Quote:
Originally Posted by bearoutwest
Hi Tim.
No problems with late reply - that's the wonderful thing about forums.
I just tend to wonder how much detail you'd actually see in a relatively high-speed, turning dogfight. Especially when the Sabres tended to be outnumbered, and effective gun ranges are at about 400m. Did Thompson see this during a lower speed pass near a shot down opponent when he had more time to "take in the view" without concern of other attackers? Or was it a glimpse of the side of a MiG-15 while it flashed past?
A big red buzz number on a fast moving silver MiG, does a 2582- look like a dragon?
2582_
I agree that it's more likely to be a Chinese (or Korean) aircraft.....but in an oriental culture(s) which appreciate dragons, I think something that "cool" would be the subject of a lot of interest.....propaganda photos, profiles, noted in aviation texts, etc! Imagine the headlines..."Eastern Dragon Flyer smites Yankee Imperialists!". Of course it would have to be a four-toe dragon (of the common folk), not a five-toe Imperial dragon! 
Have a look at the ACIG Journal site for some typical Russian, Chinese and PR Korean MiG-15 profiles and markings:
http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_317.shtml
Regards,...geoff |
Hi Geoff,
I don't know the specifics of Thompson's view of this supposedly dragon painted MiG, only some mentions in a couple of books by Dorr, Thompson, etc. The reason why it intrigued me is that nose art seems to have been exceedingly rare, almost non-existent on MiGs. Krylov and Tepsurkaev's book contains virtually no nose art, and although not exhaustive it seems that such artwork on Soviet MiGs in the theatre was possibly even unheard of. Which I suppose leaves Chinese and Korean MiGs and obviously here there is even less information, photos available and henceforth less research undertaken.
Maybe it was a case of a serial number (or even a PLAAF ship with a Chinese character phrase) being mistaken for such artwork but then it could be argued that there would probably have been more misidentifications of such things as nose art over the three years of engagements.
Perhaps it really was a PLAAF or Korean honcho and photos/information regarding him and his MiG are still buried in obscurity within the relative drought of info which exists on the other side of the conflict.
I suppose this is one of the intriguing (and infuriating) parts of studying the Korean air war, so much is unknown and yet to be, possibly, discovered.
Cheers,
Tim