The Korean War (1950–1953) fundamentally established the age of the jet fighter, pitting the American F-86 Sabre against the Soviet-built MiG-15 in high-speed, deadly dogfights over “MiG Alley.” This conflict forced a global acceleration in jet technology and design. However, the war also featured an extraordinary feat of piston-engine aviation: the Royal Navy’s Hawker Sea Fury, the ultimate carrier fighter, achieved the last recorded air-to-air victory by a propeller plane over a jet by shooting down a MiG-15. This historic moment, alongside the decisive air superiority won by the F-86 Sabre, collectively confirmed the final transition of airpower from piston champion to swept-wing jet supremacy.
