Biff Baxter, air ace, was tooling his F-86 Sabre on a routine patrol in Mig Alley, up near the Yalu River in North Korea. Suddenly there was a Mig-15 coming at him head on. They were closing at 1300 miles per hour! Biff lined up the Mig for a head on shot, but the communist pilot turned away from him. Biff pulled a high-G turn. The Mig dived and turned right. Biff dived after it. The Mig-15 pulled up a bit and Biff got on his tail. Then the Mig pilot seemed to freeze and for some seconds the two planes flew straight and level with Biff''s Sabre slowly gaining but not yet in range. Then the Mig began to weave and climb. Biff tried to stay with him but the Mig went to 45,000 feet and the Sabre was approaching its ceiling. The Mig pilot seemed confused. He dived down to 40,000 feet with Biff following. Suddenly Biff realized they were on the Chinese side of the Yalu River. In the distance a swarm of Migs was rising to intercept him. He had to break off and head for home.
In the allegedly real world Biff Baxter would have most likely been a U.S. Air Force pilot, but there were also Sabre pilots from the RAF, U.S. Marines, and even the U. S. Navy. The U.S. Air Force let the others fly as pilots on special assignment. In the game world I was Biff Baxter and you can be too. First we'll look at the big picture, the Korean War; next comes a focus on fighting in Mig Alley -- the planes and tactics. I then provide game rules and models. The game rules include the basic game, solo methods, and a postal system.
The Big Picture
The diplomats called the fighting in Korea a "Police Action." This reflects the complex diplomatic and political situation in which it was fought. Troops from sixteen countries served on the United Nations side in Korea. The other side included troops from at least three countries. It was the first hot war of the Cold War, fought on a mountainous peninsula that was scorching hot in summer and sub zero cold in winter.
The North Koreans attacked South Korea on June 25, 1950. The North Korean forces had tanks and other World War II equipment supplied by the Soviet Union. The American trained South Korean defenders had no tanks and no effective air force. The North Koreans punched across the 38th parallel and overpowered the South Koreans. Within days they were pushing the South Koreans out of their capitol, Seoul, and down the peninsula. The Americans offered support from sir and naval forces. But even with the belated addition of land forces they were unable to withstand the advancing North Koreans. By September, 1950, the defense of South Korea was a United Nations police action. The defenders were backed into a tiny corner including the port of Pusan.
On September 25, 1950, U.S. forces landed at Inchon, a port near Seoul. The landing and the follow up threatened to trap the North Koreans. The North Koreans began a rapid retreat which quickly became a rout. It was United Nations commander Douglas MacArthur's hour of glory. The UN forces pursued the disorganized North Koreans back across the 38th parallel and deep into North Korea and close to the Yalu River, the border with Manchuria. The Chinese government gave warnings but were ignored. On December 9, 1950, the Chinese made a major attack and drove the UN forces back out of North Korea. The UN forces counter attacked in January, 1951 and pushed the Chinese and North Korean forces back. Fighting stabilized along a line slanting across the 38th parallel. Both sides dug in and the fighting became a trench war. In July of 1951, truce talks began but the fighting continued until June 27, 1953 when an armistice was signed. There was no final peace treaty. The two sides exchanged prisoners but Korea has remained divided to this day.
The United Nations quickly gained control of the waters around Korea. Naval aircraft from the carriers of the Royal Navy and the U. S. Navy provided air support, and naval guns pounded targets on the coast.
The North Korean air force was made up of Soviet planes from World War II. They energetically supported the land attack until United Nations air forces fairly quickly established air superiority. The UN forces had some World War II planes and some jets. Close air support was very important. Some jet units (F-80s) were refitted with piston engine planes (F-51s) because the F-51s had a greater range and were therefore better at close air support. Air superiority was assumed to be a given.
Introduction of the MiG-15 and F-86
Those days of easy dominance ended when the Chinese introduced the Mig-15 into the sky over Korea on November 1, 1950. It outclassed the F-51 Mustang, flew 100 miles per hour faster than the F-80 and could run circles around the Panthers of the U.S. Navy. Royal Navy Meteors were also outclassed.
- [CORRECTION from # 145: In my article “MIG Alley”, I stated that Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy flew Meteors over Korea. Not true. Fleet Air Arm flew the following types: Seafire, Sea Fury, Firefly 5, Auster AOP6, and L-9. Naval air in the Korean War was assigned the roll of air support for ground troops. I regret the error.]
The United Nations forces needed a faster fighter. Fortunately, the F-86 Sabre was available and entered Korean airspace on December 15, 1950. These two planes, Mig-15 and F-86, fought in the skies over Korea for the rest of the war. This combat is the subject of the dogfight game that follows.
The Mig-15 was the result of Soviet borrowing from two sources. The engine was a copy of the Rolls-Royce Nene. The swept wing design was based on German research. The Soviets designed a light, rugged fighter that could operate off of primitive airstrips. It had a higher ceiling and a faster rate of climb than the F-86. Its guns were powerful but its gun sight was not very good. Mig-15 pilots included some very capable men, called "honchos" by F-86 pilots, and many less experienced pilots, called "students" by F-86 pilots. Student pilots were prone to panic. Some would eject if engaged. The Mig-15 seat only had armor on the back. Some pilots were unwilling to turn because they would be exposing their unarmored sides to the enemy. The Mig-15 was unstable at high altitudes.
The F-86 Sabre was first designed as a straight winged aircraft; then revised to swept wing. From the start, it was a sweet flying plane. It was heavier than the Mig-15 and had a more sophisticated gun sight. Some pilots talked of lightening the plane by removing the sight and shooting using a wad of gum stuck on the windshield. The U.S. Air Force made comparisons between an F-86 and a Mig-15 which was delivered by a defecting pilot. The F-86 tested as faster than the Mig-15, but the Mig-15 was faster at the start. Communist pilots believed the F-86 could out turn the Mig-15. Pilots of the F-86 were, at first, veterans of World War II. Later replacement pilots were tutored by these veterans. Both sides agree pilot quality gave the F-86 an edge. The F-86A had six 50 caliber machine guns. This armament was a bit light for knocking out Mig-15s. Later models went to four 20 millimeter cannon. Both planes went through some changes during the police action.
Mig-15s flew from airfields in Manchuria. Due to the political situation Sabre jets were forbidden to attack targets in Manchuria. A Mig-15 pilot who got in trouble could evade by returning to Manchuria or climbing to an altitude the Sabre could not reach. Tactics used by the Mig-15 pilots were based on these advantages. Mig-15 s would fly over North Korea from bases in Manchuria to intercept United Nations bombing raids. In general, most engagements took place in the Northern corner of North Korea which became known as "Mig Alley."
MiG-15 Tactics
United Nations forces catalogued several standard Mig-15 tactics. Three of the more common were the Yo-Yo, the Hit and Run, and the Decoy. The Yo-Yo started in a lufberry circle, each plane covering the other's tail. The circle was above the F-86's ceiling. Then attacking Mig-15s would dive down to take a quick shot and zoom up to another lufberry circle. When all Migs had attacked, they would take another turn. The Hit and Run was very simple. Mig-15s crossed the border into North Korea at high altitude and made one diving pass at the F-86s; then zoomed back to the border. In the Decoy, the Mig-15 had a few decoy planes below the F-86s and another above. When the F86s attacked the decoys, the Mig-15s from above would pounce on the F-86s.
Sabre pilots flew in a finger four formation which became two teams in combat. They tried to get the Migs to mix it up in a turning fight. They also tried to have another formation coming along behind in a "train" to cover their tails. Usually the F-86s were serving as cover for air strikes.
The reports of United Nations kill ratios run as high as 12 ˝ to 1, destroying 949 planes in the air and 89 on the ground. There were 78 Sabres lost in air combat and 792 Migs claimed as kills. Soviet pilots claimed 651 Sabres killed. The Chinese and North Koreans claimed 181 Sabres killed. The official losses reported were 335 for the Soviets and 231 for the North Koreans and Chinese. The numbers don't seem to match, no surprise here. Fighter pilots in every air force claim more kills than they achieve. Numbers on losses are more accurate. Looking at the official losses, the F-86 still comes out the winner. That is 78 F-86 Sabres lost by the UN and 566 Mig-15s lost by the communist forces.
More Korea MiG Alley
Related
- WWII Flying Tigers [LW # 136]
MiG Pilot Korean War Solo Game [LW # 145]
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