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American Combat Planes of the 20th Century is an incredible reference for anyone who is interested in any American Combat Plane History. There are 758 pages and 1700 b/w photos in this substantial labor of love by Ray Wagner, who has been passionately researching and writing about aircraft for over 50 years. Whether you are already familiar with his past works, or just discovering this accomplished author for the first time... This is the book that you've been waiting for!

If you'd like to see the book's Table of Contents ... Click here. You can also browse the entire Index Section to get an idea of the extensive amount of information that is covered within this book.

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F-86 Sabres

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Chinese Nationalists (the RoC) on Taiwan got 320 F-86F and seven RF-86F Sabres beginning on November 29, 1954, and these second-hand USAF jets found themselves engaging MiGs again on October 15, 1955, fighting over off-shore islands. Sidewinder infrared homing missiles were first used in combat by the Sabres on September 24, 1958, destroying ten enemy jets and ending the seven-week battle.

CANADAIR SABRE Mk 6 NORTH AMERICAN F-86F-40

Japan used the Sabres in the greatest numbers. An agreement made July 13, 1954, provided for joint production of a new model, F-86F-40, by North American and Mitsubishi, maker of the wartime Zero fighter. With both new extended wing tips and leading edge slats, this model, flown in October 1955, had greatly improved handling qualities and lower stalling speeds than earlier models, which were often modified to the new standards.

North American delivered the last of 280 F-86F-40s on December 28, 1956, 6,210 Sabres having been built in the United States and 300 sets of parts forwarded to Mitsubishi in Japan. Japan received 29 second-hand F-86F-25/30s and 180 new F-86F-40s by June 1957, but returned 45 of the latter to the USAF. Mitsubishi’s first F-86F-40 was flown August 9, 1956, but a 1959 typhoon delayed the contract’s completion to February 1961. Mitsubishi also modified 18 F-86Fs to RF-86F camera planes.

But the Sabre next saw combat with Pakistan, who received 102 F-86F-40s in 1956-57. These served seven of the ten Pakistani Air Force squadrons (the rest had B-57Bs and F-104As) during the September 1965 war with India. Again, Sidewinders were used successfully, this time against Hawker Hunters. This conflict halted U.S. supplies to Pakistan, who, nevertheless, managed to obtain 90 ex-German Canadair Mk 6 Sabres in 1966.

South Korea got 112 F-86Fs and ten RF-86As, beginning in June 1955, and the Philippine Air Force got 40 F-86Fs in 1957. Saudi Arabia received ten F-86F Sabres in 1957 and eight more in 1969, Thailand got 40 by April 1962, and Tunisia, 12 ex-Japanese F-86Fs in 1969.

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