At the outbreak of the Korean War, the Fifth Air Force relied on three squadrons of F-82Gs assigned to the 347th Fighter (All Weather) Group to operate effectively over evacuation centers. The F-80C Shooting Stars were also based nearby but had limited time over target areas.
The mission of the F-82 aircrews was to “Seek out and destroy the North Korean Air Force,” and they later flew long-range interdiction missions against North Korean tanks and trucks. The F-82G also played a role in intercepting North Korean PO-2 biplanes during the “Bedcheck Charlie” raids.
The three Twin Mustang squadrons flew a total of 1,868 sorties during the Korean War, scoring twenty-four victories, four air-to-air, and twenty ground victories before being replaced by Lockheed F-94B jet interceptors in 1952.
However, it also came at a cost…
F-82 Twing Mustang losses in the Korean War (Partial list)
Sidenote: This is a partial list.
Further reading
Bibliography and source
- Twin Mustang The North American F-82 at War by Alan C. Carey
- F-82 Twin Mustang (Mini in Action No. 1608) by Larry Davis
