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Korean War ‘must have’ list?


AndyK2479

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Morning all, 

So, for some reason I still can’t really explain to myself, I’m going to start a 1/48th Korean War collection, maybe the prop/jet transition interests me. 

 

I’m no expert in the era by any standards, so asking members with far more experience and knowledge, what should be on my ‘Korean War Must Have’ list and the best representation of each aircraft by the kit manufacturers. 

 

I know Mig15 (Bronco kit en route) and F86 Sabre are given and I’m looking at the Sea Fury as well, what else would you suggest?

 

Andy 

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F-51D Mustang - Tamiya

F9F-2 Panther - Trumpeter

B-26B/C Invader - ICM

La-9 - Mikromir

F-84G Thunderjet - Tamiya

Firefly Mk.5 - Special Hobby

Meteor F.8 RAAF - Airfix

AD-4 Skyraider - Italeri

F-80C Shooting Star - Hobby Boss

F4U Corsair - ???

 

 

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Really depends on what parameters are used to define the term "must have": is it based on how widespread was the use of an aircraft ? On its effect on the operations ? On having established any particular record or feat ?

The Korean War was mainly a USAF run affair, so if number of aircraft used and number of sorties are what matter, a must have could well only include USAF types from the allied side: F-51, F-80, F-84 (the straight wing type) and F-86 as fighter/fighter bombers plus the A/B-26 to represent the medium bomber force. I would add the B-29 to represent the heavies but this in 1/48 would need some shelf space and it may be debatable if the B-29 was actually that important during the war. At the same time the B_29s in Korea carried some really impressive nose arts that while not making any contribution to the importance of a type sure make for a good subject in model form.

Second in terms of involvement were the USN and USMC, and their most used types were the F9F Panther and the F4U Corsair. A Skyraider may also be included but a Korean War era Skyraider need some additional work to be built from an existing kit.

Then there's all the rest... as much as the Sea Fury use in Korea is well known, the type contribution was limited in the bigger scheme of things. Same for the Meteor or other US types like the F-94, F-82,F3D, F7F... they served in the war but compared to the previous type their contribution was limited, be it limited to a niche mission (like the night fighters) or limited in numbers.

Now I'm only discussing the front line combat types here, others had an important role, from the C-47 to the L-19 to the T-6... some of them were actually more important than some of the combat types.

 

Now if for must have you mean types that set some kind of feat or recond or became famous for some reason, you may drop the F-84 and add say an F-82 (first type to shoot down an enemy aircraft in the war) and the already mentioned Sea Fury. IIRC the F3D achieved the first night victory against a jet fighter, so may be of some interest (not sure about the availability of 1/48 kits though), the F2H saw action in the missions that led to the movie The Bridges of Toko RI (although if in the movie Panthers were used)... and there may be others.

 

Personally I feel that a must have list would include those types that really had an impact in the war and/or are seen historically as symbols of these events: F-51, F-80. F-86, Panther, with clearly the Sabre as number one. Maybe the Corsair and the F-84 too. And the B-26. I'd probably paint the P-51 in South African or South Korean markings to show the contribution of all those countries that participated to the war with the US.

 

Easier from the North Korean side: the MiG-15 was the most important type of the war, all others did much less. If you want to add something from this side, I'd suggest the Po-2 biplane, a type that was heavily used for night arassment sorties. The Il-10 was also used with some success early in the war but I struggle to see it as a "must have" type.

 

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47 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:

Easier from the North Korean side: the MiG-15 was the most important type of the war, all others did much less. If you want to add something from this side, I'd suggest the Po-2 biplane, a type that was heavily used for night arassment sorties. The Il-10 was also used with some success early in the war but I struggle to see it as a "must have" type.

 

 

Like you said it depends on what you class as must have. Having aircraft like the Il-10, which was the last in the line of a significant type before the moving to jet power, makes it a must have to me and gives a good show of the  prop/jet transition that Andy mentioned. Plus I would want a reasonable selection of North Korean types otherwise it would be a very unbalanced collection.

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For me, no Korean war collection would be complete without the Bell H-13!

 

It's an interesting collection concept - best of luck!

 

Cheers

 

Colin

 

 

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It's in 1:72 scale,

 

That's my Korean War Collection:

 

MiG - 15 Fagot NKAF

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/11544230275/in/dateposted/

 

Tupolev G-5 Soviet Torpedo Boat

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/50450767256/in/dateposted/

 

F-51D Mustang RAAF

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/32833781193/in/dateposted/

 

Supermarine Seafire FR 47

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/28514856701/in/dateposted/

 

North American F-86E Sabre

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/19846244804/in/dateposted/

 

Sikorsky H-19C

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/19846244774/in/dateposted/

 

Lockheed T-33

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20468691865/in/dateposted/

 

Lockheed F-80 C Shooting Star

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20468691855/in/dateposted/

 

Lockheed RF-80A

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20468691835/in/dateposted/

 

Lockheed F-94B Starfire

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20468691815/in/dateposted/

 

Republic F-84 G-5RE

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20468691785/in/dateposted/

 

Vought F-4U-4B Corsair

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20468691765/in/dateposted/

 

Sikorsky HO3S-1 (H-5)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20474776771/in/dateposted/

 

Sikorsky HRS-2

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20474776721/in/dateposted/

 

Vought F-4U 5P Corsair

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20474776701/in/dateposted/

 

Grumman F6 F-5K

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20021918429/in/dateposted/

 

Vought F4 U5 Corsair

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20021918389/in/dateposted/

 

North American F-82 Twin Mustang

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20021918379/in/dateposted/

 

Vought AU-1 Corsair

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20021918279/in/photostream/

 

Vought F4U / 5 N Corsair

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20208277205/in/photostream/

 

Grumman TBF-3E Avenger

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/20208277195/in/photostream/

 

North American F-51D Mustang

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/18019426454/in/dateposted/

 

North American F-86 A-5 Sabre

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/18019426334/in/dateposted/

 

Boeing B-29

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/17658892403/in/dateposted/

 

Yakovlev Yak-18 night bomber Max

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/17756973510/in/dateposted/

 

Yakovlev Yak-9P Frank

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/17756973470/in/photostream/

 

Ilyushin Il-10 Beast

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/17756973460/in/photostream/

 

Yakovlev Yak-18 Max

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/17756973430/in/photostream/

 

Lavotshkin La-11 Fang

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/17321616844/in/photostream/

 

Berijev MDR-2 Mote

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/17321616814/in/photostream/

 

Tupolev Tu-2 S Bat

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/17321616804/in/photostream/

 

Polikarpov Po-2 LNB Mule

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/17321616784/in/photostream/

 

Piper L-4 Cub

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/17321616744/in/photostream/

 

Tachikawa Ki-55

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/6390053301/in/dateposted/

 

MiG-15 Fagot

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/17944720821/in/photostream/

 

MiG-15 in USAF markings (Korea)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/6358210951/in/photostream/

 

Yak-9 in USAF markings (Korea)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/6314316039/in/photostream/

 

Short Sunderland

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15968667304/in/dateposted/

 

Bell OH-13 S

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/16457689915/in/dateposted/

 

Il-10 Beast (captured by US Forces in Korea)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/16380573222/in/dateposted/

 

Hawker Sea Fury FB Mk II

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15681623503/in/dateposted/

 

Stinson L-5 Reliant

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/16130350191/in/dateposted/

 

North American T-6G

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/16131457322/in/dateposted/

 

Gloster Meteor FMk 8

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/5342823479/in/dateposted/

 

Douglas F3D-2 Skyknight

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15512414003/in/photostream/

 

Douglas B-26B

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15944688668/in/dateposted/

 

Douglas B-26C Invader

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/16106326596/in/photostream/

 

Curtiss C-46

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/16132109145/in/photostream/

 

Tachikawa Ki-9

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/9720900592/in/dateposted/

 

Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15781689329/in/dateposted/

 

NA T-6 Texan

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/14151477301/in/dateposted/

 

Cessna L-19

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/8314856678/in/dateposted/

 

Douglas AD-4 Skyraider

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15194267747/in/photostream/

 

Grumman F7F-3P Tigercat

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15194294747/in/photostream/

 

Grumman F9F-5 Panther

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15377632821/in/photostream/

 

Grumman F9 F-5P

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15380804265/in/photostream/

 

McDonnell F2H-2 Banshee

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15194164660/in/photostream/

 

McDonnell F2 H-2P Banshee

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15377677991/in/photostream/

 

F-51 D Mustang

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/9307358586/in/dateposted/

 

Grumman Albatros

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/7327203336/in/dateposted/

 

Fairey Firefly

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/5329544709/in/dateposted/

 

N.A. L-17A Navion

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/40834148210/in/dateposted/

 

Iljushin Il-28 Beagle

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/17321616764/in/dateposted/

 

Boeing SB-17G

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/15265057913/in/dateposted/

 

modelldoc

 

 

 

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I'm no expert and Giorgio's post above seems the best answer..but I would just add that my rationale would be "which are the coolest aircraft" .........answer.....the F9F Panther and the F3D Skyknight are the coolest ! :)

 

Although the Skyknight is hard to get in 1:48 there have been a couple of limited run Kits made, so they are "out there". Both Czech Models and Collect-Aire have done them I beleive.

 

P.S. Don't google "Czech Models" while your significant other is around..you generally get 150 pages of a scantily clad Eva Herzigova or Petra Nemcova before you get anything in 1:48 scale !!🤣🤣

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13 minutes ago, worcesterjohn said:

I'm no expert and Giorgio's post above seems the best answer..but I would just add that my rationale would be "which are the coolest aircraft" .........answer.....the F9F Panther and the F3D Skyknight are the coolest ! :)

 

And that's the point - "must have" is very subjective for all sorts of reasons, even coming down to the coolest 😀

 

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4 hours ago, Tbolt said:

 

Like you said it depends on what you class as must have. Having aircraft like the Il-10, which was the last in the line of a significant type before the moving to jet power, makes it a must have to me and gives a good show of the  prop/jet transition that Andy mentioned. Plus I would want a reasonable selection of North Korean types otherwise it would be a very unbalanced collection.

 

Sure, regardless of the impact of the type on the war the Il-10 would make a cool addition and in general I would guess that anyone interested in building a model of such aircraft would consider these markings.

Speaking of transition, I forgot to mention that having a helicopter in the list would also be worth, as this was the first war where helicopters started playing a significative part

 

 

3 hours ago, Blimpyboy said:


I’m sure our North Korean ‘chums’ and their allies may have had a say in it, too!

 

 

I should have been more clear in my statement, the USAF was the main actor from the UN side (IIRC over 70% of all sorties). It would be interesting to see the number of individual sorties for the North Korean air force and their allies, it may well be that overall the number of sorties by the USAF would still be higher as the US forces used air power consistently, while most of the activity from North Korea after the early stages of the war was geared toward air defence missions.

Edited by Giorgio N
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8 hours ago, AndyK2479 said:

Morning all, 

So, for some reason I still can’t really explain to myself, I’m going to start a 1/48th Korean War collection, maybe the prop/jet transition interests me. 

 

I’m no expert in the era by any standards, so asking members with far more experience and knowledge, what should be on my ‘Korean War Must Have’ list and the best representation of each aircraft by the kit manufacturers. 

 

I know Mig15 (Bronco kit en route) and F86 Sabre are given and I’m looking at the Sea Fury as well, what else would you suggest?

 

Andy 

Missed so far, Seafire 47 (Airfix)

There are couple of neat little photo book about Korean Air War, 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Korea-1950-53-Pt-1-Aero-Colour/dp/1855321157

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Korea-Pt-2-Air-Aero-Colour/dp/185532234X

 

all colour, and does have some allied images, so SAAf Mustangs,  A Seafire, Sea fury, etc.  as well as couple of captured ones, eg Yak-9, Il-10  Good for inspiration and period feel.

Ther are also type specfic book on the the F-86, F-51D, F-84, F-80 and others in the photo series

this is the F-80

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Shooting-Units-Osprey-Frontline-Colour/dp/1841762253

the others are in the same series, great photo albums.

 

 

I had the same as idea as you.....   and have picked up quite a few kits, and done a load of background research on what the best in scale....

 

7 hours ago, alex_stela said:

F-51D Mustang - Tamiya

hmm, I'd have suggested a new kit.  Airfix do one,  I'm sure Eduard will do one in time.   the Tamiya kit is a bit old, and lack the wheel well main spar.

7 hours ago, alex_stela said:

F9F-2 Panther - Trumpeter

F9F-5 /5P Monogram/Revell

7 hours ago, alex_stela said:

B-26B/C Invader - ICM

La-9 - Mikromir

Ark would be better for the La-9

7 hours ago, alex_stela said:

F-84G Thunderjet - Tamiya

Revell/Monogram/Promodeller do a rated F-84E and a F-84G as well

7 hours ago, alex_stela said:

Firefly Mk.5 - Special Hobby

Meteor F.8 RAAF - Airfix

AD-4 Skyraider - Italeri

Tamiya, but you need to pick yout subject,  some of them have the extrernal armour as per the Tamiya kit, some don't.  

7 hours ago, alex_stela said:

F-80C Shooting Star - Hobby Boss

No, too shallow fusleage, oversize intakes.  Find a Monogram F-80

7 hours ago, alex_stela said:

F4U Corsair - ???

Depends,,  as several version were used,

 the F4U-4 (the 'best' is the Hobby Boss, which is OK)  All the others have major problems,  and despite what you may read, this incudes the hasegawa (ex- Mania) -4.

 

F4U-5/5N,  Hasegawa,  the -5 was reboxed by Revell of Germany, which maybe easier to find

AU-1 - Hasegawa,  This is hard to find, BUT, the Hase F4U-7 was reboxed by Revell of Germany, which maybe easier to find, and the -7 is a AU-1 with a chin intake, and it's not a big job to remove the chin intake.

 

The Hobby Boss kits make the mistake of using the fabric outer wings.  Fixable, but, just wait until a Hase kit turns up.      

 

2 hours ago, worcesterjohn said:

Although the Skyknight is hard to get in 1:48 there have been a couple of limited run Kits made, so they are "out there". Both Czech Models and Collect-Aire have done them I beleive.

The Collectaire is hens teeth  resin. the Czech Model kit was reissued by Squadron a few years ago.    I snagged one of ebay a while back.

 

The only Yak-9 appropriate for  Korea is the Scale Bureau resin kit,  as they were Yak-9U or P, anyway, all metal.   I have/had plans to try converting an ICM kit....  it's a fair amount of work though.

 

Also, there is no modern early F-86  kit,  (Lindberg did a F-86A in late 50's, which is what you would expect) so to do an early F-86 A is a lot of work, and a even a F-86E  or an early F is work, as they have slatted wings.   Airfix have missed a trick by not doing a slatted wing Sabre,   just doing the F86f-30 AGAIN.   F86f-30's are also done by Hasegawa and Academy,  both are decent, but seem hard to get at the mo.   Eduard reboxed the Hase kit a few years ago as Ultimate Sabre, with etech, maks and resin,  have a look at the Eduard page for details.   I think it has Korean options.  (mine not to hand to check)

 

Modelsvit are planning an F-82, which is a boon, as the Modelcraft F-82 is rough and not very accurate.   I just sold mine.

 

I'm having a major stash sort and assement,  so, if you want any specifics, ask away....  I made quite a dent in my planned Korean collection....... collecting kits is a a lot easier than building them ;)

 

 

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11 hours ago, AndyK2479 said:

what should be on my ‘Korean War Must Have’ list and the best representation of each aircraft by the kit manufacturers. 

A few more

F7F-3N Tigercat, AMT did a kit which has been reboxed by Italeri.  

F-94B Starfire - Hobbycraft,  long OOP,   Note Hobbycraft did a A boxing, which has different tip tanks to the B boxing,  IIRRC all the Korean F-94's have the Misawa tip tanks.   These are in the hobbycraft/Academy T-33 kit.   

The T-33 also served

5 hours ago, modelldoc said:

Lockheed RF-80A

Done by Hobby Boss, but has same flaws as the F-80 kit.   There ahve been resi nose for the Monogram kit.

 

5 hours ago, modelldoc said:

Tupolev Tu-2 S Bat

Xuntong did the is 1/48th, but seems to be OOP

8 hours ago, Blimpyboy said:

Surely Bedcheck Charlie (Po-2s,

Eduard did one.

Quote

MBR-2s 

Mars Model? 

Quote

and Yak-18s) rates some effort?

MikroMir

 

Re Corsairs, there are also the F4U-4B, as well as the recon F4U-5P

The Osprey Cosair Units of the Korean war is a decent for info/photos on Korean Corsairs

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11 hours ago, AndyK2479 said:

and I’m looking at the Sea Fury as well,

 

 

5 hours ago, modelldoc said:
12 minutes ago, Denford said:

Unless I've missed it, why no Sea Fury?

Buried in the clutter.... (story of my place.... Now I know I had one....but where is it...)   :rolleyes:

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I've seen the Italeri (Esci) and Tamiya Skyraiders mentioned... but can any of these be built as a Korean War aircraft without modifications ? Going by memory here so I may get details wrong, IIRC the AD-4 would be the one needing less changes from the existing kits as earlier variants had different canopies and other things. For a Korean era AD-4 at least the pylons should be different from those used on the later AD-6. Does the Italeri kit actually include these ? Or is it just an AD-6 with different decals ?

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@Giorgio N,

 

Pretty close! From the Modelers' Guide to the Skyraider, by Jay Sherlock, the following details were paraphrased:

 The Esci/Italeri 1/48 kit is the best choice for a Korean War AD, as it has the correct early inboard pylons, rounded windscreen, and spoked wheels. I don't know if the kit has the external armor fitted to the forward fuselage and under the wings, which would not be correct for a Korean War AD. The first 209 AD-4's only had two 20mm cannon, but subsequent AD-4's had four cannon fitted. Early examples had the pitot under the RH wing; later examples moved it to the LE of the fin; Some had the wing nav lights on the LE, the remainder had them centered on the tip. If the Tamiya AD-6 is used, a lot more corrections would need to be made to backdate it to an AD-4, and the Hasegawa AD-6 is the variant we would have to use if wanting an AD-4 in 1/72 scale, but removing all of that external armor is a real pain!

Mike

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Good news, Late Korean War AD-4s had the armor added. You can also add F-84D and G models. And the KB-29 drogue refuelers that gassed the F-84s for the raid in 1953? B-36s were deployed to the Far East as a show of force. Navy Savages were off loaded in Japan when the carriers were deployed. RB-45C.

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I'd go for RB-45C too: esoteric and notable as the first combat air-refuelling too.

 

Also an F-86A. You won't find one OOB in any scale (avoid the Matchbox thing at all cost; Lindberg too), but a conversion is well worth the effort.

 

Hopefully one of the high-end European manufacturers will take note, and fill the gap soon :)

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