이 연구는 6·25전쟁 중 한국의 독자적인 공군력 증강 노력을 다룬다. 정부수립 이후 한국의 공군력 건설 정책은 ‘先 인력양성, 後 전력도입’에 중심을 두고 있었다. 그래서 육군항공사관학교를 창설하고 공군을 육군으로부터 독립시켰다. 1949년에 한국정부는 전국적인 ‘애국기헌납운동’을 전개하여 그 기금으로 AT-6 10대를 구입했다.
6·25전쟁이 발발하자 비행훈련의 부족으로 항공기 손실이 심화되고, 항공기 손실 때문에 비행훈련이 제한되는 악순환이 시작되었다. 한국은 공군력 확충을 위한 헌납운동을 다시 추진했다. 1951년 7월부터 이듬해 4월까지 진행된 헌납운동은 전시 상황에서 모금액 목표를 달성하는 데 실패했지만, 중요한 역사적 의의가 있다. 군사원조의주체였던 미국 측에 한국의 결의를 전달하는 계기가 되었고, 6·25전쟁 말기 공군 전력 증강의 청사진이었던 '3개년 계획' 수립에 자극을 주었다. 무엇보다 이 운동은 한국이 공군력을 건설하고 확충하려 했던 자주적 노력의 지속성을 보여준다.
This research deals with the voluntary effort of the R.O.K Air Force to increase its airpower during the Korean War. The major policy of the Korean government for building its airpower since its establishment in 1948 was "cultivating human resources first, procuring aircraft next". The Korean government asked U.S.A. a series of military aids after having obtained human resources and organizations through the establishment of the Army Aviational Academy(later Air Force Academy) and the R.O.K. Air Force in 1949. However, the Korean government first had to procure ten AT-6 aircraft through a national fundraising movement between 1949 and 1950 in order to train airmen properly. With the outbreak of the Korean War, the strengthening of airpower became an urgent business. Poor training of aircrew increased the rate of aircraft losses, and the increased loss of aircraft in turn worsened the condition of training of aircrews. Under such circumstances, the Korean government, most notably its Air Force, again resorted to a national fundraising movement for the procurement of aircraft. The movement lasted from July 1951 to April 1952 was not successful in bearing fruit in substantially increasing its airpower as it failed to meet the target. Nevertheless, it played a significant role in the Korean history of airpower during the war. The movement was quite enough to demonstrate to the American officials the Korean determination to strengthen their airpower. Furthermore it assumed a crucial role in drawing up the "Three Year Plan of Korean Air Force", a blueprint for its further strengthening of airpower. Above all, the movement fully demonstrated the Korean voluntary effort to arm their militaries without solely resorting to the American aid.