Suwon Airfield Dogfight: 29-Jun-50

by Joe Ferrara

Background: Yak-9s of the North Korean Air Force attempting to strafe Suwon airfield were intercepted by four USAF F-51s from the 8th Fighter-Bomber Group. All four Yaks were shot down. An interested spectator to this combat was General MacArthur, who immediately ordered airstrikes on North Korean airbases.

Map: OTR Ground Map

Set Up:

• Ground Units: Two trucks; hexes 3018 and 2619. POL, hex 2220. Wooden buildings; hexes 2619 and 2719. Hanger, hex 2411. MacArthur's grounded C-54, hex 3120. Three M2 AAA; hexes 2918, 2723 and 2122.
• Aircraft: Place the Yaks in hexes 4451, 4351, 4251 and 4551, heading west at altitude 1.0, speed 6.0, wings level.

  The F-51s are set up in hexes 3349, 3251, 3050 and 2951, headed north at altitude 3.0, speed 8.0, in a left bank.

Game Length: 20 turns

Special Rules

1. The Yaks automatically lose initiative on the first turn.
2. The Reds receive triple VPs for any damage caused to MacArthur's C-54.
3. Treat McArthur's C-54 as a B-26 Invader for target purposes (defense factor=6, damage factor=18/27). It cannot start engines, taxi or takeoff. [Or use the C-47 ADC when published. - Unle Ted]

Additional Rules: Pilot Quality

Generate the pilots per rule 12.3.

• The Yaks are organized as 1 element. Training Standard=Limited
  No Yak-9 pilot may be a crack shot.
• The F-51s are organized as two elements. Training Standard=Good
• The F-51 and Yak-9 leaders must always be regular or better.

Note: The Yak-9 was published in Airpower #35. The B-26B was published in Airpower #51.

Variants: The "Yaks" could have been Yak-3s or Yak-7Bs, as well as the Yak-9s shown here. The Yak-3 and Yak-7B ADCs can be found at Uncle Ted's.

Source: Futrell, The USAF in Korea, pp 31-32.

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