MiG Alley: Sabres Vs. MiGs Over Korea [Hardcover]

Warren E Thompson (Author), David R. McLaren (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2002

MiGs Vs Sabres Over Korea relates the intense air battles fought by F-86 Sabres and MiG-15s over North Korea's infamous "MiG Alley" during the Korean War. Included are in-depth interviews with F-86 pilots that explain tactics and details of encounters and kills against MiG pilots - most of whom were from the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact countries. Coverage of the fighter-bomber version of the Sabre that was operational during the final months of the war is included. An outstanding feature of this book is that it provides a day-by-day running account of MiG versus Sabre air battles and a detailed record of the fate of each and every SabreJet that served in Korea.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Specialty Press (July 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580070582
• ISBN-13: 978-1580070584
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 10 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,650,627 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sabres Vs MiGs-Aviation History at its Best!, March 17, 2003

By 

Lawrence R. Mayes (Rapid City, SD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: MiG Alley: Sabres Vs. MiGs Over Korea (Hardcover)

This is the best aviation war fighting book this reviewer has ever read. It grabs the reader's interest from the flyleaf and doesn't let go until the last word. Authors have put together a comprehensive history of the F-86 Sabre jet and its pilots and ground crews through the words and photographs of the men who flew and maintained this great jet throughout the Korean War. This uniquely crafted history is made up of individual short stories, primarily by the pilots, which describe every aspect of fighting against the mysterious and capable MiG-15. The book essentially follows the chronology of the war, focusing on the evolution of the Sabre, the refinement of tactics against the MiG-15 and the molding of the airmen into effective teams to overcome the significant advantages of the MiG-15 in certain flight regimes. The personal, honest and exciting stories the pilots tell of combats, both successful and sometimes not, are so compelling the reader feels as if they are witnessing the event. There is humor, heroism and tragedy in these stories, many gleaned from these Sabre drivers in recent interviews, yet clear and compelling despite the passage of fifty years. These memories are related by not only the "aces," but also by many of the younger pilots who earned the everlasting affection of their Element and Flight Leads by "covering their six" and allowing them to engage the MiGs without fear of being shot down in turn. The book is rich with color photographs, many published for the first time, of Sabres, airfields, ground crews and aviators which give the book a vibrancy which perfectly compliments its text. Appendixes show the ultimate disposition of every Sabre that served in Korea; list the case of every Sabre loss during the war; list every confirmed F-86 kill; and name all of the U. S. aces during the war. These appendixes add a very nice compendium for those who wish greater detail. This is a wonderfully written, professionally composed and thoroughly enjoyable book which is a MUST READ for anyone interested in combat aviation.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Aviation History, October 7, 2006

By 

Michael Slater (Ashburn, VA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: MiG Alley: Sabres Vs. MiGs Over Korea (Hardcover)

Outstanding military aviation history of the desperate aerial battles fought over North Korea in the Korean War. The first person accounts and color photos are superb. Highly recommended for those interested in reading about a small group of fighter pilots who were often outnumbered but rarely outfought in the freezing skies over MiG Alley.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brave men who make me Proud to be an American, August 4, 2006

By 

Mary K. Gillum (Indianapolis, Indiana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: MiG Alley: Sabres Vs. MiGs Over Korea (Hardcover)

This is a book that every American should read. The first hand accounts of the pilots who flew the F86 in combat against the MIG is so impressive. This is history told by those men who made it and should be recognized as a documentary that will live long after all of these men are gone. I have met many of the men who have written their stories and you can be sure they have told their story in a very humble way, only using fact and not embellishing it in any way. The photographs is the book are great also. Read this book. You will not be able to put it down.