Mr. MiG

Publication Date2012

About "Mr. MiG"

As indicated by the subtitle, “The Real Story of the First MiGs in America”, this is a collection of stories that offer, for the first time, a concise depiction of many first-hand accounts of how these jets were acquired.

In addition to historical facts and figures dating to the inception of the Russian Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau, substantial effort has been taken to expose myths and bring to light facts that are significant and important regarding how, where, when and why the MiG aircraft were obtained and who obtained them.

While a peek into the history of the MiG jet’s genesis is fascinating, the modern day stories of the people in America that acquired them are no less intriguing.

As a bonus, you’ll learn of the experiences of the first person to own and operate a MiG in the United States and the free world including a peek into the arena of airshow flying.

Reviews of Mr. MiG

“The story is a fascinating tour along “memory lane” and conveys the sights, the experiences, even the unmistakable smells of this classic Russian fighter. The names of iconic aviators such as Paul Poberezny, Bob Hoover, Chuck Yeager and Viktor Belenko adorn the pages along the way as “Mr. MiG” reveals the ups and downs, the triumphs, and sadly as well, the tragedies and bitter losses of friends and fellow aviators we all enjoyed the company of.”

Robert “Hoot” Gibson, Astronaut and MiG pilot

“Amid the endless flood of aviation books by writers whose understanding of flying is, at best, second hand, it’s always a revelation to read the memories of a true high-performance aviator such as Paul Entrekin. None of us will ever have a relationship with a MiG-15 as personal and meaningful as was his, but Entrekin does a masterful job of at least letting us ride along with him. And he’s frank and honest not only about the pilots with whom he flew – some of them superb, some flat-out dangerous – but about himself.”

Stephan Wilkinson, author of The Gold-Plated Porsche

“. . . A quick, fascinating read that, once started, I was compelled to finish in one sitting. Among the last of the “69” American military pilots so privileged to fly aircraft with direct lineage to our chief Cold War adversary’s once-upon-a-time front line order of battle, it was incredible to me that Entrekin as an individual (or any civilian enterprise) could achieve results so near what our military pulled together over a period of years with its essentially unlimited budget and other resources simply not available to him at any price. Sure, the scale was much smaller in bringing only one aircraft to operational condition, but the challenges he faced, more or less alone, had to seem at least as daunting as it must have looked for my Red Eagle forerunners to bring the storied CONSTANT PEG project to life. To now read some of his inside stories detailing the hows and whys of getting his jet off the ground is quite a treat. Bravo!”

Brian McCoy, Red Eagle Bandit #53, MiG pilot

“Great book! Informative and resurrected human spirit!”

Viktor Belenko, Soviet MiG pilot

“ . . . A wonderful story about obtaining (a MiG), the challenges of getting it certificated, flying and maintaining it – especially for training and for participation in airshows. It’s a one-of-a-kind story; an unusual one, particularly as a civilian flying one of the world’s most famous aircraft. Very good reading for a historian who loves military aviation.”

Paul H. Poberezny, Founder, Experimental Aircraft Association

“Paul Entrekin has dispelled myths about MiG-15 fighter jet. This book can be must reading for anyone who wants to understand the background, development and the flight performance of the plane deployed in the Korean War.”

Kenneth Rowe, Korean War MiG-15 pilot