‘The fourth MiG of this flight made a firing pass and made a lucky hit through the top of our left wing, about 8 ft from the fuselage through the wing flap,’ Capt. H.R. Austin, RB-47 pilot
The Soviet MiG-17, known by the NATO reporting name “Fresco,” was developed as the successor to the well-known MiG-15 used during the Korean War. While it looked much like the MiG-15, the MiG-17 featured wings with a greater sweep angle, a longer fuselage, an afterburner, and improved speed and maneuverability. A prototype first flew in January 1950, and series production started in late 1951. Although the first operational MiG-17s entered service in 1952, they were not available in large enough numbers to see action in the Korean War. In time, five variants of the aircraft were built. The MiG-17 has been operated by the air forces of at least 20 countries around the world—including some allied with the United States—and it was used in combat against U.S. aircraft in Southeast Asia.
The North Vietnamese Air Force (VPAF) formed its first MiG-17 unit, the 921st Fighter Regiment, in February 1964 after its pilots completed training in communist China. The VPAF also operated Chinese-manufactured MiG-17s, known as J-5s. U.S. fighter pilots took care to capitalize on their significant speed advantage when engaging the more agile MiG-17.
The MiG-17’s entry into service also signaled the end of NATO jet reconnaissance aircraft’s immunity to Soviet air defenses. On May 8, 1954, an RB-47 of the 91st TRW, piloted by Capt. H.R. Austin, departed RAF Fairford on a mission to photograph nine Soviet airfields near Murmansk. After capturing images of the second airfield from 40,000 feet, the aircraft was intercepted near Arkhangelsk by three MiG-17s from the 1619th IAP.
As Austin tells in Michael Napier’s book In Cold War Skies.
Austin recounted that they had been over Soviet territory for an hour and were at 40,000 feet. Intelligence had briefed the crew that the MiG-15 would not be able to cause any damage at that altitude, given their true airspeed of approximately 440 knots. The first Soviet aircraft to make a firing pass, however, proved to be a MiG-17, not a MiG-15. It approached from the left rear, with cannon tracer shells observed passing both above and below the aircraft, the MiG still moving at considerable speed as it passed beneath them.
The decision was made to push the RB-47 into a descent of a couple of thousand feet, gaining approximately 20 knots of indicated airspeed in the process. The second MiG-17 then made its firing pass, with tracers again observed going over and under the aircraft — an experience Austin described as genuinely frightening. The copilot had repositioned to operate the tail guns following the first attack, though the two remotely controlled 20mm cannons characteristically failed to fire.
When the third MiG began its pursuit pass, the guns discharged briefly for a matter of seconds. Although General LeMay had not equipped the guns with tracers, the Soviet pilot apparently observed something and broke off his pass. The subsequent flights — a group of six, and a further flight that joined later — maintained a position some 30 to 40 degrees to the side, outside the effective range of the guns. The Soviet pilots had no way of knowing that the guns would not fire again, despite the copilot’s repeated attempts to restore their function, including what Austin believed was physical force applied to the panel.
The fourth MiG of that flight scored a hit through the top of the left wing, approximately eight feet from the fuselage and through the wing flap. The round exploded into the fuselage in the area of the number one main tank and disabled the intercom. By that point, the final photo target had been covered and the aircraft had turned due west toward Finland.
Shortly thereafter, three more MiGs appeared. Two made individual firing passes, though the aircraft’s increased speed made engagement more difficult for the attackers. One MiG then came alongside on the right, at close range, and held that position for two to three minutes. Two further MiGs attempted firing passes without scoring hits; by that stage the aircraft was well clear of Soviet territory.
Uncertainty remained as to how the damage to the left wing and fuselage would affect fuel consumption, which initially did not appear severe. As the aircraft coasted out past Norway, however, it became apparent that fuel reserves had fallen behind projections. A climb to 43,000 feet was made and speed was reduced to a maximum-range cruise setting. It was assessed that a base in England could be reached, and a strip alert tanker was known to be standing by at Brize Norton.
After taking on fuel from a KC-97 Stratofreighter while in a dangerously low fuel condition, the damaged RB-47 was able to return to Fairford.
In Cold War Skies is published by Osprey Publishing and is available to order here.
Photo by U.S. Air Force
