Hobby Master Archive

For a short time during the Vietnam War F-100s were assigned escort duties flying Rescue Combat Air Patrol (RESCAP) and MiG Combat Air Patrol (MiGCAP) missions. The first official U.S. aerial shoot down was made on April 9, 1965 when a USN F-4B shot down a MiG-17. However during one RESCAP/MiGCAP mission Captain Donald Kilgus flying F-100D 55-2894 of the 416th TFS claimed he shot down a Chinese MiG-17 five days earlier than the F-4. Not wanting to provoke China into joining the war the claim was dismissed.