I finally finished No Kum Suk's autobiographical book about a former North Korean fighter pilot that defected in 1953 with a brand-new MiG-15bis. He landed at Kimpo Airbase (it's an airport now) in the airplane you see in the pictures. I took the picture in 2007 when I was TDY to Wright-Patterson AFB. Chuck Yeager was one of the test-pilots that took it up and flew it around, but was deeply offended when he asked the N Korean pilot, if he'd heard of him. In a country as closed as N Korea, they didn't know he was and they still don't. They don't care around here, either.
He was fortunate enough to get to the US and even got $100,000 for giving the jet to the US. But he didn't really care about the money so much as he just wanted his freedom. He'd grown up under Japanese rule, and had enough of that, but succeeded in becoming a fighter pilot and Communist to escape it. They executed 5 of his friends for his defection. Idiots.
He weighs in on reunification, but I don't see that going too smoothly if it does happen. But he's also blessed to speak as an American on how things should be over here. People in Seoul are too focused on paying the bills to worry about politics and the threat hanging over their heads as much as the Americans with disposable income and total security. But the natives don't want to lose all their money because their disowned neighbors want to come back. And they won't say so as long as that fat idiot KJI is still around. Give me 5 minutes alone with that guy and I'll show you a cure for Communism that is permanent and free.
The other picture is to the Norden Bombsight. As a Navigator/Bombardier, you actually took an oath to defend the thing with your honor and life. Interesting that they did that. Look at the pic to see the oath.
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