The F-86 Sabre was
the U.S. Air Forces successor to the P-51. The F-86 was manufactured in several
countries most significantly after the U.S. was Canada, via Canadair, and by
Japan via Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (creator of the Zero) under license from
1956 to 1961.
Under the Military
Assistant program started in 1954, the new JASDF received 29 former USAF
F-86F-25 and -30 aircraft. The first JASDF Wing was activated in October 1956
using T-33A trainers and F-86Fs. A total of 135 former USAF F-86Fs, mostly
Korean War veterans, were received until early1957.
The
F-86F-40 was like the F-86F-25/30, but with a modified wing, featuring a 30
centimeter (1 foot) wingtip extension on the "6-3" wing, and having
restored the leading-edge slats, the wing was called the "F-40". The
first F-86F-40 was produced at the Inglewood plant in October 1955. Performance
characteristics were the same as the F-86-25/30, while the F-86-40 had
eliminated the “hot” landings. The kits were sent to Japan in August
of 1955, with the first JASDF F-86F-40 coming off the Mitsubishi line one year
later becoming the first users of the F-40. Mitsubishi would assemble a
total of 300 F-86F-40s, In December 1961, Mitsubishi modified eighteen former
USAF F-86F-25s and -30s to an RF-86F recon version, by adding three cameras near
the cockpit, and most identifiable by a bulge it created, thus closing out its run
of F-40 Sabres’.
In
all, a total of 480 F-86Fs were flown by the JASDF Hikotais 1 to 10, plus the
"Blue Impulse" aerial display team.
Click on
images below to see larger images
Late
Japanese production would equip the Sabre to carry the "Sidewinder"
heat-seeking air-to-air missile (AAM). These first Sidewinders needed to be
accurately bore sighted on the target's exhaust to be effective. The pilot would
hear through his earphones, a growling tone that grew louder as the missile
confirmed a lock for firing.
The
USAF was in need for new fighters and bought 280 NAA F-86F-40s, with a total of
280. Also a large number of "F-40" wing kits were ordered to retrofit
to older F-86Fs via the IRAN program with many being supplied to US allies. The
F-86F-40 was the final production variant of a total of 2,538 F-86Fs built.
The
Hasegawa F86-40 model is well designed and crisply manufactured, providing the
correct -40 wing assembly. The decals are super as they provide you with the 10
colorful Hikotai markings. The “Lightning Bolt” marking caught my eye so I
decided to build a 9th SQ 4th Air wing Sabre. Some air wings also transitioned
to the “D” model of the Sabre, I plan in the future to build a “D”
version using some of these decals. This kit was very hard to find, and I was
able to locate 3 so far in the Twin Cities area. The other two I’m building,
and will have a future article, for the post Korea 310th and 311th FBS.
Sources:
Hasegawa Instruction sheet PT14, Encyclopedia of Worlds Combat Aircraft a
Salamander Book and Greg Goebel’s (Mr. G) website: www.vectorsite.net
Mark L. Rossmann
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