The late 1940's were a time of incredible progress in aircraft development. Many nations sought to upgrade their fighters by using jet propulsion. The Soviet Union was no different and while the MiG-15 has become iconic, utterly forgotten is its also-ran competitor, the Yakovlev 13.
The Yak-13 had a large fuselage due to the Klomov VI jet engine's unquenechable thirst for fuel. As the engine could burn either kerosene or alcohol, the enormous tankange was seen as being useful for parties as well as combat.
After being rejected by the Soviet Red Air Force, the Yakovlev bureau was told to try palming their crate off on the Communist satellite countries. "Those losers will buy anything!" Stalin said, rubbing his hands together greedily in anticipation of the profits.
The tiny rump state of the Democratic Peoples' Commie Republic of Yalu was the first to purchase the large new jet to modernize their air force. The Yakovlevs arrived just in time for the small nation to join the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea fighting against the U.S.-led U.N. onslaught.
The miniscule Democratic Peoples' Republic of Yalu air force had a negligible effect on the conflict and U.S. F-86 pilots were far from impressed by the ungainly flight characteristics of the large Yakovlev 13s.
Typically, the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Yalu Yak-13s would flee at high speed at the mere sight of F-86 Sabres and actual air-to-air combat between the two jets was practically non-existent. Except for one pilot, this aircraft would be remain unknown today.
Pilot Corporal Kim Chee Chow was in the first class of pilots to transition to the new Yak-13 fighter. He was aggressive with a hunter's instinct and greatly appreciated the Yak-13's modified extra-wide cockpit as well as its heavy armament of one 28 mm and one 47 mm auto-cannon. Unfortunately, he aimed these weapons at the wrong targets
Kim Chee Chow became famous for achieving the incredible feat of becoming a "reverse ace" in a day when he destroyed three DPCRY air force Il-10s and two North Korean Yak-9s. He finished the mission by strafing a commie supply column. The next day, Kim continued on his path of destruction by wiping out friendly anti-aircraft positions and decimating a North Korean combat engineer battalion before shooting down a red Chinese Li-2 VIP transport.
Pilot Corporal Kim Chee Chow's "victory" rolls became a common sight in the skies above the North Korean border and the Democratic Peoples' Commie Republic of Yalu was eventually forced to call up an additional class of inductees to make up for the carnage.
Kim Chee Chow was only able to get away with this because his uncle was air force commander Comrade Air Marshal Kim Chong Chow and son-in-law of the Democratic Peoples' Commie Republic of Yalu founder, Kim Dong Hung who could rightly be said to be the father of the country.
Eventually, the fragging ended when Pilot Corporal Kim Chee Chow was promoted to Second Sergeant and kicked upstairs to the DPCRY's Catering Corps where a donut shortage was only made worse by his presence.
Still, for one brief moment, the Yak-13 Fragger was an impressive and intimidating sight in the Korean conflict, especially to those fighting under the communist banner.
Brian da Basher