Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis, Korean war. Part two.

After those first encounters, the main characteristics of the main aerial battles for the rest of the war were shown. Both MiG-15 and MiG-15bis had higher ceiling than the Sabre and could also accelerate faster than the F-86A/E/Fs thanks to its better thrust-to-weight ratio. The MiG-15's climbing rate was also better than the F-86A and the F-86E one, however the F-86F matched the MiG-15's rate. The MiG-15 had also a better turn radius above 10.000m (33.000ft) and, with its 37mm N-37 cannon and two 23mm NR-23 cannons, was better armed than the F-86.
However, the MiG was slower at low altittudes and had a less sophisticated World War II-era gyroscopic gunsight than the Sabre.
Therefore, if the MiG-15bis managed to engage the Sabre in the vertical plane, or in the horizontal one above 10.000m, it gained a significant advantage and could easily escape from the Sabre by climbing to its ceiling knowing that the Sabre couldn't. Anyway, below 8000m (26.247ft) the Sabre had a slight advantage over the MiG in most aspects except for the climb rate, especially if the Soviet pilot decided to fight in the horizontal plane.
That's why the main mission of the MiG-15, during the Korean war, wasn't to fight the F-86 Sabre, but to intercept the formations of B-29 Superfortress. That task was assigned to elite VVS (Soviet Air Force) units in April 1951 like the 324th IAD leaded by Colonel Ivan Kozhedub or, in June that same year, the 303rd IAD of General Georgiy A. Lobov.
Due to the Black Thursday, the USAF stopped their strategic bombing campaign until they decided to resume them in October 22 when a mission was launched to neutralize the North Korean aerodromes of Namsi, Taechon and Saamchan in order to inflict more losses to the MiG-15. On 22nd October 1951 a formation of 56 MiG-15bis intercepted nine B-29s which were escorted by 34 F-86s and 55 F-84Es. Despite their numerical inferiority, the Soviet pilots managed to shot down eight B-29s and two F-84Es, for the price of a single MiG-15. The USAF called that day "Black Tuesday". That and the Black Thursday, forced the USAF to abandon the precision day-bombing campaign and switch to radar-oriented night raids.
From November 1951 to January 1952 both UN and Communist forces tried to achieve aerial superiority or, at least, deny it to the enemy, over the Yalu river. Therefore the intensity of aerial combats reached peaks not seen yet between MiG-15 and F-86 pilots. During the period from November 1950 to January 1952 no less than 40 Soviet pilots were credited as aces, with five or more victories. The first Soviet pilot to achieve that status was Cpt. Stepan I. Naumenko on 24th December 1950 with Cpt. Sergei Kramarenko being the second one to achieve it on 29th July 1951. Around 16 more Soviet pilots became eventually aces and the most successful one was Maj. Nikolay Sutyagin with 22 victories, 13 of them confirmed by the USAF. He was followed by Col. Yevgeny Pepelyaev with 19 claims, 15 confirmed and Maj. Lev Shchukin with 17 claimed and 11 verified.
Thanks to the technical advantage of the MiG specially at high altittudes, the MiG leaders were able to dictate the tactical situation at least until the battle was started. They could decide to fight or to stay out. The advantage of the radar control from the ground also allowed the MiGs to pass through the gaps in the F-86 control pattern.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-15
2. https://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/53180
3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters