During the Korean Conflict, the Soviet Union provided Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 Fighters to the Korean People's Army Air and Anti-Air Force (KPAAF) to fight against NATO Air Forces in the south. The Soviet Union also provided experienced pilots to assist North Korean and Chinese pilots with their new aircraft and train them on effective tactics. The Soviet Union also sent new pilots to the Eastern Combat zone in order to acquire experience fighting against American pilots. Most encounters between NATO and North Korean/USSR pilots was fairly one sided with NATO pilots winning. Not because they had better aircraft, but because the NATO pilots were experienced from fighting against either Japanese or German Pilots less than a decade earlier.

The Soviet pilots were limited in that they were not allowed to fly too close to NATO lines or to fly over the Yellow Sea or the Sea of Japan. These young pilots were limited to remaining over North Korea and its armies. On occasion, an experienced cadre member from the advisor group would take to the sky and fly combat missions alongside young Russians or North Korean pilots against the Americans.

When the F86 Sabre was introduced to the Korean Theatre in November and December 1950, the MiG-15 remained the dominant aircraft. It was the skill and experience of the pilots that established NATO dominance in the sky. When the F86F model came out near the end of the war, finally there was an aircraft that could match the flight characteristics of the MiG-15. When the Experienced Russian pilots flew against F86 Sabres, the Americans noticed a discernable difference between these experienced pilots and their North Korean counterparts. The Americans quickly assigned a nickname to the Superior Russian pilots; HONCHO; the Japanese borrowed word meant “Big Shot”. It came to define a group of Soviet pilots who gave their American counterparts a thrill to dogfight.

This Roleplay focuses on a fictional battalion from the 72nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (USSR). These 20 aircraft flew KPAAF marked MiG-15 aircraft in North Korea during the early 1950s. Our characters will be members of one of three squadrons of the 72nd Guard Fighter Aviation Regiment (USSR). The squadrons fly out of Anshan Airport in Liaoning Province, China from 12 December 1950 through to the end of the war.

A Soviet squadron consists of eight aircraft and eight pilots. The squadron commander holds the rank of Major and would have fought against the Germans in the Eastern Front. There are three Captains serving as flight leaders who are also veterans of the Eastern Front. The remaining four pilots are lieutenants who may have seen some combat in 1945, but most likely are new pilots. There is also one Lieutenant Colonel, commanding the battalion of the 72nd Regiment. This commander flies with his wingman, a Captain or a senior lieutenant. Both of these pilots are veterans of the Eastern Front.

The pilots in the 1st Battalion, 72nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (USSR) will live and die over MiG Alley…

I dig it, because there's never enough aviation RP's on here, and they always die quickly. It's not exactly my thing, but it's jet age, and that's good enough to keep me interested. Going to subscribe in the least.

Also, did not know that's the origin of the term 'Honcho'. Presumably, that's where 'Head Honcho' comes from?

...I did not know that's the origin of the term 'Honcho'. Presumably, that's where 'Head Honcho' comes from?

Hello Silverwind! Good to see you.

I got that tidbit from a documentary on the Military History channel; Dogfights s1 e1 MiG Alley. An American Army of occupation remained in Japan during the Korean War. The US Army Theatre command was based in Japan. This is where combat troops went for Rest and Relaxation during the Korean War. US troops, I imagine any nation's soldiers are influenced at least with their language use by the host nation they are living in. When I left Germany in the 1980s, I came away with a smattering of German words. I'm sure the US servicemen in Japan did the same thing. Yes, head honcho more than likely did come from Japan.

My genres of choice are sci-fi, and modern-day (with a sci-fi twist). I like RP's that mix reality with fiction, and throw an unusual and exciting twist into an otherwise normal setting - something like Stargate SG-1 would be an example, or Battle: Los Angeles. An almost recognizable world, but with some sci-fi twists.

I'm a fan of military and action-based RP's that do this especially, and they are easily my favourite - though I rarely see any that appeal to me enough - all the military RP's are too 'plain', and anything else modern day is usually fantasy or fandom.

I appreciate your Roleplay interests. Mine are similar. I like to take pieces from various media and stir them up into a delicious recipe of fantastic elucidations.

I do have an idea for an RP based on Assassin's Creed: Odyssey set in a modern day world of my creation.

Thanks for the reply and the welcome, Gunther. Good to see you too.
I've read a couple of books about the the Sabres Vs. MiGs over the years, and after I read the RP and posted this morning, I read up on the F-86 as well, as it's something I know a little about, but not a lot. Jets from the 60's til now tend to be more my area of expertise, and as you quoted from my profile, usually with a sci-fi or non-historical twist. But as I said previously, I'm not going to pass up the opportunity at an aviation RP, because they're like rocking-horse poop around here.

I appreciate you sharing the bits of info with me too, and I get what you mean about picking up bits of language. While I never served myself, there are a lot of tidbits and terms over here in the UK that have come from things soldiers have picked up or used as slang over the years. I find stuff like that quite interesting as well, so cool to know that little bit of trivia about 'Honcho' and its origins.

Not sure about the Assassin's Creed game, although I appreciate the invite. I've actually never played any of the games, and know nothing of their lore, etc, and not sure if it's a setting I'd be interested in as much as this one.

Here is an excellent video on the MiG 15. There is an excellent view of the dash/cockpit gauges and dials.