Our Aircraft’s History

North American F-86D-45-NA “Sabre Dog” (S/N 52-3927; MSN 190-329) ~ This “Saber Dog” was built in 1954 at the North American Aviation facility in Inglewood, California and delivered to the US Air Frce on April 30, 1954. Her first assignment was to the Sacramento Air Material Area, McClellan Air Force Base (AFB), California. Most of her active life is known:

  • 1954 – To Port of California (for OCONUS assignment)
  • 1954 – 440th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, US Air Force Europe (USAFE), Landstuhl Air Base, (AB), Germany
  • 1954 – 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (USAFE), Landstuhl AB, Germany
  • 1956 – 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (USAFE), Hahn AB, Germany; deployed to Wheelus AB Libya.
  • 1961 – Dropped from inventory by transfer to Military Assistance Program
  • 1962 – Transferred to Danish Air Force as ground trainer
  • Unknown from his point up until at MAPS Air Museum

Specifications/Performance

  • Role: Fighter/Interceptor
  • Manufacturer: North American 
  • First flight: December 22, 1949
  • Introduction: March 1, 1951
  • Retired: June 1, 1961
  • Produced: 1949-1953
  • Built: 2,847
  • Unit cost: $343,839 (F-86D)
  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 40 ft 3 in
  • Wingspan: 37 ft 1.5 in
  • Height: 15 ft
  • Empty weight: 13,518 lb
  • Gross weight: 19,975 lb
  • Engine: 1 x General Electric J47-GE-17B, 5,425 LBF (w/ afterburner: 7,500 lbf)
  • Max speed: 715 mph (Mach .93)
  • Combat range: 330 mi
  • Ferry range: 800 mi
  • Service ceiling: 49,750 ft

Armament, notable

  • 24 x 2.75 in Mighty Mouse FFAR rockets
  • AN/APG-36 all-weather radar

Museum display notes: this display is ONLY the cockpit section (as other parts/sections were used for replacement parts and mechanic training; the cockpit is available to sit it and the paintings/markings are of Lt. Col. Robert Fishel when he was stationed with the 86th Fighter-Interceptor Wing (USAFE) at Landstuhl US Air Force Base, West Germany during the mid-1950’s.

Designed to replace: North American F-86A “Sabre” (day-only fighter)

Replaced by: North American F-86G/K/L variants