DETLEF BILLIG COLLECTION
No. 8683. Seoul National University Buhwal (1007) Republic of Korea Air Force
Photographed at the War Memorial of Korea, Seoul, South Korea, April 9, 2006, by Detlef Billig

Seoul National University Buhwal

02/28/2009. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Lee Won-bok designed the Buhwal (Resurrection) observation and liaison aircraft in April 1953. The first indigenous Korean aircraft was completed by Lee Won-bok and personnel of the aerospace engineering department at Seoul National University in October 1953. Flown the same month, it was christened Buhwal by former President Syngman Rhee in early 1954. Some years later the aircraft was stored at Kyeongsang Technical High School in Daegu and forgotten.

In 1964 Lee Won-bok started the search for the Buhwal, finally to be found forty years later, after an article was published in the Korean leading news paper 'JoongAng Ilbo' in 2004. Subsequently it was restored to its original form by Lee Won-bok and personnel of the RoKAF Technical School. Initially displayed at the War Memorial of Korea, presently the aircraft is displayed at the RoKAF Academy museum in Cheongwon County, North Chungcheong."


Created February 28, 2009