North American F-86 Sabre

From The Air Combat Wiki

Contents 1 Historical Data 2 History 2.1 Early Prototypes 2.2 FJ-1 Fury 2.3 XP-86 and XF-86 Prototypes 2.4 Early F-86A Sabre 2.5 F-86B 2.6 F-86C/YF-93 2.7 F-86D Sabre 2.8 F-86A Developments 2.9 F-86E Sabre 2.10 RF-86A Sabre 2.11 FJ-2 Fury 2.12 F-86F Sabre 2.13 TF-86F Sabre Trainer 2.14 RF-86F Sabre 2.15 FJ-3 Fury 2.16 F-86H Sabre 2.17 FJ-4 Fury 2.18 F-86K Sabre 2.19 F-86L Sabre 2.20 Canadair Sabres 2.21 Commonwealth Sabres 3 Individual Model Data 3.1 FJ-1 Fury 3.2 F-86A Sabre 3.3 F-86C/YF-93 3.4 F-86D Sabre 3.5 F-86E Sabre 3.6 FJ-2 Fury 3.7 F-86F Sabre 3.8 RF-86F Sabre 3.9 F-86H Sabre 3.10 FJ-3 Fury 3.11 F-86K Sabre 3.12 FJ-4 Fury 3.13 F-86L Sabre 3.14 Canadair CL-13B Sabre Mk. 6 3.15 Commonwealth CA-27 Sabre 4 Sources

Historical Data

Country: United States of America

Type/Role: Fighter, All-weather Interceptor, Fighter-Bomber, Nuclear Bomber, and Photo Reconnaissance

Manufacturer: North American Aviation, Inc.

Factories: Inglewood, CA; Fresno, CA; Cartierville, Quebec (Canadair); ??? (Commonwealth); ??? (Mitsubishi); ??? (Fiat)

Company Designation: NA-140

Militry Designations: F-86A, RF-86A, F-86C/YF-93, F-86D, F-86E, F-86F, RF-86F, F-86H, F-86K, F-86L, CL-13 Sabre Mk. 2, CL-13 Sabre Mk. 4, CL-13A Sabre Mk. 5, CL-13B Sabre Mk. 6, CA-27 Sabre Mk. 30, CA-27 Sabre Mk. 31, and CA-27 Sabre Mk. 32

First Flight: 25 April 1948

Service Date: February 1949

History

Early Prototypes

During 1943 North American Aviation (NAA) made a Confidential Design Group proposal for several jet powered fighter designs. One of the designs involved adding a jet engine to a P-51D and giving it forward swept wings to improve speed. However, this proposal went nowhere and the Ryan FR-1 Fireball became the transition combined piston and jet-powered design.

FJ-1 Fury

Another of the proposals was for a jet fighter based largely on the P-51 planeform. This design was selected by the US Navy as the XFJ-1 Fury and a contract was issued on 1 January 1945 for three prototypes followed by 100 production fighters. The XFJ-1 was powered by the General Electric J35-GE-2 axial flow turbojet producing 3,820 lbs thrust (lbst).

The XFJ-1 was NAA's first use of a gas turbine engine and was fitted with air scoops on the sides of the fuselage, like those used on the P-80 Shooting Star and XF9F Panther, and the first XFJ-1 flew on 27 November 1946. The production FJ-1 Fury switched to the slightly more powerful Allison J35-A-2 engine, which produced 4,000 lbst and was armed like the P-51 with six .50 caliber machine guns in the wings.

With performance of the FJ-1 below that of the wartime Me-262 the Navy cut back the order from 100 to 30 production fighters. The FJ-1 made its first carrier landing on 10 March 1948 and became the jet fighter to operate from a carrier when VF-5A (later renamed VF-51) converted to the Fury. However, its service life was a short 14 months before it was relegated to reserve and training duties.

XP-86 and XF-86 Prototypes

The orignal XP-86 design (internal designation NA-140) was very similar to the XFJ-1 with a straight wing and tailplane, but it had a longer and thinner fuselage and a single air intake in the nose rather than scoops on the fuselage sides. Powered by the 3,820 lbst General Electric J35 (TG-180) engine, wind tunnel testing showed a maximum speed of 575 mph, far below the specifications required by the Army Air Force.

At about this time NAA's Head of Design Aerodynamics, Larry Green, was engaged to help translate captured German documents. Among the documents he translated was wind tunnel data that showed the use of swept wings delayed compressibility drag in the transonic range. Harrison Storms, one of the NAA Engineers on the XP-86 project, studied Green's translations and figured that a swept wing would improve the XP-86's top speed by about 75 mph.

Wind tunnel tests on the swept wing showed that that the design reduced drag and increased lift at high-speeds, but it came at the expense of low-speed handling. Further examination of the translated German research documents showed that the use of leading edge slats (aka LES or slats), which were used on the Bf-109, would improve handling when extended at low-speeds.

After his research into the German data, Storm designed a new wing for the XP-86, which used a 35 degree sweep for speed and full-span slats for handling. NAA built a mockup of the wing and fitted it to the XP-86 mockup. Tests in a low-speed wind tunnel revealed that it had satisfactory low-speed stall characteristics and that it would have an estimated top speed of 650 mph.

The USAAF authorized the design on 20 November 1945, but the design research delayed the project and the first prototype (45-59597) rolled out of NAA's Ingelwood plant on 8 August 1947. The XP-86 prototype incorporated two major new structural innovations. The first was the use of tapered skinning for reduced drag and the second was the use of a double-skinned wing construction, which acted as an exoskeleton, which gave more open space in the wings for fuel tanks.

The XP-86 prototype was equipped with three speed brakes, one on each side of the fuselage and a large one under the fuselage. These could be opened at any speed, even above Mach One during a dive. The plane was fitted with a tricycle landing gear, with the nose wheel rotating 90 degrees before retracting to lie flat within the bottom of the fuselage. All controls, including the nose-wheel steering controls, were hydraulically boosted.

During the lengthy ground testing phase, the US Air Force was formed and the prototype's designation was changed from XP-86 to XF-86. It first took to the air on 1 October 1947 at Muroc Lake (later Edwards AFB) with NAA test pilot George "Wheaties" Welch in the cockpit.

The XF-86 was described as a "pilot's aircraft", a natural flying plane that if it ever got out of control, all a pilot had to do was release the stick and, if he had enough altitude, it would stabilize itself. Additionally, the pilot's view from the cockpit was nearly perfect.

Although low-speed handling was improved with the LES, which typically opened below 205 mph, if a wing ever lost lift on take-off the low-power output of the J35 would cause the plane to wobble back and forth on the exhaust plume before pancaking into the ground in what was described as the "Sabre Dance".

One of the prototypes was re-engined with the new General Electric J47-GE-3 engine, which produced 5,200 lbst at 7950 rpm, a 36% increase in available thrust. After initial flight tests, this prototype was flown through the sound barrier by Welch on 25 April 1948. Like the Mustang before it, the addition of a new engine had turned an average fighter into a one of the best fighters in the world and the USAF decided to issue a contract for production 221 F-86A Sabres.

Early F-86A Sabre

The first production F-86A-1 flew on 20 May 1948 and was much like the J47 powered prototype with a few minor modifications. The under-fuselage speed brake was deleted and the orientation of the fuselage mounted speed brakes was reversed so that they opening was to the rear instead of forward as it had been on the prototypes. The insides of the dive brake doors were painted Interior Green (FS34151).

The F-86A-1 was armed with six Browning .50 cal machine guns in the nose, three on each side of the fuselage. The M3 model of the Browning was capable of a 1200 round per minute rate of fire and the guns were equipped with 300 rounds of ammunition each, sufficient for 15 seconds of fire. The guns were charged on the ground and were typically boresighted to a distance of 1200 feet.

Each of the 69 lb guns were staggered so that the feeds from the ammunition trays did not need to bend more than a few degrees. The spent ammunition casings were dumped into a bin, which was accessed through a door in the rear of the nose gear bay. The 300 rounds of .50 cal ammunition for each gun were held in removable cans in the bottom quarter of the fuselage, just in front of and below the wing root. A fuselage door swung down to allow access to the ammunition cans and doubled as a step into the cockpit.

The cockpit could be entered from either side and the normal procedure was to lower the ammunition bay door to act as the first step. A retractible handle on the fuselage side allowed the pilot to pull himself up so he could step onto the wing root with his second step. He would then put his forward foot into a small hardpoint inside the fuselage, which was covered by a small square, spring-loaded door. From there he could swing his rear leg over the fuselage side and into the cockpit.

The cockpit was equipped with an ejection seat with armor plating behind the seat to protect the pilot and ejection mechanism. The cockpit was pressurized and the pressure regulator was located on the port rear corner of the canopy frame. A rear view mirror was mounted to the inside of the canopy top and helped augment rear visibility. The RDF antenna was placed inside the cockpit to eliminate the drag it would have caused if placed outside. One flaw was that, depite defrosting equipment, the rear of the canopy would tend to fog over at high altitudes.

The F-86A-1 used the same Sperry Mk 18 gun sight that was used on the P-51D Mustang. Unlike the Mustang's installation, the gunsight was tied to the AN/APG-5C ranging radar in the nose, which automatically adjusted the sight to compensate for target distance. The nose ring was made of fiberglass and was either left natural brown or painted silver. A gun camera was mounted in the lower center of the nose ring, behind a small rectangular opening.

The F-86 was designed for ease of maintenance and numerous doors and removable panels allowed access to almost everything that needed to be maintained in the field. For example, the radio could be replaced within about 5 minutes. The rear fuselage was attached to the front fuselage/wing structure with 4 hardened bolts and was removed to allow free access to the engine. The ammo boxes could even be loaded without being removed from the plane, though this was rarely done.

A pair of landing lights were located under the nose, which rotated down and forward for operation. The flaps were electrically operated and were returned to 0 deg after landing. Electric power on the ground was supplied with a cart through the power connector situated above the trailing edge of the port wing, just in front of the port side main fuel tank filler cap.

The main fuel tank was located in the lower portion of the aft fuselage section and a second main fuel tank filler cap was located on the starboard side. The data case was also accessed through a panel on the port side of the fuselage, just in front of the speed brake. A fuel jettison pipe was located on the lower port quarter of the fuselage, just in front of the tail pipe.

Only 33 F-86A-1s were built, almost all being used for testing and experimental purposes. One of these was flown by Major Robert L Johnson on 15 September 1948 when he set a new World's Speed Record of 670.98 mph.

The F-86A-5 was the first version considered by the USAF to be combat capable fighter and was the first to be assigned to combat units. It used an armored V-shaped windscreen in place of the earlier rounded version and added heating to the gun compartments to prevent freezing at high-altitudes.

The F-86A-5 was the first to be equipped with hard points for underwing ordnance and/or fuel tanks. The two main pylons could carry either a 500 lb M43 or a 1000 lb M64A1 bomb each. Rather than bombs, the Sabre could carry either 120-gal Combat fuel tanks or 206.5-gal Ferry tanks. The Ferry tanks, which were fitted to each Sabre delivered during 1949, caused buffeting at high speeds and thus top speed was limited to 0.8 Mach when carrying Ferry tanks. The Ferry tanks gave the F-86A a total range of 1,052 miles.

The 120-gal Combat tank was flattened on the upper surface to reduce the effect of shock waves between the top of the tank and the wing at high speeds. A small pair of stabilizing fins were installed and small braces were used on the outboard side to improve lateral stability.

The A-5 model had four zero-length rocket launcher stubs under each wing to allow up to eight 5" HVAR rockets to be carried. Two HVAR rockets could be carried when the 120-gal combat tank was used, but otherwise rockets were used instead of underwing stores.

The F-86A-5 used first the -7 and later the -9 and -13 versions of the J47-GE engine. Although the newer engines did not improve power output, they were more reliable and easier to maintain than the earlier models.

The first operational unit to equip with the Sabre was the 1st Fighter Group stationed at March AFB. The 1st transitioned from F-80s to the F-86A-5 during February 1949 and were given the task of defending the Los Angeles area, which contained the NAA factories making Sabres. The second group to transition was the 4th FG at Langley, defending the capital, and the third was the 81st FG at Kirtland AFB, with the task of defending the atomic bomb plant at Alamogordo, NM. Eventually five combat groups were equipped with the F-86A-5 prior to the outbreak of the Korean War.

F-86B

The F-86B was intended to use larger wheels and tires, with heavier brakes in an effort to reduce stopping distance. The modification would have added seven inches to the fuselage width but was rendered unnecessary when tire and brake technology improved to allow the existing size wheels to achieve the desired stopping distance. The USAF had signed a letter of intent in 1947 to purchase 190 F-86Bs, but when the project was cancelled the contract was changed to produce 188 F-86As and 2 F-86C prototypes. No F-86B prototype was ever built.

F-86C/YF-93

The USAF issued a requirement for a deep-penetration fighter capable of escorting SAC bomber to Soviet targets and back and NAA decided to adapt the Sabre design to meet the task. The new design was intended to make maximum use of available engine power and employed a "wasp waist" or "coke bottle" shaped fuselage, designed to reduce drag around the transonic range. Rather than the nose air inlet, the F-86C used NACA designed air intakes, which were recessed into the fuselage, which also helped reduce drag at high-speeds.

The fuselage was 44 feet long, 6.5 feet longer than the F-86A fuselage, and was also much wider. The larger fuselage was needed to house the new Pratt & Whitney J48-P-1 engine, which produced 6000 lbst under normal operation and 8000 lbst with afterburner. Additional fuselage space was also devoted to increasing internal fuel capacity to 1,580 gallons, which gave the design a range of almost 2,000 miles and top speed of 708 mph, with a combat weight of 26,500 lbs.

A SCR-720 search radar was installed in the nose, with the antenna under a nose cone radome, and the armament consisted of six 20 mm cannons. The twin speed brakes on the fuselage sides were replaced by a single large brake under the fuselage, which was later used on the production F-100 Super Sabre.

By this point, the only structural components the F-86C has in common with the original F-86A were the wings and tail section, so the plane had been redesignated YF-93 by the time the first prototype rolled out of the factory in late 1949. The first flight was made on 24 January 1950 and two prototypes were built under the F-86B contract (serial numbers 48-317 and 48-318).

The prototype successfully competed against the Lockheed XF-90 and the McDonnel XF-88 prototypes for the penetration-fighter role and an order was placed for 188 units. However, this was cancelled six months later when the development of the B-47 and the forthcoming B-52 fighters combined sufficient speed, range and altitude to render the penetration-fighter concept obsolete.

With the cancellation of the penetration-fighter role, the two prototypes were transfered to NACA, where they were used as flight test and chase planes into the mid-1950s. NACA used the planes to conduct tests between the original flush air intakes they designed and enlarged, scoop air intakes. At the end of their service life, they were both fitted with standard, scoop air intakes and both had the rear fuselage modified to use the tailpipe and stabilizer housing of the F-86D.

F-86D Sabre

Playing their hot hand, NAA redesigned the F-86 to meet an Air Force specification for an all-weather jet-powered interceptor, intended to shoot down attacking enemy bombers at night or in adverse weather conditions. The traditional all-weather interceptor was a two-seater, but North American proposed the concept of the "one-man interceptor" using the Hughes E-3 Fire Control System.

The fire control system was designed to calculate target position data from the internal search radar system to fly an automatic intercept to the target. As the plane approached the target, the pilot would fly the final approach through the E-3 and would fire the weapons manually. The system worked well when it worked, but was complex and subject to failure.

Although guided missiles had not yet been developed, the F-86D was designed to rely on air-to-air rockets to down its targets. A retractible tray under the fuselage just aft of the nose gear bay held twenty-four 2.75 inch MIGHTY MOUSE Folding Fin Aircraft Rockets (FFARs). When the pilot pulled the trigger, the tray sprung down into the airstream and the selected number of rockets were fired straight ahead.

The Sabre Dog, as it came to be known by pilots, was initially powered by the J47-GE-17 engine, which produced 5,000 lbst under normal power and 6,650 lbst with afterburner. The fuselage was redesigned and was both wider and deeper than the F-86A fuselage. The AN/APG-30 search radar was mounted in the nose with the 30 inch dish covered by a large cone radome above the air intake.

A major innovation was the introduction of a "flying tail", in which the horizontal stabilizer and elevators were fused into a single slab, which pivoted to provide a larger control surface in a manner similar to the single-piece rudder/vertical stabilizer used on the Fokker Dr.I triplane of the first World War. The "flying tail" allowed pilots to retain normal control at transonic and supersonic speeds, where a normal elevator system would reverse control. However, the system didn't have the normal feel that pilots were accustomed to, so an artificial feedback was added.

The additional equipment and larger fuselage made the F-86D weigh in about 2,500 lbs heavier than the F-86A and by this time only about 25% of the plane was the same as the original design. Because of the vast differences with the Sabre, the USAF decided to redesignate the plane the F-95A. Two planes were built as F-95As (serial numbers 50-577 and 50-578) before they changed their mind and changed the designation back to the original F-86D.

The first YF-86D prototype flew for the first time on 22 December 1949 and the first production F-86D was accepted by the Air Force in March 1951. However, developmental difficulties delayed its introduction to squadron service until 1953. Although complex, the Sabre Dog was fast, posting a new World Speed Record twice within about eight months, as Capt. Slade Nash posted and official speed of 698.5 mph in November 1952 and LtCol William Barnes bested it in July 1953 with an official 715.6 mph.

The prototype used a standard sliding canopy, but the production F-86D-1 was fitted with a canopy that hinged at the rear and swung up and back with the aid of hydraulic boosters. As with the day fighter Sabre, the F-86D saw many minor improvements in each production block. One of the first changes was upgrading the Hughes Fire Control System to the newer, more reliable E-4 version in the F-86D-5. The E-4 was designed to steer the plane on an intercept approaching from the target's side, instead of the more traditional tail-chase intercept, which was more vulnerable to defensive gunfire.

The F-86D-25 was the first Sabre Dog to have wet-points under the wings so that it could carry drop tanks and the radar was upgraded to the newer AN/APG-37 omin-directional radar in the F-86D-35 series. Engine power was improved in the F-86D-40 with the use of the upgraded J47-GE-17B producing 5,425 lbst under normal conditions and 7,500 lbst with afterburner engaged.

The F-86D-45 series added a drag chute mounted to the fuselage above the tail pipe to help reduce the landing distance so that it could operate from shorter runways. The final series was the F-86D-60, which utilized the J47-GE-33 engine producing 5,550 lbst under normal operation and 7,650 hp with afterburner.

When production ceased in September 1955 a total of 2,504 F-86Ds had been built, making it the most numerous Sabre type produced. The Sabre Dog served alongside the Lockheed F-94 Starfire and the Northrop F-89 Scorpion as a front-line interceptor in Europe and the Far East. Additionally, the F-86D equipped the Sabre Knights of the 325th FIS based at Hamilton AFB,CA, who served as the official aerobatic display team of the Air Defense Command in the mid-1950s, flying at air shows around the country.

In 1958 the F-86D was phased out of active USAF service and many ex-USAF aircraft were transferred to allied countries under the Mutual Defense Assistance Pact (MDAP). The Danish air force received 56, Japan got 114, Greece got 50, the Philippines received 18, 130 were sent to Yugoslavia, and an unknown number were sent to South Korea and Nationalist China. The last F-86D was finally withdrawn from active service in 1974 by Yugoslavia.

F-86A Developments

When war broke out in Korea the MiG-15 surprised Western experts in outclassing everything in the Far East Air Force (FEAF) inventory. It was a full 75 mph faster than the F-80C Shooting Star then serving in the front-line fighter role, so Air Force commanders decided to commit the Sabre into combat. The 4th FG and their F-86A-5s were packed aboard Navy ships and sent directly to Korea.

After arriving in Korea they were based at K-14 (Kimpo AB) on 13 December 1950 and it was discovered that salt water had gotten to the planes and most had to be grounded for maintenance. However, seven Sabres were serviceable and two days later the 336th FIS flew an uneventful first mission. On the 17th they saw their first action when Baker flight, led by LtCol Bruce Hinton, jumped a flight of MiGs near Sinuiju. In the skirmish that followed Hinton bagged one of the MiGs for the first of 792 Sabre victories over MiG-15s, at a cost of only 78 F-86s.

Operations in Korea resulted in numerous official and field modifications that improved the plane's performance and/or maintainability. The plane had been equipped with electrically operated doors that covered the gun ports and reduced drag. They operated automatically and could open in 0.05 seconds whenever the guns were fired.

However, in Korea the gun port doors had a tendancy to freeze shut at high-altitudes, leaving pilots unable to fire their guns. To solve the problem in the field, crew chiefs deactivated the door mechanisms and wired the doors open. When the report reached NAA, the doors were immediately removed from last batch of A-5 models and all subsequent planes.

Because of the extreme weather conditions, Sabres in Korea were always kept fully fueled to retard condensation. Ground crew in Korea discovered that adding small metal tabs, known as "mice", to the inside of the tailpipe opening would increase the exhaust temperature and would eke an additional 2 mph out of the Sabre.

Prior to missions, a ground crewman would wipe an oily rag over the gun ports and the gun blast panel. The thin oily film would catch gun residue, preventing it from building up along the sides of the fuselage and also serving as a ready visual indicator of which planes had fired their guns as they landed as taxiied into position. The oil and any residue was immediately cleaned off after each mission.

Most F-86s in USAF service had a natural finish and it was feared that the higher flying MiGs would be able to spot the glint off of the polished surfaces of lower flying Sabres. As an experiment several F-86As were painted olive drab on their upper surfaces, but it not only made the plane more visible than before, but it reduced the top speed of the plane by about 20 mph.

The Mk. 18 gunsight proved itself incapable of properly dealing with the high-speed combat and it was upgraded, along with the ranging radar. The new fire control system used the A-1CM gunsight linked to the AN/APG-30 radar mounted in the nose. The APG-30 had a theoretical range of 3000 yards, but was rarely able to lock onto a target at that range.

When used for short-range ground attack missions, 1000 lb bombs were normally carried. However, strikes into MiG Alley were usually done with the smaller 500 lb bombs.

The nose wheel on early Sabres was an open, six-spoked Bendix wheel, fitted with a six-ply high-pressure tire. This was later replaced with a closed, twelve-spoke Clevelenad AN-W-6 unit, which eliminated the possibility of mud caking up in the wheel on unfinished fields.

With the addition of the 51st FG at K-13 (Suwon) drop tanks were starting to get used faster than they were being made in the States. It was not unknown for a unit to use more than 100 drop tanks in a single day of heavy combat. While production of the standard combat tank was being increased, the 120-gal combat tanks for the F-80 were adapted for use on the F-86 by adding 17 inch tail fins and adding new mounting points.

Known as the Misawa tanks because they were modified in Misawa, Japan, they had poor separation characteristics at high speeds, with a tendancy to ride up and damage the LES if the pilot was not careful. To remind pilots when they had Misawa tanks installed, they were typically painted olive drab, while standard tanks were left in their natural metal finish.

When the final F-86A-5 was accepted in December 1950, the USAF had accepted a total of 554 F-86As at a cost of $178,408 each.

F-86E Sabre

The addition of the "flying tail" from the F-86D to the F-86A-5 production line caused the Air Force to designate the result a new model and the F-86E-1 was born. The first F-86E was flown on 23 September 1950 and, although NAA only made 456 of them (at a flyaway cost of $219,457 each), the E model was the most numerous type in combat in Korea and it scored the most victories, despite being slightly inferior to the MiG-15 in performance.

Initially, the F-86E-1 was fitted with the same fiberglass nose ring use on the F-86A, but this was soon replaced with a metal nose ring, with a small radome in the top center to house the AN/APG-30 ranging radar antenna. While the wingtip lights on the F-86A were faired into the front corner of the wingtip, F-86E used small bulbs that protruded out of the wingtip, just behind the front corner.

The F-86E was the hottest thing in the skies and Col Fred Ascani set a new World's Speed Record during 1951 with a production F-86E (serial number 51-2721). The plane was the crated up and shipped to Korea where it was put into action alongside its equally capable brethren.

With increasing demand for Sabres in the skies over Korea, the USAF purchased sixty Canadair Sabre Mk. 4s, which were identical to the F-86E-1, except for the use of RCAF radios. These were flown to Fresno, where the RCAF equipment was replaced with standard USAF Sabre gear, and then were shipped by sea to Korea for use in combat. These Canadair-built Sabres were designated F-86E-6 by the USAF and after the war, many of them were later transferred to the Michigan ANG.

The F-86E-10 introduced an optically-flat, armored windscreen to replace the previous v-shaped winscreen and improved air conditioning. The final E variant was the F-86E-15, which was essentially an F-86F-1 airframe, with the 5,200 lbst J47-GE-13 engine used on other E models. The 51st FIG based at K-13 (Suwon) was the first unit to transition to the F-86E during September 1951 and both the 4th and the 51st operated F-86Es before transitioning to the F-86F when it became available. The E models were then phased into ANG duty, with the 119th FIS of the New Jersey ANG receiving their first F-86Es on 1 February 1956.

RF-86A Sabre

With the MiGs proving a danger to any plane other than an F-86, Air Force commanders decided to convert several F-86As into photo-reconnaissance aircraft. The conversion was conducted at the Rear Echelon Maintenance Facility (REMCO) at Tachikawa AB, Japan under Project ASHTRAY.

ASHTRAY conversions involved removing the gun systems and ammo bays and replacing them with a pair of K-9 cameras mounted within a bulged fairing on the fuselage lower quarters where the ammo cans had been located. The cameras were mounted horizontally and were aimed at mirrors to obtain vertical coverage. Unfortunately, the camera and mirror mountings were not very robust and the system was subject to vibration, resulting in blurry photos. Some of the conversions added a small "dicing" camera to the upper lip of the nose, where the gun ranging radar had been.

Some RF-86A conversion retained the upper pair of machine guns to give the pilot some ability to respond to MiG attacks, but their use was discouraged because they shook the camera mounts and all pictures taken after the guns were fired came out blurry. The primary defense for the RF-86A was its speed and the reputation of the 4th FIG group Sabres, assisted by painting all RF-86As with 4th FIG colors.

At least seven F-86As were converted into RF-86As before the end of hostilities in Korea.

FJ-2 Fury

The Navy liked what they saw in the Sabre and asked NAA to produce a version for use on carrier decks. Three F-86Es were taken off the assembly line and was modified to fit Navy specifications.

The wings were modified so that they folded for reduced stowage space. The landing gear was strengthened to withstand the rigors of carrier operations, and an A-frame arrestor hook and catapult spools were added. The first prototype flew on 27 December 1951, which was followed by the second and third prototypes, which were equipped with longer nose gear struts to increase the standing angle of attack.

The second prototype had no guns, while the third had the standard machine gun armament of the F-86. The US Navy gave these planes the desgination XFJ-2 Fury and placed an order for 300 planes, which was later reduced to 200 airframes.

The production FJ-2 differed from the prototypes in being armed with four 20 mm cannons instead of the six .50 cal machine guns used on the last prototype. It was powered by the General Electric J47-GE-2 engine, which produced 6,000 lbst. Despite the use of the Fury name, the FJ-2 bore no resemblance to the FJ-1 Fury, which had preceeded the F-86 design.

Deliveries of the FJ-2 began in November 1952 and were completed in September 1954. Although certified for carrier operations all FJ-2s were operated by Marine Corps pilots from land bases. FJ-2 Furies were later modified to carry a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.

F-86F Sabre

With the introduction of the new J47-GE-27 engine, which produced 5,910 lbst at 7950 rpm, the F-86 was given a new letter designation and became the F-86F-1 when it first flew on 19 March 1952. The new engine gave the plane a top speed of 693 mph at sea level and a climb rate of 9300 feet per minute. While the MiG could still reach higher altitudes than the Sabre, the extra power gave pilots a slight speed advantage whenever the MiG pilot decided to come down and fight. The F-86F-1 also introduced a new 14-ply nose tire, which improved tire life when operating from the unimproved runways in Korea.

In an effort to reduce the firepower disparity between the Sabre and the MiG, North American launched a Project GUNVAL. The GUNVAL program took four F-86E-10s and six F-86F-1s off the assembly lines during 1952 and modified them to replace their six machine guns armament with four 20 mm T-160 (M24) cannons. The M24 was an electrically operated version of the Navy's M3 cannon, using a slightly different ammunition.

Redesignated F-86F-2 and F-86-F3, the GUNVAL Sabres were first tested at Eglin AFB during late 1952, then were sent to the 5th FIW in Korea for testing between January and May 1953. A "third gunport" was painted on the sides of the plane to prevent enemy pilots from detecting any difference between the GUNVAL and machine gun armed Sabres.

The program had mixed success. Lt Col George Jones achieved ace status in a GUNVAL plane (FU-867), but the ten GUNVAL planes downed only 6.5 MiGs during their 4+ months in combat, an unimpressive total in light of the expectations. Worse, the cannon system had problems and the idea was shelved until a better gun could be obtained.

The A-1CM gunsight, which had proved troublesome in action, was replaced with the A-4 gunsight in the F-86F-10 variant. The A-4 gunsight would calculate range, based on the wing-width of the target as set by the pilot, and would brighten the reticle whenever the ideal firing distance was reached. The Sabre's increased dominance was exemplified in the the fact that, between May and June 1953, Sabre pilots downed 133 MiGs for the loss of only one of their number.

The F-86F-20 introduced a new 200-gal Drop tank, which could be carried during high-speed combat, unlike the earlier 206.5-gal Ferry tanks. The tank had a sway-back appearance, which improved separation at high speeds. Later variants of the tank had vertical fins to improve stability at high speeds.

F-86F-25 introduced a second pair of wet hardpoints under the wing to improve the plane's range and/or bomb carrying capability. All four pylons could carry fuel tanks for extended range fighter missions, two could be used for bombs with two carrying fuel for long-range bombing missions, or all four could be used to carry bombs for short-range ground-attack missions. The bombs options were expanded to allow the 750 lb M117 GP bombs to be carried in addition to the 500 lb M43 and 1000 lb M64A1 bombs.

The 8th FBG at Suwon converted from F-80Cs to F-86F in May 1953 to become the fourth F-86 wing in Korea. Their Sabres had a decal applied to the inside of the canopy on the starboard side, which indicated 8 primary dive-bombing angles to assist pilots in making their attacks.

While the leading edge slats were designed to extend at speeds less than 205 mph, they would occasionally would open at high speeds and high-angles of attack, in what is known as a high-speed stall. This would result in some very unusual handling characteristics, which could prove fatal during air combat.

In an effort to remove this problem and improve the plane's high-speed manueverability, NAA tested a new wing for the Sabre during August 1952. Instead of the leading edge slats, the wing had the chord extended at the leading edge by 6 inches at the wing root and 3 inches at the tip. The end result was 14.4 square feet of additional wing area, which improved lift at all speeds.

To assist airflow over the wing and reduce transonic buffeting as 5 inch tall fence was installed at the 70% point of the wing's length. The fence was positioned on the upper surface, just aft of the leading edge and was about 20 inches long by 5 inches tall, with an L-brace on the outboard side.

While the increase in high-speed maneuvering capability came at the cost of some low-speed maneuverability and in slightly increased landing speeds, it nullified one of the MiG's chief advantages, high-speed maneuvering capability. The F-86 could now out-turn the MiG-15 in a high-speed dogfight!

The 6-3 wing, as it came to be known, was introduced in the 171st F-86F-25 and the 200th plane in the F-86F-30 block. The longer wing chord caused the leading edge to extend forward over the ammo bay doors. Rather than move the doors or the wing, the wing structure stopped at the edge of the ammo bay doors and a fillet was added to the doors so that when they were closed they completed the wing's leading edge line to the fuselage.

The success of the 6-3 wing led to NAA creating a kit to allow Sabres in service to be fitted with the new wing. Rather than shipping new ammo bay doors, the wing kits included a triangular shaped fillet that was fitted over the doors before flight. To prevent the fillets from getting lost, they were attached to the wing structure with a wire so they could dangle free or be placed on top of the wing root.

During 1953 the No 2 Squadron of the South African Air Force (SAAF) was loaned F-86Fs while it was stationed in Korea. These had SAAF markings until they rotated home in late summer 1953. Also during 1953, the interior color of the cockpit was changed from Interior Green (FS34151) with a black intrument panel to all Interior Gray (FS36231).

The F-86F-35 was the designed to carry a small nuclear bomb and was equipped with a Low Altitude Bombing System (LABS), which was designed to toss the bomb at the target to allow the F-86 pilot time time escape the blast zone. The F-35 equipped the 338th FBW at Etain AB in France during 1955. At its peak, the US Air Force had 16 combat wings equipped with Sabres of various types.

F-86F production ended in 1954, but was restarted in 1956 to produce planes for the Mutual Defense Assistance Pact (MDAP). The fact that the plane would be used by pilots with less training and experience than those operating the F-86F for the USAF and that it would need to operate from less modern airfields meant that it needed to return some of the low-speed handling characteristics and lower landing speeds of earlier variants. To this end a new wing was designed.

Starting with the 6-3 wing, the lenth was extended by 12 inches. Then full-span leading edge slats were added to the already extended chord of the 6-3 wing. Power was provided by the upgraded J47-GE-27, producing 5,970 lbst. To accomodate the engine's greater need for air, an air scoops was added to each side the fuselage in front of the speed brakes. The flight characteristics were so good that the Fighter Scool at Nellis AFB adopted the F-40 for use in training.

North American built 1,539 F-85F-40s as part of the 1,959 total F models they produced at a flyaway cost of $211,111 each. Additionally, NAA produced the parts necessary for Mitsubishi to assemble 300 F-86F-40s for the Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF), who then went on to produce another 100 Sabres with their own parts. The first Mitsubishi assembled F-86F-40 flew on 28 December 1956, which was the same day that North American rolled out their last F-86F-40. Mitsubishi also designed and built their own 200-gal drop tanks. JASDF planes were painted silver to retard corrosion.

A total of 2,450 F-86Fs of all types were built, making it the most numerous of the day fighter variants. Few F-86Fs found their way to ANG service, with most going to allied air forces under MDAP. Nationalist China received 320 F-86Fs and another 7 RF-86F conversions out of FEAF stocks. These were all brought up to F-40 standards before delivery, including the capability of carrying two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. Several of these were assigned to the Thunder Tigers, the national aerobatic team. During August 1958 Taiwanese Sabre pilots claimed 29 Chinese MiG-17s shot down over the Formosa Straits.

The Royal Saudi Air Force was given 16 F-86Fs starting in 1958. These were all taken from USAF planes in Europe and were brought up to F-40 standards. Arriving in their natural finish, they were painted Gray (FS36231) with green markings. Some were still on active duty in 1966, assigned to No 7 Squadron at Dhahrain.

Other nations that received F-86Fs were Argentina (28), Iraq (5), Japan (180, of which 45 were returned to USAF), Norway (90), Pakistan (120), Peru (14), Philippines (40), Portugal (50), South Korea (112, plus 10 RF-86Fs), Spain (244), Thailand (47), Turkey (12), and Venzuela (22). The Philippine and South Korean F-86s were also painted silver to retard corrosion.

TF-86F Sabre Trainer

In order to create a transonic trainer to reduce the amount of training time needed before conversion to the F-86, North American took an F-86F-30 off the production line and modified it to accomodate a 2nd cockpit. The fuselage was 63 inches longer and the wing was moved 8 inches forward to keep the center of gravity and increase stability. The second cockpit had full flight controls and the two cockpits were enclosed within a single canopy, which hinged at the rear to rotate up and back.

The first TF-86F (serial number 52-5016) was first flown on 14 December 1953 and was nearly equal to a standard F-86F-30 in performance. The Air Force ordered a second trainer conversion and the second TF-86F was first flown on 5 August 1953. This differed from the first in having a pair of machine guns for gunnery training. During an extensive testing period the first trainer crashed on 17 March 1954.

With the development of a two-seat training version of the larger and faster F-100 Super Sabre, the program was cancelled. The second trainer was eventually assigned to the Fighter School at Nellis AFB on 31 January 1955 and eventually made its way to Edwards AFB, where it served as a chase plane into the 1960s.

RF-86F Sabre

Project HAYMAKER was an upgraded version of Project ASHTRAY, using the basic F-86F-30 fighter as the basis. HAYMAKER conversions were performed at both the North American and Mitsubishi factories and at REMCO facilities. REMCO conversions were similar to the RF-86A, using a pair of horizontally mounted K-9 cameras.

RF-86Fs built by North American used a pair of K-22 cameras mounted vertically. These produced much clearer pictures on a more regular basis and could be identified by the large bulges on the sides of fuselage to accomodate the film drums. Like the RF-86A, some RF-86F conversions retained a pair of .50 cal machine guns for self-defense.

Only a few RF-86Fs were used by the USAF, with most going to the ROKAF and JASDF, which operated full squadrons of RF-86Fs. Mitsubishi performaned 18 conversions between 1961-1962 using F-86F-40s. As with the RF-86A, fake gun ports were painted to the fuselage sides to make it difficult to distinguish the recon planes from the fighters.

FJ-3 Fury

British jet engine designs were still superior to native American designs and Pratt & Whitney obtained a license from Armstrong to build their Sapphire engine as the J65. NAA began design work on 3 March 1952 for a new fuselage for the FJ-2 to accomodate the engine and its larger air intake needs. The fifth FJ-2 was pulled from the production line and was modified into the XFJ-3, which flew for the first time on 3 July 1953.

The first production FJ-3 flew on 11 December 1953 and was powered by the Pratt & Whitney J65-W-4 rated for 7,650 lbst. Armament consisted of four 20 mm cannons, configured like that of the FJ-2. Deliveries to the US Navy began in September 1954 and was completed in August 1956, with 538 being produced.

During 1955 production switched from the original wing with leading edge slats to an extended wing without slats, similar to the 6-3 wing used on the F-86F-30 and starting with the 345th plane the wings were each fitted with a second weapons pylon for 500 lb or 1000 lb bombs, or rocket pods.

After the August 1956 introduction of the AIM-9 Sidewinder, 80 FJ-3s were retrofitted to carry a pair of the new air-to-air missiles. These were redesignated FJ-3M. When the Tri-Service Designation System was introduced in 1962 the FJ-3 became the F-1C and the FJ-3M became the MF-1C.

F-86H Sabre

With the introduction of the General Electric J73 engine, North American engineers set to work on modifications to the Sabre design to allow the vastly more powerful engine to be used. The resulting fuselage was 6 inches deeper than the J47 powered Sabre and fuel capacity was increased for the thirsty new engine. The first of two prototypes (serial number 52-1975) flew on 30 April 1953 and the first production F-86H-1 was delivered to the Air Force in January 1954.

Power was provided by the J73-GE-3 turbojet engine producing 8,920 lbst, but it was otherwise equipped the same as the F-86F-35. Although the prototypes had used the original wing from the F-86A/E line, the production F-86Hs used the 6-3 wing and were equipped with the LABS system for lobbing 1,200 lb atomic bombs. Only 116 F-86H-1s were produced before it was superceded on the production line by the F-86H-5, which was armed with four 20 mm Pontiac M39 revolver cannons. The M39 used a smaller round than M3/M24 line, but managed a higher muzzle velocity and an astounding 1,700 round per minute rate of fire.

The additional engine power was primarily intended to allow heavy external loads to be carried and the F-86H was officially a "fighter-bomber" as opposed to a "day fighter". The first production examples were assigned to the 312th FBW at Clovis AFB, NM in late 1954 and by the mid-1950s, the F-86H equipped five USAF fighter-bomber wings. The final ten production examples used the extended length and chord wing used on the F-86F-40. When the last was delivered in October 1955, a total of 473 had been built at a cost of $582,839 each.

The F-86H first appeared in ANG service in 1957 and by 1958 they had all been transferred to the Guard, except the planes with the fewest flight hours, which went to the US Navy. During the Berlin Crisis of 1961 the F-86Hs of the 101st and 131s Tactical Fighter Squadrons of the Massachusetts ANG were transferred to Phalsbourge AB in France, where they stayed until August 1962. The last USAF/ANG Sabre mission was flown on 30 September 1970 by the 138th TFS of the NY ANG.

F-86Hs transferred to the US Navy were primarily used as target drones for testing various air-to-air and surface-to-air missile systems, including the Phoenix, AMRAAM and Standard missiles. It was also used in the TOP GUN program as a simulated MiG-17, helping train the pilots that would soon be flying over Vietnam.

FJ-4 Fury

The FJ-4 Fury was a complete structural redesign and had no relation to the F-86 Sabre other than its pedigree and two immediate predecessors. It employed a new fuselage to house the Wright J65-W-16A turbojet, which produced 7,700 lbst and 50% more internal fuel than the FJ-3. The wings were of a new design and the tail surfaces were both larger and thinner than before.

The first of two prototypes flew for the first time on 28 October 1954 and 150 were delivered to the US Navy by March 1957. The FJ-4 had four wing pylons, which could carry bombs, drop tanks, or Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. The FJ-4 was followed by the FJ-4B, which had six wing pylons and were strengthened to allow more weight to be carried. These pylons were wired to allow the plane to carry five Bullpup air-to-surface missiles, with the guidance pod on the sixth pylon.

The second and fourth FJ-4s were pulled from the production line and were experimentally fitted with mono- and bi-propellant auxilliary rocket motors top reduce take-off distance. These were redesignated FJ-4F.

F-86K Sabre

While the F-86F-40 was developed to meet MDAP requirements for a day fighter, the F-86D was similarly adapted for foreign service as an all-weather interceptor, with design work commencing on 14 May 1953. Two F-86D-40s (serial numbers 52-3630 and 52-3804) were pulled from the production line and were modified into YK-86Ks. Intended primarily for use by NATO air forces, the F-86K needed to use a simpler fire control system and armament package.

The Hughes E-4 fire control system was replaced with a simpler MG-4 unit, which was tailored for traditional chase pursuit attacks. The rocket tray under the fuselage was removed and four 20 mm M24A cannons were installed in the nose, two on each side of the fuselage simialr to the GUNVAL F-2s and F-3s. The first YF-86K flew on 15 July 1954 and after service tests at Edwards AFB, the two prototypes were sent to Fiat in Italy to serve as pattern aircraft for full scale production.

North American built the parts for 120 F-86Ks and began delivering them to Fiat in May 1955 for assembly. The first of these flew on 23 May 1955 and was powered by the J47-GE-17B engine, rated for 5,425 lbst under normal operation and 7,500 lbst with afterburner. Of these 120 F-86Ks, 60 went to Norway and 59 went to the Netherlands air force.

The first F-86Ks to enter service did so with the 1st Aerobrigate of the Italian Air Force during the second half of 1955 and stayed in service until replaced by the F-104 Starfighter in 1964. After the initial 120 assembled with NAA built parts, Fiat assumed full production and built 221 more F-86Ks. These were powered by the upgraded J47-GE-33 turbojet and 63 of them went to Italian air force, 60 to France, 88 to Germany (flown by JG74 at Neuberg from 1961-1965), 6 to the Netherlands, and 4 to Norway.

Initially the F-86K was fitted with the original narrow chord wing with LES of the F-86A/D/E series. The final 45 examples built used the extended wing with LES of the F-86F-40 and all existing F-86Ks were retrofitted with the newer wing. Many F-86Ks were retrofitted with the ability to carry a pair of AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles.

When it was replaced in Italian, French, German and Dutch service, the F-86K was distributed to other allied nations. The Dutch F-86Ks were transferred to Turkey during 1963-1964 and 47 ex-Luftwaffe Sabre Dogs were sent to Venezuela in 1967-1968. Four of these latter F-86Ks were subsequently resold to Honduras in 1969.

F-86L Sabre

Between 1956-1958 the USAF and NAA conducted Project FOLLOW ON, in which 981 of the 2054 F-86Ds were designated for upgrading to the latest equipment. The upgrades were performed at North American's Inglewood (575 conversions) and Fresno (452 converted) plants.

All of the plane's wiring was stripped out and replaced, and the avionics were upgraded to the most current models. The biggest upgrade was the addition of the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) system, with included the AN/ARR-39 data link receiver, AN/ARC-34 command radio, AN/APX-25 IFF identification system, and a new glide slope receiver.

The SAGE system was a data link, which was designed to give the pilot all the information available to ground controllers and was tied to the E-4 fire control system to to automatically calculate the proper course to intercept distant targets. The SAGE antenna was located under the forward fuselage in front wing root leading edge.

Power was provided by the latest J47-GE-33 turbojet and the extended length wings with leading edge slats of the F-86F-40 were used. The first F-86L was flown in late spring 1956 and deliveries to the 49th FIS began in October 1956. The USAF accepted a total of 827 F-86Ls before the program was terminated.

Unlike the F-86K, the F-86L retained the tray of 24 Mighty Mouse FFAR unguided rockets and after 1956 these were augmented with a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinder guided missiles. At its peak twenty-six USAF Air Defense squadrons were equipped with the F-86D or F-86L. After being replaced in USAF front-line duty, many of the F-86Ls were transferred to ANG units. The final US Sabre Dog mission was flown by the 196th FIS of the California ANG during 1965 before the unit converted to the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger.

Both F-86Ds and F-86Ls were put into the MDAP program and were sent to various allied nations. Denmark purchased 60 F-86Ds between 1958-1960, assigning them to the 723 and 726 Eskadrillerne, becoming the only F-86Ds to serve with NATO.

In the Far East, Japan, Nationalist China, Philippines, and South Korea purchased F-86Ds from FEAF stocks. The ROKAF used F-86D-50s, which had been modified to carry a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on the inboard wing pylons. The Royal Thai Air Force purchased 17 F-86Ls one-by-one as they became available.

Canadair Sabres

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) selected the F-86A Sabre to be their next-generation fighter in 1948 and Canadair was directed to begin negotiations for license manufacture. In August 1949 the Canadair Ltd. company signed a license agreement with North American to produce the latest version of the Sabre at the time production commenced, including any improvements requested by the USAF. NAA was responsible for proving all necessary drawings and any parts needed to build the necessary jigs and special tools. These planes were to be produced at the Canadair factory in Cartierville, near Montreal.

All the parts for a new F-86A-5 were sent to Canadair in late 1949 and the first CL-13 Sabre (serial number 19101) was first flown on 9 August 1950 by Canadair chief test pilot Al Lilly. He became the first Canadian to break the sound barrier several days later as the new Sabre Mk. 1 was put through its paces.

Full production began with the Sabre Mk. 2 which first flew on 31 January 1951. The Mk. 2 was an identical copy of the F-86E-1 then in production, with the exception of RCAF radios. Canadair built 352 Mk. 2 Sabres, 60 of which were purchased by the USAF as F-86E-6s and were refitted with USAF radios at the NAA plant in Fresno before shipping out to Korea. All 60 of these Sabres were used in combat in Korea. Other than these 60, the RCAF received all Sabre Mk. 2s made. Most of these were later transferred to allied nations under MDAP during 1954-1955 with Greece (104) and Turkey (105) getting the bulk of them.

When license production was contemplated it was planned from the start to use the British Avro Orenda engine, which produced more power than GE's J47. When the 6,000 lbst Orenda 3 was supposedly ready for service the 100th Cl-13 Sabre Mk. 2 was pulled from the production line and re-engined as the Sabre Mk. 3. North American had performed a similar test with an Orenda 3 and an F-86A-5 during October 1950 as the F-86A/O and, as with the previous test, the Sabre 3's engine proved problematic and only the single prototype was ever made.

The Sabre Mk. 4 was essentially an F-86E-10 and was first flown 28 August 1952. Canadair built 438 Sabre Mk. 4s, with all but 10 going to the RAF where it was designated Sabre F.1. Of these, 180 were sold to the Italian air force during 1958 and were ferried to Italy in NATO camouflage with USAF markings under the designation F-86E(M). These were fitted with the 6-3 wing before delivery and some were later used by the Cavillino Rampante, one of three Italian air force Sabre aerobatic teams. Of the remainder, 121 were transferred to Yugoslavia under MDAP.

The Orenda engine was finally ready for service use in 1953 in the form of the Orenda 10, which produced 6,355 lbst. The new engine was installed in a new Sabre production run based on the F-86F and designated the CL-13B Sabre Mk. 5. The first of these was first flown on the 30 Jul 1953 and was equipped with the 6-3 wing. Canadair built 370 Sabre Mk. 5s, of which 75 went to the Bundesluftwaffe. Many Mk. 5s in RAF service were later modified to use the British Martin-Baker ejection seat instead of the North American designed seat.

The CL-13B Sabre Mk. 6 was the fastest of all Sabre variants with a top speed of over 710 mph at sea level. This was made possible by using the two-stage Orenda 14 engine, which produced 7,275 lbst. First flown on 2 November 1954, the Sabre Mk. 6 was initially fitted with the 6-3 wing, later fitted with the F-40 wing, and the rate of climb was an impressive 11,800 feet per minute. First flown on 2 November 1954, 655 Sabre Mk. 6s were built until production ended on 9 October 1958. Many Sabre Mk. 6s were destined for foreign service with West Germany getting 225 of them, South Africa purchasing 34, and Columbia getting 6.

The CL-13C was a Sabre Mk. 5 experimentally fitted with an area-ruled fuselage, while the CL-13E was a Sabre Mk. 6 experimentally fitted with an afterburner. Neither project progressed beyond the experimental stage.

The RCAF Golden Hawks aerobatic team used both the Sabre Mk. 5 and the Mk. 6, with both the 6-3 and the F-40 wings, during their Sabre years of 1959-1964. The Bundesluftwaffe began receiving Mk. 5 and Mk. 6 Sabres during December 1957, where they were initially used in the fighter-interceptor role. These were equipped to carry a pair of AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on the inboard underwing pylons.

Two of Germany's greatest aces had their brushes with Canadair Sabres. Erich Hartmann, the world's all-time leading ace, commanded JG71 while they were equipped with Sabres in 1961. The unit employed a black tulip on the nose and tail in honor of the personal markings of the CO. Later, Sabre Mk. 6s of 1/JG72 were part of the escort flight for Adolf Galland on "Sabre Night", held at the Phalsbourg AB in France on 18 May 1962.

A total of 1,815 Sabres were built by Canadair.

Commonwealth Sabres

The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in Australia negotiated a license to build Sabres based on the early F-86F-25 with the slatted narrow-chord wing and four underwing pylons. Intended to use the 7,500 lbst Rolls Royce RA 7 Avon engine, the fuselage needed considerable redesign to accomodate the engine's 25% greater need for air and its 400 lb lighter overall weight.

The forward fuselage of the CA-26 prototype was split down the center and three inches was added to the width of the air intake. The engine mounting and the fuselage break-point were both moved forward to retain the plane's original center of gravity. Finally, the forward fuselage was lengthened and the rear fuselage made deeper.

The six .50 caliber machine guns were replaced with two 30 mm Aden Mk. 4 and by the time all modifications were completed, only about 25% of the original F-86 remained, including the "flying tail" and the wings. The first prototype (registration A94-101) took its first flight on 3 August 1953 with RAAF Flt Lt W Scott in the cockpit.

The first production version was designated CA-27 Sabre Mk. 30 and used imported Avon RA-7 engines. Deliveries began on 19 Aug 1954 and the first active RAAF unit to transition to the Avon-Sabre was No 75 Squadron, which was commissioned in April 1955. Only 20 Mk. 30s were built and, while they started with the original wing, they were later retrofitted with the 6-3 wing. The 19 Sabre Mk. 31 used Commonwealth-built copies of the Avon RA-7 engine and used the 6-3 wing provided by NAA.

The milestone version was the Sabre Mk. 32, which used the Avon 26 built by Commonwealth Aircraft. A total of 72 Mk. 32s were built, with the last 21 leaving the factory in 1959 with the ability to carry a pair of Sidewinder missiles on two of the four underwing hardpoints. The Sidewinder capability was retroactively installed on all existing Sabre Mk. 32s.

Avon Sabres served with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) from August 1954 through December 1961. At its peak, the RAAF had six Sabre units, five of them operational fighter squadrons with the sixth being an Operational Conversion Unit (OCU). Nos 3 and 75 Squadrsons flew ground-attack missions against communist insurgents in Malaysia between February 1959 and July 1960.

No. 79 Squadron transfered to Ubon RTAFB in Thailand during 1962 and flew air patrols over the Thai border before Sabres were phased out of RAAF service in 1971. As with USAF and RCAF Sabres, the Avon-Sabres were sold to allied nations after the service life in the RAAF.

Malaysia purchased 18 Avon Sabres between 1969 to 1971 and bought another 5 in 1976. Indonesia also bought 18 from the RAAF in February 1973 as well as 5 of the 18 sold to Malaysia. The Indonesian Avon Sabres remained in service through 1980 and were probably the last Sabres day-fighters to see active service.

A total of 111 CA-27 Sabres were built by Commonwealth.

Individual Model Data

FJ-1 Fury

North American FJ-1 Fury

Max Speed = 547 mph at 9,000 ft

Rate of Climb = 3,300 fpm

Service Ceiling = 32,000 ft

Range = 1,500 miles

Empty Weight = 8,843 lbs

Loaded Weight = 15,600 lbs

Span = 38 ft 2 in

Length = 34 ft 5 in

Height = 14 ft 10 in

Wing Area = 221 sq ft

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

F-86A Sabre

North American F-86A-5 Sabre

Span = 37 ft 1 in

Length = 37 ft 6 in

Engine = J47-GE-1 turbojet

Armament = 6x .50 cal machine guns and provisions for bombs or rockets

Max Speed = 675 mph at 2,500 ft

Ceiling = 48,300 ft

Source = Batchelor, John, and Cooper, Bryan; Fighter: A History of Fighter Aircraft; Charles Scribner's Sons, New York; 1973.

North American F-86A Sabre

Max Speed = 601 mph at 35,000 ft

Rate of Climb = 7470 fpm

Service Ceiling = 48,000 ft

Combat Radius = 330 miles

Empty Weight = 10,536 lbs

Loaded Weight = 16,223 lbs

Span = 37 ft 1.5 in

Length = 37 ft 6 in

Height = 14 ft 9 in

Wing Area = 287.9 sq ft

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

F-86C/YF-93

North American F-86C/YF-93A

Max Speed = 708 mph at sea level, 622 mph at 35000 ft

Initial Climb = 11960 fpm

Range = 1967 miles

Empty Weight = 14,035

Normal Loaded Weight = 21,610 lbs

Span = 38 ft 11 in

Length = 44 ft 1 in

Height = 15 ft 8 in

Wing Area = 308 sq ft

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

F-86D Sabre

North American F-86D-45 Sabre

Wingspan = 37.54 feet

Length = 37.12 feet

Height = 15 feet

Empty Weight = 13,498 lbs

Maximum Weight = 18,160 lbs

Powerplant = 1x 7,650 lbs thrust General Electric J47-GE-33 turbojet engine

Armament = 24x 2,75 inch FFAR rockets

Maximum Speed = 679 mph

Service Ceiling = 49,600 ft

Range = 1,022 miles

Crew = 1

Source = Davis, Larry; F-86 Sabre In Action; Squadron/Signal Publications; Carrollton, TX; 1992.

North American F-86D Sabre

Year = 1954

Engine = General Electric J47-GE-17B turbojet producing 7,500 lbs thrust

Wingspan = 39 ft 1 in

Length = 40 ft 11 in

Height = 14 ft 8 in

Loaded Weight = 20,171 lbs

Maximum Speed = 692 mph

Ceiling = 50,000 ft

Range = 850 miles

Armament = 4x 20 mm cannon, 2 air-to-air missiles

Crew = 1

Source = Angelucci, Enzo; The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft 1914 to the Present; Crescent Books, New York; 1980.

North American F-86D-45 Sabre

Max Speed = 693 mph at sea level, 616 mph at 40,000 ft

Initial Climb = 12000 fpm

Internal Range = 554 miles

Empty Weight = 13,498 lbs

Normal Loaded Weight = 18,160 lbs

Spam = 37 ft 1.5 in

Length = 40 ft 3.25 in

Heing = 15 ft 0 in

Wing Area = 287.9 sq ft

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

F-86E Sabre

North American F-86E Sabre

Year = 1950

Engine = General Electric J47-GE-13 turbojet producing 5,200 lbs thrust

Wingspan = 37 ft 1 in

Length = 37 ft 6 in

Height = 14 ft 8 in

Loaded Weight = 16,357 lb

Maximum Speed = 675 mph at 2,500 ft

Ceiling = 48,300 ft

Range = 765 miles

Armament = 6 machine guns

Ordnance = 2000 lbs of bombs

Crew = 1

Source = Angelucci, Enzo; The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft 1914 to the Present; Crescent Books, New York; 1980.

F-86E Sabre

Role = Fighter-bomber

Engine = 5200 lb thrust J47-GE-13 turbojet

Max Speed = 679 mph at sea level, 600 mph at 35,000 ft

Ceiling = 47,000 ft

Internal Range = 650 miles

Armament = 6x .50 cal Browning machine guns and either 2x 1000 lb bombs or 16x rockets

Source = Franks, Norman; Aircraft Versus Aircraft; Barnes & Noble Books, 1998.

North American F-86E Sabre

Max Speed = 679 mph at sea level, 601 mph at 35,000 ft

Initial Climb = 7250 fpm

Empty Weight = 10,845 lbs

Loaded Weight = 17,806 lbs

Dimensions same as F-86A

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

F-86E Specifications

Powerplant = J47-GE-13 w 5200 lbst at 7950 rpm

Wing Span = 37.12 feet

Length = 37.74 ft

Height = 14.74 feet

Track = 8.3 feet

Fuel = JP-4 at 6.6 lbs/gallon

Internal Capacity = 435 gallons, 2871 lbs

Ammunition Capacity = 1800 round (300 per gun), 480 lbs

Combat Weight = 14,255 lbs

Landing Weight = 12,557 lbs

Take Off Stall Speed = 123 mph

Ferry Range = 1022 miles

Combat Radius = 321 miles @ 537 mph

Total Mission Time = 1.57 hours

Maximum Speed = 679 mph at sea level, 601 mph at 35,000 feet

Maximum Climb = 7250 fpm at sea level

Service Ceiling = 47,200 feet

Source = Davis, Larry; Walk Around F-86 Sabre; Squadron/Signal Publications; Carrollton, TX; 2000.

FJ-2 Fury

North American FJ-2 Fury

Max Speed = 679 mph at sea level, 602 mph at 35,000 ft

Initial Climb = 7230 fpm

Range with 2x 200 gal drop tanks = 990 miles

Empty Weight = 11,802 lbs

Loaded Weight with drop tank = 18,791 lbs

Span = 37 ft 1.5 in

Length = 37 ft 7 in

Height = 13 ft 7 in

Wing Area = 287.9 sq ft

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

F-86F Sabre

North American F-86F-25 Sabre

Wingspan = 37.54 feet

Length = 37.12 feet

Height = 14.79 feet

Empty Weight = 10,950 lbs

Maximum Weight = 20,650 lbs

Powerplant = 1x 5,910 lbs thrust General Electric J47-GE-27 engine

Armament = 6x .50 cal machine guns and up to 2000 lbs of underwing stores

Maximum Speed = 688 mph

Service Ceiling = 48,000 ft

Range = 1,317 miles

Crew = 1

Source = Davis, Larry; F-86 Sabre In Action; Squadron/Signal Publications; Carrollton, TX; 1992.

F-86F-40

Max Speed = 678 mph at sea level, 599 mph at 35,000 ft

Initial Climb = 8100 fpm

Range with 2x 200 gal drop tanks = 926 miles

Empty Weight = 11,125 lb

Clean Loaded Weight = 15,198 lb

Span = 39 ft 1.5 in

Length = 37 ft 6.5 in

Height = 14 ft 8.9 in

Wing Area = 313.37 sq ft

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

North American F-86F Sabre

Engine = 1x 5,970 lbts General Electric J47-GE-27 turbojet

Wing Span = 39 ft 1 in

Length = 37 ft 6.5 in

Max T-O Weight = 20,610 lbs

Max Level Speed = 687 mph

Range = 925 miles

Armament = 6x .50 cal Browning machine guns in nose

Ordnance = 2x 1000 lb bombs or eight rockets under wings

Source = Taylor, Michael J.H.; Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation; Crescent Books, New York; 1989.

RF-86F Sabre

North RF-86F-30 with 6-3 hard wing

Powerplant = J47-GE-27 with 5910 lbst at 7950 rpm

Wing Span = 37.12 ft

Length = 37.54 ft

Height = 14.74 ft

Track = 8.3 ft

Fuel = JP-4 at 6.6 lbs/gallon

Internal Capacity = 437 gal, 2884.2 lbs

Combat Weight = 14,981 lbs

Landing Weight = 13,076 lbs

Take Off Stall Speed = 144 mph

Ferry Range = 1615 miles

Combat Radius = 458 miles at 520 mph

Combat Radius with 2x 1000 lb bombs = 316 miles at 486 mph

Total Mission Time = 2.13 hours

Maximum Speed = 695 mph at sea level, 608 mph at 35,000 ft

Maximum Climb Rate = 9300 fpm at sea level

Cervice Ceiling = 48,000 ft

Source = Davis, Larry; Walk Around F-86 Sabre; Squadron/Signal Publications; Carrollton, TX; 2000.

F-86H Sabre

North American F-86H-5 Sabre

Wingspan = 38.84 feet

Length = 39.12 feet

Height = 14.99 feet

Empty Weight = 13,836 lbs

Maximum Weight = 21,800 lbs

Powerplant = 1x 8,920 lbs thrust General Electric J73-GE-3D turboject engine

Armament = 4x M39 cannons and up to 2400 lbs of underwing stores

Maximum Speed = 692 mph

Service Ceiling = 50,800 lbs

Range = 1,810 miles

Crew = 1

Source = Davis, Larry; F-86 Sabre In Action; Squadron/Signal Publications; Carrollton, TX; 1992.

North American F-86H Sabre

Max Speed = 692 mph at sea level, 617 mph at 35000 ft

Initial Climb = 12900 fpm

Range with 2x 200 gal drop tanks = 1040 miles

Empty Weight = 13836 lbs

Loaded Weight with 2x 200 gal drop tanks = 21,852 lbs

Span = 39 ft 1.5 in

Length = 38 ft 10 in

Wing Area = 313.37 sq ft

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

FJ-3 Fury

North American FJ-3 Fury

Max Speed = 681 mph at sea level, 623 mph at 35,000 ft

Initial Climb = 8450 fpm

Clean Range = 990 miles

Empty Weight = 12,205 lbs

Clean Loaded Weight = 17,189 lbs

Span = 37 ft 1.5 in

Length = 37 ft 7 in

Height = 13 ft 8 in

Wing Area = 302.3 sq ft

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

F-86K Sabre

North American F-86K Sabre

Max Speed = 692 mph at sea level, 612 mph at 40,000 ft

Initial Climb = 12000 fpm

Range with 2x 120 gal drop tanks = 744 miles

Empty Weight = 13,367 lbs

Clean Loaded Weight = 18,379 lbs

Span = 37 ft 1.5 in

Length = 40 ft 11.125 in

Height = 15 ft 0 in

Wing Area = 287.9 sq ft

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

FJ-4 Fury

North American FJ-4 Fury

Max Speed = 680 mph at sea level, 631 mph at 35,000 ft

Initial Climb = 7660 fpm

Clean Range = 1485 miles

Empty Weight = 13,210 lbs

Clean Loaded Weight = 20,130 lbs

Span = 39 ft 1 in

Length = 36 ft 4 in

Height = 13 ft 11 in

Wing Area = 338.66 sq ft

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

F-86L Sabre

North American F-86L Sabre

Max Speed = 693 mph at sea level, 616 mph at 40,000 ft

Initial Climb = 12,200 fpm

Range with 2x 120 gal drop tanks = 750 miles

Empty Weight = 13,822 lbs

Clean Loaded Weight = 18,484 lbs

Span = 39 ft 1.5 in

Length = 40 ft 3.25 in

Height = 15 ft 0 in

Wing Area = 313.37 sq ft

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

Canadair CL-13B Sabre Mk. 6

Canadair CL-13B Sabre 6

Max Speed = 710 mph at sea level, 620 mph at 36,000 ft

Initial Climb = 11,800 fpm

Empty Weight = 10,618 lbs

Clean Loaded Weight = 14,613 lbs

Span = 37 ft 1.5 in

Length = 37 ft 6 in

Height = 14 ft 9 in

Wing Area = 313.37 sq ft

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

Commonwealth CA-27 Sabre

Commonwealth CA-27 Sabre

Max Speed = 672 mph at 10,000 ft, 507 mph at 37,000 ft

Initial Climb = 12,000 fpm

Empty Weight = 12,120 lbs

Loaded Weight = 15,990 lbs

Span = 37 ft 1.5 in

Length = 37 ft 6 in

Height = 14 ft 4.75 in

Wing Area = 302.26 sq ft

Source = Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

Sources

Davis, Larry; F-86 Sabre In Action; Squadron/Signal Publications; Carrollton, TX; 1992.

Angelucci, Enzo; The Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft 1914 to the Present; Crescent Books, New York; 1980.

Batchelor, John, and Cooper, Bryan; Fighter: A History of Fighter Aircraft; Charles Scribner's Sons, New York; 1973.

Franks, Norman; Aircraft Versus Aircraft; Barnes & Noble Books, 1998.

Green, William, and Swanborough, Gordon; The Complete Book Of Fighters; Smithmark Publishing, New York; 1994.

Taylor, Michael J.H.; Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation; Crescent Books, New York; 1989.

Davis, Larry; Walk Around F-86 Sabre; Squadron/Signal Publications; Carrollton, TX; 2000.

Williams, Anthony G.; Rapid Fire; Airlife Publishing Ltd; Shrewsbury, England; 2000.

F-86 Sabre; History Channel Productions; 2003.