Of 40 United States military servicemen who attained ace status in Korea, all but one of them flew primarily the F-86 Sabre during their air-to-air fights. Early in the war against the older North Korean People's Air Force aircraft, US pilots flew a variety of aircraft including the F-51 Mustang , F-80 Shooting Star and F-82 Twin Mustang .

Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept-wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing Soviet MiG-15 in high-speed dogfights in the skies of the Korean War (1950–1953), fighting some of the earliest jet-to-jet battles in history.

Jan 21, 2021 · On October 3, 1952, North American F-86E Sabre pilot Major Frederick C. Blesse shoots down a MiG-15, in "There Went Number Ten," by Roy Grinnell. “Boots” Blesse was one of several U.S. Air Force Sabre pilots who racked up double-digit kills in the Korean War.

In December 1950, the US, realizing the possibility of losing control of the skies, quickly rushed three squadrons of F-86 Sabres to the Far East. At right, the 16th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron’s A Flight departs MiG Al-ley—an area near the Yalu …

Of the 40 American aces in Korea, 39 flew the F-86. Many of them had extensive World War II experience, and these 39 men tallied over 300 of the 800 MiG-15s claimed destroyed. The top-ranking aces in the war were Captain Joseph D. McConnell JR, with 16 kills; Major James Jabara, with 15 kills; and Captain Manuel "Pete" Fernandez with 14 kills.

Joseph McConnell Jr. and Harold Fischer stand before Captain McConnell’s F-86 Sabre jet, “Beautious Butch” during the Korean War. Capt. McConnell was the top ace of the war with 16 kills. Capt. Fischer was the first double ace, but was shot down and captured in April, 1953.

When McConnell rotated home (with 16 victories, the top American ace of the war; he died in August 1954 when a missing bolt caused his F-86H-1-NA to crash on a test flight), Bolt took over as Flight Leader, vowing to shoot down the next MiG he saw.

Nov 14, 2006 · Captain James Jabara became the first American ace in Korea when he turned his fifth MiG into a 'whirl of fire'...and he had only just begun. Before he was done, he would record 15 'kills.' Major James Jabara, became the first jet ace of the Korean War, is shown standing in the cockpit of his F-86 "Sabre" in full combat fluing gear.

The 51st Fighter Wing initially flew the F-80C in the Korean War, but in 1951, the 51st brought in high-scoring World War 2 ace Colonel Francis Gabreski to assume command when it converted from the F-80 over to the newly arrived F-86E.