North American F-86D Sabre

F-86D/K/L Sabre
	A USAF North American F-86D
Role	Fighter interceptor,
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	North American Aviation
First flight	22 December 1949,; 75 years ago
Primary users	United States Air Force; Italian Air Force ; SFR Yugoslav Air Force ; Venezuelan Air Force
Number built	2,847
Developed from	North American F-86 Sabre

The North American F-86D Sabre (sometimes called the "Sabre Dog"^[1]) was an American transonic jet all-weather interceptor of the United States Air Force and others. Based on the North American F-86 Sabre day fighter, the F-86D had only 25 percent commonality with other Sabre variants, with a larger fuselage, a larger afterburning engine, and a distinctive nose radome.

Design and development

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 a barrage of 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.

Operational history

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).^[2]

Variants

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

Source: Dorr^[3]

Denmark

Royal Danish Air Force

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

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.
West Germany

German Air Force

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

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 & 343 Squadrons. Until 1964 they were in natural metal. Until after retirement they were in NATO camo.
Honduras

Honduran Air Force

Acquired Six Venezuelan F-86Ks in 1970.
Italy

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.
Japan

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.
Netherlands

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.
Norway

Royal Norwegian Air Force

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

Philippine Air Force

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

Republic of Korea Air Force

Acquired 40 F-86Ds, beginning 20 June 1955.
Republic of China (Taiwan)

Republic of China Air Force

Thailand

Royal Thai Air Force

Acquired 20 F-86Ls.
United States

United States Air Force

Venezuela

Venezuelan Air Force

Acquired 32 US-built F-86Fs, October 1955–December 1960; 1965 acquired 79 Fiat-built F-86Ks from West Germany.
Yugoslavia

SFR Yugoslav Air Force

Acquired 130 U.S.-made F-86Ds and operated them between 1961 and 1974.

Surviving aircraft

Specifications (F-86D-40-NA)

Data from Combat Aircraft since 1945,^[1] The American Fighter^[4]

General characteristics

Crew: one

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach .93

|AN/APG-36 all-weather radar

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b Wilson 2000, p. 111.
^ "William F. Barns Archives". This Day in Aviation. February 21, 2019. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
^ Dorr 1993, pp. 65–96.
^ Angelucci and Bowers 1987, pp. 346–347.
^ Boyne, W.J. (1998). Beyond the Wild Blue: A History of the U.S. Air Force, 1947-1997. A Thomas Dunne book. St. Martin's Press. p. 380. ISBN 978-0-312-18705-7. Retrieved May 14, 2019.

Bibliography

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.

External links

[Wilson-1] Wilson 2000, p. 111.

[2] "William F. Barns Archives". This Day in Aviation. February 21, 2019. Retrieved May 14, 2019.

[Dorr-3] Dorr 1993, pp. 65–96.

[Angelucci-4] Angelucci and Bowers 1987, pp. 346–347.

[5] Boyne, W.J. (1998). Beyond the Wild Blue: A History of the U.S. Air Force, 1947-1997. A Thomas Dunne book. St. Martin's Press. p. 380. ISBN 978-0-312-18705-7. Retrieved May 14, 2019.

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