The first F-84 Thunderjet pilot to shot down a MiG-17 in combat has passed away on May 5. Ouyang Yi Fon was only 27 years old when he achieved the feat on Jul. 21, 1956.
Photo: RoCAF
The F-84 was already considered inferior to the MiG-15 during the Korean War and the MiG-17 was a more advance model. No one had expected the F-84 to achieve aerial victory over the superior MiG-17. Ouyang Yi Fon had only three years of experience flying the Thunderjet when he was tasked to protect a reconnaissance flight over Matsu that day.
He was in the number 4 jet which encountered 8 MiG-17s from the PLAAF. Despite the odds, he was able to shot down two MiG-17s in the dogfight and damaging another 2. The MiG-17 was only introduced into China that year.
For that feat, Ouyang was conferred the Order of Blue Sky and White Sun, Republic of China’s second highest military award.
For more information, hit the Source below