Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (NATO reporting name Fagot) was a jet fighter developed for the USSR.
A two-seat MiG-15 (MiG-15UB).
Design began in 1948 for a high-performance jet, initially called the I-310. The lack of a suitable engine was solved when the British licensed Rolls-Royce to export their reliable Nene turbojet, which the Russians immediately copied as the Klimov RD-45. The aircraft design was built on research and replaced conventional straight wings with ones swept back at 35ÃÂð and gave the fuselage very clean lines.
It was delivered to the Soviet airforce in 1949 and allied countries were provided with the aircraft from 1950. It took part in the first jet vs. jet combats over North Korea and proved to be a better performing aircraft than the American F-80 or F-86 Sabre. Desperate to get hold of an intact MiG for testing the United States offered $100,000 and asylum to any pilot who would defect with their aircraft. No-one came forward, but eventually, a North Korean pilot unaware of the proferred reward landed at Kimpo Air Base in September 1953.
The USSR built around 8,000 MiG-15s in all variants. It was also built under license in Czechoslovakia (A-102, S-102) and Poland (Lim-1, Lim-2).
China did not produce the type locally, but operated Soviet-built aircraft as the J-2 or JJ-2.
Yuri Gagarin died in a training flight in a Mig-15.
MiG-15bis (1950)
- Length: 10.85 m
- Wing span: 10.29 m
- Height: 3.65 m
- Weight: (empty) 3,690 kg (maximum) 6050 kg
- Engine: Klimov VK-1 turbojet producing around 27.50 kN thrust
- Speed: (maximum, sea level) 1,070 km/h (cruising) 840 km/h
- Range: 950 km
- Ceiling: 15,500 m
- Armament: Two NS-23 23 mm cannon, one N-97 37 mm cannon, plus rockets or bombs on underwing hardpoints
| Related content | |
|---|---|
| Related Development | MiG-17 |
| Similar Aircraft | F-86 Sabre - Saab J-29 - Dassault Ouragan |
| Designation Series | MiG-9 - MiG-9 - MiG-13 - MiG-15 - MiG-17 - MiG-19 - MiG-21 |
| Related Lists | List of military aircraft of the Soviet Union and the CIS - List of fighter aircraft |
| List of Aircraft - Aircraft Manufacturers - Aircraft Engines - Aircraft Engine Manufacturers |
| Airlines - Air Forces - Aircraft Weapons - Missiles - Years in Aviation |