Korean War

[Ennath]

December 31, 1948
North Korea The Soviets announce that all their troops have been withdrawn from Korean soil and challenge the United States for still keeping troops in Korea, suggesting that this is part of a continuing U.S. policy of imperialism.

December 31, 1950
Ground War During the night, Chinese forces begin their Third Phase Offensive with a general attack all along the 38th Parallel from Kaesong on Ridgeway’s left to Chunchon on the right. The main effort is focused on the Yongchon-Uijongbu-Seoul area, aiming at Seoul and Inchon. UN authorities suspect that up to a half-million Communist troops are involved, from both the CPVA and the rebuilt NKPA.

December 31, 1952
War Situation As the year comes to an end, the strength and security of the UN forces in Korea has brought the cease-fire negotiators to a point where they are no longer willing to meet without any signs of progress. At this point, while they are still willing to make some concessions, the UN position is to take a harder line. Yet each day is costing more lives.

December 31, 1991
Russia The USSR ceases to exist, depriving North Korea of its principle source of economic aid. The North Korean economy goes into freefall.

[Ennath]

End of Korean War chronology.

[Ennath]

Winters were so severe during the Korean War, that troops trying to dig fox holes occasionally found they had to chip little depressions in the frozen ground and urinate therein, so that the warm urine would soften up the earth sufficiently to permit them to hammer an entrenching tool through the muck to get to the unfrozen layer beneath.

For the last two years of the Korean War (1952-1953), the 7th Infantry Division was commanded by Maj. Gen. Arthur G. Trudeau, who happened to play the banjo, and so formed a combo with some of his troops, with whom he often played for the rest of the men, making him one of the most popular generals in the army at the time.

[msims]

The F-80 Shooting Star: America's first forgotten jet fighter.



The F-80 Shooting star was America's first jet fighter that was designed and built by Lockheed in just 143 days under the name P-80 (Prototype). It was pressed into service near the end of WWII in Italy where it saw limited service. It had an under powered engine and straight wings which meant it could not climb and maneuver as fast. Although it's wing tip tanks could be dropped when the jet was in air-to-air combat this still could not make up for those two significant disadvantages. It's maximum speed was 594 mph.

During the Korean War the Russians introduced and used the MiG-17 which was a swept wing, single engine subsonic jet fighter. The U.S. responded to the Russians by replacing the F-80 Shooting Star with the F-86 Sebre which was a single engine swept wing jet fighter. The F-86 Sabre was America's superior air jet fighter that could match the MiG-17 in both fire power with 6, 50 caliber guns and speed at 687 mph. Since the single engine jet aircraft was light and its wings were swept this made the jet fast and more maneuverable. This design made the fighter craft perfect for close air-to-air combat.

After the Korean War stalemated (yes, North Korea still considers itself to be at war with the U.S. you'd think that they would have long been over this grudge since then) most of the F-80 Shooting stars were mothballed while others were sold to South America and got retired in 1973. Although the F-80 Shooting Star was America's first jet fighter that did not get the recognition that the F-86 Sabre received the F-80 Shooting Star should go down in history as America's first forgotten jet fighter.

[bigtrain45]

[QUOTE=msims;5289416]The F-80 Shooting Star: America's first forgotten jet fighter.





During the Korean War the Russians introduced and used the MiG-17 which was a swept wing, single engine subsonic jet fighter. The U.S. responded to the Russians by replacing the F-80 Shooting Star with the F-86 Sebre which was a single engine swept wing jet fighter. The F-86 Sabre was America's superior air jet fighter that could match the MiG-17 in both fire power with 6, 50 caliber guns and speed at 687 mph. Since the single engine jet aircraft was light and its wings were swept this made the jet fast and more maneuverable. This design made the fighter craft perfect for close air-to-air combat.


Mig-15 was the red star fighter in Korea. Mig-17's, 19's, and 21's were used in Vietnam

[msims]

You're correct. I got the two MiGs mixed up between the two wars.

[scoundrel]

[QUOTE=bigtrain45;5289488]

Originally Posted by msims

The F-80 Shooting Star: America's first forgotten jet fighter.





During the Korean War the Russians introduced and used the MiG-17 which was a swept wing, single engine subsonic jet fighter. The U.S. responded to the Russians by replacing the F-80 Shooting Star with the F-86 Sebre which was a single engine swept wing jet fighter. The F-86 Sabre was America's superior air jet fighter that could match the MiG-17 in both fire power with 6, 50 caliber guns and speed at 687 mph. Since the single engine jet aircraft was light and its wings were swept this made the jet fast and more maneuverable. This design made the fighter craft perfect for close air-to-air combat.


Mig-15 was the red star fighter in Korea. Mig-17's, 19's, and 21's were used in Vietnam

In 1946 and 1947, and with the permission of the British government (Sir Stafford Cripps was the useful idiot responsible) Rolls Royce sold a total of 25 Nene jet engines to the Soviet Union. Naturally, the Soviet Union promised to use them for non-military purposes only.

The Klimov VK-1 jet engine which powered the MIG-15 is a reverse-engineered Rolls Royce Nene engine, made larger and improved for greater thrust.

Stafford Cripps was a moron.

[scoundrel]

The MIG-15 is still operational with the North Korean air force as an advanced trainer, apparently. After nearly 70 years, this says something about the strength and robustness of the airframe and the durability of the Rolls Royce Nene engine which the USSR so astutely bought in. The second photo give an interesting glimpse of how this aeroplane is designed; it is an engine with two wings, a cockpit and some guns bolted on.

Well over 13,000 units were manufactured in the USSR and counting licensed production in the Eastern Bloc countries and elsewhere the total output may have been 18,000 units. No Western jet fighter has been made in anything like these quantities. Armed with a 37mm and two 23mm cannons it was deadly to the B29 Superfortress bombers the US forces had been using and these had to be removed from Korean skies immediately when the MIGs started to appear.

The MIG was not an easy aeroplane to fly apparently. It had (has) vicious low speed handling characteristics which made it tricky on take off and landing - not a plane for novices. Some US military websites talk about how American pilots flying the F86 Sabre prevailed in Korea because their standards of training were so much superior, but I feel reserved about the idea that pilots who could fly the MIG-15 without crashing it were in any sense second rate. I note as well that of the five top scoring aces of the Korean air war, four were Russians and one (Captain Joseph McConnell USAF) was with UN forces.

The Americans did eventually win air superiority over the UN front line, a key reason why the war ended in stalemate instead of a Chinese victory. But the MIG-15 was an even match for the Sabre and so were the men who flew it.