North American F-86L Sabre Dog
In the late 1940s, the newly independent US Air Force faced a number of challenges, two of which were paramount: developing a reliable strategic nuclear bomber, and developing interceptors capable of defending the United States from the Soviet Union’s strategic nuclear bombers. The USAF had a plan in mind—the so-called “1954 Interceptor” that would evolve into the F-102 Delta Dagger and F-106 Delta Dart—but these were still some years away. To bridge the gap, Northrop was developing the F-89 Scorpion, but delays to the Scorpion project meant that the United States was theoretically defenseless until it entered service. The USAF then called for interceptors that could be converted quickly from existing aircraft. This would evolve into two aircraft: the F-94 Starfire and F-86D Sabre Dog.
The F-86D started life as the F-95A. Unlike the F-94, which was a fairly straightforward conversion of the T-33A Shooting Star trainer into an interceptor, the F-95 was designed to be flown by one man. In previous dedicated interceptors, a two-man crew was deemed optimum, as the second man would operate the complicated radars of the day. A single-seat interceptor was unheard of, but as the 1954 Interceptor was also going to be a single-seat aircraft, the F-95 would provide valuable research into the concept. To achieve this, however, the fire control system would have to have advanced computers assisting the pilot.
Though it was based on the F-86 Sabre day fighter, the F-95 had less than 30 percent commonality with its parent design: the fuselage was deeper, wider, and longer; the intake had to be redesigned to accommodate the nose radar; the tail was larger; the engine was upgraded with an afterburner for quick takeoffs and climbs; and the canopy was changed to a hinged type rather than the sliding model on the F-86. The latter’s machine gun armament was deleted in favor of an underfuselage tray of 24 Mighty Mouse folding-fin aerial rockets (FFARs).
As the F-95 prototype neared completion, there was some thought that Congress might cancel the aircraft: it was redundant with the F-89 and F-94 also entering service. The F-95 did have the Sabre’s remarkable combat record behind it, and in a funding dodge, North American changed the designation from F-95 to F-86D, making it seem like just another Sabre variant, rather than the nearly entirely new aircraft that it was. This also earned the aircraft its informal nickname: Sabre Dog, based on the old phonetic alphabet for D.
Some pilots, however, claimed the Dog stood for the way the F-86D flew. While it did not have the same propensity to go into uncontrollable pitchups like the F-86 (which was known as the “Sabre Dance”), it could easily be overcorrected, with much the same fatal results. It was not as easy to fly as the “standard” F-86, and the fire control computer, as could be expected for an early 1950s aircraft, was not very reliable. An optical sight was provided for the pilot if the computer went down, which was frequently. Moreover, North American, operating in “emergency” mode, could turn out F-86Ds before Hughes could complete the fire control system. At one point, over 300 F-86Ds sat idle at the North American plant, waiting for computers. Because of the balky computer and the flying characteristics of the Sabre Dog, it was considered the most complicated aircraft to fly in the USAF, requiring a training syllabus matched only by the B-47 Stratojet.
The United States was not the only nation that needed interceptors, and several NATO nations requested F-86Ds of their own. The fire control system was considered too advanced for export, however, and instead it was downgraded to a simper version, the rocket tray was removed and replaced with four 20mm cannon, and it was supplied to friendly nations as the F-86K. While still not the easiest aircraft to fly, the pilot had a better chance of scoring a kill with the more accurate cannon, and the F-86K was successful in NATO service. Subsequently, a number of F-86Ds were returned to North American, undergoing an avionics upgrade, a simpler cockpit layout, and extended wingtips. This resulted in the F-86L, which was used by several Air National Guard interceptor units into the mid-1960s. While American Sabre Dogs only carried rockets, foreign aircraft were modified to carry AIM-9 Sidewinders later. 16 foreign air forces flew Sabre Dogs.
2847 F-86D and associated variants were built, and were the most prolific interceptor in the West during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Most were replaced by more advanced aircraft beginning in the mid-1960s, but a few Yugoslavian F-86Ks soldiered on into the early 1980s. None were ever involved in combat. Today, a handful remain in museums.
53-0997, shown here, was built originally as a F-86D for the USAF, but sometime around 1957, it was modified to a F-86L. It went on to serve with the 151st Fighter-Interceptor Group (Utah ANG) at Salt Lake City International Airport. When the 151st converted to transports, its F-86Ls were retired. 53-0997 was then donated to the city of Butte, Montana, and placed on display at Bert Mooney Airport. The F-86L was never flown by the Montana ANG, so why the city of Butte decided to acquire this aircraft is unknown.
Though it inaccurately carries a "USAF" legend beneath the canopy, 53-0997 has weathered Butte's notorious winters comparatively well. It is displayed with the rocket tray in firing position, which is somewhat unusual for an F-86D/L on display. The large international orange panels were carried on some ANG aircraft operationally.
I had known about the "Butte Sabre" for years, but this year was the first time I had a chance to photograph, as I passed through Butte on the way home from Arizona on a very rainy evening.
North American F-86L Sabre Dog
In the late 1940s, the newly independent US Air Force faced a number of challenges, two of which were paramount: developing a reliable strategic nuclear bomber, and developing interceptors capable of defending the United States from the Soviet Union’s strategic nuclear bombers. The USAF had a plan in mind—the so-called “1954 Interceptor” that would evolve into the F-102 Delta Dagger and F-106 Delta Dart—but these were still some years away. To bridge the gap, Northrop was developing the F-89 Scorpion, but delays to the Scorpion project meant that the United States was theoretically defenseless until it entered service. The USAF then called for interceptors that could be converted quickly from existing aircraft. This would evolve into two aircraft: the F-94 Starfire and F-86D Sabre Dog.
The F-86D started life as the F-95A. Unlike the F-94, which was a fairly straightforward conversion of the T-33A Shooting Star trainer into an interceptor, the F-95 was designed to be flown by one man. In previous dedicated interceptors, a two-man crew was deemed optimum, as the second man would operate the complicated radars of the day. A single-seat interceptor was unheard of, but as the 1954 Interceptor was also going to be a single-seat aircraft, the F-95 would provide valuable research into the concept. To achieve this, however, the fire control system would have to have advanced computers assisting the pilot.
Though it was based on the F-86 Sabre day fighter, the F-95 had less than 30 percent commonality with its parent design: the fuselage was deeper, wider, and longer; the intake had to be redesigned to accommodate the nose radar; the tail was larger; the engine was upgraded with an afterburner for quick takeoffs and climbs; and the canopy was changed to a hinged type rather than the sliding model on the F-86. The latter’s machine gun armament was deleted in favor of an underfuselage tray of 24 Mighty Mouse folding-fin aerial rockets (FFARs).
As the F-95 prototype neared completion, there was some thought that Congress might cancel the aircraft: it was redundant with the F-89 and F-94 also entering service. The F-95 did have the Sabre’s remarkable combat record behind it, and in a funding dodge, North American changed the designation from F-95 to F-86D, making it seem like just another Sabre variant, rather than the nearly entirely new aircraft that it was. This also earned the aircraft its informal nickname: Sabre Dog, based on the old phonetic alphabet for D.
Some pilots, however, claimed the Dog stood for the way the F-86D flew. While it did not have the same propensity to go into uncontrollable pitchups like the F-86 (which was known as the “Sabre Dance”), it could easily be overcorrected, with much the same fatal results. It was not as easy to fly as the “standard” F-86, and the fire control computer, as could be expected for an early 1950s aircraft, was not very reliable. An optical sight was provided for the pilot if the computer went down, which was frequently. Moreover, North American, operating in “emergency” mode, could turn out F-86Ds before Hughes could complete the fire control system. At one point, over 300 F-86Ds sat idle at the North American plant, waiting for computers. Because of the balky computer and the flying characteristics of the Sabre Dog, it was considered the most complicated aircraft to fly in the USAF, requiring a training syllabus matched only by the B-47 Stratojet.
The United States was not the only nation that needed interceptors, and several NATO nations requested F-86Ds of their own. The fire control system was considered too advanced for export, however, and instead it was downgraded to a simper version, the rocket tray was removed and replaced with four 20mm cannon, and it was supplied to friendly nations as the F-86K. While still not the easiest aircraft to fly, the pilot had a better chance of scoring a kill with the more accurate cannon, and the F-86K was successful in NATO service. Subsequently, a number of F-86Ds were returned to North American, undergoing an avionics upgrade, a simpler cockpit layout, and extended wingtips. This resulted in the F-86L, which was used by several Air National Guard interceptor units into the mid-1960s. While American Sabre Dogs only carried rockets, foreign aircraft were modified to carry AIM-9 Sidewinders later. 16 foreign air forces flew Sabre Dogs.
2847 F-86D and associated variants were built, and were the most prolific interceptor in the West during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Most were replaced by more advanced aircraft beginning in the mid-1960s, but a few Yugoslavian F-86Ks soldiered on into the early 1980s. None were ever involved in combat. Today, a handful remain in museums.
53-0997, shown here, was built originally as a F-86D for the USAF, but sometime around 1957, it was modified to a F-86L. It went on to serve with the 151st Fighter-Interceptor Group (Utah ANG) at Salt Lake City International Airport. When the 151st converted to transports, its F-86Ls were retired. 53-0997 was then donated to the city of Butte, Montana, and placed on display at Bert Mooney Airport. The F-86L was never flown by the Montana ANG, so why the city of Butte decided to acquire this aircraft is unknown.
Though it inaccurately carries a "USAF" legend beneath the canopy, 53-0997 has weathered Butte's notorious winters comparatively well. It is displayed with the rocket tray in firing position, which is somewhat unusual for an F-86D/L on display. The large international orange panels were carried on some ANG aircraft operationally.
I had known about the "Butte Sabre" for years, but this year was the first time I had a chance to photograph, as I passed through Butte on the way home from Arizona on a very rainy evening.