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HOW IT WAS!KUNSAN AIRBASEVMF(N)-513 "FLYING NIGHTMARES"
(1951-1954) Page 6 of 9 |
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 HOW IT WAS:
KUNSAN AIRBASE
(1951-1954) |
Marine Squadron VMF(N)-513 (1952-1953):
"The Flying Nightmares"Click on to enlargeAcknowledgment: Special thanks to Ron Stout of Burien, Washington for his narratives and invaluable technical information. Special thanks to Paul Noel of Oak Harbor, Washington for his invaluable assistance in providing information, proofing the text, providing guidance in assembling the materials and contributing his narratives. Special thanks to Jack Kio of Oswego, New York for his narratives, photos, and invaluable technical information. Thanks to Jim Curzon for his narratives and photos of Kunsan. Thanks to Eugene "Mule" Holmberg for the patches of the VMF(N)-513. Thanks also to Ken Gates for his research materials and photos. Thanks to Ron Harribson for his narratives. Thanks to Bill Brennen for his narratives and photos. Special thanks to Robert Frankovich for his narrative of a 22d CRBS rescue attempt. Also thanks to Ray Bourgholtzer; Gil Garcia; and Ray Harvey for their contributions. Thanks to Joseph S. Rychetnik of Point Richmond, California for his narratives and technical information. Primary Source Material: The Flying Nightmares: A History and Assessment of VMF(N)-513 at War in Korea 1950 - 1953 by Benjamin Huston Kristy, History Thesis, Kansas State University, 1995; U.S.Marine Corps Aviation: 1912 to Present by Peter B. Mersky); Air Power, January 1986; Naval Fighters Number Four Douglas F3D Skyknight, by Steve Ginter. 
F4U-5N Corsair:The F4U-5N "Corsair" had a top speed of 450+ mph and many updated
components and systems. Automatic (computerized) engine cowl flap and
supercharger operation was incorporated, but unpredictable cut-in and cut-off
caused unsafe speed changes in flight. Creating a hazard during close
formation flying and in combat, many planes and pilots were lost in Korean
combat as a result of these "improvements". The F4U-5NL was specially modified
for the extreme low temperatures of Korea. (Go toVought F4U-5NL Corsair Specificationsfor technical specs on this night fighter variant of the famous Corsair.) VMF(N)-513 F4U-5N Over North Korea
(From Gil Garcia)
Click on photo to enlargeRon Stoutwrote, "The version of the F4U-5 used as a nightfighter was the F4U-5NL which
in Naval aircraft designation lingo Is "F=fighter; 4=the fourth model accepted
by the Navy from that manufacturer; U=the Chance Vought division of United
Aircraft Corporation; 5=the fifth modification of the original
design; N=equipped for night fighter work (APS-6 radar and additional
instrumentation and radios); L=winterized." Joe Rychetnik added, "We always knew that the "L" added to the F4U5-N"L" was for "Lubriplate," non-freezing grease which allowed planes and guns to function at very low temps. Lubriplate was a high priority item for grunts to beg borrow and
steal for use on M 1's, BAR's and the like."
However, according to a letter from David C. Wolfe, VMF(N)-513 to Chief of Naval Operations., subj: Operating Experience with F4U-5N Aircraft in NIght Opns., 4 Jan 1951, he called the old Corsair "most unsatisfactory for night operation."  F4U Parked on ramp (1952)
Note: The sign says,
"Warning: Taking photos of this aircraft prohibited"
(Courtesy Jack Kio)
Click on photo to enlargeRon added, "F4U's carried 50 cal and 20 mm guns almost interchangeably. For uniformity with the other aircraft in our Air Wing our carried 20 mm. Those operating off the carriers (Task Force 77) used whatever the Navy squadrons onboard used (usually 50 cal)." Joe Rychetnik later added about the misinformation about the VMF(N)-513 20mm in some recent articles. "One writer claims planes were equipped with "rotary" 20mm guns but this not true, just plain vanila 20mm aircraft cannon made by General Motors etc."
For those uninitiated in the Korean War arguments over the difference between .50 caliber ammo the B-26s/F-84s used and the 20mm HEI that the Marines used, they scheduled a test in Taegu in the summer of 1951 between USAF F80 Shooting Star and F-84 Thunderjets with 30 rounds of 50 caliber per gun. The Marine F4U-5N had only 10 rounds of 20mm HEI. The F4U-5N was flown by Lt. Roland of the VMF(N)-513. USAF aircraft attacked their truck carrier targets with .50 caliber and caused the max damage of a "the kapok seat of one carrier began to smolder." The F4U-5N snapped the frame of the truck almost in half; blew one of the front wheels off; and destroyed the flatbed. On his second run, he hit the cab and snapped the steering column in half. Despite these tests, the USAF persisted in the use of .50 caliber ammo simply because there was a lot of it left over from World War II. Even today many people feel the USAF MiG kills would have been much higher if they had used 20mm HEI instead of .50 caliber as Soviet jets were literally riddled with holes from .50 caliber...but continued to fly and returned to base.
Actually, the Air Force did test a few fighters with 20mm ammunition. According to Officers in Flight Suits, The Story of American Air Force Fighter Pilots in the Korean War, by John Darrell Sherwood, 1996, these F-86 aircraft were flown in combat, but were withdrawn from service after a very short test period. Though the Air Force report conceded that the 20mm did "appear" to have better results, they attributed the kills partially to the experience of the pilots. The official reason the Air Force gave for not using 20mm ammunition was the short firing time; fewer rounds that could be carried; and a stall problem that occurred upon the firing of the guns. One aircraft was lost in combat.
 F4U-5NL
(From Leatherneck Air Museum)Ron Stout continued, "The Marines first Ace of the Korean War was lst Lieutenant John Andre who flew a
F4U-5NL (Corsair) out of Kunsan. On 7 June 1952, 1st Lt. Andre scored a kill of a Yak-9 from his F4U-5N making him the first Marine Ace of the Korean Conflict. Lt. Andre had 5 kills (1 Yak-9 (Korea) plus 4 kills from WWII) and is
listed in the Fighter Aces list co-authored list byAl BowersandDavid Lednicer.)
Ron Stout remembers that "one night he was ordered to launch on strip alert there and lit her off, revved her up, and did his take-off from the taxi strip in front of the tower.
The AF tower personnel got very excited about that. The exploits of lst Lt.
John W. Andre
(a
former enlisted pilot) would make a book by themselves."
Ray Bourgholtzer, who flew F7F-3Ns out of Kangnung, wrote, "I knew John Andre and he flew both F7F's and Corsairs. He was flying a Corsair when he shot down the Yak. It had come in behind him and when he realized he was being attacked. He dropped wheels and flaps, and cut the throttle. This caused the Yak to overshoot him and when he did, Andre then increased his throttle and pulled up the wheels and flaps and stayed with the Yak and shot him down with his 4 20mm cannon."
NOTE: The achievement of Lt. Andre as the FIRST Marine ace in Korea is dependent upon the "definition" used. According to Paul Noel, "As usual there is a problem of definition. ... Andre had four Japanese kills in WWII but his Korean War kill brought his total to five, i.e., an ace before Bolt got his fifth kill. The Marine with the Air Force, Jack Bolt, got six Mig-15 while assigned to the 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing. From "U.S. Marine Corps Aviation" by Mersky, "---Bolt---the only Marine to gain five or more kills in Korea alone;--"..  Marine F4U-5N Corsairs (1952)
(Courtesy Hans Petermann)
Click on photo to enlargeKristy's History Thesis, 1995 (p.128) describes an encounter with a VMF(N)-513 F4U-5N and a PO-2 "Bed Check Charlie" heckler. On 12 July 1951, "Capt D.L. Fenton, flying an F4U-5N successfully shot down a PO-2 flying at 3,000 feet. From a thousand feet away Fenton made a single firing pass that shot away the two starboard wings of the PO-2 and ignited its gas tanks. In pulling up from the pass, Fenton's plane was hit be debris from the disintegrating biplane."
Vought F4U-5NL Corsair F4U
The F4U served as a carrier based fighter. It served well on carriers because
the wings could fold decreasing the amount of storage space that was needed to
hold the plane therefore increasing the capacity of the aircraft carrier. The
F4U-5N/5NL variant was a night figher version.
The F4U-5 used in Korea was the was basically similar to the F4U-4. The air scoop under the engine cowling was removed, and replaced by two small scoops incorporated in the lower side of the cowling. Also, the outer wing panels were now fully covered with metal. The armament consisted of four 20mm cannon, as in the F4U-4B -- but tales from Marine aviators report that they flew whatever armament the Navy had available at the time whether 50 caliber or 20mm. The engine was the 2675hp R-2800-32W, with a variable-speed two-stage supercharger. The engine installation introduced a lowering of the thrustline by 2.75 degrees, which improved stability and forward view. The first XF4U-5 flew on 4 April 1946.
The nightfighter version, the F4U-5N, was what the VMF(N)-513 flew at Kunsan. The radar was again, as in the F4U-2, installed on the outer starboard wing. The radome was different in shape, however, betraying the presence of the improved AN/APS-6 and later AN/APS-19A radar set. The AN/APS-6 radar had a range of 8km against aircraft, and 37km against ships. Production included 223 F4U-5s, 214 F4U-5Ns, and 30 F4U-5P reconnaissance models. In addition 101 winterized F4U-5NLs were built, with de-icing booths for service in the bitter winters of Korea. Production continued until October 1951.
F4U-5N of the VMF(N)-513 taken at K-1. According to Paul Noel, this is one of the best photos of the wing-mounted radomes he has ever seen. (Gil Garcia)
Development and operational history
The F4U was developed in the late 1930's and is considered the best allied
fighter in the Pacific
campaign during World War II. The F4U was also the first U.S. fighter to fly
faster then 400 miles per hour in level flight which it succeeded to do on Oct.
1, 1940.
According to Chance Vought F4U Corsair by Emmanuel Gustin: "The F4U is often said to have been the most successful fighter of WWII. This is based on a claimed 11 to 1 kill ratio: 2140 enemy aircraft shot down for a loss of 189. But as a measure of effectiveness, this is not very reliable. Kill claims are almost invariably too high: Repeated firing on the same aircraft, the confusion of a fast-moving battle, overestimation of damage done to the enemy, and over-confidence of the pilots usually produce estimates which are at least a factor two too high. Also, the opponents encountered by the Corsair squadrons in the Pacific were of greatly varying quality. Most of them indeed flew aircraft to the F4U, but the A6M "Zeke" was inferior to all US fighters of the end of WWII. Finally, to these 189 lost in air-to-air combat one should add the 349 shot down by anti-aircraft fire, the 164 that crashed on landing, and the 992 that were lost for other reasons, including training accidents. The large number of aircraft lost to anti-aircraft fire reflects the use of the Corsair as a fighter-bomber. In this role it excelled, and its use continued into the Korean war."
It continued, "In one respect the F4U must be considered a partial failure: More than two years passed before the Corsair became an acceptable deck-landing aircraft. Of the 64051 combat missions flown by the type in World War II, 54470 were flown from land bases. If Grumman had not hastily produced the F6F Hellcat, the US Navy could have been in serious trouble. Clearly the Hellcat and Corsair represented different design philosophies: The Hellcat sacrificed performance to simplify production and to make it a better deck-landing aircraft, but the Corsair did not. The Grumman team also produced a fighter that was almost right from the start, apart from the engine change in the early stages of development. Far more time and effort were required to realize the potential of the Vought fighter, and by the time it was fully developed the war was almost over."
The F4U started its service in 1943. The F4U was used over Korea and
French-Indochina. So many Corsairs were built that by the end of their
production in the early 1950's it had been produced for longer then any other
United States prop plane. By the end of the war 11,239 Corsairs had been built.
According to Vought F4U Corsair by Earl Swinhart, "As the Corsair was thought by the Navy to be unsuitable for carrier duty, it was given to the U.S. Marines for land-based operations where it earned an outstanding combat record." The Marines 'inherited' the F4U-1 for land based squadrons when it was deemed not suitable for carrier operations. The -1 design was modified for carrier operations and the new mods were eventually assigned to Marine squadrons also. The Corsair was not an easy plane to fly especially during takeoffs or landings due to poor visibility because of the unusually long nose, and large amount of torque. Ron Stout wrote, "I do recall that the MC asked that a F4U version be built for ground attack with the oil cooler relocated to be more immune from ground fire and some additional armor plate. As I remember it was redesignated the AU and also was purchased by the French and designated the F4U-7. Ron Stout wrote, "The history of the F4U I read said that the Navy killed so many test pilots that they deemed the F4U unsuitable for carrier ops and assigned it to Marines. At the same time the Brits clipped a foot and a half off the wing tip so the plane would fit their carriers and routinely flew carrier ops. It was supposedly the Brits who developed the "sideways approach" to be able to keep the LSO in sight until the very last minute. Folk tales were offered too about Marines short on fuel landing Corsairs on carriers on the way home. (SITE NOTE: In November 1943 the land-based VF-17 ran out of fuel while giving top cover to the carriers USS Essex and USS Bunker Hill. The aircraft then landed on the carriers, without incidents.) The Marines later, of course, routinely operated them off "jeep" carriers as I recall."
During WWII, the British were desperate for aircraft and gladly accepted the Corsair from the U.S. even with its liabilities. Chance Vought F4U Corsair: Commonwealth Corsairs stated, "The Royal Navy received 95 Corsair Mk.Is and 510 Mk.IIs, these being equivalent to the F4U-1 and F4U-1A or D. Goodyear-built aircraft were known as Mk.IIIs, and Brewster-built aircraft as Mk.IVs. British Corsairs had their wing tips clipped, 20cm being removed at the tips, to allow storage of the F4U on the lower decks of British carriers. The Royal Navy was the first to clear the F4U for carrier operations. It proved that the Corsair Mk.II could be operated with reasonable success even from small escort carriers. It was not without problems, one being excessive wear of the arrester wires due to the weight of the Corsair and the understandable tendency of the pilots to stay well above the stalling speed." It continued, "Fleet Air Arm units where created and equipped in the US, at Quonset Point or Brunswick, and then shipped to war theatres on board of escort carriers. The first Corsair unit of the FAA was No 1830 Sqdn, created on the first of June 1943, and soon operating from HMS Illustrious. At the end of the war, 19 FAA squadrons operated with the F4U. British Corsairs operated both in Europe and in the Pacific. ... The other major user of the Corsair was New Zealand. In the RNZAF Corsair units, only the pilots and a small staff belonged to the squadron; aircraft and maintenance crew were grouped in a pool. ... The RNZAF Corsair mainly flew close-support missions, and as a consequence did not claim a single enemy aircraft shot down."
Carrier qualification trials on the escort carrier USS Sangamon Bay, on 25 September 1942, caused the US Navy to release the type to the US Marine Corps -- but they were limited to land bases. The shortfall for carrier coverage was made up by the hastily constructed Grumman F6F Hellcat. Though inferior in many ways over the F4U, it was a far better deck landing aircraft. Though it was important for the Marines that the F4U be put on a carrier, this was outweighed by the fact that the Marines needed a better fighter than the F4F Wildcat. Thus they usually flew from land bases.
According to Chance Vought F4U Corsair: Marines, continued, "During the Pacific war, the strategy of "island hopping" turned islands into forward operating bases for the aircraft of the US Marine Corps, the US Navy and the Army Air Force. Essential to this strategy was that no attempt was made to conquer all Japanese strongholds in the Pacific. Instead, they were neutralized by attacks, cut off from the main Japanese forces, and left behind."
"The islands from which the advanced units operated were often very small. If they were larger, they were often covered with a dense jungle, and only a small part of the island was used by the combatants. The climate was often unhealthy, both for people and aircraft, and standards of living were primitive. Missions often involved long over water flights. The island group of the Eastern Solomons, for example, extends over more than 1000km."
"The first USMC unit to equip with the F4U was VMF-124, which was declared operational on 28 December 1942. VMF-124 was quickly deployed to Guadalcanal, where it flew its first combat mission, also the first of the F4U, on 11 February 1943. Fighting over Guadalcanal was intense. The first air-to-air combat took place on the 14th, when a mixed force of P-38s, P-40s, PB4Ys and F4Us lost ten aircraft to the Japanese, and claimed four A6M "Zero" fighters."
"As on this first mission, the aircraft involved in an operation were often of different types, belonged to different services, and belonged to different bases. The coordination between them was not always what it should have been."
"Within six months, all USMC units in the Pacific were equipped with the F4U. The production was extremely rapid, and by August 1944 a thousand aircraft had been delivered. Final production of the F4U-1 was 5559, including the 2010 FG-1s built by Goodyear and 735 F3A-1s built by Brewster."
In Sep 2005, we received an email from GV (Hoppy) Hopkins that stated, "I do take a wee bit of exception to your history of the Corsair and it's association with the Marine Corps. Not what you included but what you didn't include. You correctly stated that VMF-124 operated the first Corsair squadron in the Canal. But you failed to mention that VMF-124, after it reformed at Mojave in 1944, became the first Marine Corsair squadron to go aboard carrier for combat. A composite group of VMF-124 and VMF-213, under the command of Major Bill Millington, went aboard the USS Essex at Ulithi on Christmas day 1944. We had 48 F4U-1Ds along with 24 pilots in each squadron and several hundred maintenance and support troops. Operations in early 1945 included the South China Seas, Okinawa, Formosa, Tokyo, and the beach head at Iwo Jima on 19 February 1945. First, and perhaps the only time in WWII, that Marine ground forces received Marine close air support from carrier based Marine squadrons. We were attached to Navy Air Group 4 at the time. Google that unit and you should find a wealth of information about our shipboard activities. So the Marines did in fact show the Navy that the old "Hose Nose" could operate efficiently from their carriers.
We solved the landing approach with a very simple idea. The landing signal officer disappeared on the approach when we were forced to open the cowl flaps for cooling at low speeds. All we did was remove three of the cowl flap leaves at the 1030 to 1100 position. This formed a small window when the cowl flaps were extended. If we kept the LSO in that window it resulted in a perfect pass every time.
Semper Fi -
"Hoppy"
The Corsair was nicknamed the "Hog" (along with a few other names) because it was ugly, big, and powerful. The Corsair was not as maneuverable as its main opposition the Japanese Zeros but it could still win using its greater speed, durability and higher climbing rate. According to Paul Noel, another Corsair nickname, by the Japanese, was "Whistling Death"; based on engine sound, or lack thereof, when strafing.
During its rocky start, it had the nickname of the "Ensign Eliminator." According to F4U Corsair, "An additional problem existed that stayed with the plane throughout it's history - the huge R2800 engine the F4U carried generated significant torque effects at low airspeeds, and early on the Corsair earned the title "Ensign Eliminator" to describe its behavior. Pilots unfamiliar with the plane might wall the throttle at low speeds, at which point it would quickly flip on its back and plow into the turf."  "The Vought F4U-2 carried a radar in one wing tip,
and in October 1943 it carried out the U.S.
Navy's first radar interception."
(Courtesy Paul Noel)Paul Noeladded, "The unique thing about the F4U nightfighters is the radome built into
the starboard wing and that the wing could be folded with all the complicated
wiring. Your graphics do not show the dome---well one does if one knows what
to look for. Attached is a photo from The International Encyclopedia of
Aviation, 1977, p.216 (above) that clearly depicts this uniqueness. It is a
F4U-2N but
the differences in mods was primarily power plant and armament. The basic
aircraft shape, after the -1, did not change. This is the way the -5N looked."  F4U-5 Perhaps the ultimate variant was the F4U-5. It featured a redesigned cowl, all
metal outer wing panels, and a standard armament of 4 20mm cannon. The engine
was the 2675HP R-2800-32W. The first XF4U-5 flew on April 4, 1946. 223 were
built. The other subtypes included the -5N nightfighter, the -5P photo recon,
and the -5NL, a -5N equipped for Low temperatures as in Korea. 214 -5N's were
built, using either the AN/APS-6 or AN/APS-19A radar's in a starboard wing
radome. 30 -5P were built, and 101 -5NL. The production run ended in October
1951.
Developed after the F4U-4, the F4U-5 Corsair had increased top speed (450+ mph)
and many updated components and systems. The Corsair's doped linen covered
control surfaces were replaced with metal units. Automatic (computerized)
engine cowl flap and supercharger operation was incorporated, but unpredictable
cut-in and cut-off caused unsafe speed changes in flight.
Creating a hazard during close formation flying and in combat, many planes and
pilots were lost in Korean combat as a result of these "improvements".
The cockpit featured improved accommodations for the pilot to increase comfort
on long missions, which included arm and leg rests.
F4U-5's were equipped with either six 50 caliber machine guns or four 20mm
cannon. Four racks beneath each outer wing panel carried bombs and/or 5' High
Velocity Air Rockets (HVAR's). Large single inboard racks carried napalm or
fuel tanks, large bombs and "Tiny Tim" rockets. On large center fuselage rack
could carry a variety of fuel tanks and weapons. Until the AD-1
"Skyraider" was available in larger numbers, Corsairs equipped many postwar USN
attack units because of its great load carrying capacity.
North Korea's 1950 invasion of South Korea was initiated with the North's use
of World War Two-era Soviet built prop driven Yak-9 fighters and IL-10 attack
planes to clear the skies and destroy roads and airports. President Truman
ordered Air Force, Navy and Marine units to regain air superiority and stem the
flow of Communist troops and supplies south. Five years after World War Two,
the Corsairs would more than hold their own alongside the glamorous and
better publicized jets that had recently entered service.
Only one Navy pilot would achieve ace status during this conflict: Guy Bordelon
flying a night fighting deicing equipped and prop-driven F4U-5NL Corsair. Sent
ashore to protect USAF strips from the slow "Bed Check Charlies" at night,
Bordelon downed five of these prop-driven Red aircraft in a brief period of
time. This historically important aircraft was transferred to an USAF unit
later and cracked up by an USAF pilot. (NOTE: There are some within the Marine
aviation community who feel this Navy pilot's claim to downing five "Bed Check
Charlies" in quick succession is highly suspicious...especially since they'd
been hunting the Po2 biplanes for years with only limited success. These
Marine aviators claim that at that time, the pilot simply "claimed" the
aircraft was shot down and everyone said, "O.K." without confirmation or
spotting the wreckage.)
F4U-5N Statistics:
Manufacturer: Vought
Engines: One Pratt and Whitney 2675HP R-2800-32W engine (NOTE: The -5N version
had two different types of curved external pipe units for the night fighters.)
Max Speed: 450+ mph
Cruising speed: 187 miles per hour
Maximum range: 1790 miles
Armament: Six 50 caliber machine guns or four 20mm cannon
Radar system: AN/APS 4
Specifications:
Length: 33' 8" (10.2 m)
Height: 14' 9" (4.5 m)
Wingspan: 41' (12.5 m)
Wing area: 314.0 sq ft (29.1 sq m)
Empty Weight: 9,683 lb (4,391 kg)
Gross Weight: 14,106 lb (6,397 kg)
NOTE 1: The -5NL were specially modified for the low temperatures of Korea as denoted by the "L" for "low temperatures".
NOTE 2: Another source gave slightly different performance data statistics for the F-4U5N than those noted above.
Performance:
Range: 1,120 miles (1,803 km)
Cruise Speed: 227 mph (365 km/h) (197 kt)
Max Speed: 470 mph (756 km/h) (408 kt)
Climb: 3,780 ft/min (1,152 m/min)
Ceiling: 41,400 ft (12,618 m)
VMF(N)-513 F-4U Corsairs losses in Korea: Extracted from Baugher Site
- 121832 (VMF-513) lost in Korea Oct 17, 1950
- 121892 (VMF-513) crashed at Yonpo Airfield, Korea Dec 10, 1950.
- 121226 (VMF-513) MIA on intruder mission, Korea, Nov 20, 1950.
- 122018 (VMF-513) crashed on takeoff, Korea, Sept 22, 1950.
- 123152 (VMF-513) in takeoff accident at K-18, Kangnung, Korea Jan 23, 1952
- 123176 (VMF-513) went missing after mission completion, Korea, Oct 29, 1951.
- 123179 (VMF-513) ran out of fuel, last seen heading out to sea after pilot bailed out Sept 27, 1950.
- 123180 (VMF-513) pilot bailed out near Taegu, Korea after engine failure Oc5 23, 1951.
- 123188 (VMF-513) engine failed after takeoff, forced to land at K-18 Kangnung, Korea Jan 12, 1952.
- 123202 (VMF-513) napalm tank hit by ground fire and crashed near Kuhwha, Mayhon-ni area of Korea May 27, 1951.
- 124456 (VMF-513) ditched due to fuel exhaustion near Kimpo Field, Korea Aug 14, 1951.
- 124491 (VMF-513) in bad takeoff from Pusan, Korea Jun 4, 1951. 124492 (VMF-513) hit by AAA Apr 22, 1951.
- 124503 (VMF-513) lost power after takeoff, destroyed at Pusan Feb 20, 1951.
- 124512 (VMF-513) hit by AAA 15 mi NE of Pyongyang Apr 13, 1951. 124516 (VMF-513) crashed Sep 20, 1951. 124518 (VMF-513) shot down during attack near Hanp-o-ri, Korea Jul 13, 1951
- 124525 (VMF-513) crashed after engine failure Dec 17, 1951. 124527 (VMF-513) crash-landed after being hit by AAA Dec 14, 1951.
- 124528 (VMF-513) lost during attack near Namchon-jon, Korea Jul 13, 1951.
- 124529 (VMF-513) hit by AAA, pilot bailed out May 27, 1951.
- 124530 (VMF-513) crashed near Masan-ni, Korea Jul 19, 1951.
- 124531 (VMF-513) lost during attack on vehicles near Yang-gu, Korea May 20, 1951.
- 124537 (VMF-513) crashed into hill at end of runway at Kimpo Airfield during bad landing Jun 28, 1952.
- 124550 (VMF-513) ditched near K-8, Kora Jul 10, 1952
F7F-3N Tigercat:F7F-3N night fighter was brought to Korea by VMF(N)-542, who flew their first
night interdiction mission against Communist supply routes on September 21,
1950, three days after Kimpo Airfield was captured by the 5th Marines. This
unit also flew missions covering the Marine withdrawal from the Chosin
Reservoir. The F7F-3N was a two-seater that carried a pilot and Radar operator. (Go to Grumman F7F-3N Tigercat Specifications for technical specifications.) Robert Dahlbergof Boulder, Colorado wrote in the Korean War Project: "Flew night fighters, from Inchon to July 51
with VMF(N) 542/513 . Flew F7F's, and in the back seat was Sgt Byron Hall or
Sgt Marty Lachow, to whom I probably owe my ass for getting me back in one
piece." (NOTE: This Inchon base was most likely K-14 or Kimpo Airfield.)
Bob Dahlberg is immortalized in the magazine called, "Wings, October 1989." An excerpt of the writeup is as follows: "By 23 September, VMF(N)542 had all 24 of its F7F's in place at Kimpo (K-14). On the following day, they lost their first aircrew to hostile fire. Major J.W. Beebe, the squadron Intelligence officer and his radar operator were shot down and killed by heavy ground fire on a close support mission northwest of Seoul (they were flying in a/c No. 80466). The ground fighting in the area reached the same fever pitch as it had around Pusan. Captain
Ray Stewart, a Marine Reserve pilot recalls a mission flown by a fellow reservist, Robert Dahlberg. "He was called in from his Nite Cap over Seoul by a forward air controller (FAC) to knock out a fortified bunker located on high ground in a strategic area that was holding up our ground troops. Dahlberg located the general area and they gave him instructions as to direction of approach, direction of pull out, altitude of terrain features and how the target would be marked. He was to make a dummy run and to use his navigation lights so the FAC
could get a visual on his approach. They would mark the target with a star shell on the dummy run and a different type shell on his firing run. The dummy run went well and Dahlberg lined up for the strafing run, using his 20mm cannon and a napalm drop (the napalm was carried in lieu of a 300 gallon drop tank). He came in, strafed and dropped, only to find out that the napalm had not ignited! He pulled up and circled while the FAC reported that the troops were still taking incoming from the bunker. He asked them to mark the target again. While the request was going from the FAC to the mortar team, the F7F circled. All of a sudden, there it was....the target was marked, but without the normal preamble count of "stand by...one...two...three...mark". Dahlberg was not in position, but decided to make the run while he still had the target identified. He had no napalm, but he did have all eight rockets, plus some 20mm ammo. He decided on the rockets and set up to fire four of them. In order to stay on target, he kept steepening the dive to the extent that his canopy blew off just as he fired the rockets. The exhaust blast from them momentarily blinded him, and the wind blast from the open cockpit made him think he had been hit. Completely disoriented, he was trying to recover from the dive and somehow rolled the aircraft over on its back! All the charts, dirt and debris from the cockpit flew past his face, some of them hitting him on the way out. It seemed an eternity before his vision cleared and he could see his instruments again. Eventually, by superb airmanship, luck and the grace of God, he was able to get the airplane righted and safely back to base. The next morning, word came down from 1st Marine Division that two of the rockets had been direct hits on the bunker and that, combined with the napalm which was ignited by the rockets, the bunker was completely destroyed."
Ken Gates sent this piece to Bob Dahlberg who wrote him back. The following is reprinted with Colonel Dahlberg's permission. "Ken, I hadn't seen this "glorified" writeup before--thanks. BUT YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH??? I was green as grass about flying the F7F -- I'd been a Corsair pilot all my career, and my third hop in an F7F was the combat night close air support mission that this story is about. MY canopy didn't blow off, Byron Hall's (my Radar Operator) did--and the main reason that I got so screwed up was that I had the rocket switch on "SALVO", a definite no-no, and had both eyes open when I fired, so I went totally blind. Yes, I did end up on my back at about 70 knots airspeed, and never did figure out why we didn't auger in -- I was really fouled up. Yes, we luckily got direct hits, but the real story isn't as heroic as the press would make you believe. just pure, dumb, luck!!!"
"My RO, Byron Hall, by the way, a Regular and about 5 years my senior, climbed out on the wing of the plane after we landed, threw up and said to me, " I'll be Goddamned if I ever fly with you again!!!" But he did--we logged 82 missions together. Byron now lives in Jax, Fla."
According to Scarbourough'sF7F
Tigercat in action(p29): "The last F7F flights in Korea were in April for the inauguration of a
new
system for identifying targets on night close air support missions (NCAS).
The system consisted of two or more 24 in. searchlights mounted on high
ground, trained across enemy held areas, intersecting on the desired
targets."  Marine F7F-3N Tigercat (1952)
(Courtesy Hans Petermann)
Click on photo to enlargeThe VMF(N)-513 received their F7F-3N "Tigercats" and its support personnel from
the VMF(N)-542 in March 1951. According to U.S. Air Force in Korea (p326), "Marine Fighter Squadron VMF(N)-513 flew from Pusan Airfield (K-1) something on the order of 18 intruder and 6 combat air-patrol missions nightly."
The "Tigercat" remained with the unit until replaced by Douglas F3D Skyknights
in 1952. It scored 2 night kills against North Korean hecklers known as "Bed
Check Charlies" -- slow prop-driven Red aircraft that attacked the airstrips
at night. Modern jet fighter aircraft had a hard time shooting at these
aircraft because they would overshoot their target. Bringing one down was
quite a feat.  Grumman F7F from VMF(N)513 at Kunsan, Korea.
(Walt Repetski via Ken Gates)
Click on photo to enlargeThe following is the first night kill of the VMF(N)-513 from Kristy's History thesis, 1995 (pp116-117). "Late on the night of 30 June 1951, Capt. E.B. Long and Warrant Officer R.B. Buckingham lifted their F7F-3N Tigercat off for a night combat air patrol (NCAP). Throughout the month other VMF(N)-513 aircraft had registered fleeting radar contact with slow, low-flying aircraft, but these contacts had quickly faded. By 2240, the F7F-3N was on station and waiting word from the TADC (tactical air direction center) "DENTIST". This was a ground radar installation located in southwestern Korea that searched the night sky for enemy aircraft. At 0100 "DENTIST" contacted Long and Buckingham with intercept vectors for an unidentified contact flying north of UN airfield K-14. Buckingham, in the backseat of the F7F-3N, established contact with the target at a range of 5,000 feet on the plane's SCR-720 radar and directed Long toward the unknown plane. Long then recognized the aircraft as a PO-2 (NATO Code named "Mule"). The PO-2 was apparently on a night heckler mission and flying at an altitude of 3,500 feet at a airspeed of only 80 knots. Long positioned his aircraft behind the PO-2, but since the F7F-3N was flying at nearly 200 knots, Long quickly overtook the slower airplane. Maintaining visual contact with the PO-2, Long brought the Tigercat around for another pass and did everything he could to slow the big plane down. He dropped full flaps, the landing gear, and started steep "S" turns to bring his airspeed down to 95 knots, just over the F7F-3Ns stall speed."  F7F of the VMF(N)-513
(Courtesy Ron Stout)
Click on photo to enlarge"At this slow speed, Long made three firing passes at the PO-2, one from directly behind the plane and two from the right. On each pass, Long fired roughly 50 rounds of 20mm ammunition at the ghostly biplane. The observer in the backseat fired his hand-held light machine gun in defense of his tiny aircraft. After the third pass, Long and Buckingham watched the PO-2 crash into the banks of the Han River near Seoul. "DENTIST" had reported that the bogie had disappeared from his scopes. Long reported an explosion and fire where the plane had hit the ground. The VMF(N)-513 had its first confirmed night kill."
Another story of the F7F-3N has to do with Marine tradition and features a VMF(N)-513 aircraft. It's a legendary story of a birthday blast celebrated with a successful interdiction mission. A memorable F7F-3N mission was flown on 10 November 1951 to commemorate the 176th Birthday of the Marine Corps. MAJ. GEN. Christian F. Schilt (CMH), Commanding General, First Marine Air Wing, with MSGT Austin Gandy in the Tigercat's rear seat, flew a regularly scheduled night intruder mission for VMF(N)-513 from Pusan (K-1). The General completed the mission, covering the assigned route and expending all ammunition on targets sighted, returning to Pusan safely and on schedule!  F7F Frontal View (1952)
(Courtesy Jack Kio)
Click on photo to enlarge F7F sitting high before refuel (1952)
(Courtesy Jack Kio)
Click on photo to enlargeHowever, the F7F-3N was best-known for making the Korean night a
very dangerous place for Communist trucks and trains.
The unit's F7Fs accomplishments as truck killers didn't get as much press time
as the B-26s. The
Pacific Stars & Stripes were impressed with the staggering numbers of the 3rd
Bomb Wing. Like Vietnam, the press was impressed by total numbers...rather
than individual achievement. The press hungered for huge statistics to prove
that we were "winning" the war. As a result, the squadron's F7Fs were seldom
written about.Ron Stoutwrites, "One of the sources I've used to jog my memory over the years was an
article about 513 in Leatherneck Magazine in (I believe) the August 1952
edition. ... There also was a write up in Readers Digest about 513's F7F being
the top truck busters in Korea. Of course they shared that chore with the AF
B-26's based at Kunsan also. However, the AF PIO (Public Information Officer)
didn't seem to think night
road recites were sexy because those guys got no press at all." (Bill Brennen later added a correction that the Leatherneck Magazine issue was from August 1953 and sent the photo below.)  Leatherneck Magazine (August 1953)
(Courtesy Bill Brennen)
Click on photo to enlargeGene Newman of the 3rd Communications Squadron at K-8 remembered an incident in 1952. "Once while waiting in chow line we saw a Marine fighter bomber stall out on takeoff. Only one of the 2 flyers was able to bail out." He later continued, "I was in a long chow line out on the dirt road by the mess hall. I saw a black Marine fighter bomber rise steeply above the huts across the road and pointed it out to a buddy just as it nosed down. He said they were probably practicing takeoffs and landings. Then I saw one parachute blossom. My buddy said "It's probably a practice jump.".......Then there was a terrific explosion.......Later the scuttlebutt was that one pilot bailed out, but as the canopy was slid back, the 2nd was struck in the head and went down with the plane." Ron Stout of the VMF(N)-513 wrote, "That may have been the F7F-3N that I thought had gone down in a lake nearby (where the IFF and electronics were swiped by a local). The story, as I got it second hand, said that the pilot didn't get out and one of the people searching for him saw a hardhat (crash helmet or brain bucket), kicked it and when it rolled over saw that it contained the top of the pilots head. The F7's were so old and overworked that we ignored the rule that you rejected a plane if either engine showed more than a 150 RPM "mag drop". Hell, most of them had at least a 300 RPM drop, whether in the states or in Korea and we'd never have got any flying done by the 150 standard. Paul Noel and the pilots would know a lot more about this than me. All I did was try not to aggravate the pilot too much and when he asked whether or not we should accept the damn plane I said "hell yes." What eighteen-year old sergeant wants his pilot to think he's a wimp for Gods sake?" Ray Bourgholtzer completed the story. He wrote, "I was at Kunsan by the Sea when that accident occurred. Pilot was Chief Flynn and ROI was McAvpy. In fact Bud Dillberg and I took them out to their plane in a jeep. As they left us, Bud made the standard remark of the day, "Don't crash and burn." As we watched their takeoff, the nose suddenly went sharply up and Flynn pulled the power back and as it dropped thru put it back on and once again went into steep climb and stalled and flipped over. As it went up the second time we saw something come from the rear cockpit and as the plane flipped, we saw the pilot leave and his chute opened and he swung one time and then hit the ground. As we took off, the fire was still burning. We were staging out of K-6 and each plane left K-8 with a bunch of flares tied into the fuselage. Plane also had the standard load of one 110 gallon napalm and 300 gallon tank of gas. Chief Flynn went down a little later on while flying a Corsair. Was a POW and got returned."  F7F on flightline (1952)
Note the B-29 Superfortress in background
(Courtesy Jack Kio)
Click on photo to enlarge
Grumman F7F-3N TigercatThe following abridged fromThe Lone Star Flight Museum. F7F
Click on image to enlargeHistory of the Aircraft Type
The Grumman F7F Tigercat is a heavy, multi-role fighter which appeared in
prototype in December 1943. It is a complete departure from Grumman tradition
since it is a twin engine, mid wing aircraft with tricycle landing gear. The
first version, the F7F-1, was ordered at the beginning of 1944, but was plagued
with operation problems which led to specific changes. This version was
developed as single-seat twin engine fighter, to be operated from the "Midway"
class carriers. The production focused of the F7F-2N which is a two seat night
fighter version; original production order was for 65 airplanes. In 1945 a
single seat version, F7F-3, was built (189), but were too late to be used in
WWII. In 1946, another 60 F7F-3Ns were built for the Marine Corps in night
fighter configuration. As a 2-seat night fighter, it arrived in Okinawa with
the USMC just too late to see combat in World War II. The Tigercat never
operated operationally from aircraft carriers, and its entire combat service
was with the USMC. While it was an exceptionally maneuverable, fast, and
powerful airplane, it was built at a time when jet airplanes were coming into
existence. It had very little combat experience, having missed WWII and being
phased out during the early stages of the Korean war.
(NOTE:F7F Tigercat In Actionby W.E. Scarborough, p.44, states "F7F-4N. Only twelve were produced plus one
F7F-3 used as the XF7F-4N prototype.")  F7F-3 Nosedome
Click on image to enlarge.The F7F was a fast twin-engined fighter, designed with a very slender fuselage
and two radial powerful engines. Too late for WWII, it proved useful in a
variety of roles, but was built in relatively small numbers. It was the
first twin-engined shipboard aircraft to go in service, and its weight and
speed at first restricted it land-based service with the USMC. Only the last
version, F7F-4N, was considered fully acceptable for carrier use. Nightfighter
versions of the F7F were in service with the USMC until 1952.
F7F-3N night fighter was brought to Korea by VMF(aw)-542, who flew their first
night interdiction mission against Communist supply routes on September 3,
1950, three days after Kimpo Airfield was captured by the 5th Marines.
VMF(N)-542 transferred their Tigercats to VMF(N)-513 in 1951. The Tigercat
served in
Korea until replaced by Douglas F3D Skynights in 1952, and scored 2 night kills
against North Korean hecklers; however, it is best-known for making the Korean
night a very dangerous place for Communist trucks and trains.
F7F-3N Statistics
Manufacturer: Grumman Aircraft Corp.
Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34W
Horsepower: 2 x 2100
Maximum Speed: 435 mph
Ceiling: 40,700 ft.
Range: 1,200 mi
Wingspan: 51 ft 6 in
Length: 45 ft 4 in
Crew: 2
Armament: 4 x 20 mm cannon
Bomb Load: 4,000 lb.
VMF(N)-513 F7F Tigercats Lost in Korea: Extracted from Baugher Site
80415 (VMF-513) shot down near Cheryeng, N Korea May 16, 1952. 2 crew MIA. 80434 (VMF-513) MIA Mar 2, 1951. 2 crew MIA. 80444 (MAG-12, VMF-513) MIA Oct 12, 1951. One pilot POW, other MIA. 80509 (VMF-513) caught fire, crew bailed out Oct 21, 1951. One crew member rescued, other MIA. 80513 (VMF-513) caught fire Oct 4, 1951. One crewman survived, one killed. 80154 (VMF-513) crashed Oct 30, 1951. 2 crew MIA 80529 (VMF-513) crashed near K-8 Dec 9, 1951. 2 crew killed. 80546 (VMF-513) crashed near K-8 due to mechanical failure Dec 6, 1952. 2 crew killed 80551 (VMF-513) crashed Nov 30, 1951. 2 crew killed 80555 (VMF-513) hit by AAA Apr 2, 1951, emergency landing at K-13. 80556 (VMF-513) collided with cable Jun 22, 1951, emergency landing at K-14. Lost Oct 18, 1951. Two crew MIA. 80575 (VMF-513) MIA in Wonsan area Jul 28, 1951. Two crew MIA 80587 (VMF-513) crashed on takeoff from K-8 Apr 22, 1952. Crew bailed out, one rescued 1 KIA. 80588 (VMF-513) MIA near Wonsan Jun 28, 1951. 2 crew MIA 80592 (VMF-513) crashed near Naeju, N. Korea Jun 15, 1952. 2 crew MIA 80595 (VMF-513) hit by AAA and ditched offshore of Pohang Jul 23, 1951. 1 rescued, one killed. 80600 (VMF-513) MIA near Sinmak Jun 12, 1952. 2 crew MIA. 80602 (VMF-513) caught fire and crew bailed out Jul 10, 1952. One rescued, one MIA. 80603 (VMF-513) hit by AAA and crashlanded at K-8 Jul 10, 1952. Pilot OK 80608 (VMF-513) crashed due to fuel exhaustion Sep 21, 1952. 1 crew rescued, one KIA.
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