Blood Red Skies: US Ace Pilot – Royce Williams (2021)

Overview

On 18 November 1952, piloting a Grumman Panther, Lt Royce Williams of VF-781 destroyed four MiGs in a single encounter that lasted no more than 35 minutes. During a series of air strikes against the North Korean port of Hoeryong, the four MiGs were intercepted as a result of intelligence provided by the US National Security Agency. Williams lost contact with his wingman and found himself in a 6-on-1 confrontation against the fearsome MiG 15. Nevertheless, he downed four of the enemy jets and upon returning to the USS Oriskany, his Panther was found to have sustained 263 hits from cannon shells and was beyond repair.

What makes this feat all the more remarkable is that the four MiGs downed were confirmed to have been flown by Soviet Naval Aviation Pilots. This was only confirmed by Russian sources 40 years later - with all Soviet involvement vehemently denied, during and for many years after, the Korean War.

Contains 1 Resin Grumman F9F Panther and game cards.

—description from the publisher