sufapilot
23rd October 2009, 17:59
http://www.36thfbs.com/joe_mcconnell.jpg
Note: This photo was taken after Capt. McConnell scored 16 MiG kills to become the leading ace of the Korean War. In April 1953, McConnell and 1st Lt. Howard Leaf (former F-80 pilot in the 80th FBS) came across to the 8th FBW side of K-13 and gave the 35th and 36th FBS pilots a "pep talk" before they flew combat missions with their new F-86F Sabres.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/web/050427-F-1234P-053.jpghttp://images.yuku.com/image/pjpeg/7e8351a84d229275cb521a96c6e4c9fec0a61fa.jpg
The leading jet ace of the Korean War was Capt. Joseph McConnell Jr., who scored his first victory on Jan. 14, 1953. In a little more than a month, he gained his fifth MiG-15 victory, thereby becoming an ace.
On the day McConnell shot down his eighth MiG, his F-86 was hit by enemy aircraft fire and he was forced to bail out over enemy-controlled waters of the Yellow Sea west of Korea. After only two minutes in the freezing water, he was rescued by a helicopter. The following day he was back in combat and shot down his ninth MiG. By the end of April 1953, he had scored his 10th victory to become a "double ace."
On the morning of May 18, 1953, McConnell shot down two MiGs in a furious air battle and became a "triple ace." On another mission that afternoon, he shot down his 16th and last MiG-15. A little more than a year later, on Aug. 25, 1954, while testing an F-86H at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., McConnell crashed to his death.
http://www.geocities.com/msheftall/f861.jpg
Note: This photo was taken after Capt. McConnell scored 16 MiG kills to become the leading ace of the Korean War. In April 1953, McConnell and 1st Lt. Howard Leaf (former F-80 pilot in the 80th FBS) came across to the 8th FBW side of K-13 and gave the 35th and 36th FBS pilots a "pep talk" before they flew combat missions with their new F-86F Sabres.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/web/050427-F-1234P-053.jpghttp://images.yuku.com/image/pjpeg/7e8351a84d229275cb521a96c6e4c9fec0a61fa.jpg
The leading jet ace of the Korean War was Capt. Joseph McConnell Jr., who scored his first victory on Jan. 14, 1953. In a little more than a month, he gained his fifth MiG-15 victory, thereby becoming an ace.
On the day McConnell shot down his eighth MiG, his F-86 was hit by enemy aircraft fire and he was forced to bail out over enemy-controlled waters of the Yellow Sea west of Korea. After only two minutes in the freezing water, he was rescued by a helicopter. The following day he was back in combat and shot down his ninth MiG. By the end of April 1953, he had scored his 10th victory to become a "double ace."
On the morning of May 18, 1953, McConnell shot down two MiGs in a furious air battle and became a "triple ace." On another mission that afternoon, he shot down his 16th and last MiG-15. A little more than a year later, on Aug. 25, 1954, while testing an F-86H at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., McConnell crashed to his death.
http://www.geocities.com/msheftall/f861.jpg