MiG-15bis - Photos & Video

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis
Country	Soviet Union
Role	Fighter
First flight	30 December 1947
Built	12000+

The Mikoyan-Gurevich 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.

Source: MiG-15bis on Wikipedia

MiG-15bis
Photographer	Vladimir Yakubov
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	54

Click on a photo and use the mouse scroll to view all photos

Wait, Searching MiG-15bis photos for you…

Mig-15bis (S-102) Fagot Walk Around
Photographer	Unknow
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	54

MiG-15UTI Fagot/SBLiM-2 Walk Around
Photographer	Eugeny Dedigurov
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	35

MiG-15UTI Fagot

MiG-15 Walk Around
Photographer	Unknow
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	21

Buy Me a Coffee

Soviet MiG-15 Walk Around
Photographer	Bill Maloney
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	29

Soviet MiG-15

MiG 15 Walk Around
Photographer	Howard Mason
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	34

MiG 15

MiG-15UTI Midget Walk Around
Photographer	Michael Benolkin
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	18

MiG-15UTI Walk Around
Photographer	Isaac Gershman
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	38

General Characteristics and Role

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (NATO reporting name: Fagot) was a first-generation Soviet jet fighter developed shortly after World War II. It was one of the first successful jet fighters to incorporate swept wings, a design feature critical for achieving high subsonic speeds. The MiG-15bis (which means “further improved” in Russian) was the definitive and most advanced production version, featuring a more powerful engine and structural and aerodynamic improvements. Its primary role was that of a high-speed, high-altitude interceptor and fighter escort. The MiG-15bis is most famous for its prominent role in the Korean War, where its introduction shocked the United Nations forces and led to the first large-scale jet-versus-jet aerial battles against the American F-86 Sabre.

Property	Typical Value (MiG-15bis)
Type	Jet Fighter / Interceptor
National Origin	Soviet Union
Manufacturer	Mikoyan-Gurevich OKB
Entered Service (bis)	1950
Crew	1 (Pilot)
Length	10.11 m (33 ft 2 in)
Wingspan	10.08 m (33 ft 1 in)
Max Takeoff Weight	Approx. 6,045 kg (13,327 lb)

Powerplant and Performance

Engine: 1 x Klimov VK-1 centrifugal-flow turbojet engine. This was a modernized, Soviet-built version of the British Rolls-Royce Nene engine, acquired by the USSR shortly after the war.
Engine Thrust: 26.5 kN (5,955 lbf) with afterburner.
Maximum Speed: Mach 0.92, or approx. 1,075 km/h (668 mph) at sea level.
Operational Ceiling: 15,500 m (50,850 ft), giving it a significant altitude advantage over early US jet fighters.
Armament: 1 x 37 mm Nudelman N-37 cannon (40 rounds) and 2 x 23 mm Nudelman-Rikhter NR-23 cannons (80 rounds total). This heavy cannon armament was designed to destroy large bombers.
Swept Wings: The wings were swept back at 35 degrees, which allowed the aircraft to achieve and maintain higher subsonic speeds without buffeting.

Service History and Legacy

Korean War: The MiG-15bis gained notoriety during the Korean War, especially in the area known as “MiG Alley,” where it proved to be a formidable opponent to the straight-winged American F-80 Shooting Star and F-84 Thunderjet.
Combat Comparison: Although the F-86 Sabre was superior in horizontal maneuvering at lower altitudes, the MiG-15bis possessed a better rate of climb and ceiling, giving it the advantage at high altitude.
Export Success: The MiG-15 was one of the most widely exported jet fighters in history, used by over 40 nations, including China, Poland, and Czechoslovakia (who built licensed variants).
Longevity: It continued to serve in training and secondary roles for decades, remaining operational with some air forces well into the 1970s.
Influence: Its successful swept-wing design directly influenced later Soviet aircraft like the MiG-17 and established the basic template for high-speed jet fighters globally.