MiG-15 was a military airplane used by the Soviet Union and its allies during the Cold War . The Cold War, which developed after World War II (1939-1945) , was a period of intense rivalry between non-Communist countries—led by the United States—and Communist nations, led by the Soviet Union. The MiG-15 was a fighter jet designed to shoot down enemy planes and attack targets on the ground and at sea. MiG-15’s most famously flew in the North Korean and Chinese air forces during the Korean War (1950-1953) .
The MiG-15 was developed in the late 1940’s, entering Soviet service in 1949. It was one of the first jet fighters used by the Soviet Air Force to make use of a swept wing, also called a swept-back wing. The tips of a swept wing angle toward the rear of the aircraft, improving a plane’s handling at high speeds. Nearly all modern jets have a swept wing. The MiG-15 was known for its fast acceleration and high-altitude capability. The plane handled well at low speeds and required little space to take off and land. The MiG-15 handled poorly at high speeds, however, and often stalled and spun into fatal dives.
During the Korean War, MiG-15’s dominated the early jets and World War II-era aircraft used by the United States and its allies. Soon after the fighter’s appearance, however, the U.S. Air Force introduced the F-86 Sabre , which also had a swept wing. MiG-15’s and F-86’s proved fearsome opponents for each other during the Korean War, and air battles between the two sometimes involved more than 100 aircraft. Many of these battles took place in an area that became known as “MiG Alley,” between the Yalu River and Pyongyang , the North Korean capital.
Most MiG-15’s carried one pilot, three rapid-fire cannons, and optional bombs and drop tanks (auxiliary fuel tanks). The MiG-15 could reach a top speed near 670 miles (1,100 kilometers) per hour and fly as high as around 55,000 feet (17,000 meters). The fighter’s range was about 1,100 miles (1,800 kilometers). The Soviet Union built about 12,000 MiG-15’s, and thousands more were made in allied countries. The MiG-15 was used in combat for many years. Some trainer versions of the jet are still in use.
