Mikoyan/Gurevich MiG-15

1948

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Mikoyan/Gurevich MiG-15

After the war the Soviet Union suffered from lack of gas-turbine experience and designed its first generation of jet aircraft to use engines of basically German origin. The picture was transformed by the supply from Britain of the latest Rolls-Royce Nene, which immediately went into production at No 45 production factory in Moscow, designated RD-45 after the factory. The design bureau of Mikoyan and Gurevich immediately used the new engine in the I-310 fighter prototype, flown with a Rolls-built Nene 2 on 30 December 1947. It was by far the best of several designs built to a 1946 specification.

After intensive testing the type went into production in early 1948 as the MiG-15 (NATO Fagot), well ahead of any other Mach 0.9-plus all-swept aircraft other than the F-86 which was roughly similar in timing. After the first batches the engine switched to the RD-45F rated at 22.26kN. Armament comprised a 37mm N-37 with 40 rounds and two 23mm NS-23KM each with 80 rounds, all mounted under the nose. The aircraft was of advanced conception but extremely simple and well-adapted to primitive environments. Internal fuel totalled 1,460 litres, augmented by two underwing drop-tanks. There were no avionics other than an HF radio and a homing receiver and the gunsight was copied from the British GGS Mk 2. Production under licence was begun in Poland as the LlM-1 and in Czechoslovakia as the S-102.

In 1950 the MiG-15bis replaced the earlier model, with a 26.48kN VK-1 engine (a Soviet development of the Nene), reduced structure weight and much augmented avionics. Polish and Czech versions were designated LIM-2 and S-103. Later variants included the MiG-15UTI dual-control tandem trainer (NATO Midget); MiG-15P all-weather interceptor with Izumrud radar; MiG-15Sbis high-altitude model with reduced armament and other changes; and MiG-15bisR with a vertical camera as well as full armament.

Early versions entered service in 1948 and large numbers (over 1,000) were supplied to China and North Korea, entering combat in 1951. No Allied fighter could stay with it and even the technically superior F-86 had inferior climb, ceiling and high-altitude turn radius. Many thousands of all versions were built, though basic deficiencies in stability and handling in violent manoeuvres caused production in the Soviet Union to switch by 1953 to the completely redesigned MiG-17. Nevertheless the MiG-15 remained an invaluable aircraft for air forces with little jet experience, being supplied to at least 18.

Mikoyan/Gurevich MiG-15

Specification 
 CREW1
 ENGINE1 x turbo-jet VK-1, 26.5kN
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight4960 kg10935 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan10.1 m33 ft 2 in
  Length10.1 m33 ft 2 in
  Height3.7 m12 ft 2 in
  Wing area20.6 m2221.74 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed1076 km/h669 mph
  Ceiling16000 m52500 ft
  Range w/max.fuel2000 km1243 miles
  Range w/max payload1400 km870 miles
 ARMAMENT1 x 37mm machine-guns, 2 x 23mm machine-guns, 400kg of bombs or missiles

Mikoyan/Gurevich MiG-15

Comments
Pablo Gutierrez, 08.09.2022 05:43

So, the soviets had brand new working full blown RR engines with rotors, stators, cores, vanes, casings, and fairings, but they needed to go to the workshop's machining stations while wearing slippers in order to get samples of shavings of the metals used for rotors, stators, cores, vanes, casings, and fairings?
Was it ukrainian soviets that were in charge of that operation? Lmao!

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Anonymous, 23.05.2020 21:34

There's a lot of plebs on this site

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Ella, e-mail, 26.06.2021 Anonymous

Are you part of the plane aristocracy?

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Paul Scott, e-mail, 18.11.2016 21:23

Nice fighter, shame Britain rather foolishly gave the Soviets the Nene engine, trusting Stalin, of all people and then having it reverse-engineered (I like that saying, when it means 'copy').

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beemerboy, e-mail, 15.06.2013 18:19

I think Vassily Pavel must be partaking of some LSD Koolaid himself. I had kin on both sides of Nastyness 2. None were Nazis Praise the Lord. If the Nazis had time travel they would be running things now. Sure glad they aren't. The buttheads in charge now are bad enough.

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SHEPHERD LOAN, e-mail, 16.07.2012 15:21

Do you need loan? if yes contact SHEPHERDGROUPSLIMITED@GMAIL.COM

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bombardier, e-mail, 18.09.2011 10:53

Can you please stop writing stupid stuff about Nazi flying saucers,alliens and time travel?

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Ben Beekman, e-mail, 01.03.2011 22:08

I think there's an error in the specifications shown above. Instead of machine guns, the aircraft carried three cannon; two 23 mm with 80 rounds per gun and one 37 mm with 40 rounds per gun. They were located in a tray under the "chin" that could be extended away from the fuselage for easy maintenance. The 400 kg of bombs or missiles stated above is probably correct.

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George Long, e-mail, 15.01.2011 06:08

This history is correct but omits an important item. The British did indeed sell Rolls-Royce Nene engines to the Soviets in 1947, around which the USSR built the very successful Mig15 and -17. It is also true that the Soviet Union switched to their own version of the RR Nene engine in 1950. How they did it is not disclosed in this report.

They stole it. Although the British were willing to sell RR jet engines, the most advanced in the world at that time, they did not want to lose control over the technology to Russia by licensing the manufacture to them. So Stalin sent technicians to tour the RR factory at the invitation of the British.
The key to the engine, in addition to the design (which the Soviets could, as they so often did, disassemble items from the west and copy each part exactly), was the specification of the metal in the stator, rotor blades, case, etc. These were critical so that the engine did not destroy itself from the heat and extreme temperature it generated.

The Soviet guests wore soft rubber soled shoes when they toured the factory, and showed special interest in each workstation that made the critical parts, allowing the machinist's metal shavings to become embedded in their soft sole shoes. Each 'guest' collected samples from each workstation related to a specific part, and no others, so when they returned to their hotel, they collected the samples for analysis of the metal in Russia.
That is how they were able to replace the British engine with a 'Soviet developed model of the RR engine'. The UK would never had continued to sell Russia engines or parts if they ever became engaged in battle with the US, France or a former close ally.
This is only one of hundreds of stories of how Soviet industrial espionage keep them (nearly) up with the West...but in the end they could not sustain it. Star Wars overwhelmed them before it even got to the early development stages. God bless Ronald Reagan.

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larbear, e-mail, 29.12.2010 16:52

To the KGB Dir. First I wouldn't disgrace dogs by comparing them to humans, they are much smarter than humans, especially Nazis and Russians. I wouldn't be to proud about the fact that Russia had to copy airframe and engine designs to make their mig 15. As far as time travel, are you sure you didn't go to Woodstock, got hooked on drugs and still are..

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Royg, e-mail, 08.12.2010 23:30

Comment to the above KGB Author:
Did Hitler use the time machine to escape, and what do you have against dogs? Oh,we were able to overcome your Mig 15 with our Saber F86.

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KGB Dir. Vassily Pavel, 11.10.2010 01:32

You stupid American and British Dogs, we took German aircraft designs and mated it with a British JET engine and we have a fighter far in advance of anything in the air in 1949! You American dogs in the CIA THINK you are clever by having German scientists and SS KG-200 PILOTS in your ranks, but you have no idea the power these people have!!
On the 1937 Nazi expedition to Tibet, the Germans found a huge flying saucer crashed into the side of a mountain at 18,000 feet up. Inside the Saucer was a written language and code that could not be understood.
In 1938 Lord of the SS Heinrich Himmler sent SS Flight Officer Anna Kreisling to Tibet where she not only learned the Runes and ancient symbols but brought back secrets which made time travel and levitation possible!
We in the KGB know of seven airbases where the Nazi's continue flying their Saucers and engaging in Gate and Time travel! AREA 51 being the most famous, but by far not the largest!
In 1939 Hitler was worried about France, their army and air force was actually larger! Hitler did not want to go to war unless Victory was certain. The SS sent Anna Kreisling through time to the year 1969 where she found herself in the middle of the Woodstock festival! Drunk Hippies and pot-smoking Americans were everywhere! She accidently drank some Kool-Aid laced with LSD and for three days she was wandering around in an ACID induced fantasy! When she was finally able to enter the Nazi Bell, she was able to return to Berlin! Her report of German victory over France and the success of CASE WHITE, is the reason Hitler invaded Poland and France!

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Frank wolfe, e-mail, 15.07.2010 22:21

no flaps on one that has sat 30 yrs.in front of a trade market in forney texas on hwy 80 near dallas texas. email me and i will send current photo.

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Tom Campbell, e-mail, 02.05.2008 00:20

Saw a MIG-15 in the Blue Angel Navel Air Museum, Pensacola, Fl. Was the aircraft ever built without flaps? Couldn't find any on the displayed version of the aircraft.

TC

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