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Aircraft History Built by Mikoyan and Gurevich Design Bureau as МиГ-15bis / MiG-15bis serial number 2015357. At the factory, completed with a natural aluminum finish. Disassembled and shipped to the Far East and reassembled. Delivered to the Korean People's Air Force (KPAF). This aircraft had the North Korean star insignia on the rear fuselage and squadron number 2057 in red with a white outline on each side of the nose. Inside the cockpit below the gun sight was the phrase "Pour out and zero in this vindictive ammunition to the damn Yankees!" in red Chosŏn'gŭl (Korean). Korean War History On September 21, 1953 took off from Sunan Airfield piloted by Lt. No Kum-Sok (No Kum So) on an armed patrol and defected by crossing the 38th parallel demilitarized zone (DMZ) into the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and landed at Kimpo Air Base (K-14). One of the first U.N. personnel to reach the aircraft after landing was Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Flight Lt. Norm Williams, No. 77 Squadron operations officer. Afterwards, American officials offered to return it to the owners, but there was no response to the offer from North Korea, China or the Soviet Union. The jet was partially dismantled for shipment to the United States but instead transported to Okinawa and reassembled. In American custody, the plane had a U.S. Air Fore star applied to each side of the fuselage and wings. The nose and tail had a black stenciled "616" and "U.S. Air Force" applied. Inside the cockpit, the metric instruments were replaced with USAF instruments and added an accelerometer, air temperature gauge and later a gun camera attached to the gun sight. On September 28, 1953 in the evening at Kadena AFB preliminary engine and taxi tests were performed. On September 29, 1953 took off from Kadena AFB piloted by USAF test pilot Captain Tom Collins who became the first American to fly a MiG-15 and made preliminary flight test with F-86 Saber chase planes and film footage was recorded of the flight test. The armament was tested with range testing and aerial firing to test the accuracy of the gun sight. Later test flight were made by Major Chuck Yeager. After exhaustive testing, the United States then offered to return the airplane to its "rightful owners" but there was no response to the offer from North Korea, China or the Soviet Union. During December 1953, disassembled and airlifted to Wright-Patterson AFB. In November 1957, transferred to the National Museum of the United States Air Force (USAF Museum) in the Korean War Gallery opposite F-86A Sabre 49-1067. The exhibit includes the U.S. Treasury $100,000 check dated April 27, 1954 given to defector pilot No Kum-Sok with his signature on the back. Over the years, the former pilot has repeatedly visited the USAF Museum and provided input for the exhibit. His final visit and lecture beside his former jet was on January 18, 2018. By 2018, the MiG-15 exhibit was updated with the cockpit canopy open and at the right side of the nose a life size cutout of former pilot Lt. No Kum-Sok (No Kum So) wearing flight gear and his parachute. Behind is a Klimov VK-1 turbojet engine on a jig. Behind on black dividers is a large black and white photo of parked MiG-15s. Photographs of the cockpit show English labels for original instruments and some U.S. equipment added for flight testing. References National Museum of the United States Air Force (USAF Museum) - Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis (photos) National Museum of the United States Air Force (USAF Museum) - The Story of the MiG-15bis on Display (photos) Propaganda leaflet command report (1-30 April 1953), 1st Radio Broadcasting & Leaflet Group, 8239th Army Unit Headquarters, Camp Tokyo, Far East Command. Record Group 407, E. 429, AYUT 8239; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD Korean War Nominal Roll - Norman Francis Williams, O36346 AP News "We Flew The MiG (USAF Film)" G02557 (flight footage) Yeager: An Autobiography (1986) by Chuck Yeager pages 258-264, 328, 343, 430 (index) "We were told to run a complete flight test on it, as if it were a brand new airplane, plot its speed, power, climb rate..." A MiG-15 to Freedom: Memoir of the Wartime North Korean Defector Who First Delivered the Secret Fighter Jet to the Americans in 1953 (1996, 2007) by No Kum-Sok The Great Leader and the Fighter Pilot: The True Story of the Tyrant Who Created North Korea and the Young Lieutenant Who Stole His Way to Freedom (2015) by Blaine Harden Thanks to No Kum-Sok (Kenneth Rowe) for additional information Contribute
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