The North American F-86 Sabre was a single-engine jet fighter that took part in the First War of Jet Technology in Korea. Designed under the supervision of Edgar Schmued, famous for the P-51 Mustang, this was the first Western jet fighter that adapted itself to the concept of a swept wing, based on captured German aero data obtained at the end of the Second World War. Features such as these innovative designs endowed the Sabre with the ability to cut down transonic drag, and almost reach the sound barrier when in a dive, giving it a formidable edge over its enemies.
The prototype F-86 took first to the skies in October 1947, and by 1949, the first squadron became operational. Its real test came in December 1950, when U.S. pilots flying F-86s massively clashed over Soviet-built MiG-15s in history’s first large-scale jet fighter versus jet fighter combat over the skies of Korea. The MiG-15 had a superior armament, tighter turn radius, and higher maximum speed at combat altitude, but superiority in ease of handling quickly established supremacy for the excellent F-86.
My favorite plane said warbird pilot extraordinaire Steve Hinton, Sr., “not only for its history, but because it’s just really fun to fly.” Time and again, the responsiveness and agility of a Sabre flown by a truly skilled pilot made a difference, proving itself in Korea when it went “toe-to-toe destroying nearly 800 Russian-designed MiG-15s flown by Korean, Chinese, and Soviet pilots.” And it did that with the loss of fewer than 80 F-86 jets, a victory ratio of more than ten to one.
But the success of the F-86 in Korea reached even further than just those flown by Americans. In 1958, in September, Chinese Nationalist Sabre pilots engaged MiG-15s and launched the first guided air-to-air missile from a jet in combat.
It continued development with the F-86E, F, H, D, and K models, including changes in the armament, engine power, and control systems. The F-86D was developed as an all-weather interceptor with a radar nose; the only armament it had was all rockets. That was a change worth noting. The K had 20-mm cannons replacing the rockets.
Not only was the F-86 constructed in the United States, but it was built under license in Canada, Japan, and Italy. Of the 8,443 Sabres that were constructed, 554 were F-86As. The U.S. Air Force accepted its final F-86 in December 1956, and then it was goodbye to this extraordinary airplane.
The F-86 Sabre, to this day, continues to fascinate aviation enthusiasts and inspire future generations of pilots. The “Jolley Roger,” an F-86F model displayed at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino, California, is dedicated to Capt. Clifford D. Jolley, the Air National Guard’s first “ace” during the Korean War, symbolizes the will and might of the Sabre pilots during one of the more significant conflicts of the Cold War period.