North American F-86 Sabre

Summary

Description

North American Aviation, having produced the P-51 Mustang during World War II, proposed its first jet fighter to the U.S. Navy in late 1944, resulting in the FJ-1 Fury. Initial proposals were drafted in mid-1944 for a medium-range, single-seat, high-altitude, jet-powered day escort fighter/fighter bomber. In early 1945, North American submitted four designs, with the USAAF selecting one and awarding a contract to build three XP-86 prototypes. By deleting requirements from the FJ-1 Fury and through other modifications, the XP-86 was lighter and faster, though early studies indicated similar performance to rivals XP-80 and XP-84. The XP-86 crucially failed to meet the required top speed of 600 mph (970 km/h). North American utilized flight research data seized from German aerodynamicists, which demonstrated that a thin, swept wing could reduce drag and delay compressibility issues. Despite resistance from some senior staff, the swept-wing concept was adopted, incorporating a 35° swept-back wing with modified NACA airfoils and an automatic slat design based on the Messerschmitt Me 262. The XP-86 prototype was rolled out on 8 August 1947, and its first flight occurred on 1 October 1947, with George Welch at the controls, from Muroc Dry Lake, California. Production began, and the F-86 was the primary U.S. air combat fighter during the Korean War, with significant numbers of the first three production models seeing combat.

The F-86 was produced as both a fighter-interceptor and fighter-bomber, with several variants introduced featuring different armaments and improvements. The XP-86 was initially fitted with a General Electric J35-C-3 jet engine producing 4,000 lbf (18 kN) of thrust, but later models like the F-86A-1 used the General Electric J47-GE-7 engine, increasing thrust to 5,200 lbf (23 kN). Both the interceptor and fighter-bomber versions carried six 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M3 Browning machine guns with electrically boosted feed in the nose, firing at a rate of 1,200 rounds per minute; later versions of the F-86H carried four 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon instead of machine guns. Armor-piercing (AP) and armor-piercing incendiary (API) rounds were used, with one armor-piercing incendiary tracer (APIT) for every five AP or API rounds, harmonized to converge at 1,000 ft (300 m) in front of the aircraft. Some F-86Fs were converted to carry the M39 cannon in place of the M3 .50 caliber machine guns. Some fighters used unguided 2.75-inch (70-millimeter) rockets on training missions, but 5-inch (127 mm) rockets were later carried on combat operations. The fighter-bomber version (F-86H) could carry up to 2,000 lb (910 kg) of bombs, including an external fuel-type tank that could carry napalm; the F-86H and some F-86F-35s had provisions for tactical nuclear attack. The F-86F-40-NA could carry 5,300 lb (2,400 kg) of payload on four external hardpoints. Early models used the Mark 18 manual-ranging computing gun sight, but the last 24 F-86A-5-Nas and F-86Es were equipped with the A-1CM gunsight-AN/APG-30 radar, which automatically computed a target's range. The F-86 could also be fitted with a pair of external jettisonable jet fuel tanks (four on the F-86F beginning in 1953) that extended the aircraft's range. A few F-86Fs were modified for improved performance via rocket boost.

The F-86 entered service with the USAF in 1949, becoming the primary air-to-air jet fighter used by the Americans in the Korean War, joining the 1st Fighter Wing's 94th Fighter Squadron. In response to the swept-wing MiG-15, three squadrons of F-86s were rushed to the Far East in December 1950, participating in early jet-to-jet combat. With the introduction of the F-86F in 1953, the F-86 and MiG-15 performance became more closely matched by the end of the war. No. 2 Squadron, South African Air Force (SAAF) also operated F-86s in Korea as part of the 18 FBW. From December 1954 to June 1956, the Republic of China Air Force received 160 ex-USAF F-86F-1-NA through F-86F-30-NA fighters. The ROCAF Sabres under Operation Black Magic were provided with the AIM-9 Sidewinder, which was employed against MiGs. In 1954, Pakistan started receiving the first of a total of 102 F-86F Sabres, which were operated by nine Pakistan Air Force (PAF) squadrons at various times. In 1961, the Forca Aerea Portuguesa (FAP) deployed some of its F-86F Sabres to Portuguese Guinea, being based at AB2 – Bissalanca Air Base, Bissau. The Philippine Air Force (PAF) first received F-86Fs in 1957, replacing the North American P-51 Mustang as their primary interceptor.

Main Variants:

• F-86A: The initial production model, equipped with the General Electric J47-GE-7 engine delivering 5,200 lbf (23 kN) of thrust.

• F-86D/L: An all-weather interceptor variant, originally designated F-95A, equipped with search radar, a larger fuselage, and an afterburning engine, armed with Mk. 4 unguided rockets.

• F-86E: This variant featured an improved flight control system and an "all-flying tail" for enhanced high-speed maneuverability.

• F-86F: Featured an uprated engine and a larger "6–3" wing without leading-edge slats, resulting in improved high-speed agility.

• F-86H: This fighter-bomber model had a deeper fuselage, an uprated engine, longer wings, and a power-boosted tailplane, with the ability to carry up to 2,000 lb (910 kg) of bombs and a provision for nuclear weapons.

Technical specifications

Current operating countries

No country is operating the F-86 Sabre in 2025.

All operators

Argentina • Australia • Belgium • Bangladesh • Bolivia • Canada • Colombia • Germany • Eritrea • Spain • Ethiopia • France • United Kingdom • Greece • Honduras • Indonesia • Iran • Iraq • Italy • Japan • South Korea • Malaysia • Netherlands • Norway • Pakistan • Peru • Philippines • Portugal • Saudi Arabia • Thailand • Tunisia • Turkey • Taiwan • United States • Venezuela • Ex-Yugoslavia • South Africa

Armament

Missiles payload:

• Air-to-Air Short-Range Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder

Photo of F-86 Sabre

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