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Flying/Fighting-wise, How is the Mig-15 Different from the F-86


Bearfoot

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I have the F-86. It's a great module, but never got too much into it. Now there appears to be a resurgence of interest in jet-powered guns-guns-guns A2A, I looking at maybe dabbling in this era of aircraft again. For those who have or otherwise flown both the F-86 and Mig-15, could you share you opinions/experiences in comparing the two? Is the Mig-15 different enough from the F-86 that you fly it differently? E.g., as a boom-and-zoomer rather than a turn-and-burner or vice versa? Is it more finicky or tamer? etc. etc.

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I'm no expert, but the sabre is faster in a dive. The mig will be harder to handle at near mach. I THINK that the mig is better at climbing. The mig doesn't have quite as fancy of a gunsight. The mig has bigger ammunition (the cannon).

 

Other than that they seem quite similar. When in fights they feel very well matched in my opinion. I love the mig and if you like the sabre I would recommend getting it for a ONLY slightly different experience.

[DoW]King

Owned Aircraft: P-51D, F-86F, Bf 109 K-4, MiG-15bis, MiG 21bis, Ka-50, Mirage 2000, Spitfire LF Mk. IX, AV8B N/A

HOTAS: Saitek AV8R-01, Saitek X-55 Throttle

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  • 2 weeks later...
I have the F-86. It's a great module, but never got too much into it. Now there appears to be a resurgence of interest in jet-powered guns-guns-guns A2A, I looking at maybe dabbling in this era of aircraft again. For those who have or otherwise flown both the F-86 and Mig-15, could you share you opinions/experiences in comparing the two? Is the Mig-15 different enough from the F-86 that you fly it differently? E.g., as a boom-and-zoomer rather than a turn-and-burner or vice versa? Is it more finicky or tamer? etc. etc.

 

The MIG is very much a boom and zoomer in comparison to the Sabre. According to Soviet MiG pilots in Korea: Climb to cruise, spot enemy, dive @800KM/H using airbrakes to maintain speed and pull away for wing-man to do the same.

 

source: MiG Menace Over Korea - Yuri Sutiagin

 

The MIG is slightly faster in a combat climb but the Sabre dives faster.

But overall in terms of performance they are quite similar.

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In addition to the above, Mig-15 should have a somewhat better sustained turn, but a worse roll rate compared to F86.

 

Mig15 is a really nice, simply plane to fly - I enjoy a lot. Can't say how it stacks up to F86 in DCS though - I finally bought the F86 module last week, but yet to fly it (one of these days).

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So, I broke down and got the Mig-15.

 

My impressions, compared to the F-86:

 

 

(1) A lot more tricky and a lot less forgiving to fly well in combat.

 

You have to keep your speed within a particular window to maintain performance/control. Too slow and you become sluggish, or, worse, stall/spin. Too high and it becomes very difficult to control. This speed window is not only small, but is easily exceeded even in normal (straight and level) flight. On the other end, it does not take extreme turns to drop below the window either.

 

The F-86, by contrast, is a lot more forgiving easier for a bad pilot to fly: no real upper limit on speed window (except maybe powered dive?). And not only do you really, really, really have to overdo the turn to lose speed enough to stall, but: (a) you maintain full control of the aircraft until that point (no real degradation of performance); (b) you have lots of warning before things get out of control; and © it is easier to regain control.

 

 

(2) An absolute beast of a climber!

 

As advertised!

 

 

(3) Some sort of je ne sais quoi cachet to it!

 

This one is subjective, but there is something about that stubby silver cigar with arrowhead swept-back wings that is very, very, very, very, very, very alluring. Simple, tough, not brutish by any means but neither would anyone call it elegant. Weird that I don't (right now) feel the same "romance" for the F-86 because they look very similar, but there is a rustic/historic/nostalgic charm about the Mig-15 that makes me want to fly it over the F-86 regardless of the comparative performance pros and cons!

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The MIG is very much a boom and zoomer in comparison to the Sabre. According to Soviet MiG pilots in Korea: Climb to cruise, spot enemy, dive @800KM/H using airbrakes to maintain speed and pull away for wing-man to do the same.

 

source: MiG Menace Over Korea - Yuri Sutiagin

 

The MIG is slightly faster in a combat climb but the Sabre dives faster.

But overall in terms of performance they are quite similar.

 

How is this book?

 

Is it heavy on the "smell the cordite and feel the G's, push this button and pull the stick" sort of detail? Lots of descriptions of air combat maneuvers etc.? Details on life as a Soviet pilot in Korea, or the general conditions (barracks, personnel, etc.) of Korea? Propaganda?

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How is this book?

 

Is it heavy on the "smell the cordite and feel the G's, push this button and pull the stick" sort of detail? Lots of descriptions of air combat maneuvers etc.? Details on life as a Soviet pilot in Korea, or the general conditions (barracks, personnel, etc.) of Korea? Propaganda?

 

You can preview the book in Amazon, I don't think it will much of what you are looking for as was not written by Sutiagin himself (he died in 1986 and did not write any books).

 

"The Last War of the Superfortresses: MiG-15 vs B-29 over Korea" - I've read the original Russian version of the book and it's rather good. Authors actually published another book in Russian covering Mig-15 vs F-86, but sadly I can't find it in English (given that above book was only published in English last year, perhaps this one will be coming out soon though). Both books are analyses of the air war in Korea and are a must read if you want to know/learn the war from the other side. Detailed (almost day by day if I'm not mistaken) reports of Soviet Mig's in action, but both have a few personal account thrown in here and there.

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Migs didnt have hydrolics either and dont hold me to it but i seem to remember them to turn quicker/tighter but again the hydrolics were an issue..Plud the above info....

 

If you ever get the chance,watch the show on the history channel(and you tube) called dog fights...Those boys who flew a # of these planes in dcs pass on some tips...Nice lil added learning tool and some nice graffics of past conflicts..

The "SCALES" of aeronautical performance will weigh heavily on your next move..

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  • 5 weeks later...
How is this book?

 

Is it heavy on the "smell the cordite and feel the G's, push this button and pull the stick" sort of detail? Lots of descriptions of air combat maneuvers etc.? Details on life as a Soviet pilot in Korea, or the general conditions (barracks, personnel, etc.) of Korea? Propaganda?

 

Sorry for late reply; I dont visit the forums often!

 

The book is very good, I didnt find it very propaganda-y at all, if anything it was (at least appeared to be ) very honest.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, learning about how the Red side lived and fought. And actually having read it, it makes you wonder about how inflated the Sabre's kills were in the Sabre vs MIG environment.

 

Some of the issues are broken down:

-Skill difference between USSR and DPRK

-DPRK's MIG15 vs USSR's MIG15Bis

-USSR vs US Sabre

 

I think having read it carefully, it would seem that the Kill-Death ratio between the USSR and US Sabres may in fact be much closer than it is usually published.

 

At the back of the book there are the specific details of the hull losses and kills.

Also of interest is the prop/meteor jets in the threate and the early US jets which had little chance against the MIG15.

 

Its also a very nice look into the life of the Soviet aviator in this period, their training and life in general.

Lots of action elements woven in between.

 

I seriously recommend this book.

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