Washing Machine Charlie.
The last thing the North Korea expected- or wanted to see - was a massive build up of UN air power to contest their invasion of South Korea. But, that's what they got. Fuck around and find out. The IL-10, Yak-9 and La-7 fighters the North Koreans sent south across the 38th parallel in June of 1950 would soon be eaten alive by US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps aircraft, as well as British air force and navy planes, Australian Air Force and navy planes, and South African Air Force planes. Even with the addition of MiG 15 jet fighters in late 1950, North Korea struggled in the air-to-air fight, as the majority of their planes were forced to operate out of China where UN forces could not touch them. As the war turned into a stalemate, North Korea sought to gain some kind of advantage in the air. They did so by arming training airplanes and sending them out at night to harass UN lines. Known as "Washing Machine Charlies" due to the noise that their engines made, Yakovlev 18's would bomb on or near UN targets, making for sleepless nights. This little bird was fun to put together.
