MiG Alley: Sabres Vs. MiGs Over Korea

Rating:
Summary: Sabres Vs MiGs-Aviation History at its Best!
Review: 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.