As the routed North Korean Peoples Army (NKPA) withdrew into the mountainous reaches of their country and the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) funneled in its massive infantry formations in preparation for a momentous counter-offensive, both lacked adequate air power to challenge US and UN. Reluctantly, Josef Stalin agreed to provide the requisite air cover, introducing the superior swept-wing MiG-15 to counter the Americans straight-wing F-80 jets. This in turn prompted the USAF to deploy its very best the F-86A Sabre to counter this threat. Thus began a two-and-a-half-year struggle in the skies known as MiG Alley. In this period, the unrelenting campaign for aerial superiority witnessed the introduction of successive models of these two revolutionary jets into combat. This meticulously researched study not only provides technical descriptions of the two types and their improved variants, complete with a fighter pilots assessment of these aircraft, but also chronicles the entire scope of their aerial duel in MiG Alley by employing the recollections of the surviving combatants including Russian, Chinese, and North Korean pilots who participated.

Contents:

Introduction

Chronology

Design and Development

Technical Specifications

The Strategic Situation

The Combatants

Combat

Statistics and Analysis

Aftermath

Bibliography

Index