3 Of The Worst Combat Aircraft Flown During The Korean War

Following the conclusion of World War II, a line was drawn across Korea, creating a separate North and South region. While the Soviet Union and U.S. had previously allied to defeat the Axis powers, the two nations were on opposite sides of an ideological philosophy, which would come to a head in the summer of 1950. While the Soviet's championed communism and backed the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the north, the U.S. was founded on the principles of democracy, freedom, and a capitalist-based economy, standing firmly behind the Republic of Korea in the south.

Once the North Korean People's Army stepped over the agreed upon 38^th parallel line into South Korea, the first conflicts of the Cold War began. Often remembered as a proxy war, while North and South Korea were fighting each other, so too were American forces against the Soviets.

In terms of combat aircraft, the Korean War was an interesting period, as it was the first time jet fighters were predominately flown, albeit, not without some issues. The Korean War showcased some of the most intense dogfights in aerial combat history, involving the F-86 Sabre and MiG-15. But there were also some hold-over aircraft from World War II that participated in the conflict, quickly finding themselves outmatched by cutting-edge adversaries. Unfortunately, there were also a few examples from the Korean War period that made our list of the worst military bombers ever made.

This swept-wing jet fighter took its first flight in 1951, and was built for the purposes of answering U.S. Navy requests for short-range interceptor aircraft. There were different variants introduced following the initial interceptor models, such as the F3H-2 which modified capabilities to include air-to-ground attacks or the F3H-2M that utilized Sparrow air-to-air missiles. 

Unfortunately, the F3H had a very troubled start, with a Westinghouse J40 engine unable to adequately power the jet, especially once it undertook the additional weight when configured as an all-weather fighter. Tragically, between 1952 and 1955 this first version of the F3H Demon suffered nearly a dozen crashes, resulting in the loss of four aviators.

Determined, McDonnell Aircraft Corporation swapped out the underpowered and unreliable Westinghouse J-40 that had plagued the F3H Demon, with a much more suitable engine for the aircraft, an Allison J-71. However, even after improvements, the F3H Demon not only was burdened by a terrible reputation, it still struggled to justify its use with excessive fuel requirements, and short range compared to other Navy jets of the era. The F3H certainly couldn't hold a candle to the Air Force's F-86 Sabre, one of the most advanced planes used in the Korean War. Although, the F3H Demon is credited as the foundation for the highly regarded F-4 Phantom II. 

The B-26 Invader was developed in the early 1940s and used during World War II for bombing runs, and for low-flying attacks on ground targets. Some iterations came equipped with six .50 caliber guns and held 6,000 pounds of bombs under the wings. During the second World War, it was called the A-26 (later redesignated B-26) and was considered a highly effective aircraft for its time.

However, when the Korean War broke out, the Invader was no longer state-of-the-art. While it was far from a bad aircraft by the 1950s, its capabilities just didn't hold up as well as they used to. The B-26 Invader included two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engines that combined to make 4,000 horsepower with a top speed of 373 miles per hour. And yes, that's horsepower, not thrust, because the Invader was a propeller-driven aircraft, which may not have been as much of an issue if it weren't for the Soviet MiG-15. 

With a Kilmov VK-1 jet engine that offered 6,000 pounds of thrust, the MiG-15 could reach speeds of 670 miles per hour, had two canons firing 20-millimeter ammunition, one larger 37-millimeter cannon, and a collection of rockets or bombs. Against the MiG-15, the slower B-26 became an easy target, and forced the US to shift all Invader missions to night, just to avoid the Soviet jets.

This single-seat fighter was only the second jet to ever be mass-produced for the U.S. military, and first took to the skies in 1946. The F-84E was powered by an Allison J35 engine capable of 4,900 pounds of thrust and could reach a maximum speed of 620 miles per hour. The Thunderjet came equipped with six .50 caliber guns, and then, depending on the mission, would include napalm tanks, a few thousand pounds of bombs or eight rockets. The F-84 also holds the title of the first fighter jet that could refuel in the air and the first fighter that could carry a nuclear payload.

Unfortunately, the F-84 had a rocky start that included powerplants not up to the task, structural issues, and early versions of the jet being far too heavy. Underpowered and overweight, the Thunderjet required a much greater roll distance before its wheels lifted off the ground. Until the F-84F model, all the Thunderjets featured a straight-wing design, which results in more drag at higher speeds than a swept back build.

The F-84, while suitable as a fighter-bomber during the Korean War with some success, it couldn't perform in the role it was originally made for, due to the MiG-15. By all accounts, the Thunderjet was no match for the Soviets fighter and almost half of the total number of F-84s built, were given to Europe as part of a defense treaty between nations.