RUSSIAN JET FIGHTER

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26511, 28 August 1951, Page 6

RUSSIAN JET FIGHTER

RECOVERY BY U.N. FORCE

DETAILS GIVEN BY NAVY DEPARTMENT

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 27. Details were released to-day by the Navy Department of the daring United Nations naval exploit which resulted in the recovery in Korea of a tiearlyintact Russian-built MIG-15 jet fighter, which is now in the United States and will be made operational so that its performance may be tested. It was recovered by British Commonwealth ships under the personal direction of Rear-Admiral A. K. ScottMoncrieft with co-operation from other navies. Reports were received that a Russian-built fighter Was lying in shallow water oft the west coast, mote than 100 miles behind the enemy lines, and Sea Fury pilots from the British light carrier H.M.S. Glory were sent to locate the machine, fix its exact position, and if possible obtain photographs. This they did after some difficulty, and subsequently it was decided to make an attempt at recovery. Captain W. L. M. Brown, commanding H.M.S. Cardigan Bay, was given the task of retrieving the aircraft. He was confronted with a very real problem, arart from the enemy threat, as the aircraft was lying in Shoal water which could be approached only by shallow-draught craft through tortuous channels and fast currents.

It was decided to obtain two junks to which the fighter could be lashed at low water and then lifted by the 'rise of the tide. Later, however, it was nossible to obtain from the United States Navy a shallow landing craft carrying a mobile crane. Led by H.M.S. Cardigan Bay, a motor-launch and the landing craft were guided through the treacherous channels between sandbanks only a few miles off the enemy coast. When the rendezvous was reached aircraft from the Glory formed a covering screen in case of enemy attack, ana H.M.S. Kenya gave long-distance radar coverage of an area to the horth, whence it was possible an enemy air attack might come. When the Cardigan Bay reached the end of the main channel the motorboat was lowered, and Sea Furies flying along the channels led the landing craft ana the motor-launch up the narrowing lanes between the sandbanks to the fighter. The Vessels had to remain in their exposed positions all night, as time did not permit the lifting operation to be completed on one tide.

During the night H.M.S. Glory was relieved by the American escort carrier U.S.S. Sicily, whose aircraft flew the close-support missions during the final stages of the recovery next morning. In spite of all the difficulties the operation was Completed successfully, and for good measure th* Cardigan Bay and the Sicily bombarded an enemy gun position, scoring direct hits, before leaving.