F-86 Sabre
Explore the advanced engineering that makes
the Sabre such a formidable fi ghter jet...On board the F-86E
T
he F-86 Sabre was a highly
successful single-seat fi ghter jet
built by North A merican
Aviation (now part of Boeing) in the
late-Forties. The aircraft – the fi rst
western jet to feature swept w ings, as
well as one of the fi rst capable of
breaking the sound barrier in a dive –
saw action throughout the Korean War
and Cold War, and has become a highy
recognisable icon in aircraft
engineering history.
Built initially to combat the Russian
MiG-15, the Sabre was geared towards
fl ight superiorit y roles, dispatched to
undertake f urious high-speed
dogfi ghts. Though inferior to the
Russian jet in terms of lightness and
weaponr y, the reduced transonic drag
delivered by the swept w ings –
combined with its streamlined
fuselage and advanced electronics –
granted it far superior handling. This
ability to outmanoeuvre the MiG-15
saw it establish supremac y in combat.
Despite overall armament
inferiorit y to its rivals, the Sabre was
one of the fi rst military jets capable of
fi ring guided air-to-air missiles and
later variants, such as the F-86E, were
fi tted with radar and targeting
systems that were revolutionary for
the time. These factors, along w ith its
high ser v ice ceiling (ie maximum
altitude) and its generous range ofaround 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles),
therefore enabled it to intercept any
enemy aircraft w ith ease.
However, today the Sabre is most
know n for its famous world record-
breaking performances, with variants
of the jet setting fi ve offi cial speed
records over a six-year period in the
Forties and Fifties. Indeed, the F-86D
made history in 1952 by not just setting
the overall world speed record (1,123
kilometres/698 miles per hour), but
then bettering it by an additional 27
kilometres (17 miles) per hour the
follow ing year. It is partly due to these
records that
the F-86
remains to be a
beloved aircraft and w ill be
remembered throughout history.
Today there are no F-86s that are
still in service in national militaries.
They have naturally been replaced by
more modern and more advanced
aircrafts as time went by and new
technologies were developed.
However, due to their iconic status
and reliable handling, many remain
in operation in the civilian sphere,
w ith 50 privately ow ned jets
registered in the US alone. They are
extremely popular with collectors and
aircraft enthusiasts alike, and
continue to inspire the next
generation of engineers to this day.Considered the foremost military aircraft
of the Fifties, the F-86 Sabre was a highly
versatile fi ghter jet as fast as it was lethal
Fuselage
A tapered conical fuselage is
installed with a nose cone air
inlet. Air is ducted under the
cockpit and delivered to the
J47 engine before being
expelled at the rear of the
plane v ia a nozzle.Wing
Both wings and tail are
swept back, with the former
fitted with electrically
operated flaps and automatic
leading-edge slats. The
swept wings lend it excellent
agility in dogfights.Although built in North America at least 20
other countries used Sabres in their air
forces, including Japan, Spain and the UKHISTORIC