Polish Aviation Museum, Kraków - Part 5

„Mig Alley” in the middle of Europe

The „Mig Alley” obviously brings to mind the region of North Korean border with China, along the Yalu river, where the first jet fighter dogfights took place during the war in 1950-1953. The most popular today are probably the clashes of American F-86 Sabres with the North Korean/Chinese/Russian Mig-15's but other jet fighters, especially on the American side (Panthers, Meteors, F-80's etc) also took a major part in this history. Anyway, the “Mig Alley” is considered today as the birthplace of the jet fighter combat.

To visit the “Mig Alley” we do not have to go to Asia, we can find one right in the middle of Europe continent, in southern Poland. Polish Aviation Museum in Kraków have an exposition entitled “The Mig Alley”. It is the outside exposition near the Big Hangar. While walking along the pavement we have a chance to see almost all jet fighters which were used in the Polish Air Force. The route begins with the Mig-15's/Lim-1, Mig-15bis/Lim-2, Mig-17/Lim-5/Lim-6 to the Mig-19. For who don't know yet Lim is the licensed built Mig. It was used for different versions of Mig-15's and 17's. “Lim” are the first letters of “licencyjny myśliwiec” - “licenced fighter”. Mig-15 and 15bis were built as Lim-1 and Lim-2, while Mig-17's were Lim-5 and Lim-6. Of course all these planes are presented in different variants and subversions, including two-seaters UTI/SB. When the walkway turns left the Alley switches to Mig-21's: F-13, PF, PFM, R, US – to enlist only few of them from the memory. MF version is exhibited in other place, in front of the “Cold War” hangar. We also have here the Mig-23MF and Mig-29UB. Next to Mig-21's the Sukhoi's bombers: Su-7, SU-20 or Su-22, also in few variants including two-seaters. The “Western” Air Forces are represented on this exposition by A-37B Dragonfly and F-5E Tiger II.

Here is the complete list of the planes which can be seen on the “Mig Alley”:

• Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-15
• Mikojan-Gurewicz MiG-15bis
• Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-17F
• Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-17PF
• Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-19PM
• Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-21
• Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-21 F-13
• Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-21 PF
• Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-21 PFM
• Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-21 R
• Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-21 U
• Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-21 US
• Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-23MF
• Mikojan-Guriewicz MiG-29UB
• Suchoj Su-7
• Suchoj Su-7 BKŁ
• Suchoj Su-7 BM
• Suchoj Su-20
• Suchoj Su-22
• Suchoj Su-22 M4
• Suchoj Su-22 UM3k
• WSK Lim-1
• WSK Lim-2
• WSK Lim-5
• WSK Lim-5P
• WSK Lim-6bis
• WSK Lim-6M
• WSK Lim-6MR
• WSK SB Lim-2
• WSK SB Lim-2A