Hobby Master Archive

Suffering heavy daytime losses over North Korea the B-29s switched to night raids. The Soviets followed by training their Mig-15bis pilots for night-time warfare. Using ground based data and searchlights the B-29s were spotted and the Migs would intercept. Major Karelin’s 6th and final night victory with the 351st Fighter Aviation Regiment (night) based at Antung was a B-29. Karelin managed to land his Mig with 117 bullet strikes and 9 of them through the cockpit and Karelin was not hit. In February 1953 the 351st was rotated back to the Soviet Union.