The Korean War began in 1950 between the North, supported by the Soviet Union, and the South, backed by the United States. Although this conflict was only three years long, it claimed the lives of approximately 3 million people. Much of this war was fought on the ground, but many decisive victories were won in the sky.
Gen. Douglas MacArthur was designated as the commanding general of U.S. military forces in the region, and as such he brought arms, vehicles, and aircraft to fight. For aircraft, the new jet-powered F-80s were put on full display as well as other new and upgraded aircraft that came in the wake of World War II. (This is every major fighter plane flown by the U.S. Air Force.)
To identify the U.S. aircraft used during the Korean War, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of American aircraft from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles, and aircraft used by militaries worldwide. We ordered these aircraft alphabetically and included supplemental information from Military Factory regarding type of aircraft, year introduced, manufacturer, total units produced, top speed, and armament.
The F-80 Shooting Star is a fighter-bomber aircraft that was first introduced in 1945, but it did not see any action in World War II. Instead, the Shooting Star would go on to make up a large part of the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. During that time, the F-80 was fairly successful against the slower Soviet fighters like the Ilyushin IL-10, but it was vastly outclassed by the new Soviet MiG fighter jets of that era.
To counter the MiG threats, the U.S. relied heavily on the North American F-86 Sabre, which recorded an impressive 757 air victories and only 103 losses throughout the Korean War. These were some of the most successful aircraft throughout the conflict, posting a kill ratio of at least 8:1. (These are the most widely produced fighter jets in today’s air forces.)
Here’s a look at the American aircraft used during the Korean War:
A-1 Skyraider (AD-1)
- Type: Bomber / ground attack aircraft
- Year introduced: 1946
- Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft
- Total units produced: 3,180
- Top speed: 321 mph
- Armament: 20mm autocannons, rocket pods, torpedoes, conventional drop bombs
A-26 / B-26 Invader
- Type: Heavy attack aircraft
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft
- Total units produced: 2,452
- Top speed: 355 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, guided bombs, rocket pods
AF Guardian
- Type: Carrierborne anti-submarine warfare aircraft
- Year introduced: 1950
- Manufacturer: Grumman
- Total units produced: 389
- Top speed: 317 mph
- Armament: Conventional drop bombs, torpedoes, 127mm HVAR rockets
AJ (A-2) Savage
- Type: Bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 1950
- Manufacturer: North American Aviation
- Total units produced: 143
- Top speed: 471 mph
- Armament: Conventional drop bombs
B-29 Superfortress
- Type: Strategic long-range high-altitude heavy bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 1943
- Manufacturer: Boeing
- Total units produced: 3,970
- Top speed: 358 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm Browning M2 machine guns, 20mm M2 automatic cannon
B-45 Tornado
- Type: Bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 1948
- Manufacturer: North American Aviation
- Total units produced: 143
- Top speed: 570 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm M3 machine guns, conventional drop bombs
B-47 Stratojet
- Type: Heavy bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 1951
- Manufacturer: Boeing
- Total units produced: 2,039
- Top speed: 600 mph
- Armament: 20mm cannons, conventional drop bombs
B-50 Superfortress
- Type: Heavy bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 1948
- Manufacturer: Boeing
- Total units produced: 370
- Top speed: 380 mph
- Armament: 20mm cannons, 12.7mm machine guns, conventional drop bombs
Bell Model 47
- Type: Light utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1946
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopters
- Total units produced: 5,600
- Top speed: 106 mph
- Armament: None
C-119 Flying Boxcar
- Type: Gunship / transport aircraft
- Year introduced: 1949
- Manufacturer: Fairchild
- Total units produced: 1,183
- Top speed: 281 mph
- Armament: None
C-124 Globemaster II
- Type: Heavy-lift transport aircraft
- Year introduced: 1950
- Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft
- Total units produced: 448
- Top speed: 323 mph
- Armament: None
C-131 / R4Y Samaritan
- Type: MEDEVAC / VIP Transport / Trainer aircraft
- Year introduced: 1950
- Manufacturer: CONVAIR
- Total units produced: 512
- Top speed: 293 mph
- Armament: None
C-45 (Expeditor)
- Type: Utility / trainer aircraft
- Year introduced: 1941
- Manufacturer: Beech Aircraft
- Total units produced: 1,300
- Top speed: 224 mph
- Armament: None
C-46 Commando
- Type: Long-range transport aircraft
- Year introduced: 1941
- Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright
- Total units produced: 3,181
- Top speed: 270 mph
- Armament: None
C-47 (Skytrain / Dakota)
- Type: Transport aircraft
- Year introduced: 1942
- Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft
- Total units produced: 12,748
- Top speed: 230 mph
- Armament: None
C-54 Skymaster (DC-4)
- Type: Transport aircraft
- Year introduced: 1942
- Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft
- Total units produced: 1,170
- Top speed: 275 mph
- Armament: None
C-69 Constellation (Model L-049)
- Type: Long-range transport / electronic warfare aircraft
- Year introduced: 1945
- Manufacturer: Lockheed
- Total units produced: 856
- Top speed: 346 mph
- Armament: None
C-74 Globemaster
- Type: Strategic heavy-lift transport aircraft
- Year introduced: 1945
- Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft
- Total units produced: 14
- Top speed: 329 mph
- Armament: None
C-97 Stratofreighter
- Type: Transport aircraft
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: Boeing
- Total units produced: 60
- Top speed: 375 mph
- Armament: None
Cessna O-1 Bird Dog (L-19)
- Type: Observation STOL aircraft
- Year introduced: 1950
- Manufacturer: Cessna / Ector Aircraft
- Total units produced: 3,431
- Top speed: 130 mph
- Armament: Air-to-surface rockets
F-82 / P-82 Twin Mustang
- Type: Long-range escort / ground attack aircraft
- Year introduced: 1946
- Manufacturer: North American Aviation
- Total units produced: 273
- Top speed: 461 mph
- Armament: .50 Browning heavy machine guns, conventional drop bombs, rockets
F-84 Thunderjet
- Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 1947
- Manufacturer: Republic Aviation
- Total units produced: 7,524
- Top speed: 587 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm heavy machine guns, aerial rockets, conventional drop bombs, napalm
F-86 Sabre
- Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 1949
- Manufacturer: North American Aviation
- Total units produced: 9,500
- Top speed: 690 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm Browning M2 machine guns, 20mm automatic cannons, rockets, Sidewinder missiles
F-89 Scorpion
- Type: Interceptor aircraft
- Year introduced: 1950
- Manufacturer: North American Aviation
- Total units produced: 1,050
- Top speed: 636 mph
- Armament: 20mm T-31 automatic cannons, Mighty Mouse air-to-surface rockets, Falcon air-to-air missiles
F-94 Starfire
- Type: Interceptor aircraft
- Year introduced: 1950
- Manufacturer: Lockheed
- Total units produced: 853
- Top speed: 585 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm Browning M3 machine guns, Might Mouse air-to-air rockets
F2H Banshee
- Type: Carrierborne fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1947
- Manufacturer: McDonnell Aircraft
- Total units produced: 895
- Top speed: 581 mph
- Armament: 20mm Colt Mk 16 automatic cannons, drop bombs, aerial rockets
F3D / F-10 Skyknight
- Type: Carrierborne night fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1951
- Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft
- Total units produced: 268
- Top speed: 529 mph
- Armament: 20mm M2 cannons, air-to-air missiles, conventional drop bombs
F4U Corsair
- Type: Carrierborne fighter-bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 1942
- Manufacturer: Chance Vought
- Total units produced: 12,571
- Top speed: 446 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm M2 Browning, M2 automatic cannons, aerial rockets, conventional drop bombs
F7F Tigercat
- Type: Carrierborne heavy fighter aircraft
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: Grumman
- Total units produced: 365
- Top speed: 460 mph
- Armament: 20mm M2 cannons, 12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns
F9F Panther
- Type: Carrierborne ground attack aircraft
- Year introduced: 1949
- Manufacturer: Grumman
- Total units produced: 1,382
- Top speed: 545 mph
- Armament: 20mm M2 cannons, air-to-surface HE rockets
Ford Trimotor
- Type: Transport aircraft
- Year introduced: 1926
- Manufacturer: Ford Motor
- Total units produced: 199
- Top speed: 149 mph
- Armament: None
H-13 Sioux
- Type: Light utility / observation helicopter
- Year introduced: 1947
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopters
- Total units produced: 2,400
- Top speed: 106 mph
- Armament: None
H-19 Chickasaw
- Type: Transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 1950
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky
- Total units produced: 1,728
- Top speed: 101 mph
- Armament: None
Hiller OH-23 Raven (Model UH-12)
- Type: Light utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1948
- Manufacturer: Hiller Aircraft
- Total units produced: 1,820
- Top speed: 95 mph
- Armament: None
HU-16 Albatross
- Type: Flying boat / utility transport aircraft
- Year introduced: 1949
- Manufacturer: Grumman
- Total units produced: 466
- Top speed: 235 mph
- Armament: None
L-15 Scout
- Type: Light liaison observation aircraft
- Year introduced: 1947
- Manufacturer: Boeing
- Total units produced: 12
- Top speed: 112 mph
- Armament: None
L-5 Sentinel
- Type: Light reconnaissance aircraft
- Year introduced: 1942
- Manufacturer: Stinson Aircraft
- Total units produced: 3,896
- Top speed: 165 mph
- Armament: None
N3N (Yellow Peril)
- Type: Trainer aircraft
- Year introduced: 1936
- Manufacturer: Naval Aircraft Factory
- Total units produced: 997
- Top speed: 127 mph
- Armament: None
P-51 Mustang
- Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 1942
- Manufacturer: North American Aviation
- Total units produced: 15,586
- Top speed: 437 mph
- Armament: 20mm cannons, 12.7mm Browning M2 machine guns, conventional drop bombs, rockets
P-80 / F-80 Shooting Star
- Type: Fighter-bomber aircraft
- Year introduced: 1945
- Manufacturer: Lockheed
- Total units produced: 1,715
- Top speed: 577 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns, conventional drop bombs, HVAR rockets
P2V Neptune
- Type: Anti-submarine warfare / maritime patrol aircraft
- Year introduced: 1947
- Manufacturer: Lockheed
- Total units produced: 1,036
- Top speed: 314 mph
- Armament: 20mm M-24 cannons, 12.7mm machine guns, conventional drop bombs, torpedoes, HVAR rockets
Piasecki H-25 (HUP Retriever)
- Type: Transport helicopter
- Year introduced: 1949
- Manufacturer: Piasecki Helicopter
- Total units produced: 339
- Top speed: 106 mph
- Armament: None
R-5 / H-5
- Type: Light utility helicopter
- Year introduced: 1945
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky
- Total units produced: 300
- Top speed: 106 mph
- Armament: None
RB-29 / F-13 (Superfortress)
- Type: Long-range reconnaissance aircraft
- Year introduced: 1944
- Manufacturer: Boeing
- Total units produced: 100
- Top speed: 224 mph
- Armament: .50 Browning heavy machine guns
T-33 Shooting Star
- Type: Trainer aircraft
- Year introduced: 1948
- Manufacturer: Lockheed
- Total units produced: 6,557
- Top speed: 603 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm Browning M3 machine guns, conventional drop bombs, rocket pods
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