| The
F-84 was a second generation jet fighter, originally developed
without the aid of German WWII swept wing research technology. The
MiG-15 was also second generation, but benefited from German
research. The two-year period just before and just after the end of
the war was critical for jet-powered plane developers in both the
Western and Soviet spheres. The F-86 Sabre was developed right at
the cusp, starting out as a straight wing design, and finishing with
swept wings. |
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| While the difference
in MiG and Thunderjet planform is striking, the difference in size
seems even more so. At first glance the F-84 seems slim and sleek,
but when shown side-by-side with the MiG-15 it turns out to be a bit
of a brute. And then, there are those stories about how long it took
to get the thing off the ground. Note, too: The MiG-15 could beat
even the Sabre to altitude. (By the way, the box is wrong. At the
start of the Korean War, the Sabre was already operational. The introduction
of the MiG-15 brought about the DEPLOYMENT of the Sabre--to the Far
East.) |
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