List of Korean War air aces
Encyclopedia
Dozens of aviators were credited as flying aces in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. The number of total flying aces, who are credited with downing five or more enemy aircraft in air-to-air combat, is disputed in the war.
The Korean War
saw the first widespread use of jet engine
-powered fighter aircraft
for both sides of a conflict. Subsequently, difficulty arose in crediting the number of victories for each side, thanks in part to poor records, intentional overestimation, and the difficulty of confirming crashes in MiG alley
, where the majority of air-to-air combat took place in the war. As a result, there is a large discrepancy on both sides as to the number of victories claimed versus aircraft lost. As a result, it is extremely difficult to determine the accuracy of many victories and the ace status of dozens of pilots remains in question.
Aviators from four nations may have qualified as aces during the Korean War; between six and nine aces have been estimated for China
and up to four in North Korea
. Pilots of the Soviet Union
had the most difficulty confirming victories and accurately determining which pilots achieved ace status, and between 34 and 60 pilots from that nation have been postulated as possible aces in the war. For the United Nations
, the United States
was the only country with pilots to attain ace status, with 40 documented aces. No pilot from another UN country attained ace status, though many claimed victories. Among these, Royal Canadian Air Force
pilot Ernest A. Glover claimed three victories.
generally agree there were only 40 pilots to reach ace status during the Korean War, all of them from the United States
. However, records from China
, the Soviet Union
, and North Korea
conflict widely and accounts vary on how many aircraft on each side were lost and who is credited with the victories. Air victory claims, which are often controversial between two sides of a conflict, were particularly difficult to measure in Korea thanks to the difficulty recovering crashed aircraft and confirming losses, as well poor records for the two sides which fought the bulk of their engagements in an area known as MiG alley
.
The number of aircraft lost during the war is in dispute among both the UN and the Soviet bloc nations. UN pilots claim 840 aircraft shot down during the course of the war, while Chinese, Soviet, and North Korean sources indicate only 600 aircraft lost among the three nations. Conversely, the Soviet Union sources claim to have shot down 800 UN aircraft, while US sources indicate only 100 were lost in combat. Overestimation of victories on both sides have been attributed to the stress and confusion of air combat situations during the war, as well as the tendency for pilots to deliberately exaggerate claims for career advancement. Claims from the Soviet-bloc nations were arguably more likely to be accurate because the majority of air-to-air action in the war occurred over Soviet airspace. However, historians suggest numbers in these nations were exaggerated further for propaganda
purposes and in order to appease superiors. Soviet pilots, they claim, faced harsh penalties for perceived failure or ineffectiveness, making inaccurate or false claims of victories more common. Compounding the problem, both sides were utilizing jet engine
powered fighter aircraft
on a large scale for the first time, and the high speeds of combat made visual identification of damaged and destroyed aircraft difficult. As a result, UN planners required multiple witnesses to confirm victories, hoping to gleam the best intelligence possible. Soviet leaders kept relatively lax standards for confirming kills at the beginning of the war, leading to widespread over-claiming. Both sides made extensive use of gun cameras to better track effectiveness, but Soviet cameras were less effective, further contributing to over-claiming.
In total, the Soviet bloc nations claim to have destroyed a combined number of between 1,000 and 1,600 UN aircraft in air-to-air combat, the most common number in sources being 1,106 UN aircraft total, including 651 F-86 Sabres. The most authoritative numbers indicate 1,016 UN aircraft, including 595 Sabres. Chinese sources claim an additional 330 victories, including 211 Sabres. The most common number used is a total of 271 victories for China and North Korea. Other, more recent works claim 1,337 UN aircraft. During the entire course of the war, the UN force claims to have lost 1,466 aircraft to all causes, with 757 of them lost to enemy action. Of these only 139 were destroyed in air-to-air combat and 305 unknown or missing. Of these, only 78 Sabres were listed as lost in combat with 26 missing. Historians generally regard the UN numbers as the most accurate.
Tallying claims for the many Soviet pilots who claim to have achieved ace status is extremely difficult. The system of claims awards in the country is unclear and appears to have been highly inconsistent in the conflict. There is also no single list of victories for each pilot in the Soviet Union, with numbers instead drawn from after action report
s and accounts from pilots and unit leaders. These complications, in addition to the intentional exaggeration of kills in order to please superiors, mean the about 50 Soviet pilots claiming ace status have a total number of credits which far exceeds the number of aircraft the UN troops lost in the war's air battles. Realizing the chronic problem with false claims, Soviet leaders began to tighten the criteria for confirming victories in 1952. As a result, far fewer Soviet pilots were made aces in the second half of the war.
in acknowledgement of their services, very little information is known of the Chinese pilots during the war due to the lack of published records.
in 1999 concluded two North Korean pilots may have attained the status. However, historian Michael J. Varhola
subsequently contended that Chinese and Russian records indicate it is unlikely either pilot attained enough kills for ace status.
during their air-to-air fights. Early in the war against the older North Korean People's Air Force aircraft, US pilots flew a variety of aircraft including the F-51 Mustang, F-80 Shooting Star and F-82 Twin Mustang
. However, with the introduction of the MiG 15 when the People's Liberation Army Air Force
entered the conflict, only the Sabre and the upgraded F4U Corsair
fighter could match the Soviet-built fighters in single combat.
The pilots who attained ace status in the war scored a disproportionate number of kills in the conflict. Of 1,000 fighter pilots who served in the war, only 355 were credited with aerial victories. A total of 756.5 victories were credited for aircraft shot down by the UN, with the 40 aces shooting down a total of 310.5 aircraft, or 40 percent of the total. The top five aces are credited with a combined ten percent of the UN aircraft victories of the war. In addition to the 40 pilots who attained ace status in the Korean War, another 17 US pilots who had been aces in World War II claimed additional kills in the Korean War. Two Canadian World War II aces, J. Lindsay and John McKay, also garnered additional kills in the conflict.
The Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
saw the first widespread use of jet engine
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
-powered fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
for both sides of a conflict. Subsequently, difficulty arose in crediting the number of victories for each side, thanks in part to poor records, intentional overestimation, and the difficulty of confirming crashes in MiG alley
MiG Alley
"MIG Alley" is the name given by U.S. Air Force pilots to the northwestern portion of North Korea, where the Yalu River empties into the Yellow Sea. During the Korean War, it was the site of numerous dogfights between U.S. fighter jets and those of the Communist forces, particularly the Soviet...
, where the majority of air-to-air combat took place in the war. As a result, there is a large discrepancy on both sides as to the number of victories claimed versus aircraft lost. As a result, it is extremely difficult to determine the accuracy of many victories and the ace status of dozens of pilots remains in question.
Aviators from four nations may have qualified as aces during the Korean War; between six and nine aces have been estimated for China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and up to four in North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
. Pilots of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
had the most difficulty confirming victories and accurately determining which pilots achieved ace status, and between 34 and 60 pilots from that nation have been postulated as possible aces in the war. For the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was the only country with pilots to attain ace status, with 40 documented aces. No pilot from another UN country attained ace status, though many claimed victories. Among these, Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
pilot Ernest A. Glover claimed three victories.
Controversy
The status of many claimed aces in the Korean War is a subject of intense dispute owing to conflicting records from the two sides in the conflict. Records from the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
generally agree there were only 40 pilots to reach ace status during the Korean War, all of them from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. However, records from China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, and North Korea
North Korea
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
conflict widely and accounts vary on how many aircraft on each side were lost and who is credited with the victories. Air victory claims, which are often controversial between two sides of a conflict, were particularly difficult to measure in Korea thanks to the difficulty recovering crashed aircraft and confirming losses, as well poor records for the two sides which fought the bulk of their engagements in an area known as MiG alley
MiG Alley
"MIG Alley" is the name given by U.S. Air Force pilots to the northwestern portion of North Korea, where the Yalu River empties into the Yellow Sea. During the Korean War, it was the site of numerous dogfights between U.S. fighter jets and those of the Communist forces, particularly the Soviet...
.
The number of aircraft lost during the war is in dispute among both the UN and the Soviet bloc nations. UN pilots claim 840 aircraft shot down during the course of the war, while Chinese, Soviet, and North Korean sources indicate only 600 aircraft lost among the three nations. Conversely, the Soviet Union sources claim to have shot down 800 UN aircraft, while US sources indicate only 100 were lost in combat. Overestimation of victories on both sides have been attributed to the stress and confusion of air combat situations during the war, as well as the tendency for pilots to deliberately exaggerate claims for career advancement. Claims from the Soviet-bloc nations were arguably more likely to be accurate because the majority of air-to-air action in the war occurred over Soviet airspace. However, historians suggest numbers in these nations were exaggerated further for propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
purposes and in order to appease superiors. Soviet pilots, they claim, faced harsh penalties for perceived failure or ineffectiveness, making inaccurate or false claims of victories more common. Compounding the problem, both sides were utilizing jet engine
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
powered fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
on a large scale for the first time, and the high speeds of combat made visual identification of damaged and destroyed aircraft difficult. As a result, UN planners required multiple witnesses to confirm victories, hoping to gleam the best intelligence possible. Soviet leaders kept relatively lax standards for confirming kills at the beginning of the war, leading to widespread over-claiming. Both sides made extensive use of gun cameras to better track effectiveness, but Soviet cameras were less effective, further contributing to over-claiming.
In total, the Soviet bloc nations claim to have destroyed a combined number of between 1,000 and 1,600 UN aircraft in air-to-air combat, the most common number in sources being 1,106 UN aircraft total, including 651 F-86 Sabres. The most authoritative numbers indicate 1,016 UN aircraft, including 595 Sabres. Chinese sources claim an additional 330 victories, including 211 Sabres. The most common number used is a total of 271 victories for China and North Korea. Other, more recent works claim 1,337 UN aircraft. During the entire course of the war, the UN force claims to have lost 1,466 aircraft to all causes, with 757 of them lost to enemy action. Of these only 139 were destroyed in air-to-air combat and 305 unknown or missing. Of these, only 78 Sabres were listed as lost in combat with 26 missing. Historians generally regard the UN numbers as the most accurate.
Tallying claims for the many Soviet pilots who claim to have achieved ace status is extremely difficult. The system of claims awards in the country is unclear and appears to have been highly inconsistent in the conflict. There is also no single list of victories for each pilot in the Soviet Union, with numbers instead drawn from after action report
After Action Report
An after action report is any form of retrospective analysis on a given sequence of goal-oriented actions previously undertaken, generally by the author himself....
s and accounts from pilots and unit leaders. These complications, in addition to the intentional exaggeration of kills in order to please superiors, mean the about 50 Soviet pilots claiming ace status have a total number of credits which far exceeds the number of aircraft the UN troops lost in the war's air battles. Realizing the chronic problem with false claims, Soviet leaders began to tighten the criteria for confirming victories in 1952. As a result, far fewer Soviet pilots were made aces in the second half of the war.
China
Various sources claim that between six and nine Chinese pilots attained ace status during the course of the war. The United States Air Force acknowledged six Chinese pilots attained ace status during the Korean War. Although all Chinese aces have received the title Combat HeroHero's Medal
The Hero's Medal is currently the highest military decoration awarded by the Government of the People's Republic of China.-History:The Hero's Medal, along with the Meritorious Service Medal, was first created in April 1951 by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army political director Du Ping in an...
in acknowledgement of their services, very little information is known of the Chinese pilots during the war due to the lack of published records.
| Photo | Name | Service | Rank | Victories | Unit | Aircraft | Wang Hai Wang Hai Wang Hai is a Chinese ace pilot of the 3rd Fighter Aviation Division during the Korean War . During the war, he shot down or damaged 9 American aircraft, with his own air group scoring 29... | PLAAF People's Liberation Army Air Force The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China... |
not applicableThe Chinese military did not have military rank Military rank Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines. Usually, uniforms denote the bearer's rank by particular insignia affixed to the uniforms... s during the 1950s. |
9 | 3rd Fighter Aviation Division 3rd Fighter Aviation Division (People's Republic of China) The 3rd Fighter Division is a unit of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force . Initially established in 1950. PLA-AF fighter divisions generally consist of about 17,000 personnel and 70-120 aircraft.-See also:... |
MiG 15 | Also known as Van Hai. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhao Baotong Zhao Baotong Zhao Baotong was a MiG-15 pilot of the People's Republic of China. He was a flying ace during the Korean War, with 9 victories.A member of the 3rd Fighter Aviation Division, He was the first Chinese pilot to achieve ace status... |
PLAAF People's Liberation Army Air Force The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China... |
not applicable | 9 | 3rd Fighter Aviation Division 3rd Fighter Aviation Division (People's Republic of China) The 3rd Fighter Division is a unit of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force . Initially established in 1950. PLA-AF fighter divisions generally consist of about 17,000 personnel and 70-120 aircraft.-See also:... |
MiG 15 | First Chinese pilot to achieve ace status. Also known as Chao Bao Tun. | |||||||
| Li Han Li Han (aviator) Li Han was a MiG-15 pilot of the People's Republic of China. He was a flying ace during the Korean War, with 8 victories.A member of the 4th Fighter Aviation Division He was the first Chinese pilot credited with shooting down a U.S... |
PLAAF People's Liberation Army Air Force The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China... |
not applicable | 8 | 4th Fighter Aviation Division | MiG 15 | First Chinese pilot credited with shooting down a U.S. aircraft. | |||||||
| Lu Min Lu Min (aviator) Lu Min was a MiG-15 pilot of the People's Republic of China. He was a flying ace during the Korean War, with 8 victories.A member of the 12th Fighter Aviation Division He was later purged due to alleged connections with Marshal Lin Biao's coup attempt against Mao Zedong.Although all Chinese aces... |
PLAAF People's Liberation Army Air Force The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China... |
not applicable | 8 | 12th Fighter Aviation Division 12th Fighter Aviation Division (People's Republic of China) The 12th Fighter Division is a unit of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force . Initially established in 1950. PLA-AF fighter divisions generally consist of about 17,000 personnel and 70-120 aircraft.-See also:... |
MiG 15 | Later purged due to alleged connections with Marshal Lin Biao's coup attempt Project 571 Outline Project 571 was the numeric codename given to an alleged plot or coup d'etat against Chinese leader Mao Zedong in 1971 by the supporters of Lin Biao, then Vice-Chairman of the Communist Party of China. The operations were supposedly led by Lin's son, Lin Liguo, a high-ranking officer in the... against Mao Zedong Mao Zedong Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution... . |
|||||||
| Fan Wanzhang Fan Wanzhang Fan Wanzhang was a MiG-15 pilot of the People's Republic of China. He was a flying ace during the Korean War, with 8 victories.A member of the 3rd Fighter Aviation Division, Wanzhang was also known as Fan Van Chou... * |
PLAAF People's Liberation Army Air Force The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China... |
not applicable | 8 | 3rd Fighter Aviation Division 3rd Fighter Aviation Division (People's Republic of China) The 3rd Fighter Division is a unit of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force . Initially established in 1950. PLA-AF fighter divisions generally consist of about 17,000 personnel and 70-120 aircraft.-See also:... |
MiG 15 | Also known as Fan Van Chou. Killed in action on August 8, 1952. | |||||||
| Sun Shenlu Sun Shenlu Sun Shenlu was a MiG-15 pilot of the People's Republic of China. He was a flying ace during the Korean War, with 6 victories.A member of the 3rd Fighter Aviation Division, Shenlu was killed in action on December 3, 1952 near the Ch'ongch'on River.... * |
PLAAF People's Liberation Army Air Force The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China... |
not applicable | 6 | 3rd Fighter Aviation Division 3rd Fighter Aviation Division (People's Republic of China) The 3rd Fighter Division is a unit of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force . Initially established in 1950. PLA-AF fighter divisions generally consist of about 17,000 personnel and 70-120 aircraft.-See also:... |
MiG 15 | Killed in action on December 3, 1952 near the Ch'ongch'on River Ch'ongch'on River The Ch'ŏngch'ŏn River is a river of North Korea having its source in the Rangrim Mountains of Chagang Province and emptying into the Yellow Sea at Sinanju. The river flows past Myohyang-san and through the city of Anju, South P'yŏngan Province... . |
|||||||
North Korea
There is some controversy as to whether any pilots of the North Korean People's Air Force attained ace status. Various sources claim there were either zero, two or four aces from North Korea. Research by the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
in 1999 concluded two North Korean pilots may have attained the status. However, historian Michael J. Varhola
Michael J. Varhola
Michael J. Varhola is an author, publisher, and lecturer. He has written numerous books, games, and articles, and founded game development company and manufacturer Skirmisher Publishing LLC...
subsequently contended that Chinese and Russian records indicate it is unlikely either pilot attained enough kills for ace status.
| Photo | Name | Service | Rank | Victories | Unit | Aircraft | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photo | Name | Service | Rank | Victories | Unit | Aircraft | Yevgeny Pepelyaev Yevgeny Pepelyaev Colonel Yevgeny Georgievich Pepelyaev is a Soviet fighter pilot of the Korean War, tallying 20 kills, second only to his compatriot Nikolay Sutyagin's 21.- Early years and world war II :... | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Polkovnik Polkovnik Polkovnik is often a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a colonel in English-speaking states. However, in the Ukraine, polkovnyk was an administrative rank similar to a governor... |
22.5 (1 Shared) | 196th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:... . Various sources credit Pepelyaev with 19, 20, or 23 aircraft. Of the issue, Pepelyaev claimed he was "absolutely sure" of only six of his victories, of which he had seen only two of the aircraft crash into the ground. |
| Nikolay V. Sutyagin | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
22 (2 Shared) | 17th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP), 523rd Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:... . |
|||||||
| Alexandr P. Smortzkow | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Podpolkovnik Podpolkovnik Podpolkovnik is a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a lieutenant colonel in English-speaking states. Usually this word is translated as lieutenant colonel, however the transliteration is also in common usage, for the sake of the historical context.The exact name of this rank... |
15 | 523rd Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| Lev K. Schukin | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
15 | 18th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| Dimitri P. Oskin | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
14 | 523rd Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Number of victories is disputed, and may be 11. | |||||||
| Mikhail S. Ponomaryev | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
14 | 17th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Number of victories is disputed, and may be 11. | |||||||
 |
Sergei M. Kramarenko | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
13 | 176th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:... . Scored between 3 and 14 victories in World War II. He is one of four Soviet pilots to claim ace status in both wars. One of Kramarenko's victories in Korea is disputed. |
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| Ivan A. Suchkov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
12 | 176th Guards Fighter Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | Number of victories is disputed and may be 10. | |||||||
| Konstantin N. Sheberstov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
12 | 176th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | Number of victories is disputed. In 1951, he made a false claim on one of Yevgeny Pepelyaev Yevgeny Pepelyaev Colonel Yevgeny Georgievich Pepelyaev is a Soviet fighter pilot of the Korean War, tallying 20 kills, second only to his compatriot Nikolay Sutyagin's 21.- Early years and world war II :... 's victories and was exposed, disgracing Sheberstov. |
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| Stepan A. Bahayev | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
11 | 523rd Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| Nikolai K. Dokashenko | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
11 | 17th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| Grigorii U. Ohay | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
11 | 523rd Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Also claimed 6 or 8 victories in World War II. | |||||||
| Pomaz | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 11 | 494th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| Dimitri A. Samoylov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Starshiy leytenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... |
10 | 523rd Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| Pavel S. Milaushkin | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
10 | 176th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| Grigorii I. Pulov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Podpolkovnik Podpolkovnik Podpolkovnik is a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a lieutenant colonel in English-speaking states. Usually this word is translated as lieutenant colonel, however the transliteration is also in common usage, for the sake of the historical context.The exact name of this rank... |
10 | 17th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Number is disputed, and may be 8. | |||||||
| Mikhail I. Mihin | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
9 | 518th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:... . |
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| Serafim P. Subbotin | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
9 | 176th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:... . Some sources claim Subbotin had up to 15 victories, though most sources agree on 9. |
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| H. V. Zabelin | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
9 | 256th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP), 821st Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| Grigorii I. Ges | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
8 | 176th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | Also claimed 5 victories in World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... . Some sources claim Ges may have had up to 10 victories, though most sources agree on 8. |
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| V. N. Alfeev | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
7 | 196th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| P. N. Antonov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
7 | 18th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| N. N. Babonin | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 7 | 18th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| Semen A. Fedorets | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
7 | 913th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| Lev M. Ivanov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
7 | 196th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| A. N. Karasev | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Podpolkovnik Podpolkovnik Podpolkovnik is a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a lieutenant colonel in English-speaking states. Usually this word is translated as lieutenant colonel, however the transliteration is also in common usage, for the sake of the historical context.The exact name of this rank... |
7 | 523rd Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| A. I. Mitusov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Podpolkovnik Podpolkovnik Podpolkovnik is a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a lieutenant colonel in English-speaking states. Usually this word is translated as lieutenant colonel, however the transliteration is also in common usage, for the sake of the historical context.The exact name of this rank... |
7 | 196th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| V. F. Shulev | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
7 | 17th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| N. S. Volkov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
7 | 17th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| Ivan M. Zaplavnev | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
7 | 196th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| S. S. Artemchenko | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
6 | 17th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| Arkadii S. Boitsov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
6 | 16th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:... . |
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| B. V. Bokatz | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
6 | 196th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| V. M. Hvostontsev | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 6 | unknown | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| Nikolai I. Ivanov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 6 | 726th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| A. A. Kalyuzhniy | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
6 | Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| A. P. Nikolayev | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 6 | 17th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| P. F. Nikulin | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 6 | 176th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| Fiodor A. Shebanov* | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Starshiy leytenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... |
6 | 196th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Killed in action October 29, 1951. | |||||||
| F. A. Vesshnyakov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Polkovnik Polkovnik Polkovnik is often a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a colonel in English-speaking states. However, in the Ukraine, polkovnyk was an administrative rank similar to a governor... |
6 | 176th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| Nikolai M. Zameskin | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
6 | 878th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| Boris S. Abakumov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
5 | 196th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| A. T. Bashman | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
5 | 148th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| V. I. Belousov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 5 | 324th Fighter Air Division (IAD), 303rd Fighter Air Division (IAD) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| Grigorii N. Berelidze | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
5 | 224th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| G. I. Bogdanov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 5 | unknown | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| Bychkov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
5 | 17th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| Nikolai I. Gerasimenko | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 5 | 18th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| S. D. Danilov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 5 | unknown | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| Grigorii F. Dmitryuk | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
5 | 821st Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| N. M. Goncharov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
5 | 196th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| Anatoli M. Karelin | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
5 | 351st Fighter Air Regiment (IAP), 303rd Fighter Air Division (IAD) | MiG 15 | Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:... . |
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| V. I. Kolyadin | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Podpolkovnik Podpolkovnik Podpolkovnik is a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a lieutenant colonel in English-speaking states. Usually this word is translated as lieutenant colonel, however the transliteration is also in common usage, for the sake of the historical context.The exact name of this rank... |
5 | 28th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| Nikolai L. Korniyenko | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
5 | 18th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| A. M. Kochegarov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 5 | 196th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| V. L. Lepikov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 5 | 415th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| V. G. Muravyov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
5 | 196th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| Stepan I. Naumenko | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
5 | 29th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | First Soviet ace in the war, scoring his fifth kill on December 24, 1950. | |||||||
| Boris A. Obraztsov* | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 5 | 176th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | Killed in action. Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| Afanasii A. Olenitsa | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
5 | 821st Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| V. P. Popov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
5 | 523rd Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| A. R. Prudnikov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 5 | 821st Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by the US Air Force but not independent sources. | |||||||
| G. T. Shatalov* | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Starshiy leytenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... |
5 | 523rd Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Killed in action November 28, 1951. Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| Boris N. Siskov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
5 | 224th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | Final soviet ace of the war, scoring his fifth victory on July 20, 1953. | |||||||
| N. K. Shelamanov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Kapitan Captain (OF-2) The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery... |
5 | 196th Fighter Air Regiment (IAP) | MiG 15 | ||||||||
| V. I. Stepanov | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
Starshiy leytenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... |
5 | 18th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | Acknowledged by independent sources but not the US Air Force. | |||||||
| Nicolai I. Shkodin | VVS Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Force, officially known in Russian as Военно-воздушные силы or Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily and often abbreviated VVS was the official designation of one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces... |
unknown | 5 | 147th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (GvIAP) | MiG 15 | The US Air Force found Shkodin had been credited with 5 victories but could only confirm three of them. Independent sources do not list Shkodin on lists of aces. |
United States
Of 40 United States military servicemen who attained ace status in Korea, all but one of them flew primarily the F-86 SabreF-86 Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
during their air-to-air fights. Early in the war against the older North Korean People's Air Force aircraft, US pilots flew a variety of aircraft including the F-51 Mustang, F-80 Shooting Star and F-82 Twin Mustang
F-82 Twin Mustang
The North American F-82 Twin Mustang was the last American piston-engine fighter ordered into production by the United States Air Force. Based on the P-51 Mustang, the F-82 was originally designed as a long-range escort fighter in World War II; however, the war ended well before the first...
. However, with the introduction of the MiG 15 when the People's Liberation Army Air Force
People's Liberation Army Air Force
The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
entered the conflict, only the Sabre and the upgraded F4U Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
fighter could match the Soviet-built fighters in single combat.
The pilots who attained ace status in the war scored a disproportionate number of kills in the conflict. Of 1,000 fighter pilots who served in the war, only 355 were credited with aerial victories. A total of 756.5 victories were credited for aircraft shot down by the UN, with the 40 aces shooting down a total of 310.5 aircraft, or 40 percent of the total. The top five aces are credited with a combined ten percent of the UN aircraft victories of the war. In addition to the 40 pilots who attained ace status in the Korean War, another 17 US pilots who had been aces in World War II claimed additional kills in the Korean War. Two Canadian World War II aces, J. Lindsay and John McKay, also garnered additional kills in the conflict.
| Photo | Name | Service | Rank | Victories | Unit | Aircraft | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... | Captain | 16 | 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Was a navigator for the B-24 Liberator B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber... during World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... . Killed in a 1954 training accident. |
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| USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Major | 15 | 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron |
F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Also claimed 1.5 kills (1 shared) flying a P-51 Mustang P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts... in World War II. |
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| Manuel J. "Pete" Fernandez | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 14.5 (1 Shared) | 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Killed in a 1980 aircraft crash. | ||||||
| George A. Davis* | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 14 | 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Shot down 10 February 1952. His death generated controversy between China and Russia, in which both MiG pilot Zhang Jihui Zhang Jihui Zhang Jihui was the Deputy Commander of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force and a highly decorated fighter pilot during the Korean War. Zhang joined the PLAAF in 1945 and was one of the first combat pilots trained for the PLAAF. He was later posted at the Chinese 4th Aviation Division,... and Mikhail A. Averin had claimed to be his assailant. Received the Medal of Honor Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her... for his actions. Also claimed 7 kills in World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... . |
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| Royal N. "King" Baker Royal N. Baker Royal N. Baker was a United States Air Force flying ace during the Korean War. He accrued 13 victories in the war.... |
USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Colonel | 13 | 48th Fighter Group | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Also claimed 3.5 kills (1 shared) in World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... . |
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| Frederick C. "Boots" Blesse | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
US Major | 10 | 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | P-51 Mustang P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts... F-80 Shooting Star F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Harold E. Fischer | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
First Lieutenant | 10 | 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Shot down and captured in China on April 7, 1953. | ||||||
| James K. Johnson | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Colonel | 10 | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Also claimed 1 kill in World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... . |
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| Lonnie R. Moore | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 10 | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Killed in a 1956 aircraft crash. | ||||||
| Ralph S. Parr | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 10 | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Vermont Garrison Vermont Garrison Vermont Garrison was a career officer in the United States Air Force, and an ace with 17.33 credited victories in aerial combat. He was one of only seven Americans to achieve ace status during World War II, then again against jet fighter opposition during the Korean War.Dubbed "the inner seven."... |
USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Lieutenant Colonel | 10 | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Also claimed 7.3 kills (1 Shared among three pilots) in World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... |
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| Cecil G. Foster | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 9 | 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 16th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the USAF Weapons School, based at Nellis AFB, Nevada.The 16th began as the 16th Pursuit Squadron on 20 November 1940. During World War II, the 16th Pursuit Squadron flew missions in New Guinea, India, and China in the... |
F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| James F. Low | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
First Lieutenant First Lieutenant First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank... |
9 | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| James P. Hagerstrom | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Major | 8.5 (1 Shared) | 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron |
F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Also claimed 6 kills in World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... . |
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Robinson Risner | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Major | 8 | 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| George I. Ruddell | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Lieutenant Colonel | 8 | 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Henry Buttelman | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
First Lieutenant | 7 | 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Was the youngest ace of the war, claiming 5 victories in 12 days. | ||||||
| Clifford D. Jolley | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 7 | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Leonard W. Lilley | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 7 | 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Donald E. Adams* | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Major | 6.5 (1 Shared) | 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 16th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the USAF Weapons School, based at Nellis AFB, Nevada.The 16th began as the 16th Pursuit Squadron on 20 November 1940. During World War II, the 16th Pursuit Squadron flew missions in New Guinea, India, and China in the... |
F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Killed in an airshow crash on August 30, 1952. | ||||||
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Francis S. "Gabby" Gabreski | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Colonel | 6.5 (1 Shared) | 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing |
F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Also claimed 28 kills in World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... . |
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| George L. Jones | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Lieutenant Colonel | 6.5 (1 Shared) | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing |
F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Winton W. Marshall Winton W. Marshall Lieutenant General Winton Whittier Marshall was an American Air Force Lieutenant General and flying ace. He was deputy commander in chief, U.S. Readiness Command, with headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.-Biography:... |
USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Major | 6.5 (1 Shared) | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| John F. Bolt John F. Bolt John Franklin Bolt , was an aviator in the United States Marine Corps and a decorated flying ace during World War II and the Korean War... |
USMC United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States... |
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
6 | 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Also claimed 6 kills in World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... . |
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| James H. Kasler James H. Kasler Colonel James H. Kasler is to date the only person to be awarded the Air Force Cross three times. The Air Force Cross ranks just below the Medal of Honor as an award for extraordinary heroism in combat.... |
USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
First Lieutenant | 6 | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Robert J. Love | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 6 | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| William T. Whisner | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Major | 5.5 (1 Shared) | 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron |
F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Robert P. Baldwin | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Colonel | 5 | 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 16th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the USAF Weapons School, based at Nellis AFB, Nevada.The 16th began as the 16th Pursuit Squadron on 20 November 1940. During World War II, the 16th Pursuit Squadron flew missions in New Guinea, India, and China in the... , 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron |
F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Richard S. Becker | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 5 | 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Stephen L. Bettinger | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Major | 5 | 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Also claimed 1 kill in World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... . Was the final ace of the war with his final victory claimed on July 20, 1953. Was subsequently shot down and taken prisoner. |
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| Guy Bordelon | USN United States Navy The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S... |
Lieutenant (Senior Grade) | 5 | Composite Squadron 3 | F4U-5NL Corsair | Only US Navy aviator to be awarded ace status. | ||||||
| Richard D. Creighton | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Major | 5 | 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Clyde A. Curtin | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 5 | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Ralph D. "Hoot" Gibson Ralph Gibson (fighter pilot) Ralph "Hoot" Duane Gibson was an American flying ace of the Korean War. He became the nation's third jet fighter ace with a total tally of five downed MiG-15 fighters. He also flew in the Vietnam War, and was a former lead pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds.-Early life:Gibson was born in 1924,... |
USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 5 | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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Iven C. Kincheloe | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 5 | 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Killed in a 1958 aircraft crash. | |||||
| Robert T. Latshaw | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 5 | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron | F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Robert H. Moore | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 5 | 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 16th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the USAF Weapons School, based at Nellis AFB, Nevada.The 16th began as the 16th Pursuit Squadron on 20 November 1940. During World War II, the 16th Pursuit Squadron flew missions in New Guinea, India, and China in the... |
F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
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| Dolphin D. Overton | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Captain | 5 | 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron The 16th Weapons Squadron is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the USAF Weapons School, based at Nellis AFB, Nevada.The 16th began as the 16th Pursuit Squadron on 20 November 1940. During World War II, the 16th Pursuit Squadron flew missions in New Guinea, India, and China in the... |
F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Attained Ace status in the shortest time of any pilot in the war with five victories in four days. | ||||||
| Harrison R. Thyng | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Colonel | 5 | 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing |
F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |
Also claimed 5 kills in World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... . Credited to have shot down pilots of more nationalities of any ace, with victories against Nazi Germany Nazi Germany Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by... , Vichy France Vichy France Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic... and the Empire of Japan Empire of Japan The Empire of Japan is the name of the state of Japan that existed from the Meiji Restoration on 3 January 1868 to the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of... . |
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| William Westcott | USAF United States Air Force The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of... |
Major | 5 | 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing |
F-86 Sabre F-86 Sabre The North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War... |