This Sabre was allocated to 2nd Lt Jim Thompson as part of the 51stFW 39thFS
in the spring of 1953. It had been flown by various pilots prior to this.
He used it to down two Mig 15's in May and June of that year.
The first Mig he shot down had a large dragon painted on it and
US intelligence determined it had probably been flown by a high
ranking Russian pilot.
As a result the fighters asst crew chief, Sgt J W "Bill" Manney, painted
the large dragon on the aircraft to commemorate the victory.
