Thanks to 1C Game Studios, I’ve been setup with a press account ahead of the early access launch on Thursday which means I’ve been putting IL-2 Series Korea through its paces over the last few days. There’s not too much time to get some articles out but I have a few planned and I’m starting with a bit of a historical duel that I started off with in this sim.

There are many classic combat match-ups throughout aerial combat history between types that saw frequent combat. The Camel versus the Dr. I, Spitfire versus Bf109, Hellcat versus Zero and on the classic match-ups go. Among them are the F-86 Sabre and the MiG-15. I’ve just come from several duels with fellow content creator Wolfpack345 and here are some thoughts on how things are matching up right now and how the multiplayer PvP dynamic may play out.

Classic fighting in the horizontal and vertical

Wolfpack345 and I have, over the last couple of days, flown a bunch of low altitude duels against each other. We’re both experienced flight simmers who have flown together for years in various PvP and PvE scenarios across multiple sims. We’ve flown biplanes, jets, and prop fighters. We’re roughly evenly matched and that made our duels both enjoyable and difficult and they represent what I think is a fair baseline for how fights between dueling Sabres and MiG-15s will play out.

There are some obvious characteristics that play out almost immediately. The MiG-15bis has superior climb rate which gives it a tremendous advantage in our low level duels. Going into the first turn, any time I flew the MiG-15 I was able to instantly get a zoom climb going that gave me angle advantage and put me in control of the fight. The Sabre definitely starts off on the back foot in that sense.

But what follows is more difficult to quantify. Sure the MiG can get good angle but the Sabre is no slouch and its superior horizontal turn and turn stability give the pilot flying it quite a bit of confidence too. The MiG-15’s thicker canopy frame really impedes visibility in a fight and there are times where the Sabre can get lost in the frame while making attack runs on one.

There’s also the guns. The MiG-15’s 23mm and 37mm hit like a sledgehammer but getting lead on a tight turning Sabre is difficult. The Sabre’s .50cals don’t hit as hard but they are much easier to lead and the lead computing gunsight makes that job even easier.

So which is better?

The answer, right off the top, is that neither is the better airplane. I suspect the MiG-15bis is going to gather more fans more quickly and that there’s going to be a cadre of virtual pilots, probably those who have spent years flying the Bf109, who are going to find the relative strengths of the MiG-15 more to their liking.

The MiG-15 has become a bit of a favourite of mine through the last few days of flying it. From the classic Cold War Soviet era design and the relatively clean and simple cockpit to the massive firepower and the impressive climb rate. The MiG-15bis inspires a lot of confidence when you’re flying it along. It just feels fast! Though the control lockup is a huge issue at very high speeds.

The F-86A-5 is going to be a bit more of a nuanced experience. Its not that far behind the MiG-15bis in most respects but it isn’t dominant. Its more pilot friendly, easier to keep stable in combat maneuvers, easier to lead shots with, and the pilot visibility is superior as well. The pilot has a G suit and can sustain prolonged dogfights for longer and the optional radar helps dial in the gyro gunsight for accurate aimed shots. Even without that, the upgraded M3 .50cals unleash a powerful burst that can cripple a MiG-15 in a quick burst. Sometimes anyways. They feel really powerful compared to the .50cals of before, that’s for sure!

You may have heard this story before but I have to say that its really up to the pilot, positioning, and tactics that make the difference in a fight. Working on your rate fighting skills, staying sharp in a rolling scissors, getting to grips with your aircraft’s forward armament, and flying precisely is going to make a huge difference in how your fights ultimately end up.

How the fight turns out at higher altitudes will be interesting to see as well where the MiG-15bis is, by all rights, considered the superior option over the F-86A-5.

Final thoughts

I know many have commented about the slightly uneven match-up between the improved MiG-15bis and the somewhat more prolific but earlier F-86A-5. I don’t feel like the F-86A-5 is all that far behind the MiG-15, especially in these lower altitude battles. At higher altitudes I do expect to feel it more and I do hope that we’re on our way to getting an F-86E with the all moving tailplane. Superior high speed maneuverability over the MiG-15bis will surely add to the complexities of the battle. Still, I feel like the F-86A-5 seems up to the job of combating the MiG-15bis in my early testing with Wolfpack345.

Of course, not every fight is going to be a duel, and there will be many that are decided early on by surprise. That’s just how it goes in air combat!

More to come on IL-2 Series Korea!