During the execution of Rolling Thunder, there were a number of clashes between US and Chinese aircraft over the South China Sea. The Chinese
played a key role in NVAF fighter operations, and in addition to providing training and aircraft, they allowed the North Vietnamese to intercept US
aircraft directly from their own bases during the intense air battles of mid-1967. American intelligence had, by that stage, ascertained that Chinese
early warning radars (including those on the island of Hainan) were 'netted in' to North Vietnamese air defense system. China set up massive AAA
defenses in North Vietnam from 1965-1968. Pre-emptying this overt assistance to its beleaguered neighbor, the Chinese had drawn blood on 9 April 1965
by claiming the first US Navy air-to-air loss of the war. An f-4B from VF-96 (crewed by Lieutenant(jg) Terence M Murphy and Ensign Ronald J Fagan) was
lost in combat with four J-5s (Chinese-built MiG-17s) of the 8th Naval Air Division. Murphy and Fagan claimed one J-5 (hit with an AIM-7) as the first
US kill of the war, but this is not confirmed by Chinese sources. Flying from USS Ranger on a high-altitude BarCap near Hainan Island at the time of
the engagement, both crew were lost. Reports emanating from China soon after the action stated that the Phantom II was hit by a misdirected AIM-9
fired from another VF-96 jet. Chairmen Mao then ordered the best Chinese air units to the Vietnamese border.
Chinese fighters also destroyed two USAF F-104Cs in separate incidents later that year when the Lockheed jets, operating out of Da Nang, clashed with
J-5s over the South China Sea. The Communists claimed kills on 20 September (reportedly confirmed by the USAF at the time) and 5 October 1965,
although postwar Air Force records admitted no air-to-air losses for the F-104C - the three reportedly lost to AAA in 1965 may include these two
'Chinese' kills. The Americans did manage to strike back on 12 May 1966: an F-4C crew from the 390th TFS shot down a Chinese J-5, supposedly over
North Vietnam. The Chinese claimed that it was on a training flight over Yunnan province and they filed a diplomatic protest. Chinese fighters
operated over North Vietnam on several occasions during 1966 but saw no combat. However, they did intercept some US aircraft on ferrying missions from
the Philippines to Vietnam. A US Navy KA-3B tanker (on 12 April 1966) and a USAF F-4C (on 26 June 1967) were reportedly shot down in this way.
The Chinese claimed to have downed an additional three US aircraft (and damaged two others) during this period, with the last confirmed kill of the
war according to US records being an A-1H Skyraider of VA-25 that was shot down on 14 February 1968 - its pilot, Lieutenant(jg) J P Dunn, was posted
as MIA. Total Chinese claims were 12 shot down and four damaged as a result of 2,138 sorties.
Improved relations between the US and China helped prevent any clashes when air strikes resumed in 1972. These skirmishes provide another example of
the type of 'quasi-war' often fought against fighters of neighboring powers during regional conflicts (US and Soviet aircraft also traded shots
during the Korean War).
Well this isnt the
kill list but still is intressing to read.
And here is a unrelated picture with a "vivid" caption:
external image
The weapon is 76-85mm heavy AA cannon. Most likely "85mm AA gun model 1944"
"Over the last month, taking new steps in their escalation in order to save themselves from their disastrous situation and impasse in South
Vietnam the U. S. aggressors have put into practice the so-called "rolling thunder plan" by carrying out repeated ferocious attacks against many
North Vietnamese localities, among which Haiphong has been one of their main objectives.
They have wantonly bombed many populous quarters and economic establishments inside and outside the City. But they have met with a dense network of
anti-aircraft fire of the army and people of Haiphong and have been duly punished.
Over the past forty days Haiphong has grown in strength in the fight and won victorious victories. From April 26, 1967 to October 11, 1967 the army
and people of Haiphong shot down 161 U.S. airplanes and killed or captured many U.S. pilots."
And i am not to blame for the typos in the caption,
but is the Vietnamese propaganda masterminds of 60s that are to blame.
[Edited on 9-9-2003 by FULCRUM]
I do not ask money from people that have looked at this.. 
