USAF Korean War markings
 

I 'm trying to figure out a specific marking on USAF Sabres 1953 in Korea

I'll use John Glenn's as an example as it's very well documented

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....fb9f00cd64.jpg
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Glen flew in "B" Flight, 25th Fighter Interception Squadron, part of the 51st Fighter Wing operating F-86F Sabres out of K-13, Suwon.

The chequered tail marking was used in Korea and elsewhere to denote the 51st FW - some of the pilots also had the same chequered black and white pattern on their helmets. The 25th had a separate badge which doesn't appear to be on the aircraft but was certainly on some flying suits.

My question is what is the red stripe near the top of the tail? I suspect it's a Squadron marking as another Squadron in the 51st had an identical tail but with a yellow stripe.

Can anyone cast some light please?

It might just be the "B" Flight identifier,depending on how many `flights` made up a Squadron,each having a different colour...

Yes - IIRC the USN had/has a system like that ..............

Also extensively used to differentiate each Squadron making up a Wing.

Red for 25th FIS; it's a squadron colour (blue for 16th FIS, yellow for 39th FIS). FIS is Fighter Interceptor Squadron.

Some aircraft did carry the squadron badge.

Thanks!! That yellow ties in with the other picture I have

Interestingly the 25th had TWO RAF pilots at the end of the Korean War - Messrs John Lovell & Jock Maitland

I've met a number of RAF pilots who flew the Sabre in Korea and managed to speak with Jock Maitland while he was still with us. Sadly the RAF contingent lost Sqn Ldr Graham Hulse whilst on Sabre secondment to Korea.

And of course some were with the Aussies flying Meteors - I knew the late John Price

Jock Maitland in Korea.
 

In 1987during an extended individual aviation photo tour in the USA .
I visited Kingman airfield to see what was there worth photographing.
I met a chap there who invited me to his small facility on the airfield.
Noticing a load of F86 Pics. I asked his interest.
He then told me that he and Jock Maitland flew the last operational F-86 "Sortie" of the Korean war together.

He said he had lost touch with him and did I know him.
I did know him from wearing my Accredited Press hat at various Biggin hill events.
I contacted his son at Biggin and passed on the details of the chap at Kingman.
I left things at that , so I do not know if Jock followed it up .

Maybe pruners can verify if this was correct about the last sortie ?.

OPF

Our company check and trainer was a chap by the name of Lloyd Knight who flew firstly the Mustang with 77 Squadron in Korea then transitioned to the Meteor. In the 1980's the Chinese sent a group of young pilots to our operation to gain experience. They were overseen by an elderly gentleman who turned out to have flown Migs in the Korea fraca, interesting discussions between the two as to if they ever met each other so to speak in Korean airspace.

"Maybe pruners can verify if this was correct about the last sortie ?."

I've never seen anything on that . Wikipedia has "The B-26 had the honor of flying the last combat sortie of the Korean War, when, 24 minutes before the Armistice Agreementwent into effect on 27 July 1953 a B-26 of the 3rd BW dropped the last bombs of the Korean war."

Maitland flew 77 missions and finished up with an American DFC and Air Medal

https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail...hoto/830239168

has an image of 10 RAF Pilots sitting on a 51st Fighter Wing Sabre - the search cuts off the names but six of them are named

Left-Right: Timothy J McElhaw; James A Mansell; John H J Lovell; Roy French; John R Dickinson; John R Maitland ……..

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/.../4617/data.pdf

Has the Post war London Gazette with the approval to wear US medals for a load of RAF pilots

Maitland's claim is correct: he flew a sortie on 27 July aboard F-86F 52-4517. His log book is annotated, "Last sweep of the war. Last flight to leave North Korea. Hundreds of MiGs at Antung but none flying". He logged 2 hours flight time.

Do you recall the name of the chap at Kingman?