Lê Thanh Đạo Explained
Lê Thanh Đạo (born 1944) was a MiG-21 pilot of the Vietnamese People's Air Force. He flew with the 921st and 927th fighter regiment and tied for fourth place amongst Vietnam War fighter aces with six kills.[1]
The following victories include the kills that are known to be credited to him by the VPAF:[2] [3]
- 18 December 1971, a USAF F-4D (serial number 06-241, 555th Tactical Fighter Wing, pilot Johnson, WSO Vaughan, POWs);
- 10 May 1972, a USN F-4J (pilot Blackburn (MIA-KIA),[4] RIO Rudloff (POW), US claims AAA);[5]
- 12 June 1972, an F-4 Phantom (US does not confirm);
- 24 July 1972, an F-4 Phantom (US does not confirm);
- 24 July 1972, Firebee (shared);
- 9 September 1972, an F-4 Phantom (US does not confirm);
- 11 September 1972, a USAF F-4E (pilot Ratzlaff, WSO Heeren, POWs);
- 1 October 1972, an F-4 Phantom (US does not confirm).
See also
References
- Gordon, Yefim MiG-21, Midland Publishing 2008.
- http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_245.shtml Vietnamese Air-to-Air Victories, Part 1
- http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_246.shtml Vietnamese Air-to-Air Victories, Part 2
- Web site: Vietnam Air Losses Search Results . 2022-05-31 . www.vietnamairlosses.com . Both crew were seen to eject and to land only about 100 yards apart. Lt Rudloff was temporarily blinded during the incident and was taken to the Hanoi Hilton but he had no further direct contact with his pilot... A report that Cdr Blackburn committed suicide by swallowing a cyanide pill circulated after the prisoners returned from Hanoi, but this seems fanciful and cannot be substantiated. His remains were handed over by the Vietnamese government on 10 April 1986 and positively identified in November of that year..
- Web site: US Losses in the Vietnam War . 2012-01-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120331182753/http://mysite.verizon.net/anneled/usloss.html . 2012-03-31 . dead .
Bibliography
- Book: Toperczer, Istvan. MiG Aces of the Vietnam War. 2015. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.. USA. 978-0-7643-4895-2.
