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  FLASHPOINT KOREA
  
 
 
  The Korean War began on 25 June 1950 with the invasion of the Republic of Korea by its northern neighbour the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, paused with armistice signed on 27 July 1953 and is technically still not over. 
  


The Korean War began on 25 June 1950 with the invasion of the Republic of Korea by its northern neighbour the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, paused with armistice signed on 27 July 1953 and is technically still not over.

A Japanese colony since 1910, Korea had been divided in 1945 with the Soviet Union invading the north of the peninsula with the United States of America taking control of the south. The United States, Britain and other United Nations members intervened to repel the initial communist invasion across the 38th Parallel before the People's Republic of China intervened on the side of the North. The fighting ended with the approximate restoration of the 1950 border.

The Korean War also marked the first jet-to-jet dogfights in aerial warfare and the widespread use of helicopters by the United States to evacuate casualties and also rescue airmen shot down behind enemy lines.  As such, one of the Korean War's most enduring contributions to popular culture has been the film and TV series M*A*S*H*, as modelled by Norman Juliff at Thornbury in November 2009 and pictured above.

This article represents a Jet Age Reserve Model Collection history of Korean War aircraft assembled for display at Brockworth in March 2010 .




MIKOYAN-GUREVICH MIG-15



 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 was originally developed in the Soviet Union as an interceptor powered by an RD-45 turbojet, copied from the Rolls Royce Nene. Designed to shoot down heavy bombers, it carried one 37mm and two 23mm cannon.




The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 was originally developed in the Soviet Union as an interceptor powered by an RD-45 turbojet, copied from the Rolls Royce Nene. Designed to shoot down heavy bombers, it carried one 37mm and two 23mm cannon.

The prototype MiG-15 first flew in December 1947 and production examples began appearing in service in 1949. By 1952 the single seat swept-wing fighter  had been provided to a number of Communist satellite nations, including North Korea. On 8 November  1950, 1st Lt. Russell Brown, flying a straight-winged Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star, shot down a MiG-15 in the first all-jet dogfight in history.

Initial encounters with American aircraft led to the development of the MiG-15bis (improved). Its VK-1 engine had 1,000 lbs more thrust than the RD-45 engine of the earlier version, and had hydraulic ailerons. Although the MiG-15bis could climb faster and higher than the F-86, poor turning performance and high mach instability limited its dogfight performance. In aerial combat against the F-86, the MiG-15 suffered high losses, but against the B-29 it was very effective and prevented the heavy bombers from operating in daylight




NORTH AMERICAN F-86 SABRE


In 1944, North American Aviation submitted a design for a swept-wing day fighter which could also be used as a dive-bomber or escort fighter. Two prototype XP-86s were contracted in late 1944, but were not built until after World War II due to the incorporation of several design modifications which were prompted by German research data. The first XP-86 prototype flew on 1 October 1947, powered by a 3,750-pound thrust General Electric J35 engine.


In 1944, North American Aviation submitted a design for a swept-wing day fighter which could also be used as a dive-bomber or escort fighter. Two prototype XP-86s were contracted in late 1944, but were not built until after World War II due to the incorporation of several design modifications which were prompted by German research data. The first XP-86 prototype flew on 1 October 1947, powered by a 3,750-pound thrust General Electric J35 engine.

After it was re-engined with a more powerful General Electric J47 turbojet the following spring, it was re-designated the YP-86A, and exceeded the speed of sound in a shallow dive. The first production model was initially designated the P-86A, but became the F-86A in June 1948. By the time the new fighter entered US Air Force service in 1949, it had gained the name "Sabre."

With the introduction of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 into Korean skies in late1950 three F-86 squadrons were rushed to the Far East.  Early Sabre variants could out-dive the MiG-15 but would only reach parity in terms of ceiling, acceleration and rate of climb when the F-86F was introduced in 1953.  The MiGs could also retreat behind the Chinese border north of the Yalu River to escape United Nations aircraft but their North Korean and Chinese pilots lacked combat experience compared to their American opponents who had flown in World War II.

Among those flying the F-86 Sabre was USAF Second Lieutenant Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin who shot down 2 MiG 15s in 66 missions.  His gun camera photographs of one of the Russian pilots ejecting from his damaged aircraft appeared in the 8 June 1953 edition of LIFE magazine and footage of his 1969 Apollo 11 Moon landing were seen by quite a few people too..


GRUMMAN F9F PANTHER


Later F9F-4 Panthers - like 125939 seen here being approached by North Korean soldiers and a Soviet T-34 tank after a skillfully executed force-landing - were the first aircraft to successfully employ blown air - extracted from between the engine's compressor - to energize the slot flaps, thus achieving a decrease in stalling speed of 9 knots for takeoff and 7 knots on power approach for landing. Blown flaps would also be vital to the later success of the British Blackburn Buccaneer jet bomber.


The F9F Panther was Grumman's first jet fighter and that most widely used by the United States Navy during the Korean War, flying 78 000 sorties and claiming the service's first aircraft kill - a North Korean Yak - 9.

As well as downing two Yak-9s and five swept-wing MiG 15s, the F9F Panther also attacked ground targets.  In 1951 Navy pilot Neil Armstrong made a low 350 mph bombing run at  freight yards and a bridge on a narrow valley road south of the village of Majon-ni, west of Wonsan in 1951 when his Panther - 125122 - was hit by anti-aircraft gunfire. The plane took a nose dive and sliced through a cable strung about 500 ft up across the valley by the North Koreans. This sheared off an aileron, forcing Armstrong to eject and await rescue.

On 20 July 1969 his flight in a Grumman flying machine was much more successful however with the Lunar Module touching down in the Sea of Tranquility - allowing Neil Armstrong to become the first man on the Moon.

Later F9F-4 Panthers  - like 125939 seen here being approached by North Korean soldiers and a Soviet T-34 tank after a skillfully executed force-landing  - were the first aircraft to successfully employ blown air - extracted from between the engine's compressor - to energize the slot flaps, thus achieving a decrease in stalling speed of 9 knots for takeoff and 7 knots on power approach for landing.  Blown flaps would also be vital to the later success of the British Blackburn Buccaneer jet bomber.

US Marine Corps Fighter Squadron VMF-314 - re-commissioned in 1952 -  assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 31, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and earned the Korean Service Medal for operations flown between 11 September 1953 and 27 July 1954.


GLOSTER METEOR F8  



The long nacelled F8 was the ultimate day fighter version of the Gloster Meteor and was only replaced in front line RAF Fighter Command squadrons by the Hawker Hunter in 1955. Between 1951 and 1953 the Meteor F8 also became the only British built jet aircraft to serve with the United Nations forces in Korea: equipping 77 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force based at Kimpo, South Korea.

The long nacelled F8 was the ultimate day fighter version of the Gloster Meteor and was only replaced in front line RAF Fighter Command squadrons by the Hawker Hunter in 1955. Between 1951 and 1953 the Meteor F8 also became the only British built jet aircraft to serve with the United Nations forces in Korea: equipping 77 Squadron Royal Australian Air Force based at Kimpo, South Korea.

On 27 March 1953 Flight Sergeant George Hale and Flight Sergeant David Irlam were part of a flight of four Meteor F8s - led by Squadron Leader John Hubble - attacking ground traffic between Pyongyang, capital of Communist North Korea, and Sinmak with under-wing rockets.

Upon reaching Pyongyang the formation split with Hale and Irlam heading south in line astern at low level. Hale sighted three transonic swept-wing MiG 15 fighters preparing to attack two USAF RF-80 Shooting Stars. As he jettisoned the ventral tank on his Meteor - A77-851- and turned to intercept the MiGs, Hale fired off the last two of his underwing rockets in an attempt to distract the enemy pilots. This forced the two MiGs to turn away from each other.

As he turned to follow the enemy, Irlam reported that he was under fire and Hale turned into the new threat, which turned out to be two MiGs on Irlam's tail. While Irlam headed for cloud cover in his damaged Meteor, Hale's opponent extended his air brakes and turned in behind Irlam, but overshot. Hale extended his air brakes and slotted in behind the MiG. He opened fire and hit the enemy fighter squarely behind the cockpit. The MiG rolled on its back and fell away, spewing smoke. Just as Hale was about to follow his victim, two more MiGs dived on him. However, he managed to pulled into them and fired but their speed carried them away. A third pair of Communist jets turned in on his tail but Hale turned back on them and opened fire on the second MiG, which left a trail of white smoke. Out of ammunition, Hale had to let the MiGs get away.  Back at Kimpo, Hale and his wingman counted no fewer than 112 shrapnel holes in Irlam's Meteor.  However, the two MiG silhouettes painted on Hale's cockpit by his crew chief lasted only a few days before Squadron Leader John Hubble ordered them to be painted out as they broke RAAF regulations. By the end of hostilities four months later though, 77 squadron had lost 32 Meteor pilots in 18 872 sorties but had deprived the Communists of 3 700 buildings. 1 500 vehicles and six MiG 15s




DOUGLAS SKYRAIDER      
The prototype of the Skyraider was first flown on 18 March 1945. Designed as a robust, multi-role attack aircraft for the US Navy, the carrier-based Skyraider was able to carry a wide variety of weapons on its numerous wing hard points. The Skyraider first saw combat in the Korean War, where its 10 hour loiter time and heavy load-hauling capability gave it a distinct utility advantage over the jet aircraft of the time.


The prototype of the Skyraider was first flown on 18 March 1945. Designed as a robust, multi-role attack aircraft for the US Navy, the carrier-based Skyraider was able to carry a wide variety of weapons on its numerous wing hard points. The Skyraider first saw combat in the Korean War, where its 10 hour loiter time and heavy load-hauling capability gave it a distinct utility advantage over the jet aircraft of the time.

The Skyraiders  of VA-55 went into action from the USS Valley Forge on 3 July 1950 while on 2 May 1951 Skyraiders also made the only aerial torpedo attack of the war - successfully hitting the Communist controlled Hwacheon Dam.  On 16 June 1953 a US Marine Corps Skyraider crewed by Major George H. Linnemeier and CWO Vernon S. Kramer of VMC-1 shot down a Soviet-built Polikarpov Po-2 biplane, the only documented Skyraider air victory of the Korean conflict.

Other Skyraider variants flew nocturnal bombing and radar-jamming missions from aircraft carriers and land bases and in total 128 Skyraidrs were lost in the Korean War.

Skyraider 42015 is seen here in the post Korean War markings of VA-145, nicknamed "The Swordsmen", grey and white paintwork having replaced overall gloss dark blue.



NORTH AMERICAN F-82G TWIN MUSTANG



Japan-based F-82G Twin Mustangs ( fitted with long radar pods and with a non-pilot radar operator in the right hand cockpit ) were among the first American aircraft to be used in Korea and accounted for the first three North Korean air kills of the war. From then on, the system would fly nearly 2,000 sorties with similar success in the night fighter, long-range escort and close-support combat roles. However, F-82s were no match for the Communist MiG-15 jet fighters and were withdrawn in 1952.



The F-82 Twin Mustang was developed as an even longer range fighter escort than the famous P-51D Mustang of World War II. Essentially two P-51H Mustangs joined by a common wing chord and horizontal tailplane, the F-82 had duplicate controls so that the navigator / co-pilot could take over and relieve the pilot .  The F-82 concept was based on America's island -hopping strategy against Japan and post-World War II duties included the defence of Alaskan and Japanese airspace as well as replacing the Northrop P-61 Black Widow in the dedicated night fighter role. 

Japan-based F-82G Twin Mustangs ( fitted with long radar pods and with a non-pilot radar operator in the right hand cockpit ) were among the first American aircraft to be used in Korea and accounted for the first three North Korean air kills of the war. From then on, the system would fly nearly 2,000 sorties with similar success in the night fighter, long-range escort and close-support combat roles.  However, F-82s were no match for the Communist MiG-15 jet fighters and were withdrawn in 1952.



DOUGLAS A-26C INVADER




The Douglas A-26 was designed as a medium attack bomber replacement for the B-25's and Martin B-26's of pre World War II vintage. The Douglas A-26 saw combat in every theatre of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. It was redesignated as Douglas B-26 in 1948 after the retiring of all Martin B-26 Marauders. There were 226 aircraft lost in the Korean War where the Invader performed night harassment missions. It was the last aircraft to bomb North Korea, dropping a bomb load just 3 minutes before the cease-fire was signed. Several A-26's were supplied to Cuban revolutionaries during the April 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion.


The Douglas A-26 was designed as a medium attack bomber replacement for the B-25's and Martin B-26's of pre World War II vintage. The Douglas A-26 saw combat in every theatre of World War II, Korea and Vietnam. It was redesignated as Douglas B-26 in 1948 after the retiring of all Martin B-26 Marauders. There were 226 aircraft lost in the Korean War where the Invader performed night harassment missions. It was the last aircraft to bomb North Korea, dropping a bomb load just 3 minutes before the cease-fire was signed. Several A-26's were supplied to Cuban revolutionaries during the April 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion.