Changes

The Korean War was the first conflict in which jet aircraft fought each other.  (Both the [[Luftwaffe]] and the [[RAF]] had operational jets in WWII, but they never came into direct conflict.)  Most jet battles took place near the Yalu River, in the airspace over north-western North Korea known as "Mig alley."  The UN forces generally retained air superiority throughout most of the war, and air power helped compensate for the Communists' superior numbers on the ground.

The Korean War was the first conflict in which jet aircraft fought each other.  (Both the [[Luftwaffe]] and the [[RAF]] had operational jets in WWII, but they never came into direct conflict.)  Most jet battles took place near the Yalu River, in the airspace over north-western North Korea known as "Mig alley."  The UN forces generally retained air superiority throughout most of the war, and air power helped compensate for the Communists' superior numbers on the ground.

The general lack of permanent runways in Korea hindered the use of jet aircraft and bombers, forcing the Allies to use piston aircraft. The [[F-51 Mustang]] was the most numerous Allied aircraft in the early months of the war. In November of 1950, the first of the [[MiG-15]] aircraft appeared, and was able to outperform all Allied fighters until the introduction of the F-86 Sabre. The Sabre was technically a little inferior to the MiG-15, but the veteran American pilots eventually produced a kill ratio of approximately 12:1 in their favour.

The general lack of permanent runways in Korea hindered the use of jet aircraft and bombers, forcing the Allies to use piston aircraft. The [[F-51 Mustang]] was the most numerous Allied aircraft in the early months of the war. In November of 1950, the first of the [[MiG-15]] aircraft appeared, and was able to outperform all Allied fighters until the introduction of the [[F-86 Sabre]]. The Sabre was technically a little inferior to the MiG-15, but the veteran American pilots eventually produced a kill ratio of approximately 12:1 in their favour. Many of these aerial dogfights took place in the northwestern corner of Korea, a place given the name 'Mig Alley' by Allied pilots.

 

 

Overall, Korea was not a good place to deploy advanced aircraft. The climate provided extremes of temperature and much abrasive sand. The marsh-like rice fields and mountainous terrain were poor areas for runways, which tended to be rudimentary at best. The helicopter, however, proved itself in Korea, as it could perform the reconaissance missions of planes without airstrips and the transport tasks of ground vehicles without the need to cross the rugged terrain.

==Participants==

==Participants==