Note: Page numbers followed by the letter n, plus a number, refer to endnotes.
4th Fighter Interceptor Wing, 140–41, 165, 167, 184; drop tanks, 39–40; equipment malfunctions, 27–28, 32, 42; Gabreski in, 186; initial operations in 1950, 76–80; maintenance of F-86s, 34–35; Sellers in, 196
8th Fighter Bomber Wings, 125, 169, 202
11th Fighter Squadron, 183
16th Fighter Squadron, 85–86, 133
18th Fighter Bomber Wings, 125, 184, 202
25th Fighter Squadron, 85–86
27th Fighter Escort Wing, 76
31st Fighter Group, 133, 159, 189
33rd Fighter Group, 49
38th parallel, 69
39th Fighter Squadron, 91–92, 191
48th Fighter Bomber Group, 159
49th Fighter Group, 172
51st Fighter Interceptor Wing, 140–41, 176, 191, 210; aircraft destroyed on ground, 130; conversion to Sabres, 85–88; drop tanks, 43; equipment malfunctions, 42; Fischer in, 169; Gabreski in, 187; Glenn in, 195–96; Kincheloe in, 208; Mahurin in, 201; maintenance of F-86s, 35; McConnell in, 146–49; number of jets, 125; Overton in, 134; test planes, 25
55th Fighter Squadron, 186
62nd Fighter Squadron, 203
94th Fighter Squadron, 14, 160
332nd Fighter Group, 209–10
334th Fighter Squadron, 18, 108, 150–52, 156; Blesse in, 161; Jabara in, 152–55; Parr in, 173
335th Fighter Squadron, 55, 91, 166
336th Fighter Squadron, 35, 77–78, 108, 200
352nd Fighter Group, 188
366th Tactical Fighter Wing, 208
413th Fighter Group, 190
A-1C gunsights, 28
A-4 gunsights, 29
AAF (Army Air Forces), 5, 38, 105, 238n13; air sea rescue, 111–12; top guns, 144–45
aborts, 36–37
accident records, 258n58
aces: Bolt, 191–92; Foster, 176–80; Gabreski, 185–88; Hagerstrom, 183–85; Low, 180–83; Thyng, 189–91; Whisner, 188–89. See also double aces; Red aces; top guns
aerial refueling, 44
Aerojet, 19
African-Americans, 209–10
Air Corps Tactical School, 38
Air Defense Command (ADC), 190, 226
Air Force, Royal, 193–94
Air Force, Royal Canadian, 193–94
Air Force, United States. See USAF
Air National Guard, 190
air sea rescue, 111–20
airspeed indicators, 52
air-to-air refueling, 229
Air Training Command, 49–50
air war, overview of: 51st converts to Sabres, 85–88; operations in 1951, 80–85; operations in 1952, 89–92; operations in 1953, 92–93
Alam, M. M., 233
Aldrin, Edwin, 87
Amen, William, 1
Andre, Lewis, 249n72
APGC (Air Proving Ground Command), 30–31
APG-30 rangefinders, 28
armament: inadequacy of, 20–21, 79; maintenance issues, 35–36. See also guns
Armed Forces Security Agency (AFSA), 105–6
Armstrong, John, 223
Army Air Forces. See AAF (Army Air Forces)
Arnold, Henry “Hap”, 9–10
Arnold, John, 119
aspect ratio, 8
Atwood, Lee, 7
Australia, 230–32
B-17s, 252n17
B-26s, 83
B-45s, 237n9
Bach, Lawrence, 78
Baker, Royal, 146, 158–59, 162, 184, 249n72
Barcus, Glenn, 54, 133, 135, 146
Barr, Richard, 48
Barton, Ray, 109
Beaumont, Roland, 11
Beem, Gordon, 191
Bell, Lawrence D., 11
Bell FM-1, 38
Bell X-1, 11
Bendix Trophy, 189
Berelidze, Grigoriy, 171
Bettinger, Stephen, 211
Blackburn, Al, 11
Black Sheep Squadron, 191, 192
blast deflectors, 22
Blesse, Frederick “Boots”, 172, 210, 249n72; career of, 160–65; MiGs and, 130–31; quotes from, 145, 157–58, 180; rescue of, 114
Boeing, 237n9
Bolt, John, 139, 191–92, 197–98
Bong, Richard, 144
Bonini, James, 114
Bordelon, Guy, 111, 278n2, 287n46
Bornholm, 97
Boyd, Albert, 98
Boyd, John, 195
Boyington, Pappy, 191
Briggs, James, 81
Brown, Earl, 210
Brown, Russell J., 1
Brown, W. L. M., 96
Brueland, Lowell, 211
Burke, Joseph, 114
Busemann, Adolph, 6
Buttleman, Henry, 195
C-47s, 83
camera film, 3, 31, 33, 122–23, 131, 277n74
Cameron, Lyle, 290n44
Canada, 193–94, 229–30, 263n27
Cannon, Joe, 123
Cardigan Bay, HMS, 96
Carus, Glenn, 277n74
casualties, 69, 73, 109, 196, 278n89, 289n31
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), 105
Chandler, Kenneth, 210
checklists, 58
China: claim numbers, 142–43; flights into, 128–33, 187, 206; North Korea and, 67, 68–69; prisoners of war, 172; reconnaissance of, 129; sanctuary of, 126–27, 136–37; as world power, 3. See also Communists
Chinese Nationalists, 232
Chitwood, Harold, 115
Cho-do Island: air sea rescue, 111–20, 164, 178, 271n32; air successes, 107–10; Communist air attacks, 110–11; importance, 104, 113; intelligence, 105–7; radar at, 104, 110, 147, 207, 272n3
Chong-chong River, 101, 161, 195
claims and claim numbers, 137–43, 213–14, 236n8–9, 262n4; in 1951 and 1952, 90–91; in 1953, 92
Cleveland, Charles, 132, 275n54, 277n74
Cleveland National Air Races, 13
Cochrane, Jacqueline, 230
Collins, H. E. “Tom”, 98–99
Colman, Philip “Casey”, 207, 211
Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC), 230–31
communications intelligence (COMINT), 105–7
Communists, 67–68, 81, 132, 220; air attacks against islands, 110–11; air superiority, 82–85; capture of F-86 pilots, 102–3; claim numbers, 142–43; exploitation of F-86s, 100–101; friendly fire, 124; number of jets, 125–26; Panmunjom, 92; supply lines, 83–84
control sticks, 53
Cooper, Joseph, 95–97
cost, 246n41
Cox, Al, 173–74
Crabb, Don, 115
Craigie, Bill, 8
crates, 40
Creighton, Richard, 211
Crone, William, 217
Crosby, Wilton “Bing”, 178
cylinder rods, 256n36
D-558 Skystreaks, 13
damage: in transit, 77
Daniels, Jack, 7
Darby, Sam, 122
Davis, Benjamin, 210
Davis, George, 108–9, 146, 156–58, 161, 243n15
Davis, Leigh, 27
DeArmond, Michael, 132
Dechai, Han, 172
defectors, 98–100
deflection, 26
DeHaviland, Geoffrey, 11
Department of Defense (DoD), 102
development issues, 12–14
Dickey, Albert, 199
dive brakes, 13
double aces, 158–59; Blesse, 160–65; Fischer, 168–72; Garrison, 165–67; Johnson, 167–68; Moore, 168; Parr, 172–75
Douglas Aircraft, 186
Dow Corning, 42
Draper, Stark, 27
drop tanks, 37–44, 251n12, 252n22
Dulles, John Foster, 92
Edwards Air Force Base, 12
Eighth Air Force, 112, 165, 201, 252n17
Eisenhower, Dwight, 92, 149, 151
ejection and ejection seats, 46–48, 255n11, 255n13
electronics, 225–26
emergency fuel systems, 53–54
Emmert, Benjamin, 211
engines: failure, 53, 254n7; J47, 8, 12, 225; J73, 223; higher temperatures, 16–17; increased power, 16; replacement, 34; Rolls Royce Avon, 231; Soviet, 60–61, 64; stalls, 22–23
exchange pilots, 139, 193–94; Glenn, 194–96; Sellers, 196–99. See also specific pilots
F-15s, 58
F-36As, 245n36
F-36Es, 245n36
F-84s, 76
F-86A-5s, 52–53
F-86Bs, 245n34
F-86Cs, 245n34
F-86Hs, 222–24
F-86Ks, 232
F-86Ls, 224–26
F-86s. See specific topics
F-94s, 111
F-100s, 58
F-104s, 58
F3D Skynights, 111
Fallon, J. S., 98
Far East Air Forces (FEAF), 20, 31–32, 75, 89–90; hot pursuit of MiGs, 127–28
Farley, Robert, 48
fatality rates, 47
Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI), 13
Feng Cheng airfield, 166
Fernandez, Pete, 139, 146, 149, 150–52, 210
Fifth Air Force: Cho-do radar, 104; equipment malfunctions, 31–32; interdiction missions, 80, 84; Mahurin and, 201; Yalu River, 199, 210
film. See camera film
fire power, 19–23
first flight, 9–10
Fischer, Harold, 122, 168–72, 204, 284n26, 290n44
Fisher, Richard, 1
FJ-1s, 5
FJ-2s, 227–28
FJ-3s, 228
flameouts, 53–54
FM-1s, 38
foreign manufacture, 229–32, 263n27
Foster, Cecil, 124, 133, 176–80, 249n73, 277n73
Frailey, Richard, 123–24
France, 251n12
fuel counters, 113
fuel pumps, 54–55
fuel systems, 53–54
Funk, Ben, 238n18
Gabreski, Francis “Gabby”, 125, 131, 135, 201, 249n63; career of, 130, 160–65, 185–88; description of Welch, 9; on modern gunsights, 30; service rivalry and, 86
Garrison, Vermont, 165–67
gas, 20
General Electric (GE), 17, 224–25
Germany and Germans, 6–7, 27, 46, 111
Ges, Grigorii, 217
Gilbert, Clyde, 275n54
Gillespie, Arthur, 116
Giraudo, John, 275n54
Glory, HMS, 96–97
Great Britain, 27, 111, 193–94
Green, Norman, 115–16
Greene, Larry, 6–7
Greer, Joe, 7
ground support role, 89
guns, 237n3, 243n14, 244n23; camera film, 3, 31, 33, 122–23, 131, 277n74; Operation GunVal, 19–23
gunsights, 26–33, 79, 100–101, 249n73
GunVal, Operation, 19–23
Hagerstrom, James, 130, 183–85
Harris, Elmer, 209, 248n58, 249n72, 249n73, 291n64
Hartmann, Erich, 144
Heller, Edwin, 133, 136, 203–4, 273n17
helmets, 46
Hepner, Ed, 178
Hero of the Soviet Union, 216
Herrick, Harold, 203
Hinton, Bruce, 2, 78, 79, 129, 153, 211–12, 236n5
Hockery, John, 211
Holley, Gene, 154
Honoker, John, 109–10
Horowitz, James, 181
Houston, Tuel, 149
Hovde, William, 211
Hudson, William, 70
Hulse, Graham, 119–20
Humphreys, Francis, 249n72
Hunters, The, 181
hydraulic cylinder, 10
hydroelectric industry, 89–90
IFF (Identification Friend or Foe), 131, 166, 272n3
Illinois Institute of Technology, 21
Il-10s, 107
in-commission rates, 250n1
Ingersoll tanks, 41
instruments, 52
interdiction missions, 80, 82–84, 263n22
islands: air sea rescue, 111–20, 164, 178; air successes, 107–10; Communist air attacks, 110–11; importance, 104; intelligence, 105–7
Italy, 230–32
Ivanov, Nikolai, 200
J-2s, 249n62
J40s, 295n21
J73s, 223
Jabara, James, 80, 123–24, 151, 152–55, 210, 281n44
Japan: importance, 66; manufacture of Sabres, 230–32; tanks, 43
Japanese Self Defense Force (JSDAF), 231
Jarecki, Franciszek, 97
Jet Assisted Takeoff (JATO), 18, 112
jet fuel, 20
Johnson, Robert, 13–14, 239n30
Johnson Air Base, 77
Joint Chiefs of Staff, 89–90
Jolley, Clifford, 114, 248n58, 249n72, 249n73
Jones, Bob, 6
Jones, David C., 135
Jones, George, 86
Kasler, James, 180, 206–8, 249n63, 286n21
Kelly, Albert, 249n72
Kemp, Salvadore, 153
Kim Il Sung, 67
Kimpo airfield, 69, 70, 73, 77, 111
Kincheloe, Iven, 133, 135, 208–9, 249n63
Kindleberger, Dutch, 7
Kirkland, Dick, 115
Kirtland Air Force Base, 12
Knowland, Dick, 170–71
Korean War: 51st converts to Sabres, 85–88; F-86s in theatre, 34; changes in Air Force, 50–51; June through November 1950, 66–74; operations in 1951, 80–85; operations in 1952, 89–92; operations in 1953, 92–93; overview of, 2–4, 75–76; post-Korean combat, 232–33; USAF, 69–74. See also air war
Kozhedub, Ivan, 214
Kramarenko, Sergei, 216
Kunuri, 202
L-5s, 112
La-9s, 162–63
La-15s, 63
labor, 41
Lamb, William, 1
laminar flow air foil, 7
landing gear, 36–37, 51–52, 239n25, 256n37
Lavene, Harry, 1
Levesque, J. A. O., 80
life cycles: of fighters, 57
Lilley, Leonard, 160
liquid nitrogen, 241n3
liquid rocket boosters, 19
Little, James, 70
Littlefield, William, 157
Lobov, Georgii, 130
Love, Robert, 180
low altitude bombing system, 294n4
Lowder, Gilbert, 279n16
LSD-7, 96–97
MacArthur, Douglas, 68, 70–71, 128
Mackay Trophy, 209
MacKenzie, Andy, 123
Mahurin, Walker “Bud”, 34, 101, 208; career of, 200–203; comrades of, 160; friendly fire, 124; on other pilots, 125; Yalu River crossings, 130, 131–32
maintenance: aborts, 36–37; combat, 78; drop tanks, 37–44; importance, 34–36. See also performance
Manchuria, 92
Mapp, James, 118
March Air Force Base, 14
Marines, U.S., 193–94, 226–27; Glenn, 194–96; Sellers, 196–99
Mark (MK) 18, 27–28, 79, 247n50
Marshall, George, 128
Marshall Islands, 194
Marshall, Winton “Bones”, 108–10
Mauser, 21
McConnell, Joe, 151, 172, 191, 279n16, 279n21; career of, 114, 115–16, 146–49, 223; experience, 280n30; Yalu River crossings, 133
McElroy, Carrol, 182
Medal of Honor, 156, 157, 239n21
Meyer, John, 77, 152–53, 155, 211, 236n5, 249n63
Meyers, Dale, 7
MiG Alley. See air war, overview of
MiG-9s, 60
MiG-15bis, 64–65
MiG-15s: advantages of, 88, 99–100, 220; airfield attacks against, 121–33; claims by cause, 138–39; compared to F-86s, 78–79, 220–21; defectors, 87–100; development, 61–64; downed without a shot, 140–41; exploitation by U.S., 94–97; gunsights, 32–33; hot pursuit of, 127–28; influence on air war, 75–76; number in theatre, 84; salvage attempts, 94–97; spins, 98–99, 140–41, 266n21; testing by U.S., 99–100; weaponry, 20; weight, 15–16
Mikoyan team, 61–62
Miller, Danny, 96
Miller, Howard, 123
models, changes in: F-86A, 23; F-86E, 24; F-86F, 24–26; accident records, 55; after the Korean War, 222–29; foreign manufacture, 229–32
Moore, Lonnie, 114, 133, 168, 272n4
Morgan, Warren, 249n72
Morman, Al, 131
Muccio, John, 70
Munich Conference, 67–68
napalm, 89
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), 6
Navy, Royal, 265n12
Nehru, Jawahar Lal, 92
Nellis Air Force Base, 51
Nelson, Milton, 36
Nichols, Donald, 94–97
Nichols, Paddy, 130
No Kum-Sok, 98
North Africa, 189
North American Aviation: designs of, 5–6; drop tanks, 40; ejection seats, 47–48; models of F-86s after war, 222–26; sound barrier, 11; swept-wing concept, 7–9, 238n10; weight reduction, 15–16
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), 97, 231
North Korea, 81, 85, 126–28; airfields, 93; build-up of air power, 82; claim numbers, 142–43; hydroelectric industry, 89–90; military advantage, 67. See also Korean War
nuclear weapons, 92
Okhai, Grigorii, 217
one-man crew concept, 225–26
Operation GunVal, 19–23
Oskin, Dmitrii, 215
Overton, Dolph, 129, 133–36, 139, 160, 277n74
Owens, Jack, 201
P-39s, 56
P-47s, 38–39
Paengnyong-do Island, 95–97; air sea rescue, 111–20; air successes, 107–10; Communist air attacks, 110–11; importance, 104; intelligence, 105–7
Pakistan, 232–33
Palmer, Millie, 11
Panmunjom, 92
Parker, Jerry, 195
Parker, R. E., 1
Parr, Ralph, 166, 172–75, 284n36
Partridge, Earle, 16, 49, 70, 94, 127, 152–53
Pepelyaev, Evgeny, 101, 143, 214–15, 216
performance: early problems, 51–55; engine over-temperature, 16–17; gunsights, 26–33; handling, 246n39; increased engine power, 16; liquid rocket boosters, 19; Operation GunVal, 19–23; pre-turbine injection, 18; solid rocket boosters, 18–19; water-alcohol injection, 17; weight reduction, 15–16. See also maintenance; models, changes in
Peterson, Paul, 22
photographic intelligence, 129
Pickett, Owen, 102
pilots: age, 87, 145; aggressiveness of, 138; Communist, 140, 221; ejection seats, 47; exchange, 139; friendly fire, 122–24; gunsights, 27, 29; personal equipment, 78; personality traits, 145; reluctant warriors, 124–25; safety training, 48–51; shooter position, 137–38. See also specific pilots, aces
Pittman, Biffle, 170
Pitts, Morris, 154
Ponomarev, Mikhail, 215–16
Poulton, Gail, 119
Power Plant Laboratory, 17. See also Wright Air Development Center (WADC)
Prasccindo, Robert, 95
Preston, Benjamin, 16, 108, 157, 274n31
prisoners of war, 102–3, 202–3, 204, 206
propellers, 45–46
Pullout, Project, 226
Pusan Perimeter, 72
Pyongyang, 84
radio intelligence, 105–7
RAF (Royal Air Force), 193–94
Ragland, Dayton, 210
RB-45s, 232
RB-50Gs, 106
RB-50s, 175
RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force), 193–94
RD-1s, 60–61
RD-45Fs, 60–61
rearward vision: MiG-15bis, 64
Red aces, 213–18
reflector gunsights, 26–27
refueling, 44
Reitsma, Donald, 182
Republic of Korea (RoK), 66–67, 106
Rhee, Syngman, 70
Richtoven, Manfred von, 144
Rickenbacker, Eddie, 14, 144, 152
Right Stuff, The, 11
ring and bead gunsights, 26
Risner, Robinson, 131, 164, 204–6, 286n21, 290n51
rivalry, 86
Roach, Paul, 86
Roberts, James, 36
Roberts, John, 275n54
rocket boosters, 18–19
Rocketdyne, 19
Rolls Royce Nene, 60–61
Royal Heater, 43
Sabre: origination of name, 14
Sabre Knights, 183
safety: accident records, 55; big picture, 56–58; ejection, 46–48; props to jets, 45–46; training, 48–51
Schmued, Ed, 7
Second Air Rescue Squadron, 112
Shchukin, Lev, 215
Sheberstov, Konstantin, 216
Sherwood, John, 275n54
shooter position, 137–38
Sicily, HMS, 97
signals intelligence (SIGINT), 106
Simmi-do, 107
Smiley, Albert, 207
Smith, Norman, 163
Smorchkov, Alexandr, 215
solid rocket boosters, 18–19
sound barrier: breaking, 10–12
Soviet Union, 59–65, 67, 78, 174–75; American intelligence, 105; capture of F-86 pilots, 102–3; claim numbers, 142–43, 213–14; Red aces, 213–18. See also Communists
Spath, Charles, 119
speed, 13–14, 238n15, 241n5, 241n8
speed brakes, 13
spins, 22–23, 98–99, 140–41, 257n41, 266n21
Springfield Arsenal, 21
stability, 8–9
stalls, 22–23
Stauffer, Bill, 123
Storms, Harrison, 7
Strangle, Operation, 83–84
Stratemeyer, George, 28, 75–76, 81, 127–28
Subbotin, Serafim, 216–17
Summerich, Eugene, 98
Superforts, 81–82
supersonic flight, 11–12
supply lines, 82–83
Sutyagin, Nikolai, 214
swept-wing concept, 6–9, 61–62, 237n7
Symington, Stuart, 11
Syngman Rhee, 70
T-6s, 49
T-33s, 49
T-160s, 21
Taegu, 81
Taehwa-do, 107–8
Taiwan, 66–68
Taiwan Straits, 232
Taugu airfield (K-2), 80
temperature: of engines, 16–17
testing: solid rocket boosters, 18–19
Third Air Rescue Squadron, 112
thrust: increasing, 17
Thyng, Harrison, 172, 180–81, 249n72; career of, 130, 132, 189–91, 202; on F-86s, 52; landings, 113
Tice, Clay, 54
top guns, 144–46; Baker, 158–59; Davis, 156–58; Fernandez, 150–52; Jabara, 152–55; McConnell, 146–49
Toskan dam, 93
training: safety, 48–51
Transland Company, 254n41
trench warfare, 3
Tuel, Houston, 279n21
Tuskegee airmen, 209–10
Tu-2s, 108
Uiju airfield, 202
United Nations (UN), 68–69; aircraft, 128–33; air superiority, 3–4, 82, 220–21. See also islands
United States, 6; claim numbers, 141–42; interests of, 66–68; MiG-15s salvage attempts, 94–97
USAF, 17, 20–21, 41, 76–77; aircraft designation system, 238n13; air superiority, 82–85; Blesse and, 164–65; Davis and, 158; drop tanks, 43–44; Fernandez and, 151; Korean War, 69–74; mobile units, 105–6; number of jets, 125–26; Overton and, 135–36; rescue units, 112–20; test planes, 239n30; training, 48–51; transition to jet-powered aircraft, 45–46. See also casualties; claims and claim numbers
Van Boven, Paul, 72
Vandenberg, Hoyt, 30, 75–76, 85, 191
Visscher, Herman, 211
VK-1s, 64
von Richtoven, Manfred, 144
Wagner, Robert, 181
Waite, Larry, 7
Walker, Walton, 73
Walter, Lon, 155
water-alcohol injection, 17
Weber, F. C., 1
Weill, Max, 35–36
Welch, George “Wheaties”, 9–12, 51, 52, 225
Westcott, William, 248n58
Westerman, Frank, 120
Whisner, William, 160, 169, 183, 187, 188–89, 208, 249n63
Williams, Ted, 194
Williams Air Force Base, 50
Windoffer, Robert, 123
wings, 6–9, 25, 61–62, 237n7, 247n42
Winnegar, Russell, 95–97
Wolfe, Tom, 209
Wonsan refinery, 71
World War II: aces in, 156–58, 165–67, 183–92; claim numbers, 141; Red aces, 217–18; veterans who scored in the Korean War, 211–12
Wright Air Development Center (WADC), 16, 17
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, 12, 44, 96
X-1s, 38
XP-47s, 237n9
XP-55s, 237n7
XP-56s, 237n7
XP-80s, 5
XP-84s, 5
XP-86s, 5–6
Yak-15s, 60
Yak-17s, 60
Yak-30s, 63
Yalu River, 72, 80–81, 128–33; crossing of, 136–37, 275n54; Overton, 133–36; Soviet pilots, 219
YB-40s, 252n17
YC-93As, 245n34
Yeager, Charles “Chuck”, 11–12, 98–99, 239n30, 275n54
Yellow Sea, 232
Yermakov, Dimitiri, 171
Young, Sam, 195
Yuganov, Ramenskoye, 63