List of aircraft shootdowns

This is a list of aircraft shootdowns, dogfights and other incidents during wars since World War II. An aircraft shootdown occurs when an aircraft is struck by a projectile launched or fired from another aircraft or from the ground (anti-aircraft warfare) which causes the targeted aircraft to lose its ability to continue flying normally, and then subsequently crashing into land or sea, often resulting in severe injury or death of the occupants on board. This list does not cover aircraft destroyed during the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or Gulf War.

Military aircraft Cold War (1945–1991) 9 August 1946 – A USAAF Douglas C-47 Skytrain was shot down by two Yugoslav Yakovlev Yak-3s over Slovenia, northern Yugoslavia and crash landed. All crew and passengers survived. 19 August 1946 – A USAAF Douglas C-47 Skytrain was shot down by a Yugoslav Yakovlev Yak-3 over Slovenia, northern Yugoslavia. All five crew killed. 9 February 1948 – Two Turkish Supermarine Spitfires were shot down by Bulgarian small arms fire. 27 October 1948 – An Italian Lockheed P-38 Lightning was shot down over Yugoslavia. 8 April 1950 – A US Navy PB4Y-2 Privateer of VP-26 which had departed from Wiesbaden, West Germany was shot down during a patrol mission over the Baltic by four Soviet Air Force La-11 "Fangs" off of Liepāja, Latvia. 9 August 1950 – A PLAAF Tu-2 "Bat" was shot down near Shanghai by a Soviet pilot that mistook it for a B-25 Mitchell. 4 September 1950 – A US Navy F4U-4B Corsair from the carrier USS Valley Forge shot down a Soviet Naval Aviation Douglas A-20 over the Yellow Sea, southeast of Port Arthur Naval Base. 4 December 1950 – A USAF RB-45C Tornado was shot down by a Soviet Air Force MiG-15 "Fagot" east of Andong, China. 26 December 1950 – A USAF RB-29 Superfortress was shot down by two Soviet Air Force MiG-15 "Fagots". 13 October 1951 – An Italian Lockheed P-38 Lightning was shot down over Yugoslavia. 6 November 1951 – A US Navy P2V-3W Neptune of VP-6 was shot down by a Soviet Air Force La-11 "Fang" over the Sea of Japan near Vladivostok. 13 June 1952 – A USAF RB-29 Superfortress was shot down by Soviet Air Force MiG-15 "Fagots" over the Sea of Japan near Soviet coastline. Catalina affair (13 June 1952) 7 October 1952 – A USAF RB-29 Superfortress was shot down by two Soviet Air Force La-11 "Fangs" over the Kuril Islands. 29 November 1952 – A Civil Air Transport C-47 Skytrain operated by CIA was shot down over Jilin Province, China. Air battle over Merklín (10 March 1953) Avro Lincoln shootdown incident (12 March 1953) 27 January 1954 – An engagement over the Yellow Sea between eight Chinese PLAAF MiG-15 "Fagots" and a flight of USAF F-86 Sabres escorting an RB-45 Tornado ends in the downing of one of the attacking MiG-15 by first lieutenant Bertram Beecroft. 26 July 1954 – Off Hainan island two PLAAF La-11 "Fangs" attack two USN AD-4 Skyraiders from VF-54 launched off the USS Philippine Sea (CV 47) while they are searching for survivors of the Cathay Pacific DC-4 shot down by the PLAAF four days earlier. Under attack, pilots William Alexander and John Zarious were soon aided by more AD-4 Skyraiders of their own squadron as well as one F4U-5N of VC-3. One Lavochkin was downed by two AD-4 piloted by Roy Tatham and Richard Cooks, the other by F4U pilot Edgar Salsig and AD-4 pilots John Damien, John Rochford, Paul Wahlstrom and Richard Ribble. 5 February 1955 – 60 km west of Pyongyang over the Yellow Sea an RB-45 Tornado of the 91st Strategic reconnaissance squadron escorted by eight USAF F-86 Sabres found themselves under attack by twelve KPAF MiG-15 "Fagots", the engagement resulted in the downing of two of the attacking Mikoyan by Sabre pilots Charles Salmon and George Williams. 17 April 1955 – A USAF RB-47E Stratojet of the 4th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron took off from Eielson AFB and was later shot down off Kamchatka by two Soviet MiG-15 "Fagots" flown by Korotkov and Sazhinwith. All crew of Lacie C. Neighbors, Robert N. Brooks and Richard E. Watkins Jr are reported missing presumed dead. 10 May 1955 – Over the Yellow Sea eighty kilometers southwest of Sinuiju a group of eight USAF F-86 Sabres finds itself under attack by twelve PLAAF MiG-15 "Fagots", pilot Xizhong Ni claims the downing of one Sabre. USAF pilots Robert Fulton and Burt Phythyon each claim to have downed a MiG themselves. 18 August 1955 – After accidentally flying above the Korean Demilitarized Zone, a USAF LT-6 Texan Trainer was downed by North Korean ground fire killing the pilot and observer on board. 1 September 1955 – Two Egyptian de Havilland Vampires were shot down by an Israeli Gloster Meteor. 12 April 1956 – An Egyptian de Havilland Vampire was shot down by an Israeli Dassault Ouragan. 23 June 1956 – A ROCAF RB-17G Flying Fortress of the Air Force Special Mission Group, flown by Yeh Cheng-min, was shot down by PLAAF MiG-17 "Fresco" over Jiangxi Province, China, killing all 11 crew members onboard. 10 April 1959 – 1959 Canberra shootdown 1 May 1960 – U-2 shootdown incident 26 August 1960 – An Indian Air Force Dakota DC-3 registered HJ233 trying to drop relief materials and ammunitions to a besieged post was shot down by the Naga Army. All on board were captured alive and were later released unharmed. 4 March 1961 – A Cuban Liberation Air Force Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan was shot down by a Cuban Revolutionary Air Force Lockheed T-33 over the sea. All crew recovered by friendly ship. (2) 16 August 1962 – two Turkish Air Force F-84F Thunderstreaks shot down two Iraqi Air Force Il-28 "Beagle" bombers that crossed the Turkish border by mistake during a bombing operation against Iraqi Kurdish insurgents. 27 October 1962 – in the morning, a U-2F (the third CIA U-2A, modified for air-to-air refueling) piloted by USAF Major Rudolf Anderson, departed its forward operating location at McCoy AFB, Florida. At approximately 12:00 pm EDT, the aircraft was struck by a S-75 Dvina (NATO designation SA-2 Guideline) surface-to-air missile launched from Cuba. The aircraft was shot down, and Anderson was killed. 17 May 1963 – A US Army OH-23 Raven helicopter was shot down over the Korean DMZ. 28 January 1964 – 1964 T-39 shootdown incident 15 April 1969 – 1969 EC-121 shootdown incident 28 November 1973 – Soviet MiG-21 pilot Captain Gennadii N. Eliseev was killed after ramming an IIAF RF-4C intruding into Soviet airspace on behalf of CIA Project Dark Gene. The Iranian aircraft was flown by IIAF Major Shokouhnia, and USAF Colonel John Saunders was in the rear seat. Both ejected and were captured by Soviet authorities. 16 July 1975 – 1975 An-2 shootdown incident (2) 21 June 1978 – 1978 Iranian Chinook shootdown 14 September 1983 – a pair of Turkish Air Force F-100F Super Sabre fighter jets of 182 Filo "Atmaca" penetrated Iraqi airspace. A Mirage F-1EQ of the Iraqi Air Force intercepted the flight and fired a Super 530F-1 missile at them. One of the Turkish fighter jets (s/n 56-3903) was shot down and crashed in Zakho valley near the Turkish-Iraqi border. The plane's pilots reportedly survived the crash and were returned to Turkey. The incident was not made public by either side, although some details surfaced in later years. The incident was revealed in 2012 by Turkish Defence Minister İsmet Yılmaz, in response to a parliamentary question by Republican People's Party (CHP) MP Metin Lütfi Baydar in the aftermath of the downing of a Turkish F-4 Phantom II in Syria, in 2012. 25 May 1982 – 1982 Royal Air Force Jaguar shootdown incident (2) In 1988, Soviet MiG-23MLDs using R-23s downed two Iranian AH-1J Cobras that had intruded into Afghan airspace. 21 October 1989 – a Turkish land registry BN-2 Islander photographic mapping plane was shot down by a Syrian Air Force MiG-21bis, piloted by Hussam Mezien. All four on board died in the crash.

Indonesian National Revolution (1945–1949) 17 December 1945 – An RAF Republic Thunderbolt Mk II was shot down by anti-aircraft fire during a tactical reconnaissance over Surabaya, East Java. The pilot bailed out and captured by Indonesian authorities. 4 May 1946 – An ML-KNIL Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crash landed in Surabaya, East Java. 14 May 1947 – An MLD Fairey Firefly was shot down by anti-aircraft fire during a reconnaissance over Mount Anjasmoro, East Java. The pilot was killed and the observer was captured by Indonesian forces. 21 July 1947 – An MLD Fairey Firefly was hit by ground fire during a close air support mission and crash landed in Pasuruan, East Java. The pilot was killed. 21 July 1947 – An ML-KNIL North American B-25 Mitchell was shot down by ground fire over Palembang, South Sumatra, killing all five crew. 23 July 1947 – An ML-KNIL Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was hit by anti-aircraft fire over Maguwo and crash landed near Boyolali, Central Java. The pilot was killed. 4 August 1947 – An MLD Fairey Firefly was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Madura near Surabaya, East Java. The pilot was killed. 22 December 1948 – An ML-KNIL Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was shot down by ground fire over Magelang, Central Java. The pilot was killed. 26 January 1949 – An RNLAF Taylorcraft Auster was shot down by ground fire during a reconnaissance over Tasikmalaya, West Java, killing all two crew.

Greek Civil War (1946-1949)

10 May 1948 – A North American T-6 Texan from the Royal Hellenic Air Force was shot down by ground fire over Grevena Province. Both crew killed. 22 January 1949 – A USAF North American T-6 Texan was shot down by Communist guerrillas over Greece killing the pilot.

Internal conflict in Myanmar (1948–present) 20 January 1949 – A Burmese Air Force Auster AOP.5 was shot down by insurgents in Pantanaw, killing two. 15 April 1953 – A Burmese Air Force Douglas C-47 was shot down by ROC Army in Burma, killing twelve. 20 September 1958 – A Burmese Air Force Hawker Sea Fury was shot down by Karen rebels during ground attack mission near Papun, pilot killed. 15 February 1961 – A ROCAF PB4Y-2 Privateer carrying supplies for the ROC Army in Burma was shot down by a Burmese Air Force Hawker Sea Fury near Mae Sai, Thailand near the border with Burma. date unknown, 1978 – A Burmese Air Force de Havilland Vampire was shot down by rebels during ground attack mission in northern Burma. 29 August 1997 – A Royal Thai Army Bell 206B-3 JetRanger either crashed or was shot down by Myanmar Army within a small Myanmar territory which juts into Thailand, south of the Thai city of Mae Sot, six killed. 4 January 2012 – A Myanmar Air Force Mi-2 was shot down by Kachin Independence Army rebels and crashed at a paddy field in Momauk Township, pilot killed. 11 January 2013 – A Mi-35P either crashed or was shot down by Kachin Independence Army rebels south of Myitkyina, killing three. 3 May 2021 – A Myanmar Air Force Mi-35 was shot down by the Kachin Independence Army in Momauk Township, hit by a MANPADS during air raids involving attack helicopters and fighter jets. A video emerged showing the helicopter being hit while flying over a village.Rebels shoot down Myanmar military helicopter, 3 May 2021 13 February 2023 – A Myanmar Air Force Mi-17 was shot down by People's Defence Force rebels in Homalin Township. 30 June 2023 – A Myanmar Air Force Hongdu K-8 was shot down by Karenni National People's Liberation Front rebels in Bawlakhe Township, two killed. 11 November 2023 – A Myanmar Air Force Hongdu K-8 either crashed or was shot down by Karenni Nationalities Defence Force rebels in Hpruso Township.

First Arab–Israeli War (1948–1949) 15 May 1948 – An Egyptian Supermarine Spitfire was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Sde Dov Airport. (6) 22 May 1948 – An RAF Douglas Dakota was intercepted and shot down by an Egyptian Spitfire. Four Egyptian Supermarine Spitfires were shot down by RAF Spitfires over Ramat David Airbase. Another Egyptian Spitfire was shot down by anti-aircraft fire.