2007 Mikoyan-Gurevitš MiG-15 (Russian: Микоян и Гуревич МиГ-15; NATO reporting name: “Fagot”) was a jet fighter aircraft developed by Mikoyan-Gurevich OKB for the Soviet Union. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful jet fighters to incorporate swept wings to achieve high transonic speeds. In combat over Korea, it outclassed straight-winged jet day fighters which were largely relegated to ground attack roles, and was quickly countered by the similar American swept-wing F-86 Sabre. The MiG-15 is often mentioned, along with the North American F-86 Sabre, as the best fighter aircraft of the Korean War, and among the best fighter aircraft of all time.
When refined into the more advanced MiG-17, the basic design would again surprise the West when it proved effective against supersonic fighters such as the F-105 Thunderchief and McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II in the Vietnam War of the 1960s.
The MiG-15 is believed to have been one of the most widely produced jet aircraft ever made; in excess of 12,000 were manufactured. Licensed foreign production may have raised the production total to over 18,000. The MiG-15 remains in service with the North Korean Air Force as an advanced trainer.
Allikas: MiG-15bis Vikipeedias
Lisainfo:
MiG-15bis oli MiG-15 täiustatud versioon, reaktiivhävituslennuk, mille Mikoyan-Gurevitš töötas välja Nõukogude Liidu jaoks 1940. aastate lõpus. MiG-15bis oli parema jõudlusega tänu rafineeritumale tootmisele ja veidi võimsamale mootorile. Samuti oli iga tiiva all kolm kõvapunkti relvade ja väliste kütusepaakide kandmiseks. See alustas teenistust 1949. aasta lõpus ja seda kasutati laialdaselt Korea sõjas, kus see osutus paremaks kui enamik selle aja lääne võitlejaid. MiG-15bis oli üks enim toodetud reaktiivlennukeid ajaloos, üle 18 000 ehitatud NSV Liidus ja litsentsi alusel teistes riikides.