mig15bisfagot

MiG-15 of the the People's Republic of North Korea after defection by Kom Suk No, and flight tested on Okinawa by an American team of Chuck Yeager, Tom Collins, and AFFTC head COL Al Boyd. The USAF-style buzz number on the nose - TC-616 - was derived from the first name initials of the first two American pilots: "Tom" and "Chuck." The marking on the tip of the vertical fin relates to the USAF's Air Research & Development Center (ARDC). The aircraft nows resides in the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, restored to her PRNKAF markings.

This MiG-15bis ("Red 2057", c/n 2015357) was flown to Kimpo by North Korean defector No Kum-Sok. Among the very first American pilots to fly this MiG-15 and evaluate its performance was none other than US Air Force Test Pilot Chuck Yeager. See film here: YouTube - Zeno's Warbirds - US Air Force film: 'We Flew The MiG'" The aircraft is now on exhibit at the National Museum of the US Air Force ("Air Force Museum") in Dayton, Ohio. See here: www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=275 Photo Credit: Flickr user Phil Blinkhorn [http://www.flickr.com/photos/philbky/16207909558/]

MiG-15 of the the People's Republic of North Korea after defection by Kom Suk No, and flight tested on Okinawa by an American team of Chuck Yeager, Tom Collins, and AFFTC head COL Al Boyd. The USAF-style buzz number on the nose - TC-616 - was derived from the first name initials of the first two American pilots: "Tom" and "Chuck." The shield on the mid-fuselage appears to be that of the 81st Fighter Bomber Wing - I have no idea of the circumstances surrounding its application, since that was a USAFE (European-based) unit... The aircraft nows resides in the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, restored to her PRNKAF markings.