National Museum of the U.S. Air Force — Korea and Vietnam

By the time we got to the second hangar, we were suffering from information overload. My wife sat down and watched a video on Bob Hope and the USO while I made a quick pass through the two sections.

Douglas C-124C Globemaster — cargo and troop carrier capable of handling tanks, field guns, bulldozers and trucks. It could also be converted into a transport capable of carrying 200 fully-equipped soldiers or 127 litter patients and their attendants in its double-decked cabin.  

Sikorsky YH-5A Dragonfly (upper right, yellow) — Used to rescue pilots shot down behind enemy lines and to evacuate wounded soldiers.

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Republic F-84 Thunderjet — Long-range escort and interdiction (attacking the enemy’s transportation) fighter with tactical nuclear bomber capabilities.

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Lockheed F-94A Starfire (left) — Interceptor with radar-tracking capability, used as a night-bombing escort.

North American B-45C Tornado (right) — the first jet bomber

North American L-17A Navion (upper background) — Used for liaison, reconnaissance, light cargo carrying and forward air control.

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Douglas B-26C (A-26C) Invader — Used for night bombing and interdiction.

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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15bis — Soviet fighter used by North Korea. This particular airplane was flown by a defecting North Korean pilot to Kimpo Air Base in South Korea on Sept. 21, 1953.

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North American F-86A Sabre — The first U.S. swept-wing fighter. In Korea, F-86 pilots had shot down 792 MiGs, with a kill ratio of about 8:1. 

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Boeing B-52D Stratofortress — Long-range heavy bomber. This particular plane saw extensive service in Southeast Asia and was severely damaged by an enemy surface-to-air missile on April 9, 1972. In December 1972, after being repaired, it flew four additional missions over North Vietnam.

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Bell UH-1P Iroquois — The “Huey” escort and gunship. This particular helicopter served in South Vietnam with the 20th Special Operations Squadron flying dangerous, highly-classified missions carrying special operations personnel into Laos and Cambodia.

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Sikorsky HH-3E Jolly Green Giant — Used for combat search and rescue.

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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17F — Soviet fighter. This particular plane was used by the Egyptian Air Force.

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Republic F-105D Thunderchief — Supersonic tactical fighter-bomber. This particular plane served in the 357th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, based at Takhli Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand. The nickname Memphis Belle II refers to the B-17F that carried the same artwork during WWII.

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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21PF “Fishbed-D” — Soviet jet fighter. This particular plane carried air-to-air missiles but no guns.

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General Dynamics F-111A Aardvark — Tactical fighter-bomber. This particular plane was used in 1972-1973 by the 474th Tactical Fighter Wing during Linebacker II (night strikes against North Vietnam).

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