The first jet vs jet victory

[Daniel Nole]

A simple and symbolic event but with so a load of "prestige " and as usually the search of the "first" on something.
In the Korean War there are three versions of the first kill in combat between jets.
One is full admitted by the two parts , the others two no, and the questions remain still open, because the full admitted version is the later of the three versions.

In cronological order:

Nov, 1 1950: In his first day and his debut in Korea a zveno of MiG-15 of the 72th IAP, under the command of Maj Bordun, engage 10 F-80s in the Antung area. After the Russian version, the F-80s seemed to be completely unaware of the presence of the Soviet jet fighters.
Two F-80s were claimed and one is documented as crashed 15 miles south-east of Antung, pilot Capt Frank Doyle of the 7th FBS, victim of Lt Khominich. After this initial shock the USAF F-80s disengaged, and Bordun ordered his wingmen not pursue them because they were already short of fuel. To this day I dont have finded a commentary or version by the USAF about this combat.Also the Bu number of this F-80 is a mistery, is not included in the report of the day, only the 49-593, and this first F-80C was loss by AAA and early. Version no admitted by the USAF.

Nov, 8 1950: (From 40 year the "official versión" and the only one. Cold War times and nothing o very few to ear or read about the boys of the other side of the street). In the vertical of Sinuiju and in high cover for F-80s Fighter bombers attacking the airfield, Lt Russell Brown(16 FIS, 51 FIW)dive in his F-80C in pursuit of one MiG of the 72th GIAP(St Lt Kharitonov).
Despite of have only one .50 in working order, Brown hit the MiG of Kharitonov, this last drop his external fuel tanks and dive to evade. After the Russian version, Brown interpreted the dive as an uncontrolled fall and the explosion of the fuel tanks on the ground, the vapour of fuel of the tanks as products of his hits and the impact of explosion of the tanks as the crash and explosión of the MiG onto the ground. The explosion was also sighted by Lt Col Stephens , the flight leader of Brown and CO of the 16th FIS.(By November 1950 the number of drop tanks availables for MiGs were very limited and the consign was only to be dropped in extreme situations). Kharitonov succeded his evasion, recovered from this dive at an extreme low altitude and returned and landed safely in Anshan(Antung was not operative about this time).
Brown was credited with his kill and for the 40 years that was so the first Jet vs Jet combat (still today we can find this version everywhere and if you search in internet the word "F-80" you certainly find a short description of this combat in the historic background included in the description of the plane). Version no admitted by the VVS.

Nov 9, 1950 : This version is full admited by both sides. In escort for a combined strike againts the Yalu bridges by US Navy Corsairs, Skyraiders and some USAF planes, the F9F-2B Panthers of the VF-111(CV-47 Philippine Sea)engaged the MiGs of the 139th GIAP. Lt Cdr Amen , CO of the VF-111 put his Panther in a dive in the 6 o'clock behind the MiG of Capt Grachev(or Grachyov depending the publication) and accelerating to his mach limit number succeded in scoring some good hits with his 20mm in the MiG. Amen pulled with great difficulty up of his dive and his wingman saw how the MiG-15 (with the unfortunate Grachev dead or unconscient in the cockpit)crashed into the ground.Version full admittted by both sides.

Regards

Daniel

[Pilot]

Very interesting how the documents from this war does not match! Maybe time to dig out Korea war study I have somewhere...