World Famous Comics: Soviet MiG-15 Aces of the Korean War (Aircraft of the Aces)
Soviet MiG-15 Aces of the Korean War (Aircraft of the Aces)
By: Leonid Krylov Publisher: Osprey Publishing Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Osprey Publishing Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 96 Publication Date: May 20, 2008 Release Date: May 20, 2008
The Soviet Union began assisting the People's Republic of China in its establishment of a modern air force in 1950, when Soviet Air Force regiments were sent to train local pilots. China's involvement in the Korean War in late October 1950 inevitably drew Soviet pilots into the war. A total of 52 Soviet pilots scored five or more victories in the Korean War. The history of these covert actions has been a long-buried secret and this book will be the first English publication to detail the only instance when the Cold War between Russia and the US became "hot." This book uncovers Soviet combat experiences during the Korean War from detailed unit histories and rare first-hand accounts. With access to extensive Russian archives, the authors offer an enthralling insight into an air war that has been largely covered up and neglected, illustrated with previously unpublished photographs and detailed full-color profiles.
The decision to send Russian Pilots to Korea I enjoy see the gun pictures of the MIG when they are engaging American aircraft. The authors do an execllent job explaining how difficult it was for the Russians to verified the kills. However, there was nothing about in the book about the Russians getting together with the North Korean authorities to strengthen the radar stations and ground observers system, to help verified the air kills easily and quickly for the pilots. The Germans had a such system in World War I and World War II. In addition, the Germans had to maintain visual sight of their victims crashing to the ground while at the same time they had to avoid being shot down. Furthermore, the German pilots had to fill out very detailed combat reports in order to get confirmation of the victories.
Finally, the book does not given the political, social, and military circumstances why the Russian government send its pilots to fight in Korea. The Russian pilots just did not decide to go to Korea on their own free will for the heck of it. In addition, there was no mention of how many of the Russian MIG aces were aces from World War II.
A comprehensive survey of how the USSR's top planes performed Leonid Krylov and Yuriy Tepsurkaev's SOVIET MIG-15 ACES OF THE KOREAN WAR joins others in Osprey's 'Aircraft of the Aces' series, providing a comprehensive survey of how the USSR's top planes performed and made a big difference in Korea, surveying the first generation of jet fighters in Korea. Pilot exploits are covered in black and white and color, here.
And Now You Know the Rest of the Story: Russian MiGs in the Korean War! Back in September 2006, when I reviewed Warren Thompson's F-86 SABRE ACES OF THE 4TH FIGHTER WING, I commented that it would be great if Osprey had a "MiG-15 Aces of the Korean War" book in the works. Well, here 'tis...and not only is Leonid Krylov's book interesting but it's sure to be controversial as well.
Russia committed many MiG-15 units to the Korean conflict. It's only recently that details of this large-scale but top-secret involvement has been documented. SOVIET MiG-15 ACES OF THE KOREAN WAR is based on 17 years of research in Russian archives and interviews with 64th Fighter Air Corps pilots.
First of all, Krylov does an admirable job of relating the Korean air battles from the Soviet side including many first-hand reminiscences and combat reports. By war's end 52 Soviet MiG-15 pilots claimed five or more kills, 13 of those claimed ten or more victories. In terms of F-86s alone, those MiG pilots were credited with downing 574 Sabres while losing 335 MiGs in return...and therein lies the rub.
According to USAF sources, F-86s downed over 790 MiG-15s while losing 78 Sabres in return. 78 losses vs. 574 claims; 790 claims vs. 335 losses; hmm!?! If you factor in Chinese MiGs downed by F-86s, you'll probably get close to the 790 American claims but how to reconcile the 78/574 figures. In truth, Krylov's book could be subtitled: "Few of These Losses Tally with USAF Figures." To his credit, Krylov, time and again, points out the disparity between Soviet and American claims/loss figures but the overall impression is one of tremendous overclaiming by the Soviets.
Pilots such as Oskin, Pepelyaev, Sutyagin, Shchukin and Kramarenko were obviously skilled pilots; some had been aces in WWII. They obviously triumphed over some USAF F-86 pilots - including a few top aces - but it will take monumental research to come to a final, accurate Korean air war tally.
In the meantime, SOVIET MiG-15 ACES OF THE KOREAN WAR is a good start; an obviously well-researched and well-written overview of the topic. It includes over 70 rare photographs of pilots, aircraft and gun-camera scenes. (Given the awful footage MiG-15 gun-cameras produced, it's not wonder there is such overclaiming!) Yuriy Tepsurkaev also contributes nine pages of nicely done color profiles. I would have loved an index and also a map since the MiG pilots kept referring to Korea Bay, Cape Unzenly, etc.
Short and sweet summary: Highly recommended.
SOVIET MIG-15 ACES OF THE KOREAN WAR Well written by Leonid Krylov,this is a rare look through its excellent narration, vintage photography and drawings of the Soviet air crews participation in the Korean War on the side of its allies North Korea and Red China. This historical and very descriptive books reveals the photographs, the Mig-15 jet fighters and some other Russian aircraft, names and rank of the Soviet pilots (some of them dead in dogfights)during this conflict 1950-1953. I highly recommend this book to all military aviation enthusiasts as well as military historians.
A book that couldn't have been written 20 years ago This is an excellent look at the MiG pilots who flew aircraft marked as PLA and North Korean fighters. During the Cold War the USSR never acknowledged the involvement of its pilots in Korea (despite the fact that Russian voice intercepts were monitored during aerial combat) and public acknoeledgement of their accomplishments were not made. Many of these pilots were WWII veterans who had gained notoriety fighting the Luftwaffe.
For the first time we learn the names of many of these pilots, we see their pictures and we learn what units they were assigned to. The artwork illustrating the paint schemes on the MiG-15s flown during the war is very well done as well. It's a pity that no map is included to outline the operational areas where the MiGs flew.
Also, the Russian author never discusses the REASON for the secrecy surrounding these pilots or the great lengths the Soviets went to perpetuate the cover story that North Korean and Chinese pilots against UN forces. Political constraints put artificial limitations on the Soviet pilots, preventing them from flying over areas in which they might be captured if shot down. I would have liked to have learned what the pilots thought of all this.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
