be "ACTION"!

This is the story of the first jet versus jet war, the largest in number of victories and losses, and one of the few military bright spots in the Korean War. It tells how an outnumbered force of F-86 Sabres limited by range and restricted by the rules of engagement, decisively defeated its foe. Based on the latest scholarship, author Kenneth Werrell uses previously untapped sources and interviews with sixty former F-86 pilots to explore new aspects of the subject and shed light on controversies previously neglected. For example, he found much greater violation of the Yalu River than thus far has appeared in the published materials. The F-86 became a legend in "The Forgotten War" because of its performance and beauty, but most of all, because of its record in combat.

As the routed North Korean People's Army (NKPA) withdrew into the mountainous reaches of their country and the People's Republic of China (PRC) funneled in its massive infantry formations in preparation for a momentous counter-offensive, both lacked adequate air power to challenge US and UN. Reluctantly, Josef Stalin agreed to provide the requisite air cover, introducing the superior swept-wing MiG-15 to counter the American's straight-wing F-80 jets. This in turn prompted the USAF to deploy its very best – the F-86A Sabre – to counter this threat. Thus began a two-and-a-half-year struggle in the skies known as “MiG Alley.” In this period, the unrelenting campaign for aerial superiority witnessed the introduction of successive models of these two revolutionary jets into combat. This meticulously researched study not only provides technical descriptions of the two types and their improved variants, complete with a “fighter pilot's assessment” of these aircraft, but also chronicles the entire scope of their aerial duel in “MiG Alley” by employing the recollections of the surviving combatants – including Russian, Chinese, and North Korean pilots – who participated.

On September 21, 1953, U.S. airmen at Kimpo Air Base near Seoul, Korea, were startled to see landing a MiG-15, the most advanced Soviet-built fighter plane of the era, piloted by Senior Lieutenant No Kum-Sok, a 21-year-old North Korean Air Force officer.Once he landed, Lieutenant No found that his mother had escaped to the South two years earlier, and they were soon reunited. At his request, No came to the United States and became a U.S. citizen. His story provides a unique insight into how North Korea conducted the Korean War and how he came to the decision to leave his homeland.

The Soviet Union began assisting the People's Republic of China in its establishment of a modern air force in 1950, when Soviet Air Force regiments were sent to train local pilots. China's involvement in the Korean War in late October 1950 inevitably drew Soviet pilots into the war, with a total of 52 Soviet pilots scoring five or more victories there. The history of these covert actions has been a long-buried secret and this book is the first English publication to detail the only instance when the Cold War became 'hot'. This book uncovers Soviet combat experiences during the Korean War from detailed unit histories and rare first-hand account. With access to extensive Russian archives, the authors offer an enthralling insight into an air war that has been largely covered up and neglected. Illustrated with previously unpublished photographs and detailed full colour profiles, this book is a unique opportunity to read about an often-forgotten aspect of the Cold War.