Subject: Number Eighty-Six in the Series--North American F-86 Sabre (16 of 23)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 30 Aug 93 16:29:31 GMT

>From [email-masked]

In the early 1950s, the air forces of America's NATO allies had an 
urgent need for a high performance interceptor capable of meeting the 
perceived Soviet bomber threat.  As the highest-performance 
interceptor in the US inventory, the F-86D was a natural choice.  
However, the advanced E-4 fire-control system of the F-86D was 
considered too sensitive for export overseas, lest Soviet intelligence 
get their hands on it.  In addition, the USAF was at that time 
experiencing troubles of its own with the maintenance and reliability 
of the E-4, and it was thought that it was not a good idea to burden 
America's NATO allies with such a troublesome and unreliable system, 
advanced though it might be.  The F-86K was an simplified version of 
the F-86D interceptor designed to meet this need.  

On January 22, 1953, NAA was informed by the USAF that they would like 
to have Italy manufacture an interceptor that would be similar in 
configuration to the F-86D but would have cannon armament instead of 
the FFARs.  It should have a simpler fire control system and carry a 
crew of two rather than just one.  North American replied that a 
two-seat version of the F-86D would be much too costly and 
time-consuming to design, and proposed instead that the single-seat 
format of the F-86D be retained, but in a simplified version.  

The USAF accepted North American's suggestion, and the project was 
given the company designation of NA-205.  In place of the E-4 fire 
control system, NAA came up with a new MG-4 fire control system 
designed for operation with a quartet of 20-mm M-24A1 cannon with 132 
rpg.  Although this system was less complex than the E-4, it 
nevertheless retained the APG-37 nose radar.  The new simplified 
system still permitted the use of the same lead-pursuit attack 
strategy employed by the F-86D, automatically computing the firing 
range for the cannon and automatically displaying the suggested 
breakaway time.  

Two government-furnished F-86D-40-NAs were allocated to the NA-205 
project.  Serials were 52-3630 and 52-3804.  Work on the project began 
on May 14, 1953.  The designation YF-86K was applied to the two 
planes.  

On May 16, 1953, a license agreement was reached with Fiat in which 
the F-86K would be assembled in Italy from US-supplied components.  
Two days later, a contract committed MDAP funds for 50 sets of F-86K 
parts that would be manufactured by NAA in California but assembled in 
Italy by Fiat.  This contract was known on company records as NA-207.  
Since these aircraft were purchased with MDAP funds, they were given 
USAF serial numbers, although they never actually served with the 
USAF.  These serials were 53-8273/8322.  According to the terms of the 
contract, these Italian-assembled F-86Ks were to be supplied to 
France's Armee de l'Air, to the newly-revived West German Luftwaffe, 
as well as to Italy's own newly-organized Aeronautica Militare.  

However, in order to get quantity production underway as soon as 
possible, 120 F-86Ks were to be assembled in California by NAA under 
contract NA-213 approved on December 18, 1953.  These planes were to 
be supplied to Norway and the Netherlands, but these aircraft were 
carried on USAF books with serials 54-1231 thru 54-1350 since they 
were purchased with MDAP funds.  

The first YF-86K (53-3630) flew on July 15, 1954, piloted by NAA test 
pilot Raymond Morris.  It had the same engine as the F-86D-40-NA, a 
J47-GE-17B.  The internal fuel tankage remained the same, at 610 US 
gallons.  Like the F-86D, it could carry a pair of 120 US gallon drop 
tanks on underwing pylons.  The YF-86K differed from the D in having a 
slightly longer nose (40.9 feet as opposed to 40.3 feet) and in having 
a quartet of 20-mm M-24A-1 cannon in place of the retractable missile 
tray.  Both of the YF-86Ks were shipped to Italy after initial tests.  

The 120 NA-213 aircraft were manufactured in California from April to 
December 1955.  One F-86K was kept in the USA for test work, but 60 
were delivered to Norway's Kongelige Norske Flyvapen and 59 went to 
the Netherlands' Koninklijke Nederlandse Luchtmacht.  

North American shipped 50 sets of F-86K parts to Italy for assembly 
under the NA-207 contract.  The first of the Fiat-assembled F-86Ks 
(MM6185/53-8273) was flown on May 23, 1955, with NAA representative 
Col.  Arthur de Bolt at the controls.  More sets of F-86K parts were 
delivered under the following contracts: 

	NA-221 (70 aircraft, August 1954, 55-4811/4880) 

	NA-232 (56 aircraft, July 1955, 55-4881/4936), 

	NA-242 (45 aircraft, December 1955, 56-4116/4160) 

The NA-242 batch differed from the previous batches by having the 
extended wing leading edges and wingtips of the F-86F-40-NA, 
increasing wingspan from 37.1 to 39.1 feet and wing area from 287.9 to 
313.37 square feet.  Many previous Fiat-assembled F-86Ks were modified 
in the field to bring them up to the NA-242 standard.  

Both of the US-assembled YF-86Ks and 63 of the Fiat-assembled F-86Ks 
were delivered to Italy's Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI) in 
1956-57, equipping the 1o Aerobrigata.  The first two operational 
aircraft (MM6192/6193) were delivered from Turin on November 2, 1955.  
The first unit to receive the F-86K was 6 Gruppo Caccia Ogni Tempo of 
1 Stormo at Istrana.  The following gruppi flew the F-86K: 6 Gruppo/1 
Stormo, 17 Gruppo/1 Stormo, 23 Gruppo/1 Stormo, 21 Gruppo/51 
Aerobrigata, 22 Gruppo/51 Aerobrigata, 12 Gruppo/4 Aerobrigata.  The 
final AMI F-86K was delivered by Fiat in October of 1957.  Serials of 
Fiat-built F-86Ks delivered to the AMI were MM6185/6234 
(53-8273/8322), MM6235/6237 (55-4811/4813), plus the following which 
had no MM serials allocated: 55-4871, 4880, 4889/4893, 4903, and 
4905/4906.  They were later joined by 22 former French F-86Ks in 1962.  
These planes were not assigned MM numbers, and had the USAF serials 
55-4815, 4818/4821, 4824, 4829/4830, 4832, 4833, 4837, 4843, 4844, 
4846, 4854, 4858/4860, 4863, 4865, 4868, and 4869.  Eight more Ks were 
transferred to the AMI from the Netherlands in 1963.  These were 
54-1249, 1256, 1261, 1275, 1288, 1292, 1297, and 1315.  Phaseout of 
the F-86K began during 1964, when Italian Air Force units began 
transitioning to the F-104 Starfighter.  The last AMP F-86K was 
withdrawn from service in July of 1973.  

France's Armee de l'Air received 62 Fiat-built F-86Ks.  The first 
F-86Ks arrived in France in September of 1956, deliveries continuing 
until mid-1957.  Serials were 55-4814/4844, 55-4846/4865, 
55-4867/4780, 55-4872/4874, and 55-4876/4879.  Some or possibly all of 
these F-86Ks received Sidewinder launch rails.  Squadrons operating 
the F-86K included EC 1/13 Artois, EC 2/13 Alpes, and EC 3/13.  The 
Armee de l'Air F-86Ks were replaced by Mirage IIIC fighters beginning 
in 1962.  Following their withdrawal from active service with the 
Armee de l'Air, 22 French F-86Ks were returned to Italy.  

Norway operated 60 NAA-built F-86Ks, 59 being delivered between 
September 1955 and October 1956.  The remaining aircraft was lost 
during acceptance trials in the USA, and was not replaced until 
January of 1960.  A hangar fire destroyed four of Norway's F-86Ks on 
March 10, 1956, and four Fiat-assembled F-86Ks (55-4874, -4884, -4886, 
-4890) were delivered in June of 1956 as replacements.  The F-86K 
served with No. 332 Squadron at Rygge (having replaced the F-86Fs of 
that unit in 1962), and with No. 337 and No. 339 Squadrons based at 
Gardermoen.  Norwegian F-86Ks went out of service in 1966-67.  As they 
were withdrawn from service, most were scrapped.  

Holland's Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu) operated 57 NAA-built F-86Ks.  
These were delivered by ship between October 1955 and April 1956.  
They served with No.  700 Squadron, No.  701 Squadron, and No.  702 
Squadron.  In 1957, these aircraft were supplemented by six F-86Ks 
assembled in Italy by Fiat.  Sixteen F-86Ks were written off while in 
Dutch service, and eight were returned to Italy in 1963.  The Dutch 
F-86Ks were replaced by F-104G Starfighters in the mid 1960s.  As they 
were removed from service, most Dutch F-86Ks were scrapped, but F-86K 
54-1305 (serialed Q-305) survived and is on display at the RNAF museum 
in Soesterburg.  

As detailed above, 63 Fiat-assembled F-86Ks went to Italy, 62 went to 
France, six went to the Netherlands and Norway got 4.  The remaining 
88 of the 221 Italian-assembled F-86Ks went to the West German 
Luftwaffe in 1957/1958.  The first Luftwaffe F-86K unit became 
operational in October of 1960.  Luftwaffe F-86K units included JG 74 
and JG-75.  Serials were 55-4845, 4866, 4878, 4881, 4882, 4888, 
4895/4899, 4901, 4904, 4907/4935, 4935, 4936, 56-4116/4160.  The 
Luftwaffe F-86Ks remained in service until 1966, when they were 
finally replaced by F-104G Starfighters.  Most of the ex-Luftwaffe 
F-86Ks were passed along to Venezuela.  During its nearly seven years 
of service with the Luftwaffe, only four F-86Ks were lost to 
accidents.  

In the field, the four 20-mm cannon of the F-86K were often 
supplemented by a pair of AIM-9B Sidewinder infrared-homing air-to-air 
missiles mounted on underwing launchers.  

As F-86Ks were withdrawn from front-line service in Germany, Italy, 
Norway, Holland, and France, many were overhauled and transferred to 
other air forces.  

74 former-Luftwaffe F-86Ks were sold to the Fuerzas Aereas Venezolanos 
in 1966.  F-86Ks transferred from Germany were 55-4866, 4895, 4896, 
4898, 4901, 4907, 4910/4913, 4823, 4925, 4930, 56-446/4118, 
56-4121/4126, 4128, 4129, 4131, 4132, 4134/4144, 4146/4145, 4158/4160.  
An additional 27 F-86Ks may have been transferred solely for use as 
spares.  The flew with Escuadron de Cazas 34 and 35, and may have 
equipped EdC 36 (along with F-86Fs) for a while.  The F-86K proved to 
be a maintenance nightmare for the FAV, and at least 27 were involved 
in mishaps.  It appears that out of the total of 74 F-86Ks received by 
the FAV, about 27 were cannibalized for spare parts to keep the 
remainer flying.  Most FAV F-86Ks were grounded in July of 1969 with 
over-age hydraulic hoses.  Five FAV F-86Ks were sold to Honduras in 
1969.  

40 F-86Ks were overhauled by Fiat in 1963-64 and passed along to the 
Turk Hava Kuvvetleri (THK), the Turkish air force.  These remained in 
service until 1969.  

Specification of the F-86K: 

One General Electric J47-GE-17B, 7500 lb static thrust with 
afterburner.  Maximum speed 692 mph at sea level, 612 mph at 40,000 
feet.  Initial climb rate 12,000 feet per minute.  Altitude of 40,000 
feet attained in 7.3 minutes.  Service ceiling 49,600 feet.  Combat 
range 272 miles, ferry range 744 miles.  Weights: 13,367 pounds empty, 
16,252 pounds combat weight, 20,171 pounds takeoff (area interceptor).  
Dimensions: Wingspan 37.12 feet, length 40.93 feet, height 15 feet, 
wing area 287.9 square feet.  

Sources:

  F-86 Sabre in Action, Larry Davis, Squadron/Signal Publications, 1992.

  The North American Sabre, Ray Wagner, MacDonald, 1963.

  The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion, 1987.

  The World Guide to Combat Planes, William Green, MacDonald, 1966.

  The World's Fighting Planes, William Green, Doubleday, 1964.

  Flash of the Sabre, Jack Dean, Wings Vol 22, No 5, 1992.

  F-86 Sabre--History of the Sabre and FJ Fury, Robert F. Dorr, Motorbooks
  International, 1993.

Joe Baugher		AT&T Bell Laboratories   	
2000 North Naperville Road      Naperville, Illinois 60566-7033