Attack Squadron: Roswell Aids

[Timerover51]

For those interested in creating a US Marine Corps flyer for the game, the following are the Marine Corps squadrons involved in the Korean War, taken from the US Marine Corps Historical Center publication, Corsairs to Panthers: US Marine Aviation in Korea. The Marines also did some cross-flying with the USAF in F-86 Sabres.

Maj John F Bolt Jr., while flying a North American F-86 Sabre jet with the Air Force's 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing shot down his sixth MiG-15 on 12 July 1953, becoming the Marine Corps' first jet ace. Bolt also achieved ace status during World War II by downing six Japanese aircraft while flying with the Black Sheep of VMF=214.

Marine Corps Air Units and Primary Aircraft
Forward Echelon, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (July—
September 1950)
Marine Aircraft Group 33
Headquarters Squadron 33
Service Squadron 33
Marine Fighter Squadron 214
(Vought F4U Corsair)
Marine Fighter Squadron 323
(Vought F4U Corsair)
Marine Night Fighter Squadron 513
(Grumman F7F Tigercat, Douglas F3D
Skyknight)
Marine Tactical Air Control Squadron 2

1st Marine Aircraft Wing (September 1950 — July 1953)
Headquarters Squadron 1
Marine Wing Service Squadron 1
Marine Wing Service Group 17
Headquarters Squadron 17
Marine Air Base Squadron 17
Marine Aircraft Repair Squadron 17
Marine Aircraft Group 12
Headquarters Squadron 12
(Vought F4U Corsair, General Motors TBM
Avenger)
Service Squadron 12
Marine Air Base Squadron 12
Marine Aircraft Maintenance Squadron 12
Marine Aircraft Group 33
Headquarters Squadron 33
(Vought F4U Corsair, General Motors TBM
Avenger)
Service Squadron 33
Marine Air Base Squadron 33
Marine Aircraft Maintenance Squadron 33
Marine Fighter Squaclron 115
(Grumman F9F Panther)
Marine Attack Squadron 121
(Douglas AD Skyraider)
Marine Fighter Squadron 212 (Redesignated Marine
Attack Squadron 212 on 10 June 1952)
(Vought F4U Corsair, Vought AU-i Corsair)
Marine Fighter Squadron 2i4
(Vought F4U Corsair)
Marine Fighter Squadron 311
(Grumman F9F Panther)
Marine Fighter Squadron 312 (Redesignated Marine
Attack Squadron 312 on 1 March 1952)
(Vought F4U Corsair)
Marine Fighter Squadron 323 (Redesignated Marine
Attack Squadron 323 on 30 June 1952)
(Vought F4U Corsair, Vought AU-i Corsair)
Marine Attack Squadron 332
(Vought F4U Corsair)
Marine Attack Squadron 251
(Douglas AD Skyraider)
Marine Night-Fighter Squadron 513
(Vought F4U Corsair, Grumman F7F Tigercat,
Douglas F3D Skyknight)
Marine Night-Fighter Squadron 542
(Grumman F7F Tigercat, Douglas F3D Skyknight)
Marine Transport Squadron 152
(Douglas R4D Skytrain)
Marine Ground Control Squadron 1
Marine Air Control Group 2
Marine Tactical Air Control Squadron 2
Marine Ground Control Intercept Squadron 1
Marine Ground Control Intercept Squadron 3
Marine Photographic Squadron 1
(McDonnell F2H-P Banshee)
Marine Composite Squadron 1
(Douglas AD Skyraider)
Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 161
(Sikorsky HRS-1 Helicopter)
Marine Observation Squadron 6
(Consolidated OY Sentinel, Sikorsky HO3S
Helicopter, Bell HTL Helicopter)

The Marines flew the F3D Skynight radar-equipped night fighters from land bases, providing escort for night-flying B-29 bombers over North Korea.

And do not forget the Marine Enlisted Pilots!

One area where the Marine Corps was probably alone among the aviation Services was the degree it used enlisted pilots, especially in combat. Enlisted pilots were not new. France in World War I and the Axis powers, Germany, Japan, and Italy, in World War II made considerable use of their enlisted aviators. The Royal Air Force would have been in even worse straits during the Battle of Britain in 1940 had it not been for its sergeant-pilots. For the most part, however, the United States required its pilots to be commissioned officers and, with few exceptions, that is the way it continues to be.

The Navy had instituted its Naval Aviation Pilot (NAP) designation in 1919 because of a pilot shortage. The Marines, too, authorized selection of enlisted members to become pilots and First Sergeant Benjamin Belcher was the first Marine NAP in 1923. . . .

Flying sergeants flew Corsairs and Tigercats at Pusan and Chosin, Panthers in close air support against the Chinese, and OYs on dangerous artillery-spotting missions.

 

[Timerover51]

Standard US Infantry Weapons for the Period

The standard US infantry weapons for that period would be essentially identical to World War 2 with a couple of additions. The rifle would be the M1 Garand, viewed by Lt.-Gen. George S. Patton as:

In my opinion, the M-1 rifle is the greatest battle implement ever devised.

I am not going to argue with George Patton.

Also in use was the M-1 and M-2 .30 caliber carbines, which had a mixed reputation, the M-2 was a selective-fire version and could be fired fully-automatic. Then you had the M-3 .45 ACP submachine gun, a.k.a. The Grease Gun, the .45 automatic pistol, the 1917A1 30-06 water-cooled machine gun, the 1919A4 air-cooled 30-06 machine gun, and the .50 M-2 Heavy Machine Gun. The mortars were the light 60mm, the medium 81mm, and the 4.2 inch rifled chemical mortar which was also used for HE fire. The 3.5 inch bazooka was replacing the 2.36 inch bazooka, but both were available, along with the 57mm and the 75mm recoilless rifles.

For mobile anti-aircraft weapons, you had the quad .50 power mount on a half-track, and the full-track 40mm Twin Bofors on the M-24 light tank chassis. The tanks would be the light M-24 Chaffee, the medium M-4A3E8 Sherman, and the M-26 Pershing heavy.

Many pilots carried a short-barreled .38 Smith & Wesson revolver rather than the .45 Auto, so you might want to give them Revolver skill.

 

[JimMarn]

Ah, WW2, a hobby of mine.

The M-10 tank destroyer had a 3 inch high velocity gun at the start, it was upgunned to 90mm later on. Its biggest problem was the open top and thin frontal armor.

While the US 57mm anti-tank gun didn't do well in Europe, it did do well against Japanese tanks in the Pacific.

Hopefully I haven't made an offense by making this post.

 

[Timerover51]

Ah, WW2, a hobby of mine.

The M-10 tank destroyer had a 3 inch high velocity gun at the start, it was upgunned to 90mm later on. Its biggest problem was the open top and thin frontal armor.

While the US 57mm anti-tank gun didn't do well in Europe, it did do well against Japanese tanks in the Pacific.

Hopefully I haven't made an offense by making this post.

Oh, no, I have been posting this as Attack Squadron Roswell is set about 1953, so you are picking up the Korean War material more than WW2. But, yes, I am a WW2 enthusiast as well, and have downloaded the entire US Army Green Book series from the Center for Military History. There is a lot there as well on the Korean War.

 

[JimMarn]

Oh, the info I posted was from an Osprey publishing book about Bastogne and Battle of the Bulge. I know more WW2 than Korea. A number of my relatives were in combat in WW2 and Korea. Their refusal to say anything about it, got me to buying books on those two conflicts.

 

[Timerover51]

MIG-15 Characteristics

The following information on the flight characteristics of the MIG-15 jet fighter is taken from the UNITED STATES AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN THE KOREAN CONFLICT 1 November 1950-30 June 1952, prepared by the USAF Historical Division Air University 1953, dated 1 July 1955, and as a US government document is in the public domain.

*At 0924 hours on 21 September 1953 a NKAF defector pilot landed his Russian-built M1G-15(BIS), one of the latest types of such planes, on the USAF airfield at Kimpo (K-14). Subsequent flight testing revealed the following desirable features of the aircraft. (1) Ability to operate at altitudes above 50,000 feet. (2) High rate of climb. (3) Rapid horizontal acceleration from relatives low speeds. (4) Short turning radius, a feature which the Communist pilots had been reluctant to exploit , probably due to the MIG's poor accelerated-stall characteristics. (5) A short take-off and landing distance required. Undesirable features of the MIG-15 were: (1) Loss of aircraft control at high Mach numbers, (2) Loss of vision due to the formation of ice and moisture on the canopy and windshield, caused by inadequate defrosting, (3) Poor lateral-directional stability at high altitudes, (4) Low rate of roll, (5) Poor aircraft control at high indicated air speeds. The general conclusion of USAF flight test was that "the undesirable features of the aircraft heavily outweigh its good points." [Poster added emphasis] ( See FEAF Intelligence Roundup, No. 145, Dec. 1953, pp27-28)

I would take that last quote in bold face with a very large grain of salt, as I am not sure how many F-86 Saber pilots would agree with it, and I know that the B-29 air crews would very likely strongly disagree. The MIG-15 was developed as a bomber interceptor, and demonstrated that it was quite capable of making life miserable for the B-29. The "low rate of roll" is a problem in fighter vs. fighter combat, as that dictates how fast you can initiate a turn. The poor stall characteristics do not help either. A good pilot in a MIG and a good pilot in a Saber were very evenly matched.

 

[Timerover51]

I think enough of the game to have purchased Mongoose Traveller so as to fully understand it, and I am working on a supplement for it. Stayed tuned.