Korean War

The Korean War (Korean: ????/????), from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, was a conflict between North Korea and South Korea. Some consider this Cold War-era conflict to have been a proxy war between the United States and its Western democratic allies and the Communist powers of the People's Republic of China and the Soviet Union. The principal combatants were North Korea, supported by Soviet and later Chinese forces, combat advisors, aircraft pilots, and weapons; and South Korea, supported principally by the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, although many other nations sent troops under the aegis of the United Nations.

Air War

The Korean War was the last major war where propeller-powered fighters such as the P-51 Mustang, F4U Corsair, A-1 Skyraider, F4U-5N, and aircraft carrier-based Supermarine Seafire, Fairey Firefly, and Hawker Sea Fury, deployed by the British Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy, were used, as jet fighters (US Air Force F-80s, and US Navy or US Marine Corps Grumman F9F Panthers, and McDonnell F2H Banshees) came to dominate the skies, overwhelming North Korea's propeller-driven Yakovlev Yak-9s and Lavochkin La-9s.

Related Topics:
P-51 Mustang - F4U Corsair - A-1 Skyraider - Aircraft carrier - Supermarine Seafire - Fairey Firefly - Hawker Sea Fury - Royal Navy - Royal Australian Navy - US Air Force - F-80 - US Navy - US Marine Corps - Grumman F9F Panther - McDonnell F2H Banshee - Yakovlev Yak-9 - Lavochkin La-9

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

From 1950, North Korea introduced MiG-15 jet fighters, piloted by experienced Soviet Air Force pilots, a casus belli deliberately overlooked by the UN allied forces who were reluctant to engage in open war with the Soviet Union and China. At first UN jet fighters, which now included Royal Australian Air Force Gloster Meteor Mk.8s, had some success against inexperienced Soviet pilots, but the superior quality of the MiGs soon held sway over the first generation jets used by the UN, leading to the loss of 3046 allied aircraft during the Korean war.

Related Topics:
MiG-15 - Soviet Air Force - Casus belli - Royal Australian Air Force - Gloster Meteor

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Even after the USAF introduced the more advanced F-86, its pilots often struggled against the Soviet jets, as the MiG-15 had better high altitude capability, rate of climb, longer range, and more powerful armament (3 cannons vs. 6 machine-guns), although dive speed and roll rate were inferior. The U.N. gradually gained a numerical advantage, which gave them an air superiority that lasted until the end of the war — a decisive factor in helping the U.N. first advance into the north, and then resist the Chinese invasion of South Korea. The Chinese also had jet power, but the American forces had superior training for their pilots.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Among other factors which helped tip the balance toward the U.N. Jets include the F-86s' better radar gunsight, which lead to installation of first radar warning receiver on MiG figters, better cockpit visibilty, better stability and control at high speed and high altitudes, and the introduction of the first G-suits. The U.N. pilots claimed to achieve impressive success with the F-86, stating to shoot down 792 MiG-15s and 108 additional aircraft for the loss of 78 Sabres, a ratio in excess of 10:1. Post-war research was only able to confirm 379 victories. Direct comparison of Sabre and MiG losses seem irrelevant, as primary targets for MiGs were heavy B-29 bombers, and primary targets for Sabres were MiG-15s. Recently exposed Soviet documentation admits 345 Soviet MiG-15s lost during the Korean war, which, when combined with estimated Chinese and Korean losses, supports the figure of 379 Sabre victories. Soviet sources claim ~1300 victories and 335 MiG losses, which may be roughly correct, but they include all MiG air-to-air wins, not Sabre-vs-MiG duels, Chinese and Korean aircraft losses are not included.

Related Topics:
Radar - Radar warning receiver - G-suit - B-29 - Soviet

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Throughout the conflict, the United States maintained a policy of heavy bombing, especially using incendiary weapons, against any and all North Korean settlements. Although images of the civilian victims of the weapon were to be ingrained upon the memory of the world in Vietnam, significantly more napalm was dropped on North Korea, despite the relative short length of the conflict. Tens of thousands of gallons were dropped on targets in Korea each day.

Related Topics:
Incendiary weapons - Napalm - Gallon

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In May and June of 1953, the United States Air Force undertook a mission to destroy several key irrigation and hydroelectric dams, in order to critically hamper agriculture and industry in the North. The Kusǒng (??), Tǒksan (??) and Pujǒn (??) River dams were all destroyed, severely flooding vast areas of land, drowning thousands and ultimately starving many more.

Related Topics:
Irrigation - Hydroelectric - Dams - Agriculture - Industry - Flooding

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

See also British Commonwealth Forces Korea

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~