Specialty Press

Warbird Tech Series

Volume 40

Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15 Fagot

by Yefim Gordon and Peter Davison

Reviewed By Phil Pignataro, #17254

MSRP: $16.95 USD

The latest in a long line of titles from their WARBIRD TECH SERIES, Specialty Press has released a very thorough treatment of the MiG-15.  This volume is unique, I believe, in that it presents an historical look at this early jet fighter from the Soviet perspective.  The 8x11 inch, soft cover, book begins with an extensive history of the design of the aircraft with attention given to the reasons “why” things developed as they did.  Numerous B/W photos detail the prototypes.  An interesting side story in this section is how NATO chose their reporting name for this fighter.  Next, there is a look at the variants including an aerial refueling test bed and a parasite fighter with the Tu-4.  The authors also cover the 2-seat (UTI) trainer version.  The MiG-15 flew in the air forces of many nations so the authors cover its’ licensed production and operational users.  As in previous chapters, there are numerous photos accompany the text.  There is one page with three-view drawings of the MiG-15, MiG-15bis and UTI MiG-15.  No scale is given, so the drawings are not too useful.  I would have liked these drawings in 1/72 or 1/48 scale.

Eight pages of color photographs adorn the middle of the book.  There are several eye-catching camouflage schemes here as well as close-up photos of the engine.  Following this section is a very detailed discussion of the various aircraft systems.  You can really learn about the “nuts and bolts” of the fuel, hydraulic, electrical, pressurization, armament and several other systems.  The level of detail was pretty deep for me personally and I found myself skimming some of the systems.  There are some useful photos and drawings of these areas including the cockpit.

For most aviation buffs, the MiG-15 evokes memories of the Korean Conflict with its combat against the F-86.  However, it was involved in other battles and the authors cover not only Korea, but also China and the Middle East.  This is the part of the book where the Soviet point of view comes to the forefront.  I was particularly interested in the discussion about Russian participation in the Korean air war and their kill-ratio against the Sabre.  The authors also talk about the “ineffectiveness” of the Sabre’s .50 caliber guns against the MiG-15.  There are other comments on the air war that I had not heard before.  Obviously, this is an area that cries for more research.  One final section covers MiG-15 models available in the various scales.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and learned some new information about this historically important jet fighter.  There are enough photos and drawings to satisfy the modeler’s reference needs and plenty of material for the historian.   I would recommend it for anyone interested in early jets or Russian aircraft.  You can order Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15 Fagot directly from Specialty Press at 1-800-895-4548 or online from www.specialtypress.com.  Many thanks to John Noack and Karin Hill of Specialty Press for providing the review sample. 

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