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F-86 Sabre vs. MiG-15: The Manitoban Who Downed the Last MiG of the Korean War


Text by Lt Col (ret) Robert Nash for the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada.

During the Korean War, United Nations pilots flying the F-86 Sabre were involved in some of the earliest jet-to-jet battles in history. Their primary opponent was the Soviet-built Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15, which was flown by North Korean, Soviet and Chinese pilots. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful jet fighters to incorporate swept wings to achieve high transonic speeds. In aerial combat, it clearly outclassed Western straight-winged jet-powered, day fighters, which were largely relegated to ground-attack roles. In response to the entry of the MiG-15 into the war, the United States Air Force (USAF) rushed the F-86 Sabre to Korea.

Compared to the F-86, the MiG-15 had heavier cannon armament, better climb rate, higher acceleration, greater level speed at 20,000 feet, and a higher combat ceiling. The F-86 had machine gun armament, better dive, deceleration and rate of roll, and a slight advantage in turn radius. The F-86 also had important capability advantages, including a radar-ranging gunsight, drop tanks and a pilot’s G-suit. Later versions of the MiG-15 introduced a G-suit and drop tanks.

A combat mission in the F-86 Sabre normally consisted of flying about 300 kilometres over enemy territory to “MiG Alley”, near the Chinese border, patrolling, contacting and fighting with the MiG-15, and returning home. A round-trip mission usually took about 90 minutes: 30 minutes to MiG Alley on drop tanks and 60 minutes on internal fuel.

USAF North American F-86 Sabre fighters from the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing Checkertails are readied for combat during the Korean War at Suwon Air Base
USAF North American F-86 Sabre fighters from the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing Checkertails are readied for combat during the Korean War at Suwon Air Base. U.S. Air Force photo 070727-F-2911S-028

Canadians flew Sabres during the Korean War

The North Korean Army attacked into South Korea in June 1950. Hostilities ended when a ceasefire was agreed in July 1953. During that three-year period, 23 RCAF pilots flew American and Canadian-built F-86 Sabres in combat with the USAF’s 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing at Kimpo Airbase (AB) or the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing at Suwon AB.

Those RCAF pilots served for six months or 50 combat missions, whichever came first. Fifty missions normally took three to four months. Hostile MiGs were sighted on about 10 per cent of all missions, and even fewer missions involved combat. There were no fatalities in this group, but many experienced close calls.

RCAF pilots completed over 900 combat sorties and accounted for nine kills, two probables and ten damaged MiG-15s for no losses of their own. Approximately twenty percent of those combat sorties were flown in the Sabre Mk2 provided to the USAF by Canadair. Eight RCAF pilots received the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and ten received the Air Medal during their service with the USAF. Three Canadians were shot down over Korea.

Squadron Leader Andrew MacKenzie DFC, a 2nd World War Spitfire pilot with eight “kills” to his credit, was shot down and captured during his fifth mission in an F-86 over Korea. He spent two years as a prisoner-of-war in China. He was the last and only RCAF pilot to be awarded the Commonwealth DFC since the 2nd World War. He was present when Sabre Mk6 1815 was unveiled at the Canadian Aviation Museum of Western Canada in 1997.

RCAF Pilot John MacKay DFC
Squadron Leader John MacKay DFC

Manitoban over Korea

Squadron Leader John MacKay DFC was born in Winnipeg in 1920. During the 2nd World War, MacKay was one of five Canadian pilots who participated in the first aerial engagement in which five RCAF fighter pilots combined to destroy a German Me-262 jet fighter. MacKay is credited with destroying 12 and damaging six German fighters and was awarded the DFC.

When North Korea invaded South Korea in June 1950, MacKay was training as an instructor in England. After helping 416 Squadron, recently deployed to RAF North Luffenham in England with 1 Wing, adapt to its new F-86 Sabres, Squadron Leader John MacKay finally deployed to Korea in April 1953. He was posted with the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing at Suwon AB. Over the next four months he logged just under 75 hours flying the F-86 Sabre in combat.

On 30 June 1953, 16 MiG-15 were shot down over Korea, a one day record for the war. John MacKay was leading a flight of four F-86 aircraft when he saw a lone MiG-15 on the tail of another group of friendly aircraft. He closed to within range and fired, scoring hits in the tail section; the MIG pilot ejected, and his plane crashed into the ground. It was the last MiG-15 destroyed during the war, which ended a month later. MacKay was the last Canadian to engage in air combat during the war.

Despite adverse weather conditions, hazardous terrain and numerically superior enemy fighter aircraft, Squadron Leader MacKay accomplished numerous missions which contributed substantially to the success of United Nations operations.

Squadron Leader John MacKay was awarded the United States Air Force Air Medal. The citation reads, in part: “[for] meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight as pilot of an F-86 type aircraft, 39th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Fifth Air Force, from 1 April 1953 to 9 May 1953. During that period, Squadron Leader MacKay demonstrated outstanding professional ability during sustained combat air operations over North Korea. Despite adverse weather conditions, hazardous terrain and numerically superior enemy fighter aircraft, Squadron Leader MacKay accomplished numerous missions which contributed substantially to the success of United Nations operations. Through his keen flying ability, courage and exemplary devotion to duty, Squadron Leader MacKay reflected great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Forces and the Royal Canadian Air Force.”

Further Reading

Larry Milberry, The Canadian Sabre, CANAV Books, 1986

Robert Jackson, F-86 Sabre: The Operational Record, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1994

H.A. Halliday, The Tumbling Sky, Canada’s Wings, 1978

H.A. Halliday, “In Korean Skies”, Roundel, December 1963 and January 1964

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