As promised here is the new aircraft of the week, Sorry but forgot to do this one actually[xx(][:I] but here it is all the same.
NORTH AMERICAN F-86 SABRE
North American F-86 “Sabre”
Day-fighter -A, -E, and -F models
The F-86, the USAF’s first swept-wing jet fighter, made its initial flight on October 1, 1947. The first production model flew on May 20, 1948, and on September 15, 1948, an F-86A set a new world speed record of 670.9 mph. Originally designed as a high-altitude day-fighter, it was subsequently redesigned into an all-weather interceptor (F-86D) and a fighter-bomber (F-86H).
As a day fighter, the airplane saw service in Korea in three successive series (F-86A, E, and F) where it engaged the Russian-built MiG-15. By the end of hostilities, it had shot down 792 MiGs at a loss of only 76 Sabres, a victory ratio of 10 to 1.
More than 5,500 Sabre day-fighters were built in the U.S. and Canada. The airplane was also used by the air forces of 20 other nations, including West Germany, Japan, Spain, Britain, and Australia.
TYPE
XF-86
F-86A
F-86B
F-86C
F-86E
F-86F
SPECIFICATIONS (F-86A)
Span: 37 ft. 1 in.
Length: 37 ft. 6 in.
Height: 14 ft. 8 in.
Weight: 13,791 lbs. loaded
Armament: Six .50-cal. machine guns and eight 5 in. rockets or 2,000 lbs. of bombs
Engine: One General Electric J-47 turbojet of 5,200 lbs thrust.
Cost: $178,000
Crew: One
PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 685 mph
Cruising speed: 540 mph.
Range: 1,200 miles
Combat Ceiling: 49,000 ft
North American F-86 “Dog Sabre”
Interceptor -D, -K, and -L models
The F-86D (known briefly as the YF-95A) made its first flight on December 22, 1949. It was developed as an all-weather interceptor version of the famed F-86A, the airplane that won supremacy of the skies from the MiG 15 during the Korean Conflict. The F-86D was used during the 1950s–both in the U.S. and overseas–to guard against possible air attack. In all, 2,506 -Ds (includes 2 YF-86Ds) were produced.
The F-86D was known for two historic firsts. It was the first USAF airplane to have all-rocket armament, and the first all-weather interceptor to carry only one person for operating the radar fire control system as well as piloting the airplane. It also had the unique distinction of succeeding itself in setting a new world’s speed record–698.505 mph on November 19, 1952 and 715.697 mph on July 16, 1953.
TYPE
YF-86D
F-86D
YF-86K
F-86K
F-86L
SPECIFICATIONS (F-86D)
Span: 37 ft. 1 in.
Length: 40 ft. 4 in.
Height: 15 ft. 0 in.
Weight: 19,975 lbs. loaded
Armament: Twenty-four 2.75 in. Mighty Mouse folding fin aircraft rockets (FFAR)
Engine: One General Electric J-47 turbojet of 7,650 lbs thrust.
Cost: $344,000
Crew: One
PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 715 mph
Cruising speed: 550 mph.
Range: 800 miles
Combat Ceiling: 50,000 ft
North American F-86H “Sabre”
Fighter-Bomber
The F-86H, perfected after the signing of the Korean Armistice, represented the practical application of knowledge gained from the thousands of combat missions flown by its predecessors, the F-86A, E, and F. Intended primarily for use as a fighter-bomber, it was larger and heavier than the A, E, and F series, and had better all-around performance.
The airplane was produced from late 1953 to August 1955, with more than 450 being built. It was never used in combat, but it provided the USAF with a formidable fighter-bomber aircraft until the advent of the supersonic F-100.
TYPE
F-86H
SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 39 ft. 1 in.
Length: 38 ft. 10 in.
Height: 14 ft. 11 in.
Weight: 18,683 lbs. loaded
Armament: Four M-39 20mm cannon (Blocks 5 and 10, last 360 aircraft built) or six .50-cal. machine guns (Block 1, 113 aircraft built); eight 5 in. rockets, 2,000 lbs. of bombs, or nuclear weapon. Note: first two F-86Hs had no armament
Engine: One General Electric J73-GE-3E turbojet of 9,070 lbs thrust.
Crew: One
PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 693 mph
Cruising speed: 550 mph.
Range: 1,050 miles
Combat Ceiling: 51,400 ft
Profiles:
and more profiles to come!
Hope you enjoy this
The skies the limit,
V.A.
