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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15

Mikoyan-Gurevich · Fighter / Attack · USSR · Early Jet (1946–1969)

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 — Fighter / Attack
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The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 (NATO reporting name Fagot) is a Soviet single-seat, single-engine, swept-wing jet fighter designed by Artyom Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich at the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau (OKB) and produced from 1947 to 1959. Around 18,000 airframes were built across all variants, and 35+ nations flew the type — making the MiG-15 the most-numerous jet fighter ever produced and the principal Soviet, Warsaw Pact, Chinese, and North Korean fighter of the early Cold War. Its combat debut over Korea in November 1950 came as an unwelcome shock to U.S. forces. The MiG-15 immediately established air superiority over straight-winged American fighters such as the F-80 Shooting Star and F-84 Thunderjet, forcing the rapid deployment of the swept-wing F-86 Sabre as a counter.

The first prototype flew on 30 December 1947, designed to a 1946 Soviet specification for a high-performance jet fighter capable of countering Western long-range bombing. Power came from the Klimov RD-45, a Soviet copy of the British Rolls-Royce Nene centrifugal-flow turbojet that the British government had licensed for export to the Soviet Union in 1946. The RD-45 produced 5,950 lbf thrust; its more-powerful VK-1 derivative on the MiG-15bis delivered 5,950–6,000 lbf. Swept-wing aerodynamics drawn from German wartime research — particularly the Focke-Wulf Ta 183 design study — gave the fighter a top speed of 668 mph, a service ceiling above 50,000 ft, and a climb rate that exceeded contemporary U.S. fighters above 35,000 ft.

Combat history spans the Korean War, the Suez Crisis of 1956 (Egyptian MiG-15s engaged Israeli, British, and French aircraft), the Vietnam War (limited use, superseded by the MiG-17 and MiG-21 by the mid-1960s), the Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1965 and 1971, the Six-Day War of 1967, and the October War of 1973. Korea was the defining theatre: the Soviet 64th Independent Aviation Corps — officially under Chinese and North Korean colours but flown predominantly by Soviet pilots from Manchurian bases — engaged USAF F-86 Sabres over MiG Alley from November 1950 through July 1953. USAF claims tally roughly 800 MiG-15 losses to F-86s against about 78 F-86 losses to MiG-15s; revisionist analysis suggests the actual ratio was closer to 4:1 or 5:1 in the Sabre's favour.

Major variants include the original MiG-15 with the Klimov RD-45 (~1,800 built), the MiG-15bis with the Klimov VK-1 (the dominant production variant at ~8,500 built), the MiG-15UTI two-seat trainer (~5,000 built and adopted across the Eastern Bloc), the Chinese-built J-2 and FT-2 (~3,000 built at Shenyang), the Czechoslovak Avia S-102 and S-103, and the Polish-built LIM-1 / LIM-2. Foreign operators include China (PLA Air Force, ~3,000 J-2 / J-5), North Korea (~150–200), East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Indonesia, Yemen, Cuba, Tunisia, Albania, and Mongolia, alongside several Cold War-era African and Asian air arms. Around 8 MiG-15 airframes remain airworthy in 2026 — most of them UTI two-seat trainers — and roughly 80 static museum airframes survive worldwide.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The MiG-15 was the Soviet Union's first famous jet fighter. It first flew in 1947, just two years after World War II ended. Small, fast, and well-armed, the MiG-15 came as a big surprise to the United States Air Force when it appeared over Korea in 1950.

The MiG-15 was about 33 feet long — bigger than a school bus. It used a British jet engine. The Soviet Union had asked Britain for sample engines in 1946, and Britain agreed (which the British later regretted). Soviet engineers copied the engine into the MiG-15 and added swept wings, similar to the American F-86 Sabre being built at the same time. About 18,000 MiG-15s were built — making it one of the most-produced jet fighters in history.

During the Korean War (1950-1953), MiG-15s and F-86 Sabres dogfought over an area called MiG Alley. The two jets were closely matched in speed and turning. American pilots had better training and equipment, so the Sabres won about 10 fights to every 1 MiG-15. But the MiG-15 had bigger guns and could fly higher than the F-86 — and Soviet pilots respected its design.

After Korea, the Soviet Union sold or gave MiG-15s to many friendly countries: China, North Korea, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Cuba, and many more. The MiG-15 was the airplane that taught the world to fear Soviet aviation. By the late 1950s, faster MiG-17s and MiG-19s replaced it. Today many MiG-15s remain in museums; a few still fly at airshows in the United States and Europe.

Fun Facts

  • About 18,000 MiG-15s were built — one of the most-produced jet fighters in history.
  • The MiG-15 used a British Rolls-Royce Nene engine — Britain sold a few samples to the USSR in 1946 and later regretted it.
  • MiG-15s and F-86 Sabres fought epic dogfights over Korea — the first jet-vs-jet air battles ever.
  • American Sabres won about 10 fights for every 1 MiG-15 lost — but the MiG-15 had bigger guns.
  • The MiG-15 could fly higher than the F-86 Sabre — up to about 51,000 feet.
  • Soviet pilots flew MiG-15s in Korea but had to pretend to be Korean — they spoke Korean over the radio.
  • After Korea, the USSR sold MiG-15s to over 40 countries — making it the standard Communist-bloc fighter for years.

Kids’ Questions

Why did Britain sell jet engines to the Soviet Union?

In 1946 the Soviet Union and Britain were still allies from World War II, and the Cold War hadn't really started. Britain sold the USSR a few Rolls-Royce Nene jet engines for "research," thinking the Soviets would not be able to copy them. The Soviets surprised everyone by quickly reverse-engineering the Nene and putting it in the MiG-15. Britain considered this a serious mistake — they had given the Soviet Union a huge head-start in jet fighters that lasted years.

Why did Soviet pilots pretend to be Korean?

During the Korean War, the Soviet Union sent some of its best pilots to fly MiG-15s against the Americans, but they didn't want the U.S. to know that Soviets and Americans were directly fighting each other. So the Soviet pilots had strict orders: speak only Korean over the radio (which most didn't know well), wear Korean uniforms, fly only over communist-held territory. The Americans suspected the truth but couldn't prove it. After the war, the truth came out — many of those Soviet pilots became MiG-15 aces with up to 23 victories each.

Variants

MiG-15 (initial production)
Original variant powered by the Klimov RD-45F (Rolls-Royce Nene-derived) at 5,000 lbf. Armament: 1 × 37mm N-37 plus 2 × 23mm NS-23 cannon. Roughly 1,800 built, with first Korean War deployment in November 1950. Many were later upgraded to bis standard.
MiG-15bis
Major upgrade with the Klimov VK-1 engine (5,950 lbf) and aerodynamic refinements. Around 8,500 built — the most-numerous MiG-15 variant. Saw heavy use in Korea, limited service in Vietnam, and combat across the Middle East, while serving as the standard early-1950s Warsaw Pact and Chinese fighter.
MiG-15UTI / S-103 (two-seat trainer)
Two-seat trainer variant and the dominant Eastern Bloc jet trainer of the early Cold War. Roughly 5,000 built worldwide between Soviet production and Czechoslovak and Chinese licences. Every Warsaw Pact and Soviet-aligned air force used it as a primary jet trainer through the 1970s.
MiG-15bisS / SD
Specialised variants. The MiG-15bisS was an increased-fuel escort fighter; the MiG-15SD was a photo-reconnaissance variant. Both saw limited production.
Foreign licence-built variants
China built the J-2 and improved J-5 at Shenyang (~3,000 total). Czechoslovakia produced the Avia S-102 and S-103 trainer (~620). Poland built the LIM-1 (~227). East Germany, Romania, and Hungary licence-assembled aircraft from Soviet kits.

Notable Operators

Soviet Air Force / VVS
Primary historical operator. Roughly 7,000 MiG-15 / MiG-15bis / MiG-15UTI airframes served from 1949 to 1970 across Frontal Aviation, the Air Defence Forces (PVO), and Naval Aviation. Combat use included the Korean War with the 64th Independent Aviation Corps, alongside service as the principal Soviet jet trainer through the 1970s.
People's Liberation Army Air Force (China)
Roughly 3,000 Soviet-supplied and Chinese-built J-2 / J-5 airframes. Chinese pilots flew MiG-15s under Korean and Chinese colours during the Korean War, in the 1950s Taiwan Strait crises, and across border operations along the Sino-Soviet and Sino-Indian frontiers. Withdrawn from front-line service by the mid-1980s, with some retained as second-line fighters and trainers into the 1990s.
Warsaw Pact / Soviet-aligned operators
East Germany, Czechoslovakia (operating S-102 / S-103 licence variants), Hungary, Poland (LIM-1), Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Yugoslavia. The MiG-15 served as their principal early-Cold-War interceptor through the late 1950s before transitioning to the MiG-17, MiG-19, and MiG-21.
Other operators
North Korea (~150–200), Cuba (~30), Indonesia (~50), Iraq (~60), Syria (~60), Egypt (~150), Yemen, Tunisia, Algeria, Mongolia, and Vietnam (limited early-war use), plus other Soviet-aligned operators — roughly 35 operator nations in total.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the MiG-15 compare to the F-86 Sabre?

The two were direct opponents in the Korean War and broadly similar in performance: F-86F top speed 695 mph, MiG-15bis top speed 668 mph. The F-86F carried 6 × .50-cal Browning M3 machine guns; the MiG-15 mounted 1 × 37mm and 2 × 23mm cannon — heavier punch but a lower rate of fire. The Sabre offered better high-speed handling at lower altitudes, more-mature gun-laying systems, and superior pilot training. The MiG-15 had the edge in high-altitude performance and climb above 35,000 ft. U.S. claims of a 10:1 air-to-air kill ratio over MiG-15s in Korea may be optimistic; modern revisionist analysis suggests 4:1–5:1 was closer to the truth. Pilot training and combat positioning generally mattered more than raw aircraft performance.

How did the Soviets get British jet engine technology?

In 1946 the British government granted a licence to sell the Rolls-Royce Nene centrifugal-flow turbojet to the Soviet Union. British Aviation Minister Sir Stafford Cripps authorised the export over warnings from technical and military advisors. The Soviet Union acquired 25 Nene and 30 Derwent engines together with full manufacturing rights and quickly reverse-engineered them into the Klimov RD-45 (Nene copy) and Klimov RD-500 (Derwent copy). The Klimov VK-1 used in the MiG-15bis is an improved RD-45 derivative with greater thrust. The Rolls-Royce export decision is widely regarded as one of the most damaging policy blunders of the early Cold War, handing Moscow centrifugal-flow jet-propulsion technology that it would have struggled to develop independently for years.

What were Soviet pilots in the Korean War?

Many of the MiG-15s engaging F-86 Sabres over Korea were flown by Soviet pilots of the 64th Independent Aviation Corps (Russian: Отдельный истребительный авиационный корпус) operating from bases in Manchuria. The aircraft and pilots were officially under Korean and Chinese command, but in practice operations were directed by Soviet officers and the pilots were Soviet personnel. The arrangement let the Soviet Union engage U.S. forces in air combat while officially maintaining non-belligerent status. Soviet Korean War MiG-15 pilots claimed 1,300+ U.S. aircraft (USAF, USN, and USMC; figures heavily disputed); Soviet MiG-15 losses to U.S. aircraft totalled ~566 by Soviet sources or ~800 by Western sources.

How many MiG-15s were built?

Roughly 18,000 airframes worldwide — the most-numerous jet fighter ever produced. Soviet production reached ~13,000. Chinese licence production (J-2 / J-5) added ~3,000, Czechoslovak licence production (S-102 / S-103) ~620, and Polish licence production (LIM-1) ~227. The MiG-15 family's output exceeded any other jet fighter in history, approaching the highest pre-jet-era fighter totals (Bf 109: ~33,984; P-51: ~15,586) within just 12 years.

Are any MiG-15s still flying?

Around 8 MiG-15s remain airworthy in 2026, most of them two-seat MiG-15UTI / S-103 trainers in private warbird operations. Airworthy examples are flown by the Erickson Aircraft Collection, Yanks Air Museum, the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, and several private collectors. Spare-parts availability has tightened since the 2000s, and airworthy MiG-15s are increasingly rare. Around 80 static museum airframes survive worldwide.

What was the MiG-15UTI's role?

The two-seat MiG-15UTI was the principal jet trainer of the Eastern Bloc and Soviet-aligned air forces from the early 1950s into the 1970s, with around 5,000 built across Soviet, Czechoslovak, and Chinese production. It served as the standard transition trainer for student pilots moving from propeller trainers such as the Yak-18 to combat jets including the MiG-17, MiG-19, MiG-21, and Su-7. The UTI remained in front-line training service long after the single-seat MiG-15 and MiG-15bis were withdrawn from combat. Yuri Gagarin, the first cosmonaut, was killed in 1968 in a MiG-15UTI training-flight accident.

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