Table Of ContentINTRODUCTION authored by Mr. Simone on another FRONTCOVER
North American subject, the F-107. General ElectriccoloradfortheJ47jet
The second book in the Air Force engineandtheF-86D.(General Electric
via Scott Bloom)
Legends series is the NorthAmerican ABOUT THE AUTHOR
F-86D/K/L "Sabre Dog". The impor "
BACKCOVER
tance of this single seat all-weather Ray Wagner is currently respon
Top, F-86K prototype 54-1231 taxis
bomber/intercepJor has been always sible for the Archives at the San
with drag chute open. (Boeing
overshadowed by the Korean War Diego Aerospace Museum, and is a Historical Archives) Bottom, Fiat built
vintage F-86A/E/F series of dayfight longtime aviation writer. His world F-86K rolls off the factory assembly
ers. Production of F-86Ds alone famous reference work, American and is being preparedforafactorytest
accounted for 2,506 aircraft. Al Combat Planes, that first appeared in flight. (Boeing Historical Archives)
though un-glamorous compared to its 1960, has been repeatedly updated
day fighter brother, the "Dog" was and is now in its fifth edition. Other
Below, North American period ad
responsible for several world speed famous books written by Mr. Wagner
about the F-86D Sabre Dog (via Don
records. The F-86D/K/L will be cov are German Combat Planes and the
Spering, Aviation In Review)
ered in twovolumes; this, thefirst, will North American Sabre.
cover its design/testing/structures.
The second volume will cover
squadron service and markings, both
NORTH AMERICAN HAS BUILT
foreign & domestic.
© 1999 by Steve Ginter
ISBN 0-942612-99-X
Steve Ginter, 1754 Warfield Cir., Simi
Valley, California, 93063
All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or trans
mittedinanyform byanymeanselec
tronic, mechanical or otherwise with
outthe written permission ofthe pub
lisher.
CONTRIBUTORS
Joe Altnether, Scott Bloom, Boeing
Historical Archives, Edwards AFB
Historical Center, Paul Freiler,
Thomas Graham, Craig Kaston, Tony
Landis, Barry Miller, S. Nicolaou,
Lionel Paul, Mick Roth (manuals), Bill
"
Simone (photos, manuals, docu Engine",..: NorthAmericllnotlpr~uDuou",1opportunities.WriteEnqinelHin(,JPersonnelOffice,LosAnqQ1esorDowney,C...l;{orn;lI.;orColumbu~,Oh,o.
ments), Don Spering (Aircraft in
Review), Bob Stolloff, William
Swisher, Norm Taylor, Ray Wagner ToddY ,h,n' dfe'mor<· r·86DSabre Jets fly Latest in Norlh American's famous Sabr'.?
and Nick Williams. inq on deli',/(' dilly than all oth~r(nlerceptor~ family islhenewF-86K,cannon-armeds:st~r
lypi'S('()mbin(~J.Norlll American Sabre Jets oftheF-86D, whichisnowinproductiona::d
uI'('Ill( winqcdbackboneof our nation'scon will soon join NATO forces in Europe's air
lIn(·1l1dld(>f(~nsesystemandthedefensesystem defense. Bolh the "0" and "K" are onme
SPECIALACKNOWLEDGEMENT of IlldllY()follrd.lliE.~sthroughouttheworld.Day examples of North American Avialion:s 1.:n
orniqh1, f'lir weather orfoul ...F-86D'sore surpassedability to design and produce ihe
eV't-'rdk-rt10intercept(lnypossibleinvader. planpstomeetAmericd'sdefenseneeds.
Three individuals deserve special Th(,"D"WdStheAirForce'sfirstonc-mdna11 Research and deve]opment keep North
w(-dll)(rinterceptor.Capdb]pof650rn.p.h.plus Americanforemostinaircraft,rocketengine8,
acknowledgements for rescuing and Spl'n:!s,itcdrries24Mighty Mouserocke~ quidedmissilps, eleclronicsandpeacefulap
preserving documents and photos e,lChilble-10destroyanyknowntypeofbomber. plicationsofatomicenergy.
from certain demise resulting from
corporate restructuring. These indi
viduals are: Scott Bloom, Craig
Kaston and Bill Simone. Watch for a
future Air Force Legends book
u\ , c -
NORTH AMERICAN F-86D/KIL "SABRE DOG" DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING
F-86D CUTAWAY
Rapid development of fighter design replace the second man. Target loca enemy bombers, although a 20mm
had been the rule during the decade tion, fire control, and much flight con gun installation would be studied as a
of the '40s, and so it was not surpris trol was to be accomplished by "black stand-by plan. An automatic pilot
ing to find an all-weather interceptor boxes". A J47-GE-17 with afterburner would be provided, additional internal
version of the F-86 on the drawing was provided with an electronically fuel would be required to feed the
boards early in the Sabre's history. controlled fuel scheduling system thirsty afterburner, and self-sealing
The F-86D began as the NA-164 on which would relieve the pilot of the protectionwould be removed from the
28 March 1949, when the company necessity to watch engine behavior fuel tanks to save weight.
initiated engineering design of an all constantly. General Electricand North
weather interceptor version of the F American co-operated for two years Other changes included a
86. When the US Air Force showed to develop and perfect a single throt "clamshell" canopy hinged at the rear
immediate interest, engineering was tle-lever control, working through an for easierejection, the combination of
begun on 7April 1949 on the produc electronic fuel selector which deter stabilizer and elevator into one mov
tion version, NA-165. Mock-up con mined the amount of fuel fed to the able surface, completely hydraulic
struction was started on 1June 1949. engine, and correlated the entire controls, and a Zero Reader for blind,
engine and afterburner behavior for instrument landings. The most dis
The idea ofthe F-86D was to pro optimum efficiency. The main advan tinctivechange, ofcourse, was lower
vide an interceptor with radar for all tages of this system were the ing the nose air intake to make space
weat.her capability and an afterburner extremely rapid responses of the above it to install a 30-inch fiberglas
for extra boost to speed and climb. engine to changes of throttle setting radome covering the 18-inch antenna
Up to that time, all-weather fighters and the simplification of operating of the AN/APG-36 search radar. A
had been two-seater aircraft, but the technique. long fuselage accommodated the
F-86D was to be the first single-seat J47-GE-17 afterburner. In February
all-weather interceptorin anycountry. By September 1949, plans called 1950, a firm choice of rocket arma
for a 50-kilowatt radar on early air ment was made, and the 20mm gun
The whole concept of a single craft, to be replaced bya 250-kilowatt option was dropped.
seat interceptor required electronic set later. Instead of guns, 2.75 -inch
systems sufficiently sophisticated to rockets would be used to attack A letter of contract for two YF-
1
At left, typical North American publici 86Ds (NA-164) and 122 F-86Ds (NA
ty photoofafemale employeepainting 165) was made out on 7 October
F-95A on the nose of the prototype 1949, shortly after news of the first
Sabre Dog. The two prototypes were
Soviet atomic bomb. Negotiations for
fitted with standard F-86 day-fighter
a final fixed price contract had fixed a
sliding canopies. Note the pitot tube
price of $380,232 for each of the first
was mounted inside the intake. (NAA)
37 aircraft. A formal contract was
Below, the first prototype, serial num
ber 50-577, on Muroc Dry Lake in approved on 2 June 1950, with 31
December 1949 prior to its first flight. additional aircraft added to bring the
No radar was fitted in the prototypes production total to 153.
andtheradomewas madeofmachined
metal. (NAAvia Bill Simone) By this time, the NA-165 was
designated F-95A, for hardly 25% of
the original F-86 components (princi
pally the wings and landing gear)
remained. On 24 July 1950, the des
ignation reverted to F-86D for pro
curement reasons.
Meanwhile, responsibility for the
development of a fire control system
had been passed to the Hughes
Aircraft Corporation, which on 18
November 1949 proposed that the
rocket attack be made from a lead
collision course, instead of the tradi
tional pursuit curve. A highly sophisti
cated system, the E-4, was being
developed for this purpose. Until the
250-kw E-4 was available, the less
complex 50-kw E-3 system would
equip the first 37 (F-86D-1) produc
tion aircraft. Both YF-86D prototypes
would beflown without the fire control
system in order that flight testing
should not be delayed.
The first YF-86D, 50-577, went to
Muroc on 28 November 1949 and on
22 December made its first flight,
piloted by George Welch. From that
date until the end of 1950, North
American made 74 flights to evaluate
engine electronic flight control and
test afterburnerfunctioning. No arma
ment orfire control was yet available,
and F-86A conventional controls and
canopy were still fitted. The tail sur
faces were those originally designed
forthe YF-93. The earlyversion ofthe
J47-GE-17 was limited to 5,000
pounds thrust, 6,650 pounds with
At left,the original exhaustcone ofthe
YF-86D was much larger than that of
the F-86dayfighters. Differenttail con
figurations were heavily tested on the
D models in an effortto improve flight
characteristics. (NAAvia Bill Simone)
2
Above, the first YF-86D, with George
Welch at the controls, preparesfor its
first flight on 22 December 1949. The
intake pitot tube was replaced by one
on each side of the lower fuselage.
(NAAvia Bill Simone)
afterburner. Production engines pro
duced 5,425 pounds thrust, with
7,500 pounds thrust with afterburner.
Fire control specifications for the
E-3 and E-4 systems were prepared
by Hughes and approved by the Air
Material Command on 17 February
At right, 50-577 from below with
exhaust instrumentation fitted. Note
the NACA-style flush inlet on the belly
between thetwowings. (NAAvia Craig
Kaston) Below, side view of 50-577
with the exhaust pressure rack
installed (NAAvia S. Nicolaou)
3
YF-86D 50-578
NUMBER TWO
At left, the second YF-86D on roll-out
at Los Angeles. (NAA via Bill Simone)
Below, North American employee
inspects the original large exhaust
cone on the number two YF-86D. The
thin aftfuselage stripe was red. (NAA)
Bottom, 50-578 in flight with nose test
boom fitting installed in the metal test
radome. (NAAvia Bill Simone)
1950. The prototype E-3 system was come down on one of these flights, fire control system.
received at North American on 26 and the aircraft was damaged on
May 1950, and, after some changes, landing at Edwards. Repairs were The retractable rocket rack, con
was installed in the second YF-86D made, and on 17 October 1950 the taining twenty-four 2.75-inch folding
(50-578) and tested during aircraftwent to Hughes for nearlytwo fin rockets, was fitted to the first pro
September. The nose gear refused to years of development testing of the totype which then went to Inyokern,
4
Above,YF-86D50-578from aboverightshowingtwo NACA-styleflush inletsonthe upperrearfuselageand instrumentbooms
on each wing tip. (NAAvia S. Nicolaou) Below, shortly after installation ofthe E-3 fire control test system in 578, the aircraft
madeaforced landing with non-extended nosegear. (NAAvia Bill Simone)
5
Above, test firing of 2.75-inch folding
fin rockets from F-86D 50-574. (USAF
via Barry Miller)
At left, 2.75-inch folding fin rockets as
tested and used in the F-86D. Once
fired, the fins were deployed aerody
namically. (NAA)
the Navy's rocket range at China
Lake, California. Developed by the
Navy, the 2.75-inch rocket had a
7.55-pound warhead, a velocity of
2,500 feet/second at burnout, and a
range of 4,500 yards. When these
were fired in February 1951, it was
said that the YF-86D was the first jet
to fire air-to-air rockets, butthis would
be challenged by B-17 crewmen who
remember the 5-cm rockets streaking
at them from Me. 262s back in 1945!
The FFARs (folding fin aerial
rockets) were fired in groups, or in
salvo from the launcher which took
but one-half second to extend.
Continued tests at Edwards in May
1951 justified confidence in the new
systems and, with the Korean war
intensifying fears of a direc~ attack on
the United States, the Air Force
planned quantity procurement.
Above left, original rocket tray astest
ed on YF-86D 50-577. Additional fit
tings and braces were added on the
production versions. (NAA via Bill
Simone)
At left, firing test stand for the F-86D
rockettray. This tray had three rows of
rocket tubes. (NAA)
6
FIRST PRODUCTION F-86D-1, 50-455
An order for 188 F-860-20s
received the NorthAmerican designa
tion ofNA-177on 15 November1950,
and the final contract was approved
by the Air Force on 11 April 1951. An
F-86G project, the NA-173, had
begun on 1August 1950, but in May
1951 another F-860 contract was
substituted. Final approval was
received on 18 July 1951 for 638 F
860-25 to 0-35 aircraft. Fixed price,
including an estimated 8% profit, was
to be 86 million dollars, or $145,966
each without government-furnished
equipment. The greatincrease in cost
of such sophisticated fighters is illus
trated by the fact that the 600th day
Sabre cost about $100,000 complete,
andthe P-51Habout$20,000. Costof
raw materials alone, for the fighters,
had increased nearly four times.
By now, 979 production F-860s
were on order, and the first F-860-1,
50-455, was accepted by the Air
Force in March 1951, with the second
andthird accepted in June. These air
craft showed the production configu
ration, with clamshell canopy,
increasedverticaltail surface, andthe
"all-flying" horizontal tail which had
been lowered slightly.
On the new tail, the conventional
horizontal stabilizer and elevator
were replaced by a single horizontal
surface actuated by a new hydraulic
power-control system with artificial
feel for the pilot. This resulted in a
more positive longitudinal control,
eliminating the phenomenon of con
trol reversal at high subsonic speeds.
At right, the first production F-86D-1
50-455 at Muroc Dry Lake. Itwas deliv
ered with a metal radome, as the
intended E-3system was notavailable.
The production clamshell canopy and
flat windscreen were fitted. The pro
duction tailcone and fairing were dif
ferent from the prototypes', and would
be re-configured over and over before
a final design with speed brake com
partmentwas settled on.The nosewas
fitted with a pipe-like mounting tube
for use with various test booms. (NAA
via Steve Ginter and Bill Simone)
7
The system was very sensitive, and it piloting, reduced this difficulty, but Above, the first production 0-1, 50-455,
was soon discovered that the pilot, the F-86D always required precise with the very long airspeed nose test
boom fitted. (via Bill Simone) Below,
below 20,000 feet at .8 to .9 Mach flying. Recoveryfrom these oscilla
North American test pilot climbs into50
number, could inadvertently induce a tions, fortunately, could be accom
455 for a test flight. Note his wingtip
violent oscillating pitching maneuver. plished simply by releasing the
shoes. The early "O"s were delivered
Some system changes, and care in stick.
withoutan anti-glare panel. (NAA)
8
