Mikoyan/Gurevich MiG-15, 1948

After the war the Soviet Union suffered from lack of gas-turbine experience and designed its first generation of jet aircraft to use engines of basically German origin. The picture was transformed by the supply from Britain of the latest Rolls-Royce Nene, which immediately went into production at No 45 production factory in Moscow, designated RD-45 after the factory. The design bureau of Mikoyan and Gurevich immediately used the new engine in the I-310 fighter prototype, flown with a Rolls-built Nene 2 on 30 December 1947. It was by far the best of several designs built to a 1946 specification.

After intensive testing the type went into production in early 1948 as the MiG-15 (NATO Fagot), well ahead of any other Mach 0.9-plus all-swept aircraft other than the F-86 which was roughly similar in timing. After the first batches the engine switched to the RD-45F rated at 22.26kN. Armament comprised a 37mm N-37 with 40 rounds and two 23mm NS-23KM each with 80 rounds, all mounted under the nose. The aircraft was of advanced conception but extremely simple and well-adapted to primitive environments. Internal fuel totalled 1,460 litres, augmented by two underwing drop-tanks. There were no avionics other than an HF radio and a homing receiver and the gunsight was copied from the British GGS Mk 2. Production under licence was begun in Poland as the LlM-1 and in Czechoslovakia as the S-102.

In 1950 the MiG-15bis replaced the earlier model, with a 26.48kN VK-1 engine (a Soviet development of the Nene), reduced structure weight and much augmented avionics. Polish and Czech versions were designated LIM-2 and S-103. Later variants included the MiG-15UTI dual-control tandem trainer (NATO Midget); MiG-15P all-weather interceptor with Izumrud radar; MiG-15Sbis high-altitude model with reduced armament and other changes; and MiG-15bisR with a vertical camera as well as full armament.

Early versions entered service in 1948 and large numbers (over 1,000) were supplied to China and North Korea, entering combat in 1951. No Allied fighter could stay with it and even the technically superior F-86 had inferior climb, ceiling and high-altitude turn radius. Many thousands of all versions were built, though basic deficiencies in stability and handling in violent manoeuvres caused production in the Soviet Union to switch by 1953 to the completely redesigned MiG-17. Nevertheless the MiG-15 remained an invaluable aircraft for air forces with little jet experience, being supplied to at least 18.

MiG-17 Fresco Specifications

Primary Function: Fighter-bomber
Contractor: Mikoyan-Gurevich
Crew: One
Unit Cost: N/A
Powerplant: One Valer Klimov VK-1 turbojet with 5,952 lbs of thrust

Dimensions
Length: 36 ft, 5 in (11.1 m)
Wingspan: 31 ft, 7 in (9.64 m)
Height: 12 ft, 6 in

Weights
Empty: 8,664 lb (3930 kg)
Maximum Takeoff: 13,379 lb (6069 kg)

Performance
Speed: 711 mph (1145 km/h / 617 knots)
Ceiling: 54,460 ft (16600 m)
Range: 870 miles

Armament
Three NR-23 23-mm cannons with provisions for underwing, air-to-air rockets or 1,102 lb of bombs


Sumber dan foto: http://www.aviastar.org/ (maaf blm sempat translate)