To Steal an F-86

"Stephen Harding" wrote in message
...
Stephen Harding wrote:

"Smithsonian Air and Space" has an interesting article describing Soviet
attempts to get their hands on an F-86 during the Korean War.

As an addendum, the US of couse badly wanted a MiG-15, and eventually got
one flown over to it by a defecting NK pilot ($100K bonus for the pilot).

My father flew the MiG to the US via Okinawa I think (by transport
aircraft
that is). Wish he was around to be quizzed on the details.

A very hush hush operation at the time!


SMH
I actually met the pilot of this Mig in a back room meeting one night. His
name was No Kum Suk or something similar if I recall. Nice guy too! I
remember how stupid it all was trying to keep him a secret when everybody in
sight was interviewing him. In fact, I seem to recall talk in the fighter
community at the time about him being sent to the University of Delaware for
some promised education. I believe he actually did end up there. I lost
track of him after this period. I do know that Yeager, Boyd, and Collins
went to Okinawa to fly the damn thing.

Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/CFI
Retired