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A NASA test F86 Sabre aircraft
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North American F86 Sabre
The classic F86 Sabre jet fighter aircraft of the US forces first flew in prototype form in October 1947. The aircraft featured a swept back wing which was a result mainly of information gathered from German fast aircraft development and was powered by the General Electric J47 engine which in early Sabres produced
about 4,850lbs of thrust. Wingspan of this new generation combat aircraft was around 37ft.
The initial production Sabre, the F86A first took to the the skies in 1948, later that year a Sabre took the air speed record at a speed of 670.9 mph, ever closing in on the sound barrier. The following year the F86 entered service.
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Development of the Sabre continued over the following years. A flying tailplane (all moving with no separate control surface) was introduced in 1950 with the F86E Sabre and engine thrust was continually increased.
When the Korean peninsula troubles began in 1950 the North American Sabre was to become the major USAF air superiorty fighter used.
In this conflict the F86 was pitted largely against the excellent Russian Mig 15 single engined jet. The Mig 15 was a tough adversary, both fast and with a heavy cannon in the nose. Sabres however managed to dominate the aircraft with a reported 11:1 victory ratio.
Sabres in this conflict flew alongside Shooting Stars and Thunderjets together with piston fighters like the Mustang, Corsair and British Sea Fury.
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The single engine Sabre was the finest fighter plane of it's time in the late forties and early fifties.
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NASA test F86 in flight
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The all weather variant of the F86 became known as the F86D Sabre-Dog. This version could be distinguished by the fairing on the nose above the air intake which was used to house the radar system. The Sabre-Dog was used in the US throughout most of the 1950s.
Other countries to use the F86 Sabre included Canada, Britain, Australia, Japan, Germany, Italy, Denmark and many others.
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| North American F86K Sabre (late model licence built F86) |
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| Engine | General Electric J47-GE-17B turbojet
7,500lb thrust on re-heat |
Top Speed | 612mph |
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| Weight | 19,950lb |
Wingspan | approx. 37ft |
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| Length | 40 ft 11 inches |
Weapons | 4x 20mm cannon |
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| Country | USA design |
Crew | one |
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