Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19, various European users

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 was the first Soviet supersonic fighter. It achieved fame for being world's first aircraft that could sustain supersonic speeds in level flight and there were many variants, which, for one circumstance or another, they saw service all around the world, among them, the following countries:

• Albania: The Albanian People's Republic Air Force received a batch of 12 MiG-19PM in October 1959 (according to some sources they were 15). These were the first Albanian aircraft to be equipped with radar and air-to-air missiles. Shortly after, in 1962 Albania broke diplomatic relations with the USSR and the Warsaw Pact and, in 1965 the MiG-19PMs assigned to the 7594th Fighter Regiment, based at Rinas Airbase, were shipped to China because the Chinese wanted to know about the Soviet radar technology, which they couldn't acquire firsthand. The MiG-19PM were traded over 12 new radarless Shenyang F-6.
  As we couldn't find graphical evidence of a pure MiG-19PM in Albanian colours, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Armenia: According to some sources some few MiG-19s were retained by the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States - Former Soviet Union Countries) countries. The Armenian Air Force had reportedly 30 MiG-19PM and MiG-19S in service in as late as 1995. However the serviceability of such old fighters seemed dubious. As we couldn't find graphical evidence of neither MiG-19PM nor MiG-19S in Armenian service, the drawings should be considered as speculative.
• Azerbaijan: Just like its neighbour, there were, reportedly, 40 MiG-19P and MiG-19S in service with the Azerbaijani Air Force in 1995. However just like Armenia, the serviceability was highly doubted. As we couldn't find graphical evidence, the drawing should be considered  as speculative.
• Latvia: There were reports of at least one MiG-19S serving with the Latvian Air Force. However it was written off shortly after Latvian independence in 1991. It seems that it was placed at Vainode Air Base as gate guard. As we couldn't find any photo or pic, the drawing should be considered as speculative.

Sources:
1. Midland Publishing - Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19. The Soviet Union's First Production Supersonic Fighter
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-19

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17, part two, European users

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 is a high-subsonic fighter aircraft made mainly in the USSR from 1952 and operated by many world's air forces in many variants. It was an advanced development of the previous MiG-15 which showed excellent results during the Korean War. It was also built under license in China, as Shenyang J-5 and in Poland as WSK-Mielec Lim-6.
It was employed in combat for the first time during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis and later proved to be effective against the more advanced supersonic fighters of the United States during the Vietnam War. Prior to the official NATO designation, it was known by the United States Air Force as Type 38.
The first variant, called just "MiG-17" (NATO code "Fresco-A") was the basic fighter version powered by the Klimov VK-1 engine which delivered a power of 26.48kN (5952lb) of thrust, with some versions retrofitted later with the improved Klimov VK-1A which yielded 26.87kN (6041lb) of power.
It was armed with a single 37mm N-37D cannon, two 23mm NR-23 cannons and could carry up to 250kg of bombs or external fuel depots, which was the most usual underwing addition.
The basic variant, was used, among others, by the next European users:

• Albania: Just before the Soviet-Albanian Split of 1955, the Albanian People's Army Air Force received some MiG-17s. Their operational use and/or fate is unknown and, as we couldn't find graphical evidence, the drawing should be taken as speculative.
• East Germany: The first fighters of the Air Forces of the National People's Army, founded in 1956, were MiG-17s and MiG-17Fs which served together until mid-1960s when they were replaced by the more advanced MiG-19 and MiG-21.
• USSR: The main user of the MiG-17. More than 5467 exemplar built in many Soviet factories from 1952 until 1955. They were the main Soviet fighter until 1955 when they were gradually replaced by the more advanced variant MiG-17F. 

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-17

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Forces_of_the_National_People%27s_Army

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albanian_Air_Force

4. https://www.valka.cz/topic/view/49437/

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis, Chinese and Albanian users

The Mikoyan-Gurevich was the second jet fighter to serve with the Chinese People's Liberation Army's Air Force (PLAAF), the first one was the MiG-9.
They saw action first, under PLAAF's colours in the Korean war, and, after that conflict, the USSR supplied China with hundreds of them and they received the denomination of Shenyang J-2 for those serving with the PLAAF and Shenyang F-2 for the exported ones, to give the appearance that they were manufactured in China, in spite of having being manufactured abroad, in the USSR.
They played a role in the First Taiwan Strait crisis. After the end of the Korean War, China turned its attention towards Taiwan, as it was controlled by the Kuomintang. Chinese MiG-15bis engaged the outnumbered Chinese Nationalist Air Force (CNAF) and they helped with the occupation of two strategic island groups by the Communists forces in 1954. As the United States was backing the Taiwan government since 1951, the CNAF was equipped with F-86 Sabres since 1955. Therefore, MiG-15bis and F-86 Sabres clashed three years later, in 1958 at the Quemoy crisis, AKA Second Taiwan Strait crisis. Throughout the decade of the 1950s, the PLAAF's MiG-15bis and the CNAF's Sabres kept clashing in spontaneous skirmishes and, during the Quemoy crisis, a CNAF's Sabre achieved the first air-to-air kill with an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile against a MiG-15bis.
The Chinese MiG-15bis were outdated by the MiG-17 which was also locally manufactured under the denomination of Shenyang J-5. Many of the J-2s were sold to Albania, which kept them active under either fighter or advanced trainer role until the early 1990s.

Sources:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-15#Taiwan_Straits_crisis
2. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15, Various European users

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 was used by every European member of the Warsaw Pact. As both Poland and Czechoslovakia manufactured them separatedly, we will cover them in other post.

• Albania: Back when the Albanian Air Force was created in April 1951, they received some outdated Yakovlev Yak-9 and, on 15th May 1955, they received second-hand MiG-15 that had been used in the Korean War. They were replaced by the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17.
• Bulgaria: When the Bulgarian People's Army Air Force was re-established just after the World War two, they were equipped with propeller driven Soviet aircrafts like the Ilyushin Il-2, Ilysuhin Il-10 or the Tupolev Tu-2. In 1954 they were withdrawn as, since 1951 they had been receiving jet aircrafts like the MiG-15 which remained in service until they were replaced by the MiG-17.
• East-Germany: In the beginning of 1953, one MiG-15 was delivered to the East-German KVP-Luft (Kasernierten Volkspolizei - Air Garrisoned Police) which was the predecessor of the East Germany Air Force. They flew under Soviet colours, but, shortly after, on 17th June, they were taken back by Soviet authorities.
• Hungary: Just like every surrounding countries, the MiG-15 was the first jet fighter to operate with the newly created Hungarian People's Air Force during the early 1950s. They were replaced by the MiG-17 during late 1950s. As we couldn't find graphical evidence of the regular MiG-15 in Hungarian colours, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Romania: The Air Force of the People's Republic of Romania received MiG-15 in 1952 which served alongside the MiG-15bis and the MiG-17 until 1958, when they were replaced. The drawing should be considered as speculative as graphical evidence of the regular MiG-15 under Romanian colours seems to be nearly impossible.
• USSR: The MiG-15 was the backbone of the Soviet Air Force. It was in service since its introduction in 1949 and served alongside the improved MiG-15bis with the main Soviet Air Force units. It was produced from 1949 until 1953 in various Soviet factories and a total number of 1344 exemplars were manufactured in Soviet soil only at factories in Saratov, Moscow, Novosibirsk, Komsomoslk-on-Amur and Kuybyshev. Most of them were gradually replaced by the MiG-17 when it was introduced in 1952.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-15

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albanian_Air_Force

3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bulgarian_Air_Force

4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Forces_of_the_National_People%27s_Army

5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_Air_Force

6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_Air_Force

7. https://forum.valka.cz/topic/view/53179

8. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters