World War II aircraft such as the Martin Mariner and the Short Sunderland provided ocean surveillance and were later replaced by the Navy's Lockheed P2V Neptune. It was not a seaplane, but it marked a considerable improvement over land-based patrol aircraft such as the Hudson or the Liberator. Faster, it had better radar and anti-submersible equipment.
In two categories of aircraft, considerable modifications appeared between 1945 and the Korean War. Strategic transport had evolved in a lightning way, mainly thanks to the Berlin airlift. Large planes entered service:the Boeing C-97, capable of crossing the Pacific at 480 km/h with 134 soldiers or more than 20 tons of cargo, and the Douglas C-124 Globemaster, carrying 200 men or even vehicles, hitherto impossible to transport by air.
The progress of the helicopter was also considerable. This aircraft, still experimental in 1945, showed itself in 1950 capable of missions that no aircraft could have carried out. It corresponded perfectly to the Korean conflict. On any terrain, he carried out tactical transport in the front area. Later, he specialized in the recovery of downed pilots, both at sea and behind enemy lines.
In the fall of 1950, Allied troops launched a general counter-offensive from Pusan , using massive air support. At the same time, marines landed at Inchon, taking the North Koreans from the rear and forming the second jaw of the pincers. This time it was the communist rout. Meanwhile, the B-29s were carrying out strategic raids against enemy industrial centers and then against cities. These effective raids — no one understood — were due to the absence of opposition in the air. Then times changed. The Allies were marching towards the trap set by the Chinese who had quietly crossed the Yalu River, the northern border of Korea. In the air, new planes appeared:especially the swept-wing MiG-15, delivered to the Chinese by the Soviets. Experienced since 1947, this fighter was quickly released on a large scale. The MiG-15 appeared in Korea on November 1, 1950. Air warfare was completely transformed.