CLONQO), | Bast$54.95 US, By 1944, the US Navy was looking into the possibility of jet aircraft to operate from carriers in support of the planned invasion of Japan in 1946, and the US Army Air Force Issued a design request for a medium-range day fighter that could also cope with escort fighter and fighter-bomber missions. Variations of the same basic design were produced for each role, but the differences caused by conflicting ‘operational requirements made each aircraft markedly different. Not least of these was the decision that the Army Air Force variant should have swept wings. ‘As such, the straight-wing XFJ-1 for the Navy was first to fly, on 27 Novernber 1946, and the ‘swept-wing XP-86 for the Army Air Force flew fon I October 1947, twas clear from the beginning that North ‘American had a fine aeroplane in the XP-86, which entered service as the F-86A Sabre in February 1949. It was soon to show its worth in the skies over Korea and in September 1948 ‘an unmodified F-B6A broke the world speed record. Further development saw the Sabre grow in power and capability whilst remaining a true pilot's aeroplane. Its swept wing was also to find its way on to subsequent versions of the Navy's Fury. The Navy's FJ-2 was based on the F-86E, and later models had a distinguished career. ‘Aviation historian and Sabre researcher Duncan Curtis tells the full story of the design, development and operational use of both the F-86 and the FJ Furies in this welcome addition to the Crowood Aviation Series. He covers the many variants of this fine aircraft and its worldwide use by countries as far apart a Great Britain and Australia, Bangladesh and. Bolivia, and has gathered together many rare photographs of this significant aeroplane. £29.95 England, and from an early age was smitten by the Royal Navy Scimitar jets flying from the local airport. He began researching the Sabre in 1974 and also became involved in aircraft preservation at around the same time. He was ‘a key member of a team renovating, among others, Gloster Meteor, de Havilland Sea Venom ‘and Tiger Moth aircraft. Pursuing the interest in aviation, he joined the Royal Air Force in 1980 as an airframe/engine apprentice and in nineteen years has served on both fixed- and rotary-winged aircraft from Central America to Scandinavia His knowledge and advice have been regularly sought after, and he has located parts, information and photographs for many Sabre and Fury aircraft restorations. He has also contributed to numerous books on the 1950s USAF and has written for magazines such as Aeroplane Monthly, Warbirds Worldwide and Sabredlet Classics, the journal of the F-86 Sabre Pilots Association. He lives in Wiltshire, England with his wife and two children. For details of our other aviation tes, and a copy of our catalogue, write to: The Crowood Press Ramsbury Watshire SNB2HR Cover design by Annette Findlay Printed in Great BritainAVIATION (o>, SERIES North American F-86 SABRE Duncan Curtisseta Firs published in 2000 by ‘The Crowood Pres Lid Ramsbury, Marlborough ‘Wiltshire SNS 2HR. © Duncan Curtis 2000 All publication may be reprxluced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or reserved. No par ofthis ‘mechanical, including photocopy, recording, orany info system, sithout permission in wrth the publishes. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue tecord for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 1 86126 3589 Fromsce Owarled by 2 Convair B-36 bomber, this aircrafts from 27th Fightor Squadron and sports 2 yellow fuselage lash. Early tests with FBGA ing 8-3 showed that the Sabre had litle probe Edited, designed and produced by Focus Publishinw Printed and bound by Bookeraft, Midsorner Norton Dedication To my great friend and mentor Pete Hurting. Acknowledgements I thank Mike Fox for his continual support, proof-reading and the loan of and also John Henderson, NAA, tech rep, who generously provided a considerable amount of material from his personal archives. John also answered my ‘many queries in a supremely prompt and profesional manner. Finally, to. my wife Tanya a big thank you for proof-reading and for patting up with me. My sincere thanks also go to: Bill Alley Maj Gen Fred Aseani, USAF Retd, ike Bennett, Lawrence Bichunko, Duane Biteman, Jack Brauckmann, Ait Cir DEM. Browne, Wei-Bin Bernard Chenel, Fuller, Roque Garcia, Jr, Geonge Getchell, Lee Gollwitzer, Jennifer Gradidge, Col Laverne Griffin, Richard Gross, Wayne Heise, Leif Hellstrom, A.J. Jackson, Maria Canongia Lopes, Jim Low, Dave McLaren, Frank MeMeiken, Bill Madison, Andy Marden, Barry Mayner, Dave Menard, Ron Mock, the National Air S& Space Museum, Archie Nogle, ‘Oakie' Oakford, Jorge Felix Nunes Padin, Dave Roberson, Harry Runge, Frosty Sheridan, Petet Sickinger, José Carlos wa, Ellice P. Smith, Roger W. Sudbury/MIT Lincola Laboratory, Zev Tavor, Brian Austra Tomkins, Themis Vranas, W. Yip at Benjamin Yu.Contents jowledgements 1. THE XP-86 AND THE F-86A 2. THE HEAVYWEIGHTS 3. DAY FIGHTERS: THE F-86E AND F 4. LAST OF THE SPORT MODELS 5. DEVELOPMENT AND EXPORT 6. SABRES AT SEA: THE F] FURY 7. OVERSEAS F-86 OPERATORS, dix: The Three Prototypes duction: a Brief History of North American Aviation, Inc. 37 61 92 103 116 133 188 1901970, his 04th TFS Maryland ANG F-86H was one bres in US xtra ‘zero' inthe sril number diferontistes thi -Fiscal Year machine from those procured in 1863 Ken MockIntroduction: a Brief History of North American Aviation, Inc. North American Aviation was incor porated in Delaware on 6 December 1928 by Clement Keys to hecome a holding company fora number of aviation-related interests. Keys was considered something of a financial guru, and investments of $45 million were represented in aircraft related shares, including those of the Gurtss Aeroplane and Motor Company, Transcontinental Air Transport and the Douglas Aireraft Company. In March 1930 North American Aviation, Inc (NAA) was listed on the New York Stock Exchange The company continued to expand in the postdepression period and in 1932 The General Motors Corporation bought 29 per cent interest in NAA and purwed the manufacture of Fokker Trimotors at its Dundalk plane in Maryland. With aiemail forming a large fart of the business, the revisions in the hole postal system during 1934 led to imajor changes at NAA. In May of th year a new ruling prevented. airlines affliated with any part of the aircraft manufacturing industry from holding an airmail contract after the end of the year ‘Asa result, North American Aviation as set up with the sole purpose of aircraft building, and 39-years-old ‘Dutch’ Kinlelherger became president, having previously served ay vice-president of ng at Doulas Aircraft. When Kindelberger moved to NAA, he took with him two key aircraft ‘designers from Douglas, Lee Atwood and ].S. Smithson. The Dundalk plant was abandoned too, and Kindelburger moved eighty-five of the employees out to a 159,000-s4 ft facility on 20 acres at Inglewood near the edge of the Los Angeles Municipal Airport The new NAA team had a daunting challenge ahead for, up to this point, North American had never sold a single aeroplane. For sure, it had done some modification work on obsolete Berliner Joyce P-16 pursuit aircraft, but t really all. Therefore the comp government contract was not for a complete machine, but for 161 sets of floats for US Navy observation aircraft Work began in temporary manu facturing quarters while the original Inglewood factory was expanded and modernized. The new premises. were ‘occupied during January 1936, with 250 people on the payroll. Kindelberger felt that NAA would have the best chance of success ifit concentrated on small, single engined craft and his vision paid off, an Army Air Comps contract for forty-two hasic trainers was awarded and. this allowed the company. to further modernize the plant at Inglewood, Starting life as the company project NA-16, a fixed-gear, two-place, low-wing which flew on I April 1935 the first. North model-numbered to fly), the NA-I6 evolved into the Army's BT trainer; eventually more than 250 of the type were delivered, beginning in 1936. Further continued development of the BT-9 design led to the BC-1 combat trainer and eventually to the superlative AT-6 Harvard advanced training aircraft. With a major war impending, North. American forged ahead to new production records, but it was the British thar really put the company on the map. Their request in April 1940 for a new fighter aircraft (the NA-73) eventually led to the P-51 Mustang, and the rest, as, they say, is history. North American built some 41,000 aircraft during World War It and was ideally placed at its end to lead the way in advanced aircraft design. and manufacture,ete The XP-86 and the F-86A XP-86 Prototype Background to the Design The F-86 Sabre design can be traced back to North American Aviation’s (NAA) project NA-134, an_ aircraft originally drawn up for the US Navy. The NA-134 was planned to he a carrier-based jet capable of supporting the invasion of Japan planned for May 1946, More importantly, it needed to be superior in performance to existing shore-based interceptors. As jecpowered aircraft were still in their infancy, the Navy had earlier hedged its bets by pursuing different designs from several manufacturers. Thus the pute jet Chance Vought XF6U-1 Pirate and the McDonnell | XFH-1 Phantom were born. In addition compound fighters were also drawn up, which were to be equipped with a piston engine for quick cartier response andl a jet for high altitude, high-speed operation. Ryan's Fireball met this latter require- ment, although it should be said that none of these designs ever saw widespread service use, with only the FH-L going on to better things in the shape of its FZH Banshee derivative. Work on the NA-134 project began in late 1944, and the NAA designers came up with a fairly conventional design featuring a straight, thin-section wing set low ona rather’ stubby fuselage. A straight flow pitot-type nose intake fed air to the jet engine, which then exhausted under the unswept tailplane. The US Navy ordered three NA-134 prototypes under the designation XEJ-1 on I January 1945, and on 28 May also approved a contract for a hundred production FJ-Is, known by NAA as the NA-141 Meanwhile, the US Army Air Force (USAAF) issued a design request for a medium-range, day fighter thar could also cope with the escort fighter and fighter bomber missions. A top speed of 600mph (965km/h) was stipulated, and on 22 CHAPTER ONE, November 1944 NAA put fon RD-1265 design study for a version of the XFJ-1 to meet this requirement, Assigned the NAA number NA-140, the USAAF authorized Letter Contract AC-L1114 on 18 May 1945 to cover three prototype aircraft. The USAAF designated these aircraft XP-B6s Both North’ American fighters wei designed around the General Electric J35, axial flow tutbojet, but their jointly developed, design soon led to com: promises. The Naval version required considerable strengthening to cope with high sink-rate carrier landings, and the Air Force aircraft, being less constrained in this area, emerged with a thinner wing and slimmer fuselage, although it shared its tal surfaces with the XF]-1. Armament for both airraft would be six -50-calibre machine-guns mounted three on either side of the nose intake, although the XP- 86% gun muceles exited the fuselage further to the rear In the XP-86 a 10 per cent thickness to chord ratio wing was utilized to extend the critical Mach number to 0.9. The wingspan was 38M 2Min (1L63m), the length 354 6in (10.8m) and the height to the tip of the vertical tail 134 24in (401m). Four-speed brakes were to be installed, which would extend above and below the wings, sn a similar fashion to those found on the A-36 dive-bomber. The initial climb rate was quoted as 5,850ft/min (1783m/minute) and. the service 46,0004 (14,020m). The combat radius was 297 niles (477km) with 410gall (15371) of incernal fuel, and this could be increased to 750 miles (1,206km) by adding a 170gall (6371) drop tank to cach wingtip. Critically although, at a gross weight of 11,5001 (5,215kx),. the XP-86_ was estimated to be capable only of reaching S74mph (923km/h) at sea level and 582mph (936km/h) at 10,000K (3,048m). Cleauly, further design work was necessary ifthe XP-86 was to reach the Ait Force’ ambitious requirements. Despite this, a ceiling was to be mock-up of the straight-wing XP-86 was built and approved by the USAAF on 20 June 1945. Mock-up Review Boards took place in a large work bay on the ground floor of NAA’ Engineering Building, located at the south-east corner of Mines Field (nowadays Los Angeles Inter national Airport). ‘At this point in the life of the XP-86 design a decision was made which would move the aireraft into a different league that resulted in swept wing and tail surfaces being fitted to cope with the USAAF higher speed requirement. The radical redesign evolved from one simple fact: even with a thinner aetofoil section the straight-winged aircraft would still not be able to reach the 600mph stipulated. The idea of sweeping wing surfaces to reduce drag and compressibility effects was not new. However, although a swept wing did reduce the drag coefficient and increase the speed capability, it brought such problems as wing-tip stall and instability in low-speed and high yaw conditions, ‘The understanding and solution of these problems had yet to he fully realized, and on 24 August 1944 the NAA chief aerodynamicist Ed Horkey had travelled to the National Advis Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) research station at Langley Field, Virgin to study the effects of airflow over a w thin wing operating at high Mad numbers. In conversation. with NACA\ assistant chief of full-scale research I Abbott, Horkey soon discovered d litele research had been done into st phenomena and thus little data existed, fentative programme was set out & Horkey, to include the testing of NA 1408, 1410 and 1412 aerofoils in the p dimensional, low-speed wind tunnel ‘Abbott also suggested that rests should carried out on NACA 64-section aero and, in modified form, this section in the XP-86, Tt was at this point thar considera amounts of captured German reseat documentation began to fall into all incorporateTHE XP-¥6 AND THE F864) ‘Swept Wings: Theory into Practice haa bee el n Rome dng Soper an Octoher 1535 odscuss ih poo gt ard ats talented young German enon trom abek rare Ada Bussmann haa predic that a mw weg would fonction effectively inside the shockwaves setching back from the rosea an ato sgeds The shaped boa waves hips navigating Lubec’ a aly inspired er was no cantroray engine cape ol propeling an ait ast enought tate aan Busamanns tharos wer not put it rate But wth the advent ofthe jet engin inthe spe 0k on new mearing ae Germans werent sow in puting the wheats of since and man, inthe United Sates, a Russian immigrant. Michel Guitare hos bean st trea the promise ng while working forgo iors ka 1941 memorandum this employe, linaetdscted a cesta which woul have a del shaped wn, swept back tan angle of 9 degen. His simple: atin'acasierbl delay in th ation ofthe cmprossibiy ofc. win tune bt te USAAF was to busy with @ myriad of other designs and Glue was fred to consol iste it the ‘Dart design, the base for an arto round gli bumb in 1944, Ths in he [eansideabe ies an, by further twist of ate, lars Dan was ought the ateton of iit ober Tones at Langley. hetetal wa, Jones validated Ghats hao, showing hata supersonic speeds, the swept lo aroun tho wigs aad subsonic. The sy of this con in Januar 1945, and on $ March Jones wre tothe NACAS director o research Genrge W. ahistr words,Thave recony madeatheoatizal analysis which nats that a Vhaped wing foronast would be las afected by conpressbiy han oer plans Using maid Pt Langley sets mounted smal test ert sections on the arts wing which would experince flow close othe wing surtaco na ive Coupled with wind uel ests, the resus conch hears put oar en yeas eae by Busoman, The rests of tes tests wore issued on 1! May jr the aval of captured German data Howe, the wor ofthe Garman data cant be undees managed to proce an fy swept- wing art dng the war Mare igor managed to soe mary ofthe procial problems associat with wing sweep. Sach proven ino er ofthe shack wave andthe hat oun had ot aller the X88 desig ‘ean. hands, and Air Materiel Command in the USA began to assimilate these da ‘passing them initially to Boeing. Ed learnt ofthe data through George ‘Scharier at Boeing. In addition, as World War Il ended, many German scientists red to work on American research and lopment (R&D) projects and their “expertise in swept-wing design was put to “good use. Asan example of the Germans’ ss into high-speed research, they had already put wo swept-wing fighters — “the Messerschinitt Me 163 and Me 262 ~ operational service before the end of the war. In particular, the Me 262 was in large numbers and incor- xb a I5-degree wing sweep in its More importantly, its designers ad largely solved the low-speed stability problems ofits swept wing by installing ‘automatically operating, leading edge sus. These sirfoilshaped devices were Tel shu at high speed by aerodynamic frees, but extended at low speeds to ‘increase the effective chord of the wing and thus increase lift. [tis worth pointing ‘outthat the leading edge sla wasa British invention, pioneered by Handley-Page from 1920, The adoption ofa slatted wing | foe the XP-86 transformed it into a practical fighter with a Capability; the information on slats was passed «0 NAA from the Air Force at Wright Field, Ohio. By June 1945 a sweptwing design was introduced for inwestigation in parallel and. indepen: dently of the stright-wing design The North American design team was led by John ‘Lee’ Atwood, and comprised Horkey as chief acrodynamicist, Tony Weissenberger as project enginecr with A.C."Art Patch as his assistant, Harrison Storms, Walt Felless, Lary P. Greene, Dale Meyers and Bill Wahl also gained credit for major inputs into the aircraft In August 1945, the project dynamicist Larry Greene, encouras positive wind tunnel results, proposed that a swept-wing configuration for the P-86 should be adopted. Horkey and his group then managed to persuade the USAAF that sweeping the wings would put the XP-86 over the top speed they required, and on 18 August 1945 NAA received an R&D grant to develop the swept-wing XP-86 under design study RD 1369. The following month a wind tunnel model of the new design was tested, and the results were as expected cag and compressibility effects had been lowered enough to bring the XP-86 into the 600mph range. North American's next step was 10 choose the aspect ratio (the ratio of wing span to chord) of the swept wing. A higher aspect ratio would give better range, a lower (broader) one better stability, and the correct choice would have to be a trade-off between the tw. The initial wind tunnel tests had involved 415.0 aspect ratio wing and, although an anticipated instability at high lit coelficients was present, the incor poration of leading edge slats achieved satisfactory stall characteristics. Further testing was then cartied out from late October to mid-November using a 6.0 sowept wing, incorporating the Mastang’ NACA laminarflow aerofoil and increased taper to reduce structural weight. A comparative evaluation eeween the 5.0 and the 60 ratio wing then clearly showed that the latter possessed a much higher and advantageous lifldrag ratio, but with violent pitch-up tendencies. The slat testing experience gained on the 5. ratio wing was then put to good use and incorporated into the 6.0 ratio con- figuration, which was adopted as the basic design during October and proposed to the USAAF Unfortunately, continued wind tunnel evaluation of the slatted, 6.0 ratio wing failed to overcome the pitch-up problem, despite the fact that 150 different slat sisigns had been tested. Relucta March 1946, the design reverted to a shorter 5.0 aspect ratio wing as the starting point. Further wind tunnel work refinement brought the production wing’s aspect ratio to 4.79:1, with a sweephack of 35 degrees and a thickness/ chord ratio of 11 per cent at the root and 10 per cent at the tip. At this time high- speed model tests were being caried out in NACAS Ames wind tunnel and it became apparent that full span trailing calge flow separation was occurring. The cause was quickly pinned down to the relatively high ailing edge angle of the chosen aerofoil section. The solution was simple: a constant 4in chord extension dover the fll span effectively reduced the angle and maintained flow adhesion. This, aerofoil modification also changed the wing plan form and represented the final production configuration of the wing until the advent of the ‘63° wing some Yeats later.On 1 November 1945 NAA had received permission from Lt Gen Laurence C. Craigie, the head of Air Force R&D at Wright Field, to proceed with the swept-wing XP-86. Ray Rice, NAA’ chief engineer, had advised Craigie that the swept-wing development would put the XP-86 programme hack by six_ months compared with the Navy’s XFJ-1; but the Air Force agreed that the massive performance gain justified the wait, In the event, the XFJ-1 took to the air for the first time on 27 November 1946 and the first XP-86 nearly a full year later. On 20 December 1946 Letter Contract AC-16013 was approved for thirty-three production P-86As, along with 190 P-86Bs; the latter would have a slightly wider fuselage to accommodate larger _main undercarriage units, As it turned out, advances in wheel, tyre and brake technology negated the need for a new design and the order was changed for 188 further P-S6As and two P-86C Penetration Fighter prototypes. All these NAAS aircraft were constructed at Inglewood, Los Angeles plant. Construction In onder to cope with the stresses of high speed fight, the XP-6 design team had to face new challenges. The thinness of the aircraft's wing. effectively ruled out conventional rib and stringer design, anc NAA% head of structures Dick Schleicker came up with a revolutionary idea. He created a machine-milled, homogeneous, double-skinned structure which featured integral top hat stiffeners from tip © tip through the centre section. The wing skin was machined to taper in thickness from Yin (6Amm) at the roo to 0.032in (@8lmm) at the tip, and this form of construction. enabled strength require iments to be closely tailored in each area of the wing. A side effect of this design was thar it was easier to accommodate wing fuel tanks. The all-important wing: mounted leading edge slats were installed ur independently opening nits on each mainplane. The wing-mounted speed brakes of the original XP-86 design were replaced on the actual prototype by Ihydraulically actuated airbrakes mounted fon each side of the rear fuselage. In addition, a single brake panel was fitted in the ventral postion, just rear ofthe wing trailing edge. The speed brakes opened concertina-like from the rear and it was . t.na_| NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION, INC. 2) guts en. snesa WAALS en 4225-46 Wo _Tuwner__Tesrs. xe-a8 ra 7] Fed we FR UNE oF Cowpuere Ay wing BOTH Te Intern XP-86 configuration rom April 196 showing 5 and 6 aspect rato wings tested. The ratio wing was evenualy etd upon. Ava on Heneson planned that they could be actuated at any attitude and speed, including the supersonic range. However, after the assembly of the fist prototype had begun, wind tunnel daca showed eat this design of alrbrake was unsatisfactory. Amore conventional, side-mounted, — front- hinged airbrake was designed, but flight testing schedules meant that the no. 10 XP-86 would have to fly with the original design, For flight testing, the airbrakes were rendered inoperative and theie joints taped over. To assist in engine removal, the whole rear fuselage could be removed from a int just aft of the wing. The engine exhausted under the swept tail surfaces, just forward of the trailing edge, so that a‘Austar retight view showing the lack ofa fuel samp pipe The oon fined just elon the leading edge ofthe Iet-hand horizon stable but moved slighty aft on production machines Note also the fn-meunted navigation lights: these wore relocated tothe base ofthe fin tthe P.IGA Jn Hansson slight lip was present on the upper edge of he jet pipe. This aspect of the de said to eliminate snaking at high spe well as improving the take-off thrust, The surface finish also received close attention and flush-fitting rivets were installed throughout the external surfaces of the XP-86, These rivets were then milled fully flush after assembly From XP-86 de extemal fuel tankage was a high priority: With the change from straight to swept owever, it became difficult to son the wing tips and actory centee of gravity Therefore external fuel-tank pylons were fiteed as far inboard as. was practicably led to the aircrafts possible, and this al relatively narrow undercarriage track. The cockpit of the XP-86 was fully pressurized, utilizing air from the engine’s ‘i eleventh compressor stage LOlb/min (4.5ke/min) at “full coo!’ or 4lb/min (6.3ky/min) in the ‘ull hear setting. Air was routed either through a or bypassed for hot. During the aircraft's fest phase considerable problems were experienced in maintaining adequate canopy sealing and, for much of the time the system was rendered inoperative First Flight The XP-86 prototype 45-59597 was for its light rest on 8 August 1947 and would initially be Chevrolet-built 35C-3 with static theust powered by 4,0001h Although the first taxi cesswere undertaken at Mines Field in Los Angeles, the prototype was cransported by road to Muroc Army Air Field for its fist the at NAA‘ Flight Test Section. The mpany test pilot George Welch took the first XP-86 into the air for a ten minute mission on 1 October panied by a P-82 chase plane. However, soon after take-off undercarriage problems had climbed to 10,000f (3,048m) and, upon raising the gear at approximately 160. knot found that he did not obs (296km/h), cockpit This was verified by the chase plane, which also indication of full retraction. reported an unusually high retraction speed for the nose undercarriage leg. Several cycles of the undercarriage were then made in an attempe to raise the gear fully, but without success. It was then noted that the nose gear would not extend beyond 20 degrees for airspeeds 130 knots (240km/h). Clearly, although the accumulator pressures were normal, above there was simply not enough hydraulic power to extend the nose leg fully into the airstream at even these relatively low speeds. The undercarriage was finally made to raise when Welch cu power to 6,200rpm (note that engine speed was measured in rpm at this time rather than ‘per cent’, as would hecome customary for jet engines) Welch's problems were not yet ove though, for although the undercarriag had been retracted successfully, it was For ight number 26 on 21 November 197, 100g boom wa Consideral based robe was ited. Nas then discovered that the nose gear would sull not fully extend, even with the use of the emergency system. At this pint it was decided to attempt a landing at Murcc with the main gear extended, while trying tool the nose off the ground for as long a a flight thac had lasted for forty i Welch brought the stricken machine in to land possible, Thus, following around 117 knots observer Touching down at (216kia/h), relieved then to see the nose gear slowly extend as the airspeed decreased. At 78 knots (144km/h) Welch reported that he had a ‘down’ indication in the cockpit, and the aircraft was settled into a normal titude. "597 rolled to a stop, undamaged, Subsequent investigation revealed that the nose gear ‘down’ supply restrictor piston had been badly damaged and the rose gear door sequence valve actuating rod was broken. This tod had cased further damage at bulkhead station 415. It soon became apparent that NAA ‘engineers had fitted a retraction jack that was less powerful than that specified. The quick retraction of the nose undercarriage with insuflicient hydraulic power to slow the leg against the airflow also damaged several frames on the bottom of the intake duet. Corrective action was taken before ited tothe tit mounted pitot probe. the second flight and included the fiting of a gall flow restrictor undercarriage ‘up’ supply line (against 3yall restrictor previously fitted). Fur wind tunnel tests. were undertaken: ascertain the air loads on the carriage at the maximum lowering spe Its thought that this investigation led a redesigned, two-piece, folding nosefairing door, prsluction P-86A. ‘At this point i is worth raising fnteresting and controversial point Although history records that Chuck Yeager was the fit man through the Sound barrier in the Bell XS-1 rocket plane on 14 October 1947, there is now tevidence that George Welch beat him to ftsoon after the frst flight of the XP-86. “Officially, the XP-86 did nor achieve the feat until 26 April 1948, even although NACA personnel at Muroe had tracked “the trerafe at Mach 1.03 on 21 November "1947. More importantly, Welch had been Aging these same flight patterns (un- ‘monitored by NACA) in the days before 14 October. Ie is also worth dispelling a ‘commonly held belief here: it is often Stated that ‘a visiting British pilot’ carried ‘ut the flight on 26 April. However, the first British pilot to fly the XP-86 (45. 59598) was Roland Beamont, and he did ‘ottake to the air and even then for one Aight only — uncil 21 May 1948, The flying characteristics of the new Iachine were generally favourable, and foon after the XP-86' first ight, George Welch had this to say introduced on the "The plane so clean you never have trouble Relic drag 2 minimum and you don't have i my about effects of comprenblity shock anes. Spin recovery i © the elevators i rele [On take of i sees fine if the noe ‘night sll. You soon got use wo though, when presure on Pointed to high and you Ta general, Welch's only concer was that ‘the prototype aireraft did not have enough power. Considering that the J35 fengine fitted in '597 produced over 1,000Ib (450k) less thrust than the J47 [Proposed for prosluction P-86s, this was ‘hot too much of a problem. Flight number wo was not completed until 9 October and, even then, as a result of the lundercariage problems encountered on the maiden flight, the gear was locked down. Following ‘completion of NAA Phase I testing, Phase Il testing by USAF “pilots commenced in early December 1947. Maj Ken Chilstrom flew the first and the second flight of Phase II on 2 December, after test ying had moved to Muroe’s North Base due to flood éenditions on the main sie. Although the funway at the North site was much j no problems were encountered The USAF tests were completed in six “George S. Welch (1918-54) Georg Welch was bom on 18 May 1918 n Wilmington, Delaware. He was the son of George Louis Schwarz nd ola lh Schaar As esl of hil elng wars hove of German ancestry duing World Wer. Geoge Schwar Sra th ast name of his chin gal changed oto mata’ maienrame Welch Tus Gente Louis Serwarz Jr became George Schwarz Welth Gace’ father was a Snir esearch chemist with Du Pat ingood be ana his fay ware cos ands of he Ou Pots. George was educated in expense pe chal rd ‘yaduatd fom St Andrews in Jue 187. He entered Prd Uneasy hat September and proved bean ‘excl student Yet is ear was ready ls to ain and in May 858 he sna up forthe Ars ition ‘ade prgarne Dye tothe oveueling number of wohraes, Weck knew ta th wat wold be alr one andretured to Puro in tefl. Fal a th er the fist srestr be was called wp. ‘Mer earnng his wings, 2a t Wale Wheat is tends)epartestothe 47th Pursuit Saucon ‘hele Fie on Da in January 194, Under canal of he 1h igh Grou, the Ath Pusu ew Curtiss P40 Kityaws, Faris Gbreia fellow pit said of Wel: He wash iar we cular out wy he ‘was thar, sneshepotily eu Rav ave mtr sarc together ihe wanted to, George was 2 el ‘olisu but he was aso a excllont igre eary December 1981 Welh ard 2nd Lt Kern Tar ‘moved hairs ey from the main 3t Wheeler oa nary aur el at Hola as pro gu ery exercise ‘nthe moring of 7 Daceber te Japanese launched the famous attack on ea! Harbor, wich inde he sir bictam and Whaler Fels. Te mary of te Amorican ies were dstyad on he proud, ‘enely aren net ows to make te gunrcng easier Hearing of he tack, Wel got imo his car wt Taylor and sat of immo to Halaia.Svaping io thei 0s, he sar managed to get abr whl the tack wos sili progres. Welch and Ta tre ino the tacking Japanese formations, landed to rear and refuel when the fist wave of atackrs let and were tackin ‘heat wating when the second wae attacked Only thee cher Ametian Fhe piots managed to ge ome ‘nha ay we each af tase scared contra is Woleh was the mos sucess with four pe to ba es wl oy soe tee. Ther acions were trie depicted inthe 170 fm Tra! Tra oral ‘le wae raminated fr te Mada Hono ris action t Pat Hao a Ar Foc Chit Gen Heny ‘al supparted the airation However, fr e5sansurkaoun,ntmedat conmandos Gold that Walch had tate off without proper authorzation and aud theeore not be aarded he nation’ highest lta ava Instead he eine the Dstingushed See Cross. ‘le tr shot down te mae agonese raft whl Shing P80 with the 36 FS near Ba, Welch aed rine mor thog a P8 with te BOF, whch incl anche foil missin an 2 September 193. ‘hase proved tbe is ast. and Wel was then sont hm staring froma severe and prolarged bout of ‘maar n 184, now scares, eons Noth Anerzan Aiton and became the chit tes pla athe gle: word, Los Angeles plant He then began testing the rotaype XP. ad was closely ima in Sabre ts hing forthe campay ntl he aval of be 100 Supe abe, wich he ok nt thea forthe fst ime on 25 May 1958. adh he dangor of tet ying eaunh up with Wheaties Welch On 12 Oetaber 1958 he was cain out 8 ‘masinum perfomance ts i nan F008 hit plat allowed the dive anit was at spit at the ‘icra disntated.Athowgh he managed io eet, Welch was mortally wounded by hing debris Ths ended thelifeof an extaoinary mn ad the one wo ray wel have ben fist rough th sound tae, days, comprising eleven flights and ten hours and seventeen minutes of flying time. Chilstrom declared himself highly pleased with the results, although the cabin pressurization system was again inoperative and the aircraft’ oxygen system had trouble coping with such a condition. In early 1948 the second and the thind prototype ~ 45-59598 and -599 — were assigned to the test programme Following fight number 77 in. January 1948, the first XP-86 was grounded for 25-hour engine inspection. The oppor tunity was taken at this time to incorporate several modifications and among these was the fitting of a new rear fuselage with the standard airbeake. The side-mounted aiebrakes (and the deletion of the ventral brake panel) would become standard fit on all subsequent P-86s plus 13 the two later XP-86s, Ken Chilstrom has confirmed that the original airbrake system was never used, the wide expanses of Muroc meant that they were not needed in any First tests on the XP-86 showed that the new speed brakes could be safely extended at speeds ranging from 250 to 450mph (407 to 724km/h), although buffeting was reported to be excessive above 400mph (643kmv/h) with brakes fully extended; their operation was deemed satisfactory up to 450mph (724km/h) when extended 60 per cent. Other modifications carried out to the first XP-86 at this point included the fitting of a 10ft (3.04m) nose boom extension in order to ascertain the gauging of airspeed accuracy. The boom enabled airspeed readings to be taken safely out of any shock-wave effects atproduction They were never used fied to 97, USAF high speeds. Returnin, programme on 29 January ator inst was reported a short chord production elevator was fit subsequently. This showed A further seven test flights 1 until 13 February, when satisfactory performance re then flo certained that accurate airspeed had indeed been obtained from mounted probes. Iris interesting to note that an official report to the USAF XP-86 Project Officer Col Geory E Smith, dated 17 February 1948, that the maximum speed thus far attain y the XP-86 h 0.937 Spinning trials were carried out George Welch in late May, and comprised brakes criginaly planned for fuselage was 9 May, followed five turns each gravity fully forward on. by the same number on the next day with the CG fully aft. Welch described the re characteristics as ‘e with only a small amount of elevator being required to bring th reduction sireraft out each time. Spin rate was approximately four seconds per turn. It is, ht that °597 received the J47 at time in its life, but ber 1948 time after the first flight of the first production P-86A 147 power The number one XF-86 was delivered to the Air F Dec 1948, heen redesignated from ‘P for F for Fighter’ on 1 June with mber Likew JS Air Force (USAF) became an independent service on 18 September 1947, Army Air Fields were Force Bases (AFB), passed to the charge of Wright Patterson AFE for test use, when th test supp Finally in May 1952 the first prototype was assigned to 490|st Support Win B in New Mexico for static testing. It was tested to destruction there on 3 October 1952. The time on the airframe Note that thi aircraft. total fly 241 hour airframe was definitely not lost in a flying accident as is often stated. ‘Two further XE-86 protorypes joined the rogramme, differing in some respect: second and the third aircraft. were ed with AN/ARN.6 radio compas lace of the BC-453B radte Specifications: XP-86 POWERPLANT JASASS engine of 40001 (1,818) that WEIGHTS tay wei: 9.7306 (407s) 15,3951 (6074K«) Iaximam take-off weight: 16,3816 (7,455ke) 435qall (16311) 2 206.5gall (77 hop tanks Bes oe weigh: fora uel cape ternal fc capacity DIMENSIONS ing 31f in (11.3) leat: 31fe6in (143m) Teg: fe ia (449m) ing ats: 274 fe (25-49) Ait: 3 degrees root hon 9.9% tipchor 63.47in Beene: +1 degree ot ror -1 degre at tp til scson NACA 0012.64 a root (maid) NACA 0011.64 a tip (mex) leon an 25 degrees up and 18, nae cia iin range degces down heath 167-30 (4240) PERFORMANCE aim pec mua lve S9tmaph (951k) 140% 618mg (24heh) 135,00 515mg (925km ling spect (sls pen, 40 degrees a udecamage down) service ei 41 take of rn: Mhtance rue vo clear 50 (15.2) hace: 44106 (1.26100) tximum rate of climb: 4,100%¢mi (1.249 tanks): pot (12,557m) 3,030 (923m) femur ange (with 50mies(2,815km) combo rds with de tan 575 miles (925k) +734, 3.0 lang ihe La ARMAMENT (THIRD PROTOTYPE) Gx50werplant for the F-B6E-1 was the }47- GELB, rated at 5,4501h (2,741kg) thrust, and in line with the last F-S6As, the A-ICM gunsight and AN/APG-30 radar set-up was retained, as was the six calibre weapon fit and fibreglass intake empty weight of the aircraft rose Sib (4,786ks), more than 4001b (181kg) greater than the F-86A, though the service ceiling, range and initial climb were all marginally improved. With rela diflerences, the F-86E roll off the production soon beganlines, and the first aircraft, 50-579, made its maiden flight on 23 September 1950 flown by George Welch. The frst aircraft were then delivered to the USAF in February 1951, the last F-S6As, In common, barely two months after with, Sabre variants, the first production aircraft filled 4 variety of test functions in their early days. As there was no F-S6E prototype, the first wo machines were bailed straight hack to North American for manu facturer’s appraisal. Other aircraft underwent Air Force testing under the guise of Air Materiel Command Project IPF-169, notably 50-582 and 50-588 at 2759th ‘Experimental Wing, previous Edwards | AFB. Later machines were further assigned to Eglin AFB'S 3200th Proof Test Wing under Air Proving Ground Project IF-172 from early 1952, One important aspect of Egl aumme was the cold-weather evaluation of the F-86E This was successfully accomplished at Ladd AFB, Alaska beginning in October Ait Defense Command gained its first F-S6Es in April 1951, the first deliveries being divided between 97th FIS at Wright Patterson AFB and 23rd FIW at Presque Isle AFB. In November the first E-86Es for 60th FIS ar Oris AFB in Massachusetts were delivered, the Squacl ron being unique in the parent 33nd FW 63 Loft The majority of F866-15s were assigned straight o3585th CCTW at Nelis AFB, Accident ates forthe aiing uit wore high 1-199 was lost ina crash just south 00 30 sanuary 1964 How Loy vi he Fox Below: This Edwards-based 6510 Ar Base Wing F-8E was one ofa pair roy assigned in August 1951 fora speed record attempt by Col Fred Ascani He le a sstr F-6E atthe 1951 Nationa At Races, establishing» new wold speed rcord of {635 et5mp (1.02282km/h) over a 100km closed course. Nose trim is Dayglo. Like so many other Fs this machine was last in Korea, by heing thus equipped. These aircraft were assigned under ADC Project. IPE. 497, with delivery of F-86E-Is completed in March 1951, and followed immed: iately by further F-86E-5s to the same units. The E-5 differed only in minor changes to the cockpit_ instruments arrangement. Many other F-86Es were at this point assigned straight from the factory to the Korean theatre, where 4th FIW would exchange their F-86As on a ae eee ners eee Sas When, on 22 October, Gen Hoyt Van: denberg authorized the re-equipping of second Korean Wing, the 5st FIW, there was no more factory capacity to cope. As a result, many of the seventy-five F-86Esiets required for this operation requisitioned from the 23rd FIW and the 97th FIS. The situation was so bad forthe ADC squiacrons that the 97¢h was forced to temporatily revert to F-86AS as its NAA had originally planned to follow the short run of F-86Es with a further improved version of the aircraft, the F.S6E. However, this design, known as NA-I72 by the company, was. exper: tencing problems with its intended J47- GE-27 engine, and the fist 132 NA-172s were instead fitted with the GE-1} and delivered to the USAF as F-86E-10-NAs from August 1951, These aerate had provision for the installation of the -27 available, and engine once it hecame could be distinguished from the earlier F-86Es by the introduction of a flat windshield, which replaced the vee shaped screen of other F-86A and E models. Further delays in delivery of -27 engines led to the last ninety-three aiteraft on the NA-I72 contract also being completed as F-86E-15-NAs, with deliveries beginning in August 1952. As fully equipped F-86Fs were by th heginning to come into service, the F-S6E-15s were generally assigned only to ‘raining units. In common with earlier F-86 variants, the F-S6E also became a record breaker. In August 1951 two new F-86E-10s were temporarily assigned to 6510th Air Base Wing at Edwards ABB for an atte the closed:-course world speed record. Col Fred Ascani was the pilot who would artempr the record The fig in conjunction with the National Air Races was conducted at Detnit, Michicnn held every year U had the aircraft] rumbered "Y and °4 purposely 0 there would be no mistaking the aircraft in light by theofficial observer at each pylon, The observers were there to inate that Idi not cu nse of any rylons. Only ne aircraft flew in the offi 2721 "PI. The other was a sare 51 41. The FSGE wo a standard, co race [51 ac-equipped ara, earying 50 cal am the 50 cal ther exter: inst wx not easing bom stores. The record was set around a sixpylon closed couse, the etal being the roqusite 100km, The speed as (65.65mph [1,022.5tkmhl, andthe ihe was imate in Avgist of 1951. This recon eclipsed the 100k chned-couseeecond held by John Dery, who se the record ina stripped-down ‘One of sixty Canadair Sabre 2 supplied tothe USAF in Korea, S2-2857 was the personal mount of Peter “Frei De Havilland icra, His rs seas 605.25nph [973.89 hl scr in 1948, One final F-S6E variant entered USAF service; ut this time the aitcraft was not actually built by NAA. With the increase in MiG activity in Korea allied to the introduction of the improved MiG-15his, the USAF wished to place further Sabres in combat. As the Inglewood factory was already working at peak capacity, the Ait Force instead looked to Canadair in Canada for more F-86Es, Canadair had been licence-procucing F-86Es for some months already (see Chapter 5),_ andl despite producing aireraft for the Royal Canadian Air Force, the government agreed to Supply sixty Canadair Sabe Mk 2s to the USAF These machines were flown to NAAS Fresno plant in California Hreginning in April 1952, where specific USAF equipment was installed, before the aircraft were shipped to Korea. In USAF service these aircraft were known as FSGE-CANs. Following their use in Korea, many of these Canadian-built Sabres were passed to the Air Force Acaalemy at Colorado Springs. Concurrent with Korean assignment of F-86Es, further ADC squadrons an wings aso began to receive the aircraft. The 94th FIS at George AFB assigned a number of F-S6E-15s in early Se begin by the end of flown out for duty in Korea, At Wright 64 Frederick of 36th FS. Note Misawa dop tanks. Sorimorieh is Loy Patterson the 97th FIS began to receive F-86E-15s in February 1952, finally allowing the Squadron to dispense with, its F-86A_aireraft. Activated in_April 1953, 325th FIS at Travis AFB in California began to receive F-S6Es shortly thereafter, and ako formed an aerobatic team known as the Sabre Knights. This quickly became acknowledged as the finest in the USAF The Squadron moved to Hamilton AFB during February 1954 In Korea the ceasefire meant that many F-S6Es could be put through overhaul and these machines were then transferred 35th FIW in late 1953. The aircraft then returned to the United States in early 1955. and, after further maintenance at McLellan AFB, passed into Air National Guard service Korea: the First F-86Es Arrive ‘The 4th FIW received its first F-S6Es on 26 August 1951, these being brand-new E-86E-5s, which were followed by a ‘number of similar machines and F-S6E-Is, transferred from home-based ADC units, such as the 97th FIS and the 23rd FLW. The latter models began to come into 4th FIW service during early December. On. the Communist side, deliveries of MiG- 15bis aircraft began around the time that the first F-86Es appeared in Korea. This new MiG variant had a higher thrust engine, which increased the top speed andthe ceiling of the ‘bis! or Mk 2 aircraft The arrival of this jet raised the Red inventory of all marks of the MiG-15 to 525. With the breakdown in th it was only a Kaesong peace talks on 23 August matter of time before these forces were once again in action. On a positive note, 4eh FIW’s pilots had e MiG. kills, Communist ait offensive was launched on T September these same pilots had the ‘opportunity to add to their scores. MiG formations in the new onslaught aircraft ptinuied to rack-up and when a renewed varied considerably; some attacked in trail and, on 01 sixteen MiGs approached in line abreast A very effective of the MiG-15'. superior climb and ceiling performance Formations of these aircraft would orbit at great height, awaiting the approach of UN aircraft below. When the time was right, the MiGs would then dive at great all firing on one Sabre tactic took advant 51-2719 was modified by NAA daring ate 1951 fr testing a gloved wing and modified canopy. Bai ‘North American in January 1962, the purpose ofthis modification snot known. Not tear fuselage, Sen ego Arosace Muzeun/ay Wagner speed, make an attack and quickly climb to altitude again, Even the Sabres could not catch the MiGs when they employed this tactic, and F-86s were lost on 2 and 26 September to this type of action, Ina large dogfight on the afternoon of 9 September, twenty-eight Sabres encoun: tered some seventy MiGs near the Yalu, an action that resulted in two MiG kills and two more aces: Capt Richard Becker of 334th FIS and Capt Ralph ‘Hoot’ Gibson. of 335th FIS, Sabres claimed fourteen MiGs in the entire month, though often these aircraft avoided the Sabres in favour of attacks on UN fighter bombers. With the Communists oning, air armada showing signs of overcoming the UN bombing offensive, Gen Weyland frankly informed Gen Vandenberg on 15. Sep- tember that the MiGs were becoming a serious threat to the whole air campaign. Weyland pleaded for a further wing of FEAF Sabres, or, if this were not possible for one of the existing F-80 wings to convert to the Sabre. Five days later came the USAF simply could not provide, much less support, any additional Sabre squadrons. in Korea Vanslenbers’ reply without compromising the security of the United States itself Fortunately, the ait campaign generally went well for the UN, and, by a stroke of Tuck, on 25 September a 67th TRW recce mission revealed that the Chinese were building a new MiG base near Saameh: well to the south of the Yalu. F searches on 14 October revealed anot two airfields also under construction at Taechon and Namsi, within 30 miles (48km) of Sinanju. B-29 missions were launched to destroy these bases, which, i completed, would have extended MiG Sabre patrols were also intensified, and the kill Tate increased: two MiGs on 1 October, Alley as far south as Pyongyang six the next day, one each on 5 and 12 October, and nine on 16 October. The last was’ the biggest daily claim yet, but the Sabres not invincible — especially the F-86As, with four lost during the month,During October the Reds moved a number of MiGs across the Yalu into the airfields at Sinuiju and Uiju, but continued bombing of the new bases further south prevented their use at this time. The FEAF bombing of these airfields led to high B-29 losses, and this in tum showed all too clearly that the USAF could no longer ignore Weyland’ requests for more F-86s in Korea, Thus, on 22 October, Vandenberg ordered ADC t0 dispatch seventy-five F-86Es and pilots to Alameda in California for deck loading and transfer to Japan. In effect, however, these aircraft did not form a new wing in the theatre; they went to re-equip the 5st FIW’s two squadrons of F-80s - the 16th and the 25th Fighter Squadron. A furthe positive note was the move of 335¢h FIS into Korea on 2 November, placing the whole 4th FW in the country. One of the more unusual formations encountered by the 4th FIW’ Sabres on 30 November was a group of twelve Tupolev. Tu-2 propellerdriven bombers heading. for Tachwa-Do. They were escorted by twelve La-lls and covered by twelve more MiG-15s. In the ensuing battle four La-Lls, three Tu-2s and a MiG-15 were claimed by the Sabres, elevating Maj George Davis and Maj Winton Marshal to Enter the 51st Loaded at Alameda aboard the USS Cape Esperance and the USS Sigkoh Bas mixture of new and requisitioned F-86Es was shipped to Japan on 1 and 9 November. Col Gabreski took over as SIst FIW commanding officer on 6 November, moving in from the 4th FIW, and Lt Col George Jones rook over command of the group. On 19 November 51st FIW transferred its F-80s to 8th FBW and three dys later received its first Sabres, to begin conversion training. In only a short time the wing qualified its pilots and flew the first combat mission on 1 December 51st FIW pilots scored their first MiG kill on 2 December, followed by another fon 4 December, and 4th FIW Sabres claimed thirteen MiGs on 13 December. But the end of 1951 and the early days of 1952 marked a change in the effectiveness of the Communist fighter pilots. Appa ently the Chinese had rotated a number of air divisions back from the front replacing them with relatively ‘This Sts FIW F-B6E, 51-273. took a single Zim hit rom a MiG-15. Presumably as a result ofthis dx the ateraft was shipped to FEAMCOM in April 1952 and returned othe US, Jon Herdesa0 Fes of 51st FW at Suwon, 1952. 51-276,» 25th Fs ol Albert Schmitz of 2508 FS lost in combat on 1 May 1952 The plot 9k Beyond Carag, Leroy in the early phases of these cycles by the iG crews to fight, There then inexperienced MiG began a phase of fluctuating aggressiveness and capability of these pilots in combat, reflecting their initial inexperience, then gain in confidence and ability, followed by rotation home pilots unwillingness of the and, in addition, many assigned to Korea in previous jet time. Later in 1952 a number of young pilots were assigned to Korea straight from F-86 training in the United ain, at which point the ceycle repeated. Sabre pilots were frastrat 66States. Their fresh approach showed many benefits, not least the ability to come to ‘combat readiness much faster than some of the older pilots. In-a shore time a number of these pilots were downing MiGs; 2nd Lt Jim Low was one such young” gun, achieving ace status on 15 June Incredibly, che lack of MiGs had meant that no new aces were crowned etween 30 November 1951 (Winton Marshal) and 23 February 1952 (Maj William Whisner), although Maj George Davis did make his tenth kill to hecome the w ace, on 13 December. B down a further pair of MiG-15s, Davis was killed in MiG Alley on 10 February 1952. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the only Subre pilot to receive such recognition, ‘first double after shooting Soviets Capture a Sabre fe appeared in Korea, Soviet aircraft designers and Air Force officials became keen to study the aircraft close up, especially its radar ranging funsight (the MiG-15 sas equipped with an obsolete gyzoscopic type). This could ‘only be achieved by As soon as the S uring an example ‘This 85h F856 50-625, wears the eighteen ils attributed 10 by Maj "Bon F Marsal Kart iter i Morty sha of the Sabre intact, and Soviet 64th Fighter Aviation Corps, which arrived at Antung in late 1950, was tasked with this, as well as with’ the capture and interrogation of USAF Sabre pilots. In 1951 a special Soviet unit was organized with the mission of forcing down Sabes in onder to capture the aircraft and pilot The unit was believed to be composed of nine expert pilots, each of whom was required to sign a secrecy statement. The mission was to cut a Sabre out of a dog. fight and then force it to land intact. If the plan worked, the plane and the pilot could be captured simultaneously, but the ‘mission ultimately a failure During 1951 the proved Soviets lost two of theit apparently because the e unit were forbidden to sireraft in combat However, despite the problems earlier experienced in capturing a Sabre, the ‘opportunity to obeain a largely intact F-86 arose on 2 January 1952, when F-86A 49 1318 was shot down and landed on a unage. The pilot, name unknown at this 1. to have survived and +. Amid furious UN air Sabre, the time, is thou been taken priso to destroy. the raft Many ofthese were racked up 67 Communists managed to retrieve the aircraft; it was first taken to Antung AB ‘and then on to the Sukhoi Design Bureau on. The F-S6A was and appears to in Moscow for eval stripped of all n have also been examined at the MiG Design Bureau; staff at the Zhukovski Central Aerohydrodynamics Institute (often erroneously called ‘Ramenskoye’) recall an F-86° arriving there to be disassembled and copied. The aircraft was scrapped following this, but the F-S6A’ cabin conditioning unit wi Soviet aircraft. Ie appears that the Russian F-86A. was followed by a further, more heavily aged F-86 some time later. This machine is believed to have been either Cape Alkert Tenney F-86E, shor down on 3 May 1952 or Col Walker ‘Bud’ Mahurin’s F-86E, 51-2788, lost ten days Tater. Both of these pilots were also captured, Tenney being MIA and Mahurin finally being released from captivity in Seprember 1953. Crucially, the F-S6E'. radar ranging gunsight was just what the oviets had been looking for. Ie is not known whether this was capeured intact, that i is none the less interesting to think thar the F-86 itself may well have been responsible for the gunsight used against USAF aircraft in Vietnam. More sinister is the ease of Sabre pilots shor down over North Korea and ChinaThough maintenance conditions did gradually improve in Ki Suwon in 1952. This there is no doube that the Communist were actively searching for F-86 crews. Retired Soviet Col Viktor A- Bushuyey, Deputy Chief of Intelligence for the 64th Fighter Aviation Corps, interview for the : MIA. on Task Force Russia, that the American Russians had attempted to interrogate an F.86 pilot likely to be Ist Lr Robert F Niemann, He was shor down on 12 April 1953 near the Sui Ho reservoir and is still listed as MIA. A further F-86 pilot ‘Maj Deliv intertogators. This is most likely to be Maj has been mentioned by Soviet Deltis H. Fincher, who was shor down by MiGs while on a Yalu patrol on August 19525 he is also listed as missing in action. The intriguing point here és that of the F-86 Sabres shot down in Ko per cent of the pilo are still MIA, a far than of in those machines greater percentage The case for airmen having any other group. many of these ‘missing’ surviving combat is strong, but we may never really know what happened to them. The loss of a number of F-86s seems to have played tricks on the cognitive skills cof American pilots in Korea. Ona number of occasions air crews reported that they hhad been attacked by a hostile Sabre. This seems highly unlikely for, if the Com rmunists had captured an airworthy F-86 (and they did not), then the aircrafe sen quickly whisked away from the front line for investigation. As thoy wore nover perfect. This 25th FIS F- was lost ina ying accident the day we have seen with the F-86A capture dleseribed eatlier, this is exactly what had been done also accounts for a number of sightings of NKAF P.63s, Spitfires and even Douglas None of types employed in the Korean conflict But one sightin Boston. these was that does appear to bear up to examination happened on 19) March 1952. Ist Lt James D. Carey of 336th FIS intercepted and managed to ustrating the smal umber edge. tte Nog register hits on a Lavochkin La-15, the unsuccessful competitor of the MiG-15, The La-15 featured a shoulder mounted, swept wing and was used in limited asa fighter bomber. In a Time article dated 31 March 1952, Carey sai, [lt] looked like a MiG-15, wings were high up on the fuselage him a few short bursts and caus the right wing. Then other Reds started coming from all sides and I had to get out They seemed to be trying to protect theit new boy,’ Carey had been flying F-86E 50 628, and, in fact, expended 1,200 rounds in his few bursts. La-15s were spotted on 9 F-86105 upgraded oF-6F standard, 51-1298 flew with 195th FS California ANG at Von Nuys fom March 1958 to October 1959, Not this aircraft has the 8 leaUSAF F-86E Units in FW (4th, 335th and 396 FS), Kean theave ‘2 FIV (8 and 75h), Presque so AFB, ME Bh FIV (8th ard 4th FS), Jonson AB and ‘Yokota AB, Japan Ste FW (1, 2th an 390 FS) Korean teate Dn FS, Os AFB, MA ‘nF, George AFB. STF, Wright Paterson AF, OH {25th 1, Tavis AF ad Hamilton AFB, CA ‘50h COTW. FTW. Nels AFB, NV ‘ir National Guard F-8SE Squadrons 104 FS, Maa ANG, ros APB FS. FSMebgan ANG, st Wane Major Aeon 1150S, Calta. an ys "IBA Now Jey 2N5 New ‘ata sD! Cai ANG, Anos A {Wn FS Now Je ANG, Meir AFB 5 FS asta ANG, crap ntina Aero {S6hFISNarh Cin ANG ols Mic Aiport JETS West Vigna ANG, Marit Muncy Arr 7 FS Finis ANG. Catal ie Springfield ATIF, Mtgnn NG, Sede ANS Base Tran S,FI Mehgo ANG. aoa ANS Bos, Bere Conk YES a ANG, So ne iy | x cate ANG Fino IBA AS Pet Fic ANG, Sen tan | ral Ago, ABH FISH ANG. eka AB | ler 46 F 88 squads wre rst hrc Santons on hag 85 afew subsequent days, but_not again thereafter. Ie appears that the Soviets may well have heen testing the machine in fombat in the groundattack role, but further information is not forthcoming “Although the fist F-86Fs arrived. in Korea during mid-1952, the F-S6Es femained in Korea to serve alongside the SP model in 4th and 51st FIW until long after the conflict had ended. Many of the FSGEs remained with these wings until rmid-1955 when they finally returned 10 the US for ANG service Specifications: FS6E-5-NA. POWERPLANT (General Electr J{7-GE-13 of 520016 (2.3584) thrust WEIGHTS mp: ) 5551 (4,786) take off clean): 145751b (6611) take-off (drop tanks): 16,3466 (7,412) DIMENSIONS sina Sf tn (113m) leouth: 374 6in (11.430) hehe 14919 449m) ing re 257 (26780) PERFORMANCE: maximum spel tea level: (679mp(1 092k) 21 35,000 Olimph (967k st 10,68) Ail clin races 7,250/nin (2,209m/nin) service ceiling 47,2004 (14,386) F.86F: the Definitive Day Fighter e production day-fighter the F-86F. In essence, it was simply a more powerful version of the F-S6E and was powered by the 5,970Ih- thrust J47-GE-27, giving more than 4001b of thrust over the F-86E. Work on the new aircraft began on 31 July 1950 as the NA-I72, and it was originally planned to begin production as the F-86F in October 1950. Contract AF-14801 for 109 F-86Fs was approved on I April 1951 and was increased to 360 on 30 June Serious delays in. the J47-GE-27 programme began to have a knock-on ‘effect with the F-86E production line. It took GE some time to gain the extra thrust from the engine reliably, which also ame out nearly 80lb (36kg) heavier, and the first 152 aircraft of the NA-172 contract had to be delivered with the -13 The ultim peiaesiae Mimics (Siékm) | engine as F-S6Es, The fist production ferry range: 1,022 miles (1,644 kam) ‘J47-GE-27 engine finally became available in December 1951 and the first of seventy-eight F-B6F-1 aircraft, 51. 0, took to the air on 19 March 1952, 6 Production Sei No. Mote Contin Nas 57008 ABE NA pare) 06 BES NA host 5127816250 Fas 0a ras wiae S127 008 FAEEISNA me030 soso 82 FIRES CAN ex RAF Se 2 vais The Air National Guard piloted by J. Pearce, The F-l_ model First entering ANG service in early 1954, ‘many units operated the F-B6E as a stop: gap aircraft, pending the assignment of later machines. 115th and 195th FBS California ANG were two such squad: rons, initially operating the E models alongside their previous F-86As, and then moving on to full conversion to E-86Hs in 1957 (Other squadrons, such as the 165th FIS Kentucky ANG, received less than half a dozen aitcraft and held them for only a short period without being operational on the type. Those squadrons that did ‘operate the F-86E for longer periods found ito be a safe The last Air C Davis Montha AEB in early 1959, 69 Introduced a flat windscreen, this feature had actually first appeared on. the F-S6E-10s, as they owed their basic airframe to the F-86F project. Other detail refinements included a gunsight-mounted and provision to carry AN-MIO chemical tanks on the external pylons. Otherwise the F-B6F-1 equipped structurally, electrically and mechanically as the earlier F-S6E had been. First deliveries of the F-S6F were slated for 94th FIS under ADC Project 2PE-550, but these machines were immediately redirected to 126th FIS Wisconsin Air National Guard at Madison, which had been called to active duty for the Korean War. Deliveries to the 126th FIS began on 1 April 1952, and further F-86F-1s were also alloted to the althoughThe Genera Electric J87-GE-27 engine. ‘iment onthe FB, tho GE-27 featured compressor with increased pressure ratio (5451 ‘5.506: ofthe GE-13) and gave more power. The fire production engine was completed in December 1961 Gane Electric Fak similarly activated 123rd FIS Oregon ANG at Portland. The 123rd received its first F-86F on 2 May, and it appears that these squadrons served as d as well as-training Korean-hound Sabre pilots on the model. Both units returned to state control in November, passing their Sabres to Far East Air Forces squadrons. By June 1952 F-S6Fs were in service with 84th FIS at Hamilton AFB and 63rd FIS at Oscoda AFB, the latter also relinquished its aircraft for the war effort in late July During April 1952 the majority of new production F-S6Fs were assigned to FEAF Project 2F-544 and flown to McLellan AFB before embarking for Korea. The fist of these aircraft arrived in Japan during June and were assigned to 5st FIW in th same month, The F-86F was 4th BIW in September Production Begins at Columbus Meanwhile, the concurrent production of E-86D, E and F models at Inglewood was ce ‘causing serious problems and NAA to its Columbus, Ohio plant to meet the need. During 1950 NAA. had received permission to take over the old Curtiss factory in Columbus for further aircraft production. Built during World War Il for the production of Navy SB2C Helldiver dive bomber the Curtiss Aeronautical Division experienced numerous problems post-war in gaining defence contracts and, with che failure of the XF-87 fighter, was Inustrating the unsung heroes ofthe Korean War this FBGF served with 355th CCTW at Nellis AFB inthe 51-1970 was the frst Co Sabres were assigned 0 J. S.AIR FORCE -uilt Sabre, an F-6F-2. sew fr the first mein May 1952. These de raining units rather than o Korea, NAAto active duty fr plot 3 FF, 51.2836 was assigned to 126th FS Wisconsin ANG on 12 June 1952. The unit ing onthe F-A6F.The areraf then saw service in Korea with {80h FS and was lost ina tying accident there on 23 February 1953 AP forced to undergo a major downsizing. It Josed down its Columbus factory and all ssets there were turned over to North American. NAA’ Colum wis plane was tefurbished and opened for F-86E production in December 1950, though it would be some time before the first ‘machine rolled out, Columbus-built F-S6Fs were designated NA-176 and the project was initiated on 29 September 1950. The initial Columbus contract, F-18988 dated 6 September 1951, was for 441 aircraft Back at Inglewood, the F-86F appeared in June 1952. This model differed in having the capability to carry new 200xall (7501) drop tanks or the 120gall (4501) tanks. These increased the combat radius from 330 to 465 miles (530 to 744km). changes involved the electrical system and resulted a redesigned engine-startin, citeuit. Only sixteen F-86F-5s were built and these were delivered in June 1952. The F-86F-10-NA introduced gunsight, the A-4 replacing ¢ A-ICM sight. On the A-4 g from improved p ipper’ was represented as ten diamonds arranged in a citcle around the central dot, The gunsight-mounted gun ‘camera was also relocated into the lower intake lip. Thirty four F-10s were built with most being assigned straight to Korea. he last hundred aircraft of the 72 contract were to have been F repositioned _ control However, in April 1952, the delivery of 47-GE NAA to revert again to GE-13 power for further delays in 27 engines forced niinety-three more aircraft nated F-S6E-15, which were above. This allowed a mere seven F-86F 15s to he produced after GE-27 engine again became available. The F-15s repositioned and sd control systems were d battle complete its first F-86Fs, and the first Sabre built in Ohio flew during May 1952 To differentiate between factor pr 1n blocks, Columbus-buile Sabres gained an ‘NH! suffix, Inglewoo-buil res having previously been assigned he suffix ‘NA’. Colum wundred F-86F-20-NHs, which intro duced AN/ARC-33 VHF command rad f thy AN/ARC3. The fun camera on these Sabres was als resited to the gunsight itself and, from th sixtieth machine, the cockpit canor manual operation was modified. Delivery these aircraft was slow, the final E-SOF 20-NH being completed in January 1953; all Sabres in this hatch were delivered t US-based units, such as the 84th and th 63rd FIS, as well as the 3595th Combat Crew Training Wing at Nellis AFB, The next version of the Sabre was designed to fill a USAF fighter-bomber requirement and detailed work on this NA-I9L project be 1951. The mnception: when bombs were carriedthe external pylons no drop tanks could be fitted, and the combat radius was barely 50 miles (80km). Therefore NAA dlesignets came up with a farther under pylon attachment, inboard of the fixture, which could rmodate a 120gall drop tank or omb. If the maximum fuel load 200 gall and wo 120gall. drop tanks was carried, the ferr .600 miles (2,574 km) and the combat raclius was 568 miles (914km). with the fighter-bomber role of the flight-control system was 1,0001b wnge was increased to To cope these aiteratt modified to give improved longitudinal stability and stick forces were also reduced. An AN/ARC-27. VHE ‘mand radio was also installed. ‘On 5 August 1952 AF-6517 was approved for 907 Inglewood-built NA-I9I aircraft. The same ¢ was used on 341 further NA-176 aircraft already from Columbus following on ditectly from the F-86E-2 built there. Another 259 Columbus-buile NA193 contract on 17 October. Fighter-bomber E-86Fs built at Ing contract were known as F-86F-30 and 35: NA\ the Columbus machines were built as aircraft were added to this E-S6F 25-NHs. The Inglewood F-30 and the Columbus F-25 were basically the aircraft and ed from the when improvements NAA design office lines, though sometimes there was a dela Thus, Alternate Hydraulic Above: This F-85F30 was asigned to 39th FBS at ‘Alexandria AFB in Louisiana during 1955. Tim colours hu and white. Howard Lewy ws Mite Fox Belove This F-06-25 was assigns AFB, Lousiana in 1955. BS squadron colour 1taP ats Gp at1ed to incorporate one accumulator instead of two, this improve: was installed on’ the sixtieth wd F-86E-30 but nor on. the Columbus line until the four-hundred and fity-seventh F-86E The first Sabres built to the fighter- bomber specification were the F-86F-30- NAs, which started to come off the production lines at Inglewood! in October 1952, These aircraft were then mostly sent to Korea in order that fighter-bomber tunits could begin to convert on to the type. In January 1953 the first Columbus: built F-25 version appeared, though, again, these aircraft were not deployed to Korea; instead they beyan to further equip US-based squadrons and from early 1953 many of these machines began to be assigned to USAF Europe under AFE Project 3F-2: In an attempt to improve the performance of the Sabre, a new wing was tested on three aircraft during Au 1952. This wing design had its leadi edge extended by 6in (152mm) root and 3in (76mm) at the ti 6-3 wing! at the and this The wing area was increased from 287.9%q ft (26.783 m) to 302.384 fe (28.12sq m), and the automatic slats of earlier Sabres became known as the deleted. In order to decrease the 18 of spanwise airflow over the win mm) wing fence was at 70 per cent span on the installed cai edge. Tests with this wing showed an increased maximum speed, from 688 10 695mph (1,106 to 1,118 kmfh) at sea level and from 604 to 608mph (972 to 978km/h) at 35,000Ft (10,668m). How ever, the most important’ improvement was’ in the manoeuvrability at high altitudes and Mach numbers, the new ‘wing enabling tighter turns to be made at high altitudes. The one major drawback was that the stall 128 to 144mph (205 to 231km/h), and the stall was also more violent, with a noticeable yaw and roll component. This fequired a faster approach speed and therefore gave a longer landing roll Crucially, when the leading edge extension began to be fitted to Sabres in service, it was found with tragic consequences that many pilots failed to appreciate the degraded stall properties of the 63 wing In September 1952 fifty conversion kits were shipped to Korea so that F-86F's in theatre could be converted 63 wing 525494, e-rimmed F-86F trom 72st FOS at Foster AFB, Texas in 195. This machi was the personal ‘mount of Squadron commander Maj AD. Donavan and was lost in a crash on 9 April 1967.86 Grasspe planes for European based fighters om weapons traning This 7272nd AGG FBBF wears th units red and yllow scheme. Pre Hig to the new configuration. It was soon liscovered that, although the MiGs still held an altitude advantage, the ‘6-3 equipped Sabres could out-turn and match the MiGs for speed. In. time enough sets of 6-3" kits were supplied to onvert all Korean-basedd F-86Fs and, by this time, the NAA installing the wings on the proxluction line, beginning with the 17st F-S6F (51-13341) and the 200th F-S6F-30 (5. 4505). As a rule, only post-modification were assigned to USAFE ning with che 86th FBW in April 1953, followed by the 36th and the 406th, FBW in August. All these units converted from F-84 Thunderjets. Before this, the 45th Fighter Day Squadron (FDS)’had deployed with F-S6Fs from its base at 73 Suffolk County AFB in New York state t0 Sidi Slimane AB in Morocco, 45th FDS brought with them their slatted F-86F 25s, which "63 configuration after arrival. A_ further interesting exception to the rule was the Bist FIW, which was assigned a number of Jatted F-S6F-25s for a shore time in 1953, before converting to F-S4F Thunder streaks. The F-86F Arrives in Korea The fir in June 1952 and were issued to 51st FIW 1 brand-new F-S6FS reached Korea from 21 June, equipping the léth and the 25th FIS, as well as the 39th FIS, which, hhad been attached to the Wing on I June