As US-UNCommnd forces in Korea intensified combat operations, the
urgent need for parachutes, aircraft life preservers and other survival and
escape-and-evasion gear increased. The United Nations Command
included the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Belgium, Greece,
Canada and Thailand and other nations.
USAF aircraft in the Korean Theater included the P-51, F-80, F-86, B-
29, KC-50, C-46, C-47, C-54, C-82, C-118, C-119 and C-121.
The F-51 (Mustang) role in Korea was ground attack. The F-80
(Shooting Star) was the first operational American jet fighter and a major
weapon system of the Korean War. The F-80 recorded the first USAF
aerial victories in June 1950. The F-80's high accident rate in the early
years of the war was attributed to pilots familiar with propeller-driven
aircraft transitioning to the faster and more powerful jets. The F-80 was
used for ground support after it was replaced by the F-86 in air
superiority tactics. In effect, the USAF was experiencing a major
transition from relatively slow propeller-driven to much higher speed jet
aircraft - in the middle of an intense air war.
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