List of Korean War flying aces

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EJECTION OF A MIG PILOT - This unusual sequence of photos, taken by gun camera film of a U.S. Air Force F-86 "Sabre"... - NARA - 542261.jpg
MiG-15s curving to attack B-29s over Korea c1951.jpg
F-86 engaging a MiG-15 (left) and MiG-15s engaging a B-29 (right)

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.

Contents

The Korean War saw the first widespread use of jet engine-powered fighter aircraft for both sides of a war. 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, and it is extremely difficult to determine the accuracy of many victories. The ace status of dozens of pilots still 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. 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. [1]

Controversy

The status of many claimed aces in the Korean War has been increasingly debated as more data becomes available, showing that instances of over-claiming abounded on both sides.

An example of this occurred on 20 May 1951, when the war's largest fighter battle to date took place between 28 F-86 Sabres and 30 MiG-15s. After this battle the Americans claimed three MiGs (including two for James Jabara) and the Soviets claimed four Sabres (including one for Yevgeny Pepelyaev). In fact, each side lost only one aircraft. [2]

The Americans claimed that Jabara was their first jet ace after the 20 May combat but, apart from the discrepancy on that date, he was also credited with a kill in a 12 April 1951 combat in which the Americans claimed a total of 11 MiGs shot down when the Soviets actually lost only one fighter. For their part, the Soviets claimed 15 Boeing B-29 kills on that date when the Americans only lost four in the combat itself and six written-off later. [3]

Compounding the problem, both sides were using 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. USAF pilots were credited with a kill if the gun camera showed their guns striking the enemy aircraft even if no one actually saw it go down. After the war the USAF reviewed its figures in an investigation code-named Sabre Measure Charlie and downgraded the kill ratio of the North American F-86 Sabre against the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 by half. [4] The Soviets also had lax standards for confirming kills at the beginning of the war, leading to widespread over-claiming. [5] Both sides made extensive use of gun cameras to better track effectiveness, but Soviet cameras were less effective, further contributing to over-claiming. [6]

Records from the United Nations show that 40 American pilots reached ace status. 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. [7] Air victory claims, which are often controversial between two sides of a war, were particularly difficult to measure in Korea thanks to the difficulty recovering crashed aircraft and confirming losses, as well as poor records for the two sides which fought the bulk of their engagements in an area known as MiG Alley. [8] [9]

The number of aircraft lost during the war is in dispute among both the UN and the Soviet bloc nations. [10] UN pilots claim 840 aircraft shot down during the war, while Chinese, Soviet, and North Korean sources indicate only 600 were lost among the three nations, including non-combat losses. Conversely, the Soviet Union sources claim to have shot down 800 UN aircraft, while the US claims to have lost only 100 aircraft in combat. Overestimation of victories on both sides has 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. [8] Historians suggest that numbers in these nations were deliberately exaggerated for propaganda purposes and to appease their superiors. For example, Soviet pilots faced penalties for perceived failure or ineffectiveness, making inaccurate or false claims of victories more common. [11] Conversely, data-matching with Soviet records shows that US pilots claimed up to 400 per cent more kills in some combats than they actually achieved, and that they routinely attributed their own combat losses to landing accidents and "other causes". [12]

The Soviet bloc nations claim to have destroyed a combined total 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 Soviet 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. [13] Other, more recent works claim 1,337 UN aircraft. [14]

During the entire course of the war, UN air forces lost about 3,000 aircraft. The United States Air Force (USAF) reported a total of 516 non-combat losses and 1,466 aircraft lost in combat missions, with 757 of them lost to enemy fire [15] Of these 139 were destroyed in air-to-air combat, 305 were unknown causes and 472 were "other losses". Of these, just 78 Sabres were listed as lost in air-to-air combat, 26 were unknown causes and 61 were "other losses". [16] [13] [17] The United States Navy and United States Marine Corps lost 1,248 aircraft to all causes [18] and the other UN countries lost about 300 aircraft.

Tallying claims for the many Soviet pilots who claim to have achieved ace status is extremely difficult. The system of claims awards in the Soviet Union was unclear and appears to have been highly inconsistent during the war. There is also no single list of victories for each pilot in the Soviet Union, with numbers instead drawn from after action reports and accounts from pilots and unit leaders. These complications, in addition to the intentional exaggeration of kills in order to please superiors, means that the about 50 Soviet pilots claiming ace status have a total number of victories which far exceeds the number of aircraft the UN lost in the Korean War's air battles. [7] 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. [19]

Similarly, data-matching shows that US aces also over-claimed. [20] For example, the US claimed that James Jabara became the world's first jet-versus-jet ace during his first tour of duty, but Soviet data shows he didn't achieve ace status until his second tour.

List of aces

China

Various sources claim that between six and nine Chinese pilots attained ace status during the course of the war. [7] A USAF report listed six Chinese pilots attained ace status during the Korean War. [21] Although all Chinese aces have received the title Combat Hero in acknowledgement of their services, [22] very little information is known of the Chinese pilots during the war due to the lack of published records. [23]

  This with the * indicates that the pilot was either killed in action or killed in a training event during the war.
  This indicates that certain historians have expressed doubt regarding the ace status of the pilot listed.

PhotoNameServiceVictoriesUnitAircraftNotes
Zhao Baotong PLAAF.jpg
Zhao Baotong PLAAF 7 [24] [21] 3rd Fighter Aviation Division [25] MiG-15 First Chinese pilot to achieve ace status. [25] Also known as Chao Bao Tun. [23]
Wang Hai in Korean War.jpg
Wang Hai PLAAF4-9 [21] 3rd Fighter Aviation Division [26] MiG-15Although the USAF report listed Wang's nine victories, historian Zhang Xiaoming contended that only four victories were actual kills while other five were damages. [26] Also known as Van Hai. [21]
—
 Li Han PLAAF8 [21] 4th Fighter Aviation Division [27] MiG-15First Chinese pilot credited with shooting down a U.S. aircraft. [27]
—
 Lu Min PLAAF8 [21] 12th Fighter Aviation Division [28] MiG-15Later purged due to alleged connections with Marshal Lin Biao's coup attempt against Mao Zedong. [29]
Fan Wanzhang PLAAF.jpg
Fan Wanzhang*PLAAF8 [21] 3rd Fighter Aviation Division [22] MiG-15Also known as Fan Van Chou. [23] Killed in action on August 8, 1952. [22]
Sun Shenlu PLAAF.jpg
Sun Shenglu*PLAAF6 [21] 3rd Fighter Aviation Division [30] MiG-15Killed in action on December 3, 1952 near the Ch'ongch'on River. [30]
Liu Yudi in Korean War.jpg
Liu Yudi PLAAF0-6 [22] 3rd Fighter Aviation Division [31] MiG-15Professor Xiaoming Zhang says Liu was credited with four victories during a single mission on November 23, 1951, but USAF records said only two F-84 were actually damaged with no aircraft lost. [32] Yudi's name is not listed in the USAF report. [21]
Guan-Lee Sing(施光礼) PLAAF 4 [33] MiG-15
ZhangJihui.jpg
Ji-hui Zhang PLAAF 3-5 MiG-15

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. [7] Research by the USAF in 1999 concluded two North Korean pilots may have attained the status. [21] However, historian Michael J. Varhola subsequently contended that Chinese and Soviet records indicate it is unlikely any North Korean pilots attained enough victories for ace status. [23]

  This with the * indicates that the pilot was either killed in action or killed in a training event during the war.
  This indicates that certain historians have expressed doubt regarding the ace status of the pilot listed.

NameServiceVictoriesUnitAircraftNotes
Kim Den Dek KPAF 8 1st Air Division MiG-15Ace status disputed. [21]
Kim Di San KPAF61st Air DivisionMiG-15Ace status disputed. [21]

Soviet Union

Various sources claim between 43 and 60 pilots from the Soviet Union attained ace status in the war. [7] Most sources claim around 50 pilots attained ace status during the Korean War, of whom many are very controversial. [13] Research by the USAF named 52 pilots who may have had legitimate claim to the title. Little is known of some of the pilots and their combined tally is incompatible with the number of aircraft the USAF claims to have lost in the war. [7] Subsequent independent sources generally agree the number of aces claimed was around 52, but 15 names differ among the lists, particularly lower-scoring pilots. The number of victories for virtually all of the ace pilots is subject to dispute. Listed are names of 67 Soviet pilots attributed as aces in various sources. Of these, the ace status of 30 are in question among historians. [34]

  This with the * indicates that the pilot was either killed in action or killed in a training event during the war.
  This indicates that certain historians have expressed doubt regarding the ace status of the pilot listed.

NameRank [34] Victories [21] [35] Unit [34] AircraftNotes
Nikolai Sutyagin Major17th Fighter Air Regiment, 523rd Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15The 'Ace of Aces' in the Korean War, with the highest number of kills for any pilot. Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union. [36]
Yevgeny Pepelyaev Colonel196th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union. [37] Most Russian sources credit Pepelyaev with 19 [38] [39] shootdowns, thought many western sources indicate 20 to 23. [40] 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. [13]
Lev Shchukin Captain18th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15 [41] [42]
Alexander Smorchkov Lieutenant colonel523rd Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15 [43]
Dmitry Oskin Major523rd Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Number of victories is disputed, and may be 11. [21] Russian sources credit him with 16 solo and one shared victory. [44]
Sergey Kramarenko Captain176th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union. Scored between an estimated 3 shootdowns in World War II. Russian sources credit him with 16 shootdowns in the Korean War. [45] He was the last living Soviet flying ace of the Korean War.
Mikhail Ponomaryev Major17th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Number of victories is disputed, and may be 11. [21] Russian sources credit 10 shootdowns. [46]
Konstantin Sheberstov Major176th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Number of victories is disputed. In 1951, Sheberstov made a false claim on one of Yevgeny Pepelyaev's victories and was exposed, disgracing himself. [37]
Stepan Bakhayev Major523rd Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Russian sources credit him with 12 shootdowns. [47]
Ivan Suchkov Captain176th Guards Fighter RegimentMiG-15Number of victories is disputed and may be 10. [21] [48]
Grigory Okhay Captain523rd Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15 [49]
Dmitry Samoilov Senior lieutenant523rd Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Russian sources credit him with 11 shootdowns. [50]
Pyotr Milaushkin Captain176th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15 [51]
Grigory Pulov Lieutenant colonel17th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Number is disputed, and may be 8. [21] [52]
Nikolai Dokashenko Captain17th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15 [53]
Mikhail Mikhin Captain 518th Fighter Air Regiment MiG-15Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union. [19]
Serafim Subbotin Major176th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union. Some sources claim Subbotin had up to 15 victories, though most sources indicate a tally of 9 [37] or ten. [54]
Vladimir Zabelin Major 256th Fighter Air Regiment and 821st Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15 [55]
Grigory Ges Captain176th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Some sources claim Ges may have had up to 10 victories, though most sources agree on 8. [56] [57]
Vladimir Alfeev Captain196th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by independent sources. [58]
Pavel Antonov Major18th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by independent sources but not the USAF report. [58]
Nikolai Babonin unknown18th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by the USAF report but not independent sources. [21]
Semyon Fedorets Major913th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15 [59]
Lev Ivanov Captain196th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15
Aleksandr Karasyov Lieutenant colonel523rd Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by independent sources but not the USAF report. [34] [60]
Aleksey Mitusov Lieutenant colonel196th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by independent sources but not the USAF report. [58]
Vasily Shulev Captain17th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by independent sources but not the USAF report. [58]
Nikolai Volkov Captain17th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by independent sources but not the USAF report. [58] [61]
Ivan Zaplavnev Captain196th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15
Stepan Artemchenko Major17th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by independent sources but not the USAF report. [58] Also claimed 6 kills in World War II. [62]
Arkady Boitsov Major16th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union. [19] [63]
Boris Bokach Captain196th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15
Vladimir Khvostontsev unknownunknownMiG-15Listed by the USAF report as an ace. [21] Other sources credit him with three kills.
Nikolai Ivanov unknown726th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by the USAF report but not independent sources. [21]
Aleksey Kalyuzhny MajorFighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by independent sources but not the USAF report. [58]
Anatoly Nikolayev unknown17th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by the USAF report but not independent sources. [21]
Pavel Nikulin unknown176th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by the USAF report as an ace. [21] Other sources credit him with one kill.
Fyodor Shebanov*Senior lieutenant196th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Killed in action 29 October 1951. [64] [65]
Sergey Vishnyakov Colonel176th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15 [66]
Nikolai Zameskin Major878th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15
Boris Abakumov Captain196th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15
Anatoly Bashman Major148th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15 [67]
Vasily Belousov unknown324th Fighter Air Division (IAD), 303rd Fighter Air Division (IAD)MiG-15Listed by the USAF report but not independent sources. [21]
Grigory Berelidze Captain224th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15
Georgy Bogdanov unknownunknownMiG-15Listed by the USAF report but not independent sources. [21]
Sergey Bychkov Captain17th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by the USAF report but not the US Air Force. [58]
Nikolai Gerasimenko unknown18th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by the USAF report but not independent sources. [21]
Sergey Danilov unknownunknownMiG-15Listed by the USAF report but not independent sources. [21]
Grigory Dmitryuk Major821st Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Russian sources credit him with six kills. [68]
Nikolai Goncharov Captain196th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by independent sources but not the USAF report. [58] [69]
Anatoly Karelin Major351st Fighter Air Regiment, 303rd Fighter Air Division (IAD)MiG-15Awarded Hero of the Soviet Union. [19]
Viktor Kolyadin Lieutenant colonel28th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by independent sources but not the USAF report. [34] [70]
Nikolai Korniyenko Captain18th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15
Aleksandr Kochegarov unknown196th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by the USAF report but not independent sources. [21]
Vasily Lepikov unknown415th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by the USAF report but not independent sources. [21]
Viktor Muravyov Captain196th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by independent sources but not the USAF report. [58]
Stepan Naumenko Captain29th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15First Soviet ace in the war, scoring his fifth kill on 24 December 1950. [34] [71]
Boris Obraztsov*unknown176th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Killed in action. Listed by the USAF report as ace, but Russian sources credit him with only four shootdowns.
Afanasy Olenitsa Major821st Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15 [72]
Viktor Popov Captain523rd Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by independent sources but not the USAF report. [58] [73]
Aleksey Prudnikov unknown821st Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by the USAF report but not independent sources. [21]
German Shatalov*Senior lieutenant523rd Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Killed in action 28 November 1951. Listed by independent sources but not the USAF report. [34] [74]
Boris Siskov Captain224th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Final soviet ace of the war, scoring his fifth victory on July 20, 1953. [58]
Nikolai Shelamanov Captain196th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15
Vasily Stepanov Senior lieutenant18th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by independent sources but not the USAF report. [58]
Nikolai Shkodin unknown147th Guards Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15The USAF report 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. [21]
Yevgeny PomazCaptain494th Fighter Air RegimentMiG-15Listed by the USAF report but not considered ace by Russian sources, which indicate only 2 shootdowns. [21] [75]

United States

Of 40 United States military servicemen who attained ace status in Korea, all but one of them flew primarily the F-86 Sabre 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 war, only the Sabre fighter could match the Soviet-built fighters in single combat. [76]

Similarly to the Chinese and Soviet aces, the kill totals of many American pilots are disputed. Their combined tally is incompatible with recorded losses by communist forces, and data-matching with Soviet records shows that many of the aces' claimed kills were erroneous. In some cases, American pilots over-claimed by 400 per cent after air combat. [77]

The pilots who attained ace status in the war scored a disproportionate number of kills in the war. 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. [78] 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 war. [21]

  This with the * indicates that the pilot was either killed in action or killed in a training event during the war.

PhotoName [1] ServiceRankVictories [79] UnitAircraftNotes
Joseph McConnell.JPG Joseph C. McConnell USAF Captain 39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-86 SabreWas a navigator for the B-24 Liberator during World War II. Killed in a 1954 training accident. [79]
JamesJabaraPortrait1940s.jpg James Jabara USAF Major 334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-86 SabreAmerica's first jet ace. Also claimed 1.5 kills (1 shared) flying a P-51 Mustang in World War II. [1]
Capt. Manuel J. Fernandez Jr. of the 34th Fighter Intercepter Wing.jpg Manuel J. "Pete" Fernandez USAFCaptain334th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 SabreKilled in a 1980 aircraft crash. [1] [80]
George Andrew Davis.jpg George A. Davis*USAFMajor334th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 SabreShot down 10 February 1952. His death generated controversy between China and the Soviet Union, in which both MiG pilots Zhang Jihui and Mikhail Averin had claimed to be his assailant. [80] Received the Medal of Honor for his actions and posthumously promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. Also claimed 7 kills in the P-47 Thunderbolt in World War II. [1]
Royal N. Baker.jpg Royal N. "King" Baker USAF Colonel 48th Fighter Group F-86 SabreAlso claimed 3.5 kills (1 shared) in World War II. [1]
Frederick Blesse portrait.jpg Frederick C. "Boots" Blesse USAFMajor334th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronP-51 Mustang
F-80 Shooting Star
F-86 Sabre		"No Guts, No Glory"
Harold E Fischer.jpg Harold E. Fischer USAF First Lieutenant 39th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 SabreShot down and captured in China on April 7, 1953. [81]
Col James K. Johnson.jpg James K. Johnson USAFColonel 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-86 SabreAlso claimed 1 kill in World War II. [1]
Lonnie Moore.jpg Lonnie R. Moore USAFCaptain335th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 SabreKilled in a 1956 aircraft crash. [1] [79]
Ralph Parr.jpg Ralph Parr USAFCaptain335th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 Sabre [1]
Vermont Garrison.jpg Vermont Garrison USAF Lieutenant Colonel 335th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 SabreAlso claimed 7.3 kills (1 Shared among three pilots) in World War II [1]
Cecil G. Foster.jpg Cecil G. Foster USAFCaptain 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-86 Sabre
James F. Low.jpg James F. Low USAFFirst Lieutenant335th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 Sabre
James P. Hagerstrom.jpg James P. Hagerstrom USAFMajor334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron,
67th Fighter-Bomber Squadron 		F-86 SabreAlso claimed 6 kills in World War II. [1]
James Robinson Risner in flight suit.jpg James Robinson "Robbie" Risner USAFMajor 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-86 Sabre
George Ruddell.jpg George I. Ruddell USAFLieutenant Colonel39th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 Sabre
Henry Buttelmann.jpg Henry Buttelmann USAFFirst Lieutenant 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron F-86 SabreWas the youngest American ace of the war, claiming 5 victories in 12 days. [1]
Clifford D. Jolley.jpg Clifford D. Jolley USAFCaptain335th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 Sabre
—
 Leonard W. Lilley USAFCaptain334th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 Sabre
Donald E. Adams.jpg Donald E. Adams*USAFMajor16th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 SabreKilled in an airshow crash on August 30, 1952. [82]
Mb-gabreski-1956.jpg Francis S. "Gabby" Gabreski USAFColonel 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing,
51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing 		F-86 SabreAlso claimed 28 kills in World War II. [1]
—
 George L. Jones USAFLieutenant Colonel335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron,
51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing		F-86 Sabre
Winton W. Marshall.jpg Winton W. Marshall USAFMajor335th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 Sabre
John F. Bolt 1953.jpg John F. Bolt USMC Major39th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 SabreAlso claimed 6 kills in World War II. [1]
James H Kasler.jpg James H. Kasler USAFFirst Lieutenant335th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 Sabre
Robert J. Love.jpg Robert J. Love USAFCaptain335th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 Sabre
William T. Whisner 2.jpg William T. Whisner USAFMajor334th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron,
25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron		F-86 SabreAlso claimed 16.4 kills in World War II
Robert P. Baldwin.jpg Robert P. Baldwin USAFColonel16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron,
25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron,
39th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron		F-86 Sabre
—
 Richard S. Becker USAFCaptain334th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 Sabre
Bettinger.jpg Stephen L. Bettinger USAFMajor336th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 SabreAlso claimed 1 kill in World War II. [1] Was the final American ace of the war with his final victory claimed on July 20, 1953. Was subsequently shot down and taken prisoner. [83]
Lt Guy Bordelon USN fighter ace Korea.jpeg Guy Bordelon USN Lieutenant (navy) Composite Squadron 3 F4U-5NL Corsair Only US Navy aviator to be awarded ace status. [83]
—
 Richard D. Creighton USAFMajor336th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 Sabre
Clyde A. Curtin.jpg Clyde A. Curtin USAFCaptain335th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 Sabre
—
 Ralph D. "Hoot" Gibson USAFColonel335th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 Sabre]
Iven Kincheloe photo portrait head and shoulders.jpg Iven C. Kincheloe USAFCaptain25th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 SabreKilled in a 1958 aircraft crash. [84]
Robert T. Latshaw.jpg Robert T. Latshaw USAFCaptain335th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 Sabre
Robert H. Moore.jpg Robert H. Moore USAFCaptain336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron,
16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron		F-86 Sabre
Dolph Overton.jpg Dolphin D. Overton USAFCaptain16th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 SabreAttained Ace status in the shortest time of any American pilot in the war with five victories in four days. [83]
Harrison Thyng.jpg Harrison R. Thyng USAFColonel335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron,
4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing 		F-86 SabreAlso claimed 5 kills in World War II. Credited to have shot down pilots of more nationalities of any American ace, with victories against Nazi Germany, Vichy France and the Empire of Japan. [83]
Willaim Wescott.jpg William Westcott USAFMajor25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron,
51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing 		F-86 Sabre
Lieutenant General Charles Cleveland.jpg Charles G. Cleveland USAFFirst Lieutenant334th Fighter-Interceptor SquadronF-86 SabreFifth victory was not recognized by the US Air Force until 2008. [85] He was the last living American flying ace of the Korean War.

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Alexander Pavlovich Smorchkov was a Soviet fighter pilot. After gaining three shootdowns during World War II he went on to attain ace status in the Korean War, being credited with 12-13 solo victories on the MiG-15 for which he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lev Shchukin</span>

Lev Kirillovich Shchukin was a Soviet MiG-15 flying ace during early phase of the Korean War. After being badly injured from bailing out of his stricken plane he continued to serve as an officer in the Soviet Air Force and was sent to various communist countries as a military adviser.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mikhail Ponomaryov</span>

Mikhail Sergeyevich Ponomaryov was a Soviet fighter pilot who flew with the Polish Air Force during World War II and later became a flying ace during the Korean war, with 10 to 14 victories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grigory Okhay</span>

Grigory Ulyanovich Okhay was a Soviet MiG-15 flying ace during the Korean war, with an estimated 11 victories.

Mikhail Ivanovich Mikhin (1923-2007) was a Soviet MiG-15 pilot who became a flying ace during the Korean War, credited with nine to twelve victories. He was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grigory Ges</span>

Grigory Ivanovich Ges was a Soviet Air Force officer who became a flying ace during the Korean War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkady Boytsov</span> Soviet MiG-15 pilot

Arkady Sergeyevich Boytsov was a Soviet MiG-15 pilot and flying ace during the Korean War, credited with six to eleven victories. He was awarded Hero of the Soviet Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fyodor Shebanov</span>

Fyodor Akimovich Shebanov was a Soviet MiG-15 pilot who became a flying ace during the Korean War, with around 6 victories. He was killed in action 26 October 1951.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anatoly Karelin</span> Soviet MiG-15 pilot

Anatoly Mikhailovich Karelin was a Soviet MiG-15 flying ace during the Korean War, credited with six to eight victories for which he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boris Siskov</span> Soviet MiG-15 pilot

Boris Nikolayevich Siskov was a Soviet MiG-15 flying ace during the Korean War credited with 11 or 5 aerial victories. He was the final Soviet ace of the war, scoring his fifth victory on 20 July 1953.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stepan Bakhayev</span>

Stepan Antonovich Bakhayev was a Soviet Air Force major, flying ace and Hero of the Soviet Union. Credited with 13 shootdowns during World War II, he went on to fly during the Korean War and was subsequently credited with shooting down 11 American planes during the conflict, although many of the aircraft he was credited with shooting down were able to return to base after sustaining the damage he inflicted.

The 256th Fighter Aviation Regiment was a fighter aviation regiment of the Soviet Air Forces. It existed between 1950 and 1959 and fought in the Korean War.

The 726th Fighter Aviation Regiment was an aviation regiment of the Soviet Air Forces and the Soviet Air Defense Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">177th Fighter Aviation Regiment PVO</span> Military unit

The 177th Fighter Aviation Regiment PVO was a fighter regiment of the Soviet Air Defense Forces during World War II and the Cold War, later becoming part of the Russian Air Defense Forces and finally the Russian Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sergey Vishnyakov</span> Soviet air force officer (1918–1958)

Sergey Fyodorovich Vishnyakov was a Soviet Air Force officer who fought in World War II and the Korean War, and one of the few pilots considered a flying ace of both wars. He was killed in a flying accident in Bulgaria in 1958.

References

Footnotes

    Citations

    1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Varhola 2000 , p. 42
    2. ↑ "Welcome to the Air Combat Information Group". Archived from the original on 2013-06-04.
    3. ↑ "Welcome to the Air Combat Information Group". Archived from the original on 2013-06-04.
    4. ↑ Brune 1996 , p. 215
    5. ↑ Krylov & Tepsurkaev 2008 , p. 7
    6. ↑ Krylov & Tepsurkaev 2008 , p. 8
    7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Werrell 2005 , p. 214
    8. 1 2 Werrell 2005 , p. 141
    9. ↑ Krylov & Tepsurkaev 2008 , p. 6
    10. ↑ Krylov & Tepsurkaev 2008 , p. 9
    11. ↑ Werrell 2005 , p. 142
    12. ↑ "Welcome to the Air Combat Information Group". Archived from the original on 2013-06-04.
    13. 1 2 3 4 Werrell 2005 , p. 143
    14. ↑ Werrell 2005 , p. 213
    15. ↑ "USAF Losses in Korea".
    16. ↑ "USAF Losses in Korea".
    17. ↑ Werrell 2005 , p. 143
    18. ↑ Hallion 1986 , p. 286
    19. 1 2 3 4 Krylov & Tepsurkaev 2008 , p. 86
    20. ↑ "Welcome to the Air Combat Information Group". Archived from the original on 2013-06-04.
    21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Bowers, Al (1999-05-17), Fighter Pilot Aces, United States Air Force, archived from the original on 2010-03-01, retrieved 2011-08-28
    22. 1 2 3 4 中华英雄鏖战世界强敌 抗美援朝"战斗英雄"全景扫描 (Profiles on Combat Heroes During the Korean War) (in Chinese), Beijing, China: Xinhua, 2010-10-26, archived from the original on October 29, 2010, retrieved 2011-08-29
    23. 1 2 3 4 Varhola 2000 , p. 44
    24. ↑ 军迷天下. "国产新型战机列装"英雄中队"！直击歼-16战机发射PL导弹 看空军装备更新换代！「国防故事」". YouTube. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
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    26. 1 2 Zhang 2004 , p. 152.
    27. 1 2 Zhang 2004 , p. 105.
    28. ↑ Zhang 2004 , p. 193.
    29. ↑ 林彪叛逃后的林立衡：1974年曾自杀 (Lin Biao's Daughter After Father's Downfall: Suicide Attempts in 1974) (in Chinese), Beijing, China: Xinhua, 2010-11-25, archived from the original on 2010-11-28, retrieved 2011-08-29
    30. 1 2 空中突击手孙生禄 (Sun Shenlu: The Aerial Vanguard) (in Chinese), Beijing, China: Xinhua, 2003-10-25, archived from the original on December 13, 2003, retrieved 2011-08-29
    31. ↑ Zhang 2004 , p. 153.
    32. ↑ Zhang 2004 , p. 155.
    33. ↑ "[老兵你好]"空中枭雄"施光礼飞越三八线击落美P-51敌机". tv.cctv.com. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
    34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Krylov & Tepsurkaev 2008 , p. 88
    35. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 486-489.
    36. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 221.
    37. 1 2 3 Werrell 2005 , p. 216
    38. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 124.
    39. ↑ Bykov 2014, p. 920.
    40. ↑ Spick, Mike (1999). The Complete Fighter Ace: All the World's Fighter Aces, 1914-2000. Greenhill Books. p. 192. ISBN   9781853673740.
    41. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 190.
    42. ↑ Bykov 2014, p. 1375-1376.
    43. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 211.
    44. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 331.
    45. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 99.
    46. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 268.
    47. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 290.
    48. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 92.
    49. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 224.
    50. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 307.
    51. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 84.
    52. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 279.
    53. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 251.
    54. ↑ Seidov 2010, p. 59.
    55. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 360.
    56. ↑ Werrell 2005 , p. 218
    57. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 70.
    58. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Krylov & Tepsurkaev 2008 , p. 89
    59. ↑ Seidov 2010, p. 438.
    60. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 327.
    61. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 259.
    62. ↑ Seidov 2010, p. 235.
    63. ↑ Seidov 2010, p. 349.
    64. ↑ Krylov & Tepsurkaev 2008, p. 93.
    65. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 50.
    66. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 96.
    67. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 356.
    68. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 372.
    69. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 75.
    70. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 31.
    71. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 23.
    72. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 375.
    73. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 303.
    74. ↑ Seidov 2016, p. 299.
    75. ↑ Bykov 2014, p. 959.
    76. ↑ Fact Sheet: Korean War Aces, United States Air Force , retrieved 2011-08-12
    77. ↑ "Welcome to the Air Combat Information Group". Archived from the original on 2013-06-04.
    78. ↑ Werrell 2005 , p. 184
    79. 1 2 3 Gurney 1958 , p. 248
    80. 1 2 Werrell 2005 , p. 185
    81. ↑ Dorr & Lake 1999 , p. 77
    82. ↑ Dorr & Lake 1999 , p. 42
    83. 1 2 3 4 Varhola 2000 , p. 43
    84. ↑ Dorr & Lake 1999 , p. 96
    85. ↑ Bates, Matthew (2008-02-13), Retired general becomes Air Force's newest fighter ace, United States Air Force, retrieved 2016-05-25

    Sources

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