Sabres over Korea

Development Development of the F model began on 31 July 1951 by taking the successful F-86 and fitting it !ith the imp"oved #ene"al lect"ic J$%-# -&% po!e"plant' Delays and p"oblems e(pe"ienced !ith engine p"oduction "esulted in the fi"st flight of this ma"k only taking place on 19 )a"ch 195&' *ithin eight days si( ai"f"ames had been taken on st"ength by the +,-F' .h"oughout the p"oduction "un of &539/ continual imp"ovements !e"e inco"po"ated' -dditional unde"!ing ha"d points !hich accepted la"ge" au(ilia"y fuel tanks 0&11 +, gal2%5% lit"es3/ inc"eased flying time/ a"mou" p"otection !as st"engthened and the cockpit layout "edesigned' .he most significant enhancement !as the addition of t!o additional sto"es stations inboa"d of the e(isting ones' .his t"ansfo"med the F-86 f"om a day ai" supe"io"ity fighte" to that of a 4fighte"-bombe"4' .he ,outh -f"ican -i" Fo"ce 0,--F3 used a de"ivative of this fo"m/ the F-86F-31-5-' Colour scheme -i"c"aft !e"e finished in natu"al metal/ but the va"ious alloys and const"uction techni6ues "esulted in a numbe" of diffe"ent hues' 7ften an individual name !as applied in la"ge black lette"s/ belo! the gun po"ts' +nde" the cockpit !as the ,6uad"on badge' .his !as a head-on vie! of a 4flying4 cheetah in yello! and black/ its blue !ings fully e(tended up!a"ds f"om the shoulde"' 8et!een the cheetah4s !ing tips !as a cu"ved yello! sc"oll/ insc"ibed !ith the s6uad"on motto/ 4,u"sum 9"o"su6ue/ +p!a"d and 7n!a"d' :mmediately belo! and behind the cockpit appea"ed the individual ai"c"aft code applied as a ve"y la"ge single black lette"' yello! diagonal fuselage band edged in black !as ca""ied bet!een the ai"c"aft code and the national insignia' -ll ai"c"aft of the +,-F 18th Fighte" 8ombe" *ing ca""ied these bands to aid the identification of 4f"iendly4 ai"c"aft and p"event ,ab"es being mistaken fo" )i# 15s4' .he ai"c"aft4s se"ial numbe" !as ca""ied in black unde" and ahead of the tail plane' :n o"de" to clea"ly identify 4thei"4 ai"c"aft the ,outh -f"ican -i" Fo"ce int"oduced a the ne! 4,p"ingbok4 "oundel' .his comp"ised a blue "ing and !hite cent"e/ on !hich the p"ofile of a leaping sp"ingbok !as supe"imposed in o"ange' .he national ma"king !as placed on eithe" side of the fuselage and above and belo! the !ings/ !ith the 4,p"ingbok4 facing fo"!a"ds and in!a"ds' - thin "ed band ci"cled the fuselage at the point of the "oundel/ being b"oken at the top and continuing at the bottom' Fin ma"kings !e"e o"ange !hite and blue bands of e6ual !idth/ !ith the o"ange fo"!a"d' .hese st"etched the full length of the tail fin to immediately belo! the -;F ae"ial housing/ follo!ing the ve"tical patte"n of the stabilise"'

.he <o"ean *a" b"oke out &5 June 1951/ initiated by the incu"sion of seven 5o"th <o"ean divisions ac"oss the 38th pa"allel/ !hich !as the official geog"aphical point dividing the nation into 5o"th and ,outh' .he appeal by the +nited 5ations fo" membe" nations to p"ovide assistance to ,outh <o"ea !as taken up by ,outh -f"ica/ amongst othe"s' :t !as decided to p"ovide a fighte" s6uad"on !ith g"ound pe"sonnel' -s ,outh -f"ican se"vicemen !e"e only obliged to se"ve in ,outh -f"ica/ assignment to the Fa" ast !as on a pu"ely volunta"y basis' *hen the call came/ the"e !as a huge "esponse f"om se"ving pe"sonnel and pa"t time citi=en fo"ces' 5o & ,6uad"on/ kno!n as 4.he Flying >heetahs4 !e"e selected fo" fo"eign se"vice' Fo"med du"ing the ast -f"ican campaign in *o"ld *a" ::/ they had a p"oud t"adition' 7n 5 ,eptembe" the fi"st contingent of $9 office"s and 15% othe" "anks "epo"ted fo" emba"kation p"epa"ation to the !a" =one' ?ogistics !e"e eased by the decision to pu"chase all e6uipment f"om the +nited ,tates !hich !ould a!ait the a""ival of the ,6uad"on in <o"ea' 7n a""ival they !e"e attached to 18th Fighte" 8ombe" *ing of the +,-F and "emained so th"ough th"ee yea"s of fighting' 8y the end of July 1951 the 5o"th <o"ean -i" Fo"ce had been "educed to 18 fighte"s and the"e !as little they could do to counte" +, fo"ces' .his encou"aged the >hinese to tu"n thei" cove"t suppo"t of <o"ea into di"ect assistance and pe"suade the @ussians to put thei" !eight behind the no"the"n >ommunist state' 8y Decembe" 1951/ ove" 151 )i# 15s !ith full backup c"e!s/ had been supplied to st"engthen the 5o"th <o"ean defences' .hese ai"c"aft fle! on ave"age &111 so"ties pe" month and the -me"ican fo"ces soon "ealised that they !e"e flying outdated e6uipment' -ttempts to e6ualise the situation !e"e he"alded by the fi"st ope"ational so"tie by a ,ab"e on 1% Decembe" 1951 ove" the Aalu @ive"' 7f the t!o fighte"s the )i# !as p"obably the bette" combat ai"c"aft/ possessing a highe" climb "ate/ speed/ ceiling and tu"ning "adius than the ,ab"e' .he advantages of the -me"ican ai"c"aft !e"e that it p"oved to be a mo"e stable gun platfo"m/ had a longe" "ange and !as fitted !ith supe"io" !eapon systems' *hen the F86- / !ith its imp"oved handling cha"acte"istics !as int"oduced/ the >ommunist fo"ces could no longe" "isk putting up la"ge fo"mations of )i#s' :t !as only to!a"d the end of 195&/ !ith ove" 951 )i#s on st"ength/ that the"e !as a ma"ked imp"ovement in the fighting abilities of the 5o"th <o"ean -i" Fo"ce' .his !as b"ought about by the delive"y of the )i#15bis/ fitted !ith an up "ated engine and enhanced elect"onics' :t !as against this scena"io that 5o & ,6uad"on !as the fi"st ,--F unit to be e6uipped !ith a second gene"ation Bet fighte"' .he && su"viving )ustangs of the 4Flying >heetahs4/ pe"fo"med a final flypast on &9 Decembe" 195&/ ove" thei" fo"!a"d ai"field <-$6' .hey then !ent on to land at <-11/ thei" main "ea" base/ !he"e the ai"c"aft !e"e p"epa"ed fo" handing back to the +nited ,tates' ,imultaneously the ,6uad"on !as "elocated to a ne! ai" base labelled <-55 at 7san south of ,eoul' .his !as the fi"st time that the ,6uad"on had ope"ated as a complete unit' 9"eviously they had been fo"ced to fly f"om a fo"!a"d ai"field/ !ith thei" main suppo"t situated at a mo"e secu"e location fu"the" south' 7n a""ival at <-55/ ,--F pe"sonnel found that they !e"e fo"ced to e(pe"ience the dep"ivations they had encounte"ed on thei" initial deployment in <o"ea' .he base !as ba"ely complete' :t !as unfu"nished/ une6uipped and it !as the height of the <o"ean !inte"' *hile membe"s made eve"y effo"t to sc"ounge anything that !ould add some comfo"t to thei" 6ua"te"s/ the ,6uad"on !as "efo"med' :n line !ith ne!ly accepted ope"ational p"actice/ the fou" flight st"uctu"e !as "eplaced !ith t!o flights' .he fi"st five F-86F-31s 0611 to 6153 !e"e delive"ed in late Janua"y 1953' .hese !e"e fitted !ith the additional unde" !ing ha"d points and a specialised combination bomb/gun and "ocket sight' *ith ease the pilots could s!itch f"om a g"ound attack "ole and take up the cudgels as an ai" to ai" fighte"' .he conve"sion p"ocess f"om a ,econd *o"ld *a" technology ai"c"aft to a second gene"ation Bet fighte" !as eased by the fact that all but t!o of the flight pe"sonnel had p"eviously unde"gone Campi"e conve"sion in ,outh -f"ica' -s the fi"st s6uad"on of the 18th Fighte"-8ombe" *ing to conve"t to Bets/ it !as up to the ,outh -f"icans

to develop a t"aining cu""iculum/ including lectu"es and all documentation' #"ound pe"sonnel had been t"ained in Japan du"ing 5ovembe" 195&' 9ilot t"aining began on $ Janua"y !ith g"ound familia"isation of the ne! Bet/ conducted by inst"ucto"s f"om the $ and 51 Fighte" :nte"cepto" *ings/ !hile flight t"aining consisted of dual time on .-33 Bets' -fte" some static cockpit time/ fi"st flights !e"e unde"taken/ and by % Feb"ua"y all &8 pilots had flo!n solo' ."aining took place in ea"nest du"ing Feb"ua"y and by 1& )a"ch the ,6uad"on !as fully ope"ational/ taking pa"t in fou" missions ove" the Aalu @ive"/ in the a"ea commonly kno!n as 4)ig -lley4' #"o!th of the >ommunist ai" fo"ces meant that u"gent attention had to be given to limiting thei" ope"ational capabilities and it !as !ith this in mind that the fighte"-bombe" "ole of the ,ab"e !as emphasised and t"aining commenced in ea"nest' Fi"stly/ the pilots !e"e t"ained in fighte" inte"cepto" "ole !hich included fo"mation flying and ai" to ai" combat' .he inc"eased speed of thei" c"aft meant that the c"e! had to acclimatise themselves to the pace of Bet-age combat action' .he"e !as little "oom fo" a second chance and !hat had come natu"ally !ith the olde" e6uipment !as difficult to achieve in the Bet age' Du"ing -p"il c"e!s !e"e t"ained in dive bombing techni6ues/ fo" !hich the ,ab"e p"oved to be an ideal platfo"m' >a""ying eithe" & 1111lb 0$5$kg3 bombs/ napalm o" "ockets and !ith d"op tanks they had a ve"y effective "ange' :t !as du"ing one of these t"aining missions that @odney van @ooyen gained p"actical e(pe"ience !ith an eBection seat' Flying 618/ van @ooyen !as on an ai" to ai" e(e"cise !hen his "adio compass failed' Follo!ing his leade" do!n he became lost in the ove"cast and !hen his tanks "an d"y he !as fo"ced to eBect' Fo"tunately he landed !ithout inBu"y in a "ice paddy some!ay south of the ai"field' Can @ooyen/ being the fi"st ,--F pilot to e(it in this manne"/ put this incident to good use/ lectu"ing to his colleagues on the subtleties of eBection and demonst"ating his techni6ue !ith the use of the static t"aining e6uipment' *ith the advent of peace negotiations both sides attempted to b"eak the stalemate and imp"ove thei" positions !ith intensified effo"ts' .he int"actable attitude of the 5o"th <o"eans meant that the +nited 5ations fo"ces decided to counte" the enemy activity by sustained use of all ai" "esou"ces' 4.he Flying >heetahs4 found themselves employed in counte"acting )i# incu"sions/ ove"seeing "escue ope"ations and engaging in the suppo"t of g"ound fo"ces' .hey spent most of -p"il on "egula" so"ties against t"oop movements and supply "outes' Ca"iety/ only f"om the diffe"ent o"dnance loaded fo" each mission' -n attack on ,inmak ai"field he"alded the fi"st attack using 1111lb bombs' 9iet Cisse"/ flying 615/ 4<evic4/ had taken off on 19 -p"il as one of nine ,--F ,ab"es in a +nited 5ations fo"ce of t!enty fou"' .he fo"mation dive bombed t"oops south of the ,a"!on,ohung "ail!ay and then "etu"ned to base' 9"epa"ing fo" finals at <-55/ Cisse" found that he could not lo!e" the unde"ca""iage/ had no flaps and the speed b"akes !ould not deploy' :n an attempt to save e6uipment/ he th"ottled back to stall speed/ held the nose up to the last minute and b"ought the disabled ai"c"aft do!n on its belly' ?uckily he su"vived this "isky manoeuv"e/ but 4<evic4 !as dest"oyed' .he sou"ce of his p"oblems !as t"aced to bu"nt out !indings that had caused a complete elect"ical failu"e' .!o days late" ?t Johnny @obe"ts "an out of fuel' #uided by a +,-F F-8$ he attempted to glide to ai" base <-&/ "ealising he lacked sufficient height/ he eBected and 613 !as dest"oyed' @obe"ts !as "eno!ned fo" his effo"t to imp"ove the standing of & ,6uad"on at <-55' .he ai" base housed a numbe" of units of the 18th Fighte" 8ombe" *ing !ho competed fo" a!a"ds each month' .hese !e"e displayed on a totem pole !ith the !inne"s at the top and inva"iably & ,6uad"on some!he"e nea" the bottom' :n a fit of pi6ue and bee" @obe"ts attempted to "emove this stain f"om the ,6uad"on4s name/ !ith an a(e' -l @ae desc"ibes the incident/ D.he fe! bee"s he consumed spoilt his aim' ;e missed the pole' 8efo"e he could take anothe" s!ipe/ )aBo" 9ie""ie @etief sa! !hat Johnny

!as t"ying to do and shouted/ 4@obe"ts/ you chop that pole do!n and you a"e unde" a""estE4 5eedless to say/ the totem pole stayed up and Johnny stayed f"ee'D Johnny @obe"ts !as killed afte" the !a" !hen flying a .ige" )oth in Fimbab!e 0@hodesia3' 5ume"ous attacks by 8oeing 8-&9 heavy bombe"s had failed to halt t"ansmissions f"om @adio 94yongyang/ a p"opaganda station b"oadcasting to the ,outh' :t !as decided that mo"e success !ould be achieved !ith a su"p"ise attack at lo! level' - mi(ed fo"mation of -me"ican and eight ,outh -f"ican ai"c"aft !e"e tasked !ith the elimination of the t"oublesome station' .he attack fo"ce fle! a no"mal patte"n fo" pat"ols ove" the Aalu @ive"' 7nce above the location of the station they dived' )ike #edye said of this type of "aid/ D: have clea" memo"ies of divebombing attacksG st"afing on the !ay do!n/ !atching the altimete" un!inding at an ala"ming "ate/ lining the ta"get up in the bombsight fo" a second ot t!o/ "eleasing the bombs and pullin out lo! ove" the mountainous te""ain !ith my #-suit g"abbing me tight'D .he unsuspecting flak defence a"ound the station !e"e caught totally off gua"d and fo" a !hile @adio 94yongyang ceased b"oadcasting' D)y log book sho!s that eve"y mission !as an e(citing adventu"e/ although my comments at the time p"etended that they !e"e me"e "outine'D )ike p"obably desc"ibed the nea" !"ite off of his ,ab"e in the same d"y tones' .o celeb"ate Hueen li=abeth ::4s co"onation a flypast !as to be made by +nited 5ations Fo"ce on & June 195&' .he p"actice flight on &9 )ay nea"ly ended in disaste"' 7n take-off )ike #edye lost the ha"d oute" shell of one ty"e' -dvised of his p"edicament by the cont"ol to!e"/ he calmly elected to continue !ith the flight' ;is "etu"n p"oved to be both e(citing and a display of supe"b ai"manship' Flying ove" the th"eshold he !as g"eeted by a posse of "escue vehicles' #ently easing his plane g"ound!a"d he landed faultlessly/ the canvas and inne" tube holding to the end' :nc"eased 5o"the"n activity in June and July !as counte"ed by an even g"eate" effo"t by the +nited 5ations Fo"ces' ,--F ,ab"e action "eached its peak in June !ith the continued backing given to I: @7< >o"ps to the south of <umsong' ,uccessful g"ound suppo"t ope"ations !e"e imp"oved !ith the abandonment of minimum altitude "est"ictions/ to !hich the >heetahs "eacted favou"ably' John <oekemoe" "emembe"ed one such so"tie' D7n 5 June :van ;olt=hausen and : had a ball' *e !e"e sc"ambled to attack a t"ain and convoy of t"ucks no"th of the f"ont line' 7u" "esults !e"e pleasing/ but both ,ab"es !e"e hit by g"ound smalla"ms fi"e' .he ai"speed indicato" of :van4s machine !as put out of action/ and he !as fo"ced to fo"mat on me !hile flying back to <-55'D :n spite of flak damage being sustained by five ai"c"aft the ,6uad"on pe"sisted in e(t"emely lo! and di"ect suppo"t of the t"oops' -lthough !eathe" hampe"ed flying/ !he"e-eve" possible the ,ab"es !e"e in action' Ce"y soon it !as evident to the 5o"th <o"eans that thei" offensive had once again failed and they decided to ente" into peace negotiations' ,t"ategically it !as of vital impo"tance that the >ommunist fo"ces !e"e to be p"evented f"om "estocking and building up thei" ai" po!e"' *ith this in mind/ it !as decided to dest"oy the >ommunist held ai"fields' .hese attacks began on &3 July and continued up to the deadline of the a"mistice at &&h11 on &% July 195&' :t !as du"ing this campaign that the ,outh -f"icans lost the only ,ab"e to be do!ned by enemy action' &nd ?t #eo"ge .hom had "ecently "etu"ned f"om an 4@ and @4 tou" in Japan/ ove"!eight and keen to complete his 111 missions' -n a"med "econnaissance flight on &1 July !as to be his %&nd and last so"tie' -l @ae/ the flight commande" !as fo"ced to g"ound abo"t and #eo"ge took ove" command of the th"ee ship flight' .he !eathe" !as ove"cast and mise"able and it !as pu"e luck that #eo"ge spotted some vehicles th"ough a b"eak in the clouds' .he ,ab"es dived on the ta"get and !ithin seconds #eo"ge felt his ai"c"aft sustain t!o hits' *a"ning lights flashed indicating fi"e in the tail-pipe and fo"!a"d engine compa"tment/ close to the fuel tank situated behind the cockpit' -dopting standa"d p"ocedu"e he cut the engine to halt fuel flo!' 8a""y @oss in anothe" of the ,ab"es came up alongside and shouted fo" #eo"ge to eBect as his plane !as bu"ning fie"cely behind the cockpit'

D: disconnected the 4#4 suit/ "adio leads/ o(ygen tube and got "id of the canopy' : tucked my a"ms in/ pulled the eBection handleon the seat and *hoooosh - : !as tumbling th"ough the ai" still st"apped to the seatED #eo"ge "elated in a post !a" inte"vie! !ith De"mot )ichael )oo"e' -fte" f"eeing himself f"om the seat and floating do!n to ea"th/ he made contact !ith 8a""y @oss on the eme"gency "adio' D.hen the "adio !ent dead' : sa! about 15 soldie"s app"oaching - .he !a" !as ove" fo" me so : hid the "evolve"/ hu"led the "adio ove" the edge of the hill and looked fo" a hiding place'D Finding no!he"e to conceal himself/ #eo"ge found himself in enemy hands !ithin five minutes' .he !a" !as d"agging to its inevitable end/ "ada" bombing ope"ations !e"e no "eal challenge and the flying had become "athe" "outine and bo"ing' 8ecause of this/ the last day !as g"eeted !ith a g"eat deal of enthusiasm and effo"t' 7n the mo"ning of &% July 1953/ the g"ound c"e! p"oudly "epo"ted that 1$ of the 16 ,ab"es !e"e ai"!o"thy/ a"med and "eady to do battle fo" the last time' .he ,6uad"on p"oved its commitment by flying fou" missions and establishing a ne! "eco"d fo" ,ab"es of $1 so"ties in one day' D*e pat"olled the Aalu @ive" hoping that teh )i#s !ould come up and fight/ but these hopes !e"e not "ealised and teh last >heetah flight of the !a" "etu"ned to <-55 !ithout BoyD/ John <oekemoe" "ecalled' -lthough a peace ag"eement had been signed/ flight t"aining continued' :t !as impo"tant to maintain a highly visible th"eat and continue obse"vation of 5o"th <o"ean activities' .he last ,--F pilot !as lost in <o"ea !hen engaged in a ma"itime e(e"cise !ith ;), 7cean' -fte" completing a mock attack on the vessel pilot )ike 8otha "epo"ted that the cont"ols of his ai"c"aft !e"e locked and he could not "egain cont"ol of his ai"c"aft' ;e !as o"de"ed to fly to!a"d the coast and once ove" the land he eBected' :nstead of landing safely he !as blo!n out to sea and came do!n a mile f"om the sho"e' :mmediately helicopte"s and naval c"aft "ushed to the scene/ but in vain' -fte" t!o days the sea"ch !as abandoned and )ike 8otha !as posted as missing p"esumed dead' 7pe"ational flying ceased on 1 7ctobe" 1953 !ith the last ,ab"es being handed back to the +,-F on 11 7ctobe"' :t is "epo"ted that these ai"c"aft !ent on to se"ve the 9hilippines -i" Fo"ce !he"e they !e"e subse6uently "eti"ed and sold' .he 4Flying >heetahs4 had played a small but vital "ole in the cou"se of the conflict/ and they had achieved a high level of "ega"d amongst the -me"ican fo"ces' .he e(tent of this is illust"ated by the 9olicy 7"de" issued by the commande" of the 18th Fighte" 8ombe" *ing' :t !as o"de"ed that at all @et"eat >e"emonies of the !ing/ the fi"st fe! ba"s of the ,outh -f"ican 5ational -nthem !ould p"ecede that of the -me"ican -nthem'

Sabres destroyed
Serial
618 615 613 616

Pilot
@ van @ooyen 9 Cisse" J @obe"ts # .hom

Date
&8 Feb 19 -p" &1 -p" &1 Jul

Reason
.echnical failu"e .echnical failu"e Fuel sho"tage nemy action

Mustang
,o"ties ,upplied ?ost 11 3%3 95 %$

Sabre
1 69$ && $

:n addition one ,ab"e !as lost afte" a"mistice/ anothe" !as damaged and t"ansfe""ed to >hinese 5ationalist Fo"ces'

Bibliography History of United Nations orces in !orea" #ol$/ )inist"y of 5ational Defence/ @epublic of <o"ea <eene @/ <insey ;*/ .idy D@/ .y""ell ->)/ 0 ds3/ Military History %ournal #ol & No ' / 0,outh -f"ican 5ational )useum of )ilita"y ;isto"y/ Johannesbu"g/ 19%83 )ondey/ D' -viation/ (he complete boo) of *ircraft and light" 07ctopus 8ooks/ ?ondon/ 19813 )oo"e D' and 8agsha!e 9' South *frica+s lying Cheetahs in !orea/ 0-shanti 9ublishing/ Johannesbu"g/ 19913 )oo"e D' (he role of the South *frican *ir orce in the !orean ,ar $-./0$-.' 0+npublished Docto"al .hesis/ +nive"sity of ,outh -f"ica/ 198&3 9eacock ?/ North *merican 012 Sabre 0#alle"y 8ooks/ 5e! Ao"k/ 19913 9otgiete" ;/ J ,teenkamp */ *ircraft of the South *frican *ir orce 0,t"uik 9ublishe"s/ >ape .o!n/ 19813 Huotations )oo"e D' and 8agsha!e 9' South *frica+s lying Cheetahs in !orea / 0-shanti 9ublishing/ Johannesbu"g/ 19913

S*BR3 012 0'/0N*

,e"vice ceiling )a(imum speed @ate of >limb >ombat "ange ,talling speed 1$ 631m 111% km2h & 83$ m2min 911 km &16 km2h