Re: Almighty?

[<SDonell73@aol.com>]

In a message dated 12/25/02 12:56:58 PM Pacific Standard Time, AMPSOne@aol.com writes:


> FEAF had air superiority behind the MLR but only temporarily on the other side of it, based on who was flying that day. The significant indicators that they did not have air supremacy are the gradual changeover of B-29 mission tasks to night operations and in favorable conditions (e.g., weather favoring blind bombing with radar as the searchlights were ineffective under such conditions.) 


Cookie,

Robert Futrell's The USAF in the Korean War, cites the following figures: 
Total sorties - 720,980 sorties
(Tactical sorties)
Counter Air   -  66,997 
Interdiction   -  192,581  these were all forward of the MLR and many times deep in
                      North Korea
"Close Support" - 181,659

1st MAW total    107,303
Tactical Sorties
Counter Air  -         2,906
Interdiction   -       47,873  See above
CAS            -      32,482

US Navy total     167,552 the majority of which were forward of the MLR a la 
The Bridges at Toko Ri 

From what I've read of the interdiction missions, they were almost entirely without interference by Communist fighters. And of the few instances that I've read about, when there was interference, the attackers were driven off.

Sandy