North American F-86D Sabre

The North American F-86D/K/L Sabre (initially known as the YF-95 and widely known informally as the "Sabre Dog")

Design and development

thumb|Rocket tray

The YF-95 was a development of the F-86 Sabre, the first aircraft designed around the new "Mighty Mouse" Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR). Begun in March 1949, the unarmed prototype, 50-577, first flew on 22 December 1949, piloted by North American test pilot George Welch and was the first U.S. Air Force night fighter design with only a single crewman and a single engine, a J47-GE-17 with afterburner rated at static thrust. Gun armament was eliminated in favor of a retractable under-fuselage tray carrying 24 unguided Mk. 4 rockets, then considered a more effective weapon against enemy bombers than automatic cannon fire. A second prototype, 50-578, was also built, but the YF-95 nomenclature was short-lived as the design was subsequently redesignated YF-86D.

The fuselage was wider and the airframe length increased to , with a clamshell canopy, enlarged tail surfaces and AN/APG-36 all-weather radar fitted in a radome in the nose, above the intake. Later models of the F-86D received an uprated J-47-GE-33 engine rated at (from the F-86D-45 production blocks onward). A total of 2,504 D-models were built.

Variants

thumb|right|The fifth F-86D for the USAF in formation with two other early production aircraft

;YF-95A: prototype all-weather interceptor; two built; designation changed to YF-86D (North American model NA-164)

;YF-86D : originally designated YF-95A.

;F-86D : Production interceptor originally designated F-95A, 2,504 built.

;F-86G : Provisional designation for F-86D variant with uprated engine and equipment changes, 406 built as F-86Ds.

;YF-86K : Basic version of F-86D intended for export with rocket tray replaced by four 20 mm cannon and simplified fire control system, two conversions.

;F-86K : NATO version of F-86D; MG-4 fire control system; four 20 mm M24A1 cannon with 132 rounds per gun; APG-37 radar. 120 were built by North American, 221 were assembled by Fiat.

;F-86L : Upgrade conversion of F-86D with new electronics, extended wingtips and wing leading edges, revised cockpit layout, and uprated engine; 981 converted.

;B.Kh.17A: () Royal Thai Air Force designation for the F-86L.

Operators

: Source: Dorr

thumb|right|Danish North American F-86D Sabre

thumb|right|A West [[German Air Force F-86K in 1965.]]

thumb|right|North American F-86K Royal Netherlands Air Force

thumb|right|North American F-86K from Royal Norwegian Air Force.

thumb|right|F-86D of the Philippine Air Force.

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Royal Danish Air Force

: Received 59 ex-USAF F-86Ds 1958-1960; assigned to 723, 726 and 728 Squadrons.

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French Air Force

: Fiat built 62 F-86Ks for France (1956-1957), assigned to EC 1/13 "Artois", EC 2/13 "Alpes", and EC 3/13 "Auvergne" Squadrons. Serials were 55-4814/4844, 55-4846/4865, 55-4872/4874, 55-4876/4879.

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German Air Force

: Acquired 88 U.S. F-86Ks 22 July 1957–23 June 1958. The Ks were assigned to Jagdgeschwader 75/renamed 74.

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Greek Air Force

: Acquired 35 F-86Ds from the US. Were received in 1961 and retired in 1967 but kept as back up until 1969. F-86D was the first all weather fighter in Greek Air Force. F-86Ds were assigned to 337 and 343 Squadrons. Until 1964 they were in natural metal. Until after retirement they were in NATO camo.

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Honduran Air Force

: thumb|A former Honduran F-86K in Honduran Aviation Museum in Tegucigalpa, HondurasAcquired Six Venezuelan F-86Ks in 1970.

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Italian Air Force

: Fiat produced 121 F-86Ks for Italy, 1955-1958. Also, 120 U.S. F-86Ks were acquired. F-86s were assigned to the AMI air groups: 6 Gruppo COT/1 Stormo, 17 Gruppo/1 Stormo, 23 Gruppo/1 Stormo, 21 Gruppo/51 Aerobrigata, 22 Gruppo/51 Aerobrigata and 12 Gruppo/4 Aerobrigata.

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Japanese Air Self-Defense Force

: Acquired 122 US F-86Ds, 1958–1961; assigned to four all-weather interceptor Hikōtai, and Air Proving Ground at Gifu.

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Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht) (KLu)

: Acquired 57 U.S.-built and six Fiat-built F-86K Sabres, 1955–1956; and assigned to three squadrons, No. 700, 701 and 702. Operated until 1964.

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Royal Norwegian Air Force

: Acquired 60 U.S.-built F-86K Sabres, 1955–1956, and four Italian-assembled Fiat K-models.

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Philippine Air Force

: Acquired 20 F-86Ds, assigned to 8th Fighter Interceptor Squadron "Vampires" beginning 1960; part of the U.S. military assistance package.

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Republic of Korea Air Force

: Acquired 40 F-86Ds, beginning 20 June 1955.

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Republic of China Air Force

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Royal Thai Air Force

: Acquired 20 F-86Ls.

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United States Air Force

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Venezuelan Air Force

: Acquired 79 Fiat-built F-86Ks from West Germany in 1965, they lasted few years in service due to many maintenance issues.

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SFR Yugoslav Air Force

: Acquired 130 U.S.-made F-86Ds and operated them between 1961 and 1974. 32 of these were modified into a reconnaissance variant utilizing 3 Kodak K-24 cameras mounted in place of the FFAR rockets, the IF-86D.

Surviving aircraft

thumb|A F-86L of the RTAF on display at the [[Royal Thai Air Force Museum]]

Specifications (F-86D-40-NA)

thumb|200px|North American F-86K Sabre.

References

Notes

Bibliography

Allward, Maurice. F-86 Sabre. London: Ian Allan, 1978. .
Angelucci, Enzo and Peter Bowers. The American Fighter: the Definite Guide to American Fighter Aircraft from 1917 to the Present. New York: Orion Books, 1987. .
Curtis, Duncan. North American F-86 Sabre. Ramsbury, UK: Crowood, 2000. .
Dorr, Robert F. F-86 Sabre Jet: History of the Sabre and FJ Fury. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International Publishers, 1993. .
Käsmann, Ferdinand C.W. Die schnellsten Jets der Welt: Weltrekord- Flugzeuge (in German). Oberhaching, Germany: Aviatic Verlag-GmbH, 1994. .
Knaack, Marcelle Size. Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems, Volume 1, Post-World War Two Fighters, 1945-1973. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History, 1978. .
Robinson, Robbie. NATO F-86D/K Sabre Dogs. Le Havre, 2018, 120 p. .
Swanborough, F. Gordon. United States Military Aircraft Since 1909. London: Putnam, 1963. .
Wagner, Ray. American Combat Planes - Second Edition. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1968. .
Wagner, Ray. The North American Sabre. London: Macdonald, 1963. No ISBN.
Westrum, Ron. Sidewinder. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1999. .
Wilson, Stewart. Combat Aircraft since 1945. Fyshwick, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2000. .

External links

North American F-86D Sabre - National Museum of the United States Air Force