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sIMGP5396-North-American-F-86A-Sabre-USAF-G-SABR-FU-178 — North American F-86A Sabre FU-178

It was the most important fighter of the US Airforce in Korea, the first contracts for this fighter were signed in 1944 by the US Army Air Forces for three XP-86 prototypes daylight fighter that could serve as escortfighter and for ground attacks.

When the German Aerodynamics-researches came available after the second world war for the Americans the design changed and it got arrow shaped wings and tail. The firtst prototype flew in October 1947 with a General Electric TG-108 (later J35-GE-3) turbojet with 16,875 kN and an axial compressor.

Later the type got an General Electric J47 turbojet and the marking YP-86A. This prototype lead to the P-86A (Later F-86A) productionmodel with the J47-GE-1 engine producing 21,825 kN thrust.

554 fighters with four J47 markings up to 23,40 kN thrust were delivered in chronologics order followed by 456 F-86E with a controlled stabelizer and the J47-GE-27 with 23,40 kN.

2540 F-86F’s with J47-GE-27 engines (26,87 kN), later models got the lengthend front-end ‘6-3’ wing (a fixed leading edge with a 6-inch extended chord at the root and a 3-inch extended chord at the tip).

A number of 2504 planes (F-86D) were newly designed as night and all weather fighters and received the J47-GE-33 engine with 24,98 kN thrust as powersource. Following by the F-86H (473) fighter/bombers (J73-GE-3 / 40,05 kN) larger wings and bigger hull.

The F86K was a simplyfied version of the F86D (J47-GE-17B / 24,41 kN) 341 air frames were built of this type, and last the F-86L a rebuilt version of the F-86D with bigger wing en more advanced electronics.

The Sabre was also built in Australia as the CAC Sabre in Mk 30, 31 and 32 versions with two 30 mm cannons and a Rolls Royce Avon turbojet. Canada built the Canadair Sabre Mk 2, 4, and 6 versions with the Orenda turbojet.

For aircraft carriers a special version of the Sabre was developed. first know as the The North American FJ-2 and FJ-3 Fury. They were a series of swept-wing carrier-capable fighters for the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The FJ-2 resulted from an effort to navalise the North American F-86 Sabre operated by the United States Air Force. These aircraft feature folding wings, and a longer nose landing strut designed to increase angle of attack upon launch and to accommodate a longer oleo to absorb the shock of hard landings on an aircraft carrier deck.

Although sharing a U.S. Navy designation with its distant predecessor, the straight-winged North American FJ-1 Fury, the FJ-2/-3 were completely different aircraft. (The later FJ-4 was again, a complete structural redesign of the FJ-3). The FJ-2 was one of the aircraft used to evaluate the first steam catapult on a US Navy aircraft-carrier.

F-86F:

Role	Fighter-Bomber
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	North American
First flight	October 1947
Introduction	1949
Retired	~1990 (South Korea)
Status	retired
Primary users (all versions)	Argentina Argentine Air Force Acquired 28 F-86Fs, 26 September 1960, FAA s/n CA-101 through CA-128. The Sabres were already on reserve status at the time of the Falklands War but were reinstated to active service to bolster air defences against possible Chilean involvement. Finally retired in 1986. Australia Royal Australian Air Force Bangladesh Bangladesh Air Force 8 F-86F-40-NAs captured from Pakistan, phased out.^[80] Belgium Belgian Air Force 5 F-86F Sabres delivered, no operational unit. Canada Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Colombia Colombian Air Force Acquired four F-86Fs from Spanish Air Force (s/n 2027/2028), five USAF F-86F (s/n 51-13226) and other nine Canadair Mk.6; assigned to Escuadron de Caza-Bombardero. Denmark Royal Danish Air Force 59 F-86D-31NA(38) F-86D-36NA(21)s in service from 1958 – 1966 ESK 723, ESK 726, ESK 728^[81] Ethiopia Ethiopian Air Force Acquired 14 F-86Fs in 1960.^[82] Germany German Air Force (Luftwaffe) – see North American F-86D Sabre and Canadair Sabre Honduras Honduran Air Force Acquired and 10 CL.13 Mk2 (F-86E) from Yugoslavia. Iran Imperial Iranian Air Force Acquired an unknown number of F-86Fs.^[82] Iraq Iraqi Air Force Bought some units of the type but they were never operated and were returned. Japan Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) Acquired 180 U.S. F-86Fs, 1955–1957. Mitsubishi built 300 F-86Fs under license 1956–1961, and were assigned to 10 fighter hikōtai or squadrons. JASDF called F-86F the “Kyokukō” (旭光, Rising Sunbeam) and F-86D the “Gekkō” (月光, Moon Light). Their Blue Impulse Aerobatic Team, a total of 18 F-models were converted to reconnaissance version in 1962. Some aircraft were returned to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, as drones. Nederland Koninklijke Luchtmacht: 63 F-86Ks from 1955 up to 1964. Eskaders: 700, 701, 702. Norway Royal Norwegian Air Force Acquired 115 F-86Fs, 1957–1958; and assigned to seven squadrons, Nos. 331, 332, 334, 336, 337, 338 and 339. Pakistan Pakistani Air Force Acquired 102 U.S.-built F-86F-35-NA and F-86F-40-NAs, last of North American Aviation’s production line, 1954–1960s. Peru Peruvian Air Force Acquired 26 U.S.-built F-86Fs in 1955, assigned to Escuadrón Aéreo 111, Grupo Aéreo No.11 at Talara air force base. Finally retired in 1979. Philippines Philippine Air Force Acquired 50 F-86Fs in 1957. Retired in the late 1970s. Portugal Portuguese Air Force A total of 65 acquired: 50 U.S.-built F-86Fs, 1958, including some from USAF’s 531st Fighter Bomber Squadron, Chambley and 15 ex-Royal Norwegian Air Force. In Portugal, they served in Squadron 201 (formerly designated as Sqn. 50 and later Sqn. 51, before being renamed in 1978) and Squadron 52, both based at Air Base No. 5, Monte Real. In 1961, the Portuguese Air Force deployed some of its F-86Fs to Portuguese Guinea, where they formed Detachment 52, based at Base-Aerodrome No. 2, Bissalanca/Bissau. Taiwan (Republic of China) Republic of China Air Force Acquired 320 U.S.-built F-86Fs,7 RF-86Fs,18 F-86Ds, The 18 F-86Ds back to U.S. military and US send 6 to Republic of Korea Air Force,8 to Philippine Air Force in 1966. Saudi Arabia Royal Saudi Air Force Acquired 16 U.S.-built F-86Fs in 1958, and three Fs from Norway in 1966; and assigned to RSAF No. 7 Squadron at Dhahran. South Africa South African Air Force Acquired on loan 22 U.S.-built F-86F-30s during the Korean War and saw action with 2 Squadron SAAF. South Korea Republic of Korea Air Force Acquired U.S.-built 112 F-86Fs and 10 RF-86Fs, beginning 20 June 1955; and assigned to ROKAF 10th Wing. It also served with the ROKAF Black Eagles aerobatic team for annual event from 1959 to 1966. The last F-86s retired in 1990. Spain Spanish Air Force Acquired 270 U.S.-built F-86Fs, 1955–1958; designated C.5s and assigned to 5 wings: Ala de Caza 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. Retired 1972. Thailand Royal Thai Air Force Acquired 40 U.S.-built F-86Fs, 1962; assigned to RTAF Squadrons, Nos. 12 (Ls), 13, and 43. A retired Royal Thai Air Force F-86 Tunisia Tunisian Air Force Acquired 15 used U.S.-built F-86F in 1969. Turkey Turkish Air Force Acquired U.S.-built 33 P-86As, 111 F-86Es and Canadian-built 107 F-86E(M)^[83] United Nations United Nations Operation in the Congo Received 5 F-86E(M)s from Italy as MAP redeployment 1963, manned by Philippine pilots; F-86F units from Ethiopia and Iran also used in ONUC. United States United States Air Force Further information: List of Sabre and Fury units in US military Venezuela Venezuelan Air Force Acquired 30 U.S.-built F-86Fs, October 1955 – December 1960; and assigned to one group, Grupo Aéreo De Caza No. 12, three other squadrons. Yugoslavia Yugoslav Air Force Acquired 121 Canadair CL-13s and F-86Es, operating them in several fighter aviation regiments between 1956 and 1971.
Produced	NAA built a total of 6297 F-86s and 1115 FJs, Canadair built 1815, Australian CAC built 112, Fiat built 221, and Mitsubishi built 300; for a total Sabre/Fury production of 9860.
Number built	9860