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North American F-86D Sabre

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F-86D/K/L Sabre
A USAF North American F-86D
General information
TypeAll-weather fighter-interceptor
National originUnited States
ManufacturerNorth American Aviation
Primary usersUnited States Air Force
Number built2,847
History
Introduction date1951[1]
First flight22 December 1949,
75 years ago[2]
Retired
Developed fromNorth American F-86 Sabre

The North American F-86D/K/L Sabre (initially known as the YF-95 and widely known informally as the "Sabre Dog")[2][3] is an American transonic jet interceptor. Developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s, it was an interceptor derivative of the North American F-86 Sabre. While the original F-86 Sabre was conceived as a day fighter, the F-86D was specifically developed as an all-weather interceptor. Originally designated as the YF-95 during development and testing, it was re-designated the F-86D before production began, despite only sharing 25% commonality of parts with the original F-86. Production models of the F-86D/K/L differed from other Sabres in that they had a larger fuselage, a larger afterburning engine, and a distinctive nose radome. The most-produced Sabre Dog variants (the "D" and "G" models) also mounted no guns, unlike the Sabre with its six M3 Browning .50 caliber machine guns, instead mounting unguided Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) “Mighty Mouse” rockets. The "K" and "L" Sabre Dog variants mounted four 20mm M24A1 cannon.[4]

Design and development

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Rocket tray

The YF-95 was a development of the F-86 Sabre, the first aircraft designed around the new 2.75-inch (70 mm) "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 5,425 lbf (24.1 kN) 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 40 ft 4 in (12.3 m), 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 5,550 lbf (24.7 kN) (from the F-86D-45 production blocks onward). A total of 2,504 D-models were built.[2]

Operational history

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A Wyoming Air National Guard F-86L in the late 1950s.

On 18 November 1952, F-86D 51-2945 set a speed record of 698.505 mph (1,124.1 km/h). Captain J. Slade Nash flew over a three km (1.8 mi.) course at the Salton Sea in southern California at a height of only 125 ft (38 m). Another F-86D broke this world record on 16 July 1953, when Lieutenant Colonel William F. Barns, flying F-86D 51-6145 in the same path of the previous flight, achieved 715.697 mph (1,151.8 km/h).[5]

Variants

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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.

Operators

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Source: Dorr[6]
Danish North American F-86D Sabre
A West German Air Force F-86K in 1965.
North American F-86K Royal Netherlands Air Force
North American F-86K from Royal Norwegian Air Force.
F-86D of the Philippine Air Force.
 Denmark
Received 59 ex-USAF F-86Ds 1958-1960; assigned to 723, 726 and 728 Squadrons.
 France
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.
 West Germany
Acquired 88 U.S. F-86Ks 22 July 1957–23 June 1958. The Ks were assigned to Jagdgeschwader 75/renamed 74.
 Greece
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.
 Honduras
A former Honduran F-86K in Honduran Aviation Museum in Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Acquired Six Venezuelan F-86Ks in 1970.
 Italy
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.
 Japan
Acquired 122 US F-86Ds, 1958–1961; assigned to four all-weather interceptor Hikōtai, and Air Proving Ground at Gifu.
 Netherlands
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.
 Norway
Acquired 60 U.S.-built F-86K Sabres, 1955–1956, and four Italian-assembled Fiat K-models.
 Philippines
Acquired 20 F-86Ds, assigned to 8th Fighter Interceptor Squadron "Vampires" beginning 1960; part of the U.S. military assistance package.
 South Korea
Acquired 40 F-86Ds, beginning 20 June 1955.
 Republic of China (Taiwan)
 Thailand
Acquired 20 F-86Ls.
 United States
Further information: List of Sabre and Fury units in the US military
 Venezuela
Acquired 32 US-built F-86Fs, October 1955–December 1960; 1965 acquired 79 Fiat-built F-86Ks from West Germany.
 Yugoslavia
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.[7]

Surviving aircraft

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Main article: List of surviving Sabre aircraft
A F-86L of the RTAF on display at the Royal Thai Air Force Museum

Specifications (F-86D-40-NA)

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North American F-86K Sabre.

Data from Combat Aircraft since 1945,[3] The American Fighter[8]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Length: 40 ft 3 in (12.27 m)
  • Wingspan: 37 ft 1.5 in (11.31 m)
  • Height: 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m)
  • Empty weight: 13,518 lb (6,132 kg)
  • Gross weight: 19,975 lb (9,060 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × General Electric J47-GE-17B , 5,425 lbf (24.13 kN) thrust dry, 7,500 lbf (33 kN) with afterburner

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 715 mph (1,151 km/h, 621 kn) [9]
  • Maximum speed: Mach .93
  • Range: 330 mi (531 km, 290 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 49,750 ft (15,163 m)
  • Rate of climb: 12,150 ft/min (61.7 m/s)

Armament

  • 24 × 2.75 in (70 mm) Mighty Mouse FFAR rockets in ventral tray

Avionics

  • AN/APG-36 all-weather radar

See also

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Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ North American F-86L “Sabre Dog” - Maps Air Museum
  2. ^ a b c North American F-86D Sabre - National Museum of the United States Air Force
  3. ^ a b Wilson 2000, p. 111.
  4. ^ "North American F-86A Sabre". National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved 2024-07-10.
  5. ^ "William F. Barns Archives". This Day in Aviation. February 21, 2019. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
  6. ^ Dorr 1993, pp. 65–96.
  7. ^ "IF-86D". Achtung, Skyhawk!. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  8. ^ Angelucci and Bowers 1987, pp. 346–47.
  9. ^ Boyne, W.J. (1998). Beyond the Wild Blue: A History of the U.S. Air Force, 1947-1997. Thomas Dunne. St. Martin's Press. p. 380. ISBN 978-0-312-18705-7. Retrieved May 14, 2019.

Bibliography

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  • Allward, Maurice. F-86 Sabre. London: Ian Allan, 1978. ISBN 0-7110-0860-4.
  • 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. ISBN 0-517-56588-9.
  • Curtis, Duncan. North American F-86 Sabre. Ramsbury, UK: Crowood, 2000. ISBN 1-86126-358-9.
  • Dorr, Robert F. F-86 Sabre Jet: History of the Sabre and FJ Fury. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International Publishers, 1993. ISBN 0-87938-748-3.
  • Käsmann, Ferdinand C.W. Die schnellsten Jets der Welt: Weltrekord- Flugzeuge (in German). Oberhaching, Germany: Aviatic Verlag-GmbH, 1994. ISBN 3-925505-26-1.
  • 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. ISBN 0-912799-59-5.
  • Robinson, Robbie. NATO F-86D/K Sabre Dogs. Le Havre, 2018, 120 p. ISBN 978-2-9541818-3-7.
  • Swanborough, F. Gordon. United States Military Aircraft Since 1909. London: Putnam, 1963. ISBN 0-87474-880-1.
  • Wagner, Ray. American Combat Planes - Second Edition. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1968. ISBN 0-370-00094-3.
  • Wagner, Ray. The North American Sabre. London: Macdonald, 1963. No ISBN.
  • Westrum, Ron. Sidewinder. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1999. ISBN 1-55750-951-4.
  • Wilson, Stewart. Combat Aircraft since 1945. Fyshwick, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2000. ISBN 1-875671-50-1.
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