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US Fighter Pilots: Decades Later, Still Making Waves in the Skies Over Korea
US Air Force F-80C Shooting Stars during the Korean War 1950 or 1951.US Air Force/B. Butcher
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By the late 1950s, US pilots frequently engaged in combat with North Korean and Soviet pilots over Korea.
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In November of that year, US Air Force and US Navy pilots achieved the first victories between jet-powered aircraft.
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More than 70 years later, US fighter pilots are still flexing their muscles on the Korean peninsula.
November marked the 72nd anniversary of the first dogfight between jet fighters in history.
The exact date of this first dogfight is still hotly debated, with both the US Air Force and US Navy acknowledging the milestone in two air battles in the Korean War.
The first involving an Air Force Lockheed F-80C Shooting Star, flown by Lt. Russel Brown occurred on November 8, 1950. The second involving a Navy Grumman F9F Panther piloted by Lt. William Amen, took place on November 9th.
Both took place in the same area and faced the same opponents – MiG-15 fighter jets flown by Soviet pilots who had been secretly deployed in support of the North Korean military.
While the date of the first aerial combat is not yet clear, the battles marked the beginning of a new era in aerial warfare.
air supremacy
US Air Force F-80C fighters return from a mission in August 1952.US Air Force
The US-led United Nations forces quickly gained air superiority after the Korean War began on June 25, 1950.
The North Korean People’s Air Force (KPAF) was considerably smaller than that of the US and its allies, had almost no combat experience, and was mostly armed with Soviet propeller-driven aircraft, mostly Yak-9, Yak-11, La-7 and Il-10s.
On the other hand, the US and UN forces had aviators and mechanics with World War II combat experience, better propeller aircraft, and most importantly, new jet aircraft. The backbone of the US Air Force’s combat fleet was the F-80C Shooting Star, while the US Navy relied on the carrier-based F9F Panther.
The war was the first major commitment by the US Air Force, which had been formed in September 1947, and it would be the first time jet-powered aircraft played a major role.
American aircraft based in Japan scored kills within a day of the start of the war, and on June 27 the F-80C scored its first kill when 1st Lt. Robert H. Dewald shot down a KPAF Il-10.
A US Navy F9F-2 Panther on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea in 1951.US Navy
Air Force F-80Cs conducted more than 15,000 sorties in the first four months of the war. Along with Navy carrier aircraft, they engaged in dogfights, supported long-range bombing raids, and intercepted KPAF fighters wherever and whenever they appeared.
Allied air supremacy helped reverse the tide of war on the ground, and by October 1, UN forces had crossed the 38th parallel and taken the war into North Korea itself.
Unnerved by these developments, China and the Soviet Union increased their support for North Korea. China entered the war on October 19 with hundreds of thousands of soldiers clashed with UN forces. The Soviets sent dozens of their newest fighter planes, the MiG-15, and pilots to fly them.
Operating from Chinese bases across the Yalu River, the Soviet MiGs had Chinese or North Korean markings and engaged in dogfights with US and Allied aircraft.
On November 1, the first day MiG-15s fought Allied aircraft, the Soviets claimed to have shot down an American F-51 Mustang and an F-80C fighter jet, but Air Force records for the day show none Losses from enemy aircraft.
The “first” of the Air Force
A US Air Force F-80C armed with napalm bombs takes off from a Korean airfield in February 1951.US Air Force
According to the Air Force, the first true jet-vs-jet dogfight occurred seven days later, on November 8.
During a major bombing raid on Sinuiju KPAF airfield, four F-80C punitive attacks on anti-aircraft guns ended when the lead jet, piloted by Lt. Col. Evans Stephens, spotted 12 MiG-15s approaching from nearby Chinese territory.
Two of the MiGs appeared on Stephens and Lt. Russel Brown and were leaving right in front of them as the Americans turned to meet them. Stephens followed the first MiG while Brown followed the second. Stephens managed to fire on his MiG and damaged its left wing, causing it to return to China.
Brown, meanwhile, was hot on his heels, but the MiG was a faster plane. Brown’s F-80 began to flap as it passed Mach 0.80. As the MiG attempted to turn, Brown fired four busts causing the MiG pilot to turn and dive.
Brown continued in pursuit. Traveling at speeds up to 600 mph, the MiG was still about 1,000 feet away. Brown fired another four salvos, causing the MiG’s fuselage to spew black smoke. A final salvo blew up the MiG in midair.
Just 2,000 feet above the ground, Brown withdrew from the dive. The dogfight had lasted about 60 seconds.
The “First” of the Navy
US Navy F9F-2 fighters embark from the USS Philippine Sea in 1952 or 1953 on a mission over Korea.US Navy
For decades, Brown’s engagement was believed to be the first kill in a jet-vs-jet dogfight.
After the Cold War, Russian documents claimed that the MiG deployed by Brown actually returned to base. If this is true, then the first kill in a jet-vs-jet dogfight belongs to a Navy jet flying at the same location just a day later.
On November 9, fighter-bombers and attack aircraft launched from the carriers USS Valley Forge and USS Philippine Sea to strike bridges on the Yalu River between Sinuiju and China. The strike aircraft were escorted by F9F Panthers who conducted combat patrols during the bombing raids.
As the US planes began their attack, a squadron of Soviet MiG-15s attempted to intercept them. Aware of the approaching MiGs, Lt.Cmdr. William Amen ordered his panthers to join the fight.
Amen soon found himself behind a lone MiG-15. Although faster than the Panther, the MiG accidentally allowed Amen and his wingman to close the gap by twisting and yawing to shake them. As a result, US Navy pilots hit the MiG with their 20mm guns.
The MiG then went into a steep dive. Amen followed. Despite the Panther’s swaying as it neared its top speed, Amen managed to fire more rounds at the MiG-15. At about 3,000 feet, Amen broke off and began to pull up, leveling and rotating with only 200 feet up.
The damaged MiG was not so lucky and smashed into the side of a hill. Piloted by Captain Mikhail F. Grachev, leader of the Soviet squadron, it was the first MiG-15 loss recognized by the Soviets.
Importance of the Air Force
US Air Force F-16 and B-1B bombers with South Korean F-35As during Vigilant Storm 23 November 2022.US Air Force/Staff Sgt. Dwane Jung
Despite early victories by UN pilots, the MiGs became a significant problem when they came into force, causing the US Air Force to almost entirely halt its daylight bombing campaigns.
UN forces began containing the MiG threat when the US introduced the F-86 Saber in December 1950. The F-86 soon became the primary fighter aircraft for the US and allied air forces in Korea, while other jet fighters transitioned to attack or reconnaissance roles.
The area along the North Korea-China border where Brown and Amen’s engagements took place continued to be the scene of intense dogfights until the end of the war, earning it the nickname “MiG Alley”.
Seventy-two years later, military planners still cherish the air forces on the Korean Peninsula.
A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B takes off from South Korea during Vigilant Storm 23, October 2022. U.S. Marine Corps/Sgt. Jose Angeles
US and South Korean forces recently conducted their largest ever air exercise, reflecting their continued confidence in air superiority as well as recent tensions.
Dubbed Vigilant Storm, the exercise involved around 100 US aircraft and about 140 South Korean aircraft, flying more than 1,600 sorties. Warplanes, fourth and fifth generation fighters and strategic bombers took part.
Vigilant Storm was extended in response to North Korean missile tests in November. It included mock attacks, aerial maneuvers, close air support drills and air emergency operations conducted around the clock for nearly a week.
In December, US B-52 bombers and F-22 stealth fighters flew alongside South Korean F-15s and F-35s in a show of force. It was the first time F-22s had been deployed to South Korea in four years.
Read the original article on Business Insider
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