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On March 10, 1953, a [[Czechoslovakia]]n Air Force MiG-15 shot down an American [[F-84 Thunderjet]] along the Czech-[[West Germany|West German]] border, the pilot bailing out safely.  The U.S. government strongly protested to the Czech government, calling it a “provocative incident”.  Two days later, a Soviet MiG destroyed a [[Royal Air Force]] bomber over Germany with the loss of the entire seven man crew.

On March 10, 1953, a [[Czechoslovakia]]n Air Force MiG-15 shot down an American [[F-84 Thunderjet]] along the Czech-[[West Germany|West German]] border, the pilot bailing out safely.  The U.S. government strongly protested to the Czech government, calling it a “provocative incident”.  Two days later, a Soviet MiG destroyed a [[Royal Air Force]] bomber over Germany with the loss of the entire seven man crew.

On April 18, 1955, Soviet MiG-15s shot down a SAC RB-47 on a photo reconnaissance mission off the Kamchatka Peninsula.  When the plane failed to return to base, the U.S. government suspected it had been shot down, and conducted an extensive search, but failed to find any wreckage or remains, although a life jacket, aircraft debris, and an RB-47 aircraft manual washed up on a nearby Soviet-held island.  The full story wasn't known until 1992, when [[Boris Yeltsin]]’s government provided declassified documents on the incident.  Surprisingly, the documents did not include the claim that the aircraft violated Russian airspace, although they did state that the bomber fired first when the MiGs approached.  There were no known survivors among the bomber crew.<ref>''The Price of Vigilance: Attacks on American Surveillance Flights'', by Larry Tarte and Robert Keefe, Ballantine Publishing, 2001</ref>

On April 18, 1955, Soviet MiG-15s shot down a SAC RB-47 on a photo reconnaissance mission off the [[Kamchatka Peninsula]].  When the plane failed to return to base, the U.S. government suspected it had been shot down, and conducted an extensive search, but failed to find any wreckage or remains, although a life jacket, aircraft debris, and an RB-47 aircraft manual washed up on a nearby Soviet-held island.  The full story wasn't known until 1992, when [[Boris Yeltsin]]’s government provided declassified documents on the incident.  Surprisingly, the documents did not include the claim that the aircraft violated Russian airspace, although they did state that the bomber fired first when the MiGs approached.  There were no known survivors among the bomber crew.<ref>''The Price of Vigilance: Attacks on American Surveillance Flights'', by Larry Tarte and Robert Keefe, Ballantine Publishing, 2001</ref>

In two other incidents, the tables were turned by the presence of escorting fighters.  On January 22, 1954, an RB-45 was attacked over the [[Yellow Sea]] by MiG-15s, but Sabers had come along on this mission, and one of the MiGs was shot down.  A year later, on February 5, 1955, another RB-45 was attacked, again over the Yellow Sea; this time two MiG-15s fell to the guns of the escorting F-86s.<ref>[http://users.accesscomm.ca/magnusfamily/misc.htm Cold War Era: USA claims]</ref>

In two other incidents, the tables were turned by the presence of escorting fighters.  On January 22, 1954, an RB-45 was attacked over the [[Yellow Sea]] by MiG-15s, but Sabers had come along on this mission, and one of the MiGs was shot down.  A year later, on February 5, 1955, another RB-45 was attacked, again over the Yellow Sea; this time two MiG-15s fell to the guns of the escorting F-86s.<ref>[http://users.accesscomm.ca/magnusfamily/misc.htm Cold War Era: USA claims]</ref>