Chinese People's Volunteer Air Force hero Zhang Jihui

中国人民志愿军空军英雄张积慧
Zhongguo renmin zhiyuanjun kongjun yingxiong Zhang Jihui
Chinese People's Volunteer Air Force hero Zhang Jihui
1952, November
Zhongnan junzheng weiyuanhui wenhua bu (中南军政委员会文化部), Zhongnan renmin chubanshe (中南人民出版社)
77x53 cm.
PC-1952-013

Zhang Jihui (张积慧) became famous for shooting down the American "ace" pilot Major George Andrew Davis, Jr. on 10 February, 1952, over the Chinese-Korean border. The small pictures below show Zhang and his group being followed by eight enemy planes, Zhang pretending not to notice them and making a sharp turn, attacking the Americans from behind and shooting down Davis, "the American air bandit" (美国空中强盗). An American version has Davis leading a group of four planes, being surprised by a group of 12 Chinese MiG fighter jets, bravely heading into battle despite being vastly outnumbered and taking down two MiGs before being shot down himself. According to yet another version Davis was shot down by a Soviet pilot in a Soviet MiG, patrolling in the area.