Difference between revisions of "F-86F-40 (China)"

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{{About
 
{{About
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|about=Chinese jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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|about= jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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|usage=other variants
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|usage= other variants
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|link=F-86 (Family)
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|link= F-86 (Family)
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Specs-Card
 
{{Specs-Card
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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].
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The '''{{Specs|name}}'''(known as 軍刀機 in Taiwan and ROCAF) represented the later "blocks" of F-86F delivered to ROCAF since mid-1950s under the MAP military aids to upgrade their obsolete fleet into jet era. Although these jets had scored a few victories against PLAAF jets, the most notable victory was on 1958/9/24 when a ROCAF pilot used the freshly-arrived AIM-9B during the battle, shooting down a MiG-17/J-5 and claimed the very first AAM kill in combat history. These jets served ROCAF for another 2 decade until F-100A, F-104 and F-5 eventually replaced all subsonic fighters in ROCAF in 1977, marking the end of subsonic era of ROCAF.  
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Introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]] alongside with other F-86F with missile capabilities. Most of the performance is identical to its F-86F-30 cousin, but the installation of AIM-9B turned the table by giving it at least a 2 km upper hand against subsonic jets if used at the correct moment. Only firing them at careless targets or at enemies who depleted their energy to evade is a must for a successful kill. In case both missiles have already been launched, the remaining guns can still make sure enemy jets will be bothered by the high energy retention of F-86F-40.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
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{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
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''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''
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While the F-86F-40's acceleration and top speed are lacking compared to its contemporaries, the F-86F-40's slats allow the plane to have an outstanding manoeuvrability. That said, one must be aware of their speed as pulling high manoeuvres at high and max speed can put the plane under great stress which leads to the wings falling apart. The outstanding manoeuvrability comes at the cost of speed. Pulling hard turns will bleed your air speed.
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
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! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 
|-
 
|-
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| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 590 || 550 || 350 || ~11 || ~6
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| 1,170 <!-- {{Specs|destruction|body}} --> || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 590 || 550 || 350 || ~11 || ~6
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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! colspan="2" | Empty mass || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
 
! colspan="2" | Empty mass || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
 
|-
 
|-
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| colspan="2" | General Electric J47-GE-27 || 1
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| colspan="2" | General Electric J47-GE-27 || 1
 
| colspan="2" | 5,490 kg || colspan="2" | 232 kg/m<sup>2</sup>
 
| colspan="2" | 5,490 kg || colspan="2" | 232 kg/m<sup>2</sup>
 
|-
 
|-
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* 20 mm - Steel plate in pilot's headrest
 
* 20 mm - Steel plate in pilot's headrest
  
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The plane is equipped at the front with 2 steel plates, each 6.35mm thick. The cockpit has a 38mm bullet proof glass that protects the pilot's torso and head. The backseat is made of 12.7mm of steel which protects the pilot's back while his head is further protected by another 20mm steel plate. This protection will help against smaller calibre rounds, however, cannot sustain many direct hits with 20 mm rounds or higher.
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The plane is equipped at the front with 2 steel plates, each 6.35 mm thick. The cockpit has a 38 mm bullet proof glass that protects the pilot's torso and head. The backseat is made of 12.7 mm of steel which protects the pilot's back while his head is further protected by another 20 mm steel plate. This protection will help against smaller calibre rounds, however, cannot sustain many direct hits with 20 mm rounds or higher.
  
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
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* 6 x 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 1,800 total)
 
* 6 x 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 1,800 total)
  
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The F86F-40 JASDF were U.S. airframes assembled by Mitsubishi in Japan, and they offered the same offensive armament of many of it's Saber brethren, namely the 6 x M3 Browning 12.7 mm/.50 calibre machine guns. These machine guns are similar in performance to their predecessor, the M2 Browning; however, they excelled with a significantly higher rate of fire. The total ammunition count for this aircraft is 1,800 rounds, divided up with 300 rounds per gun. Ammunition belts for this aircraft are conventional 12.7 mm belts found on U.S. aircraft, and typically the tracer belts permit for the quickest correction of aim. Other belts may be utilised as necessary and depending on play-style such as the Stealth belts; however, these should be used by skilled pilots who already understand the firing aspects of the M3 Brownings and bullet performance. One challenge with the Stealth belts is the lack of tracers, making it much harder to correct aim when solely relying on visual clues.
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The F-86F-40 (China) offered the same offensive armament of many of its Sabre brethren, namely the 6 x M3 Browning 12.7 mm/.50 calibre machine guns. These machine guns are similar in performance to their predecessor, the M2 Browning; however, they excelled with a significantly higher rate of fire. The total ammunition count for this aircraft is 1,800 rounds, divided up with 300 rounds per gun. Ammunition belts for this aircraft are conventional 12.7 mm belts found on US aircraft, and typically the tracer belts permit for the quickest correction of aim. Other belts may be utilised as necessary and depending on playstyle such as the Stealth belts; however, these should be used by skilled pilots who already understand the firing aspects of the M3 Brownings and bullet performance. One challenge with the Stealth belts is the lack of tracers, making it much harder to correct aim when solely relying on visual clues.
  
 
=== Suspended armament ===
 
=== Suspended armament ===
 
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 
<!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
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{{main|AN-M65A1 Fin M129 (1,000 lb)|AIM-9B Sidewinder|HVAR}}
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{{main|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|AN-M65A1 Fin M129 (1,000 lb)|AIM-9B Sidewinder|HVAR}}
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
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* Without load
 
* Without load
 
* 16 x HVAR rockets
 
* 16 x HVAR rockets
 +
* 2 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (1,500 lb total)
 
* 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (2,000 lb total)
 
* 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (2,000 lb total)
 
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
 
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
  
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The unguided rockets out-fitted on this aircraft are the familiar American HVARs, which can be used against slow-moving bombers or ground target vehicles and anti-aircraft guns. Since the HVARs are a fire-and-forget rocket, they work best against either stationary targets or against slow-moving targets which may not be able to avoid inbound rockets. Another option for suspended ordnances includes bombs, namely the 1,000 lbs AN-M65A1 bombs. Two of these bombs is all that this aircraft can safely carry, but these bombs will do considerable damage against ground units, ships and bases. While performing bombing runs, always be on the lookout for enemy fighters attempting to swoop in and eliminate the F-86F-40 which may be flying slower and lower than typical. For air-to-air combat, using the Aim-9B missiles to complement the M3 Browing machine guns makes for a deadly combination. These missiles are best used in close quarters, anywhere from 600 - 800 m which minimizes the opportunity for the enemy pilot to evade or out-fly the missiles. It is quite possible for the enemy to avoid the in-bound missile; however, this provides the attacking aircraft with the opportunity to manoeuvre in and take out the fighter with its machine guns. Hopefully, the enemy fighter has bled any energy advantage it may have had presenting itself as an ideal target for the machine guns.
+
The unguided rockets out-fitted on this aircraft are the familiar American HVARs, which can be used against slow-moving bombers or ground target vehicles and anti-aircraft guns. Since the HVARs are a fire-and-forget rocket, they work best against either stationary targets or against slow-moving targets which may not be able to avoid inbound rockets. Another option for suspended ordnances includes bombs, namely the 1,000 lbs AN-M65A1 bombs. Two of these bombs is all that this aircraft can safely carry, but these bombs will do considerable damage against ground units, ships and bases. While performing bombing runs, always be on the lookout for enemy fighters attempting to swoop in and eliminate the F-86F-40 which may be flying slower and lower than typical. For air-to-air combat, using the Aim-9B missiles to complement the M3 Browning machine guns makes for a deadly combination. These missiles are best used in close quarters, anywhere from 600 - 800 m which minimizes the opportunity for the enemy pilot to evade or out-fly the missiles. It is quite possible for the enemy to avoid the in-bound missile; however, this provides the attacking aircraft with the opportunity to manoeuvre in and take out the fighter with its machine guns. Hopefully, the enemy fighter has bled any energy advantage it may have had presenting itself as an ideal target for the machine guns.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
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While the F-86F-40's acceleration and top speed are lacking compared to its contemporaries, the F-86F-40's slats allow the plane to have an outstanding maneuvrability. That said, one must beware of their speed as pulling high maneuvres at high and max speed can put the plane under great stress which leads to the wings falling apart. The outstanding maneuvrability comes at the cost of speed. Pulling hard turns will bleed your air speed. Try to climb up before engaging the enemy to ensure you have enough energy to get out of a sticky situation. Hopefully, there will be a furball underneath you where you would be able to pounce on low-energy fighters with your guns or the AIM-9B. One advantage the F-86 has over the jets of other nations is the large ammo count of its 6 x 50 cals (1,800) although it would be wise to hit most of your shoots. Try staying above 500 km/h as any slower and you would lose a significant amount of energy in a prolonged turn.
 
  
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===Radars===
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Try to climb up before engaging the enemy to ensure you have enough energy to get out of a sticky situation. Hopefully, there will be a jets fighting underneath you where you would be able to pounce on low-energy fighters with your guns or the AIM-9B. One advantage the F-86 has over the jets of other nations is the large ammo count of its 6 x .50 cals (1,800) although it would be wise to hit most of your shoots. Try staying above 500 km/h as any slower and you would lose a significant amount of energy in a prolonged turn.
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 +
=== Air Realistic Battles ===
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In air realistic battles, the F-86F-40 (China) is not the fastest jet at its BR when it comes to top speed. The thrust output is below average and without an afterburner, and the jet does not accelerate fast either. It is best to take off and do a slight side climb while paying attention to aircraft like Harriers that could try to fly over the team. It is important to maintain at least 600 km/h IAS because any slower the Sabre will struggle to dodge enemy missiles. Once a furball is started, proceed into it and pick targets that are low on energy. The F-86F-40 should take advantage of its wings and good energy retention. Combined with a good roll rate, no enemy should be able to shake you once you are on their tail. Watch for attempts by enemies to force you to overshoot. In late game air realistic battles, there will be more freedom to how slow a fight can get. If you know where the enemy is, you can afford to stall climb and get a missile off to a climbing enemy F-104A.
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 +
=== Ground Realistic Battles - CAS ===
 +
In mixed ground battles, the F-86F-40 (China) is a good all-round aircraft. In ground attack, the HVAR rockets are a good option against lightly armoured SPAAGs or light tanks. The 1,000 lb bombs are good but both drop at the same time only giving chance for one attack round per landing. In an air superiority role, the Sabre is a good helicopter hunter with 1,800 rounds of .50 cal, which is enough to take care of any amount of enemy UHT or Apache helicopters. Enemy fighters should be engaged with care: keep away from the battlefield before climbing to avoid enemy SAMs. It is however the better air-to-air fighter compared to other options for China at this BR, as the Q-5 early has better climb and top speed but no missiles.
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 +
=== Air Simulator Battles ===
 +
In air simulator battles, the F-86F-40 (China) is an excellent turn fighter. While the wings with slats do give a lot of angle of attack before stalling, they're also great for turn fights. This Sabre will be able to outturn most jets it can face, at anywhere between 400 and 800 km/h IAS. It is recommended to stay above 600 km/h IAS because any slower the Sabre will struggle to dodge enemy missiles. The AIM-9B should be able to deal with any running/climbing enemy. However, enemies with RWR will get notified if the rangefinding radar is turned on and may drop flares. It is best to keep the radar off when launching a missile attack against aircraft like the German Starfighter or the Mirage III. In battle, stay low and fast and by the time you are up close to your enemy they would not be able to outrun the missiles or outturn the Sabre.
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 +
=== Ground Simulator Battles CAS ===
 +
In ground simulator battles, F-86F-40 can be a multirole fighter depending on the task to complete. In ground attack, the HVAR rockets will struggle with most targets at the top simulator bracket, but do offer better accuracy per 100 m when compared to the Bombs. The 1,000 lb bombs are very reliable against all levels of protection but take a higher approach for a accurate drop (lack of bomb sight). In an air superiority role, the Sabre will preform even better than it did in air simulator battles. The 6 x .50 cal MGs will make quick work of any enemy helicopter, even if they try to manoeuvre, the Sabre's roll rate should allow for last second adjustments. Turnfighting enemy fighter also got easier as the chances of them carrying bombs/rockets are up, thus limiting their performance. Tree-top level flying should be practiced to avoid SAMs. -->
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=== Radars ===
 
<!--{{main|AN/APG-30}}-->
 
<!--{{main|AN/APG-30}}-->
 
The F-86F-40 is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
 
The F-86F-40 is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
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It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range.
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It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range. Note that this Radar will trigger RWR of enemy helicopters and jets and may lead to them using flares which will defeat the AIM-9B.
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
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== History ==
 
== History ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
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The F-86 is considered one of the best fighter jets of the Korean War. It is the most-produced Western fighter, with almost 10,000 aircraft produced by the US, Australia, Canada (as the re-engined CL-13), Italy, and Japan.
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In the 1950s, after the Korean War was over, the US government decided to send more modern military equipment to Taiwan to counter the increasing threat of the mainland Chinese Army, especially the PLAAF's MiG-15 Fagot fighter which was supplied by Soviet Union and saw action during the Korean War.
  
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The F-86 was developed by North American Aviation, the creator of the venerable P-51 Mustang. The XP-86 prototype was created to meet the USAF requirement for a high-altitude escort fighter. It was derived from the Navy's FJ-1 Fury, a transitional fighter jet that borrowed the wings, tail surfaces and canopy from the P-51D. The XP-86 was under threat of cancellation because the XP-80 and XP-84 had similar performance characteristics and were farther ahead in development. However, North American designers made a radical change to the design and replaced the straight wing with a swept wing, which was shown by seized German research to greatly reduce drag and increase performance at high speed. The resulting performance boost was so significant that the swept-wing prototype of the XP-86 was supposedly able break the sound barrier in a dive a few days before Chuck Yeager made his official attempt.
+
At this time, the straight-wing design version of the F-84 Thunderjet fighters of the ROCAF could no longer effectively counter the MiG-15 fighter with the swept-wing design. As for the solution, the US government had officially decided to supply more than 500 F-86 Sabre fighters to Taiwan in early 1950s (some sources claim that this number is just an estimate, not the actual number of Sabre fighter fleet because many of them were delivered in the mid to late 1950s, and some sources also confirm that Taiwan received 415 F-86F fighters, 18 F-86D interceptors and 7 RF-86F reconnaissance aircraft in total). This Military Assistance Program (MAP) was named 4F343, and started in 1954, about 320 F-86F Sabre fighters and 7 RF-86 Sabre reconnaissance aircraft were delivered to ROCAF. Apart from that, ROCAF also received about 18 F-86D-36 Sabre Dog interceptors from US Air Force in 1960 too.
  
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The F-86F is a further development of the F-86E, which introduced a full power-operated control system and the all-flying tail, in which the entire horizontal stabilizer moves to significantly increase the aircraft's maneuverability at high speed. The F-86F is fitted with the uprated J47-GE-27 engine. The leading edge slats featured on earlier Sabre models were removed in later production versions of the F-86F in favor of more space for fuel. Some of the earlier F-86F models had the static leading edge slats retrofitted. It also carried over the capability to carry tactical nuclear weapons from the F-86E.
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=== Sabre in the ROCAF ===
 +
The first Sabre fighter delivered to the ROCAF was an F-86F-1, series number 51-2893. By June 1956, 171 F-86s had been delivered, including 38 F-86F-1s, 9 F-86F-5s, and 23 F-86F-10s. The 26th Fighter Squadron from the 5th Fighter Wing stationed at Taoyuan Air Base was the first combat unit to receive the new Sabres in late 1954.
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[[File:Twin ROCAF F-86F with AIM-9B underwing.png|thumb|360x360px|Twin F-86F Sabre fighters of 5th Fighter Wing of ROCAF armed with two AIM-9B Sidewinder air-to-air missiles underwing.]]
 +
The ROCAF also received some F-86F-30s, but it is unknown whether they received actual F-40 variants because at that time, North American Aviation company not only produced the F-86F-40 , but also produced modification kits for countries that received the F-30 variants to help them upgrade their Sabres to the newest version. One F-86F-30 that was captured by the PLAAF in the 1950s is displayed in the Beijing Aviation Museum, and has leading-edge slats which was re-added to the Canadian CL-13 Mk.6 and American F-86F-40s, which gives solid evidence to the theory that the ROCAF had upgraded some F-30s to the newest F-40 version.
  
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To cover the shortfall of F-86s for export, production of the F-86 was restarted by North American. The new production block, the F-86F-40-NA, differed from the preceding production block in having a new wing. While Blocks 25 to 35 had been equipped with the slatless 6-3 wing, the Block 40 saw the airframe retain the 6-3 proportioned wing, but with an introduction of the slats in order to improve low-speed handling, and the wingtips extended so the overall span was increased from 37.12 to 39.11 ft. This lowered the stall speed of the F-86F-40-NA from 144 to 124 mph, and decreased the take-off run by 800 ft. Despite these modifications adding 250 lb to the F-86F-40-NA's weight when compared with the earlier F-86F-35-NA, overall performance remained the same.
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In the 1950s, the PLAAF often sent aircraft to the Taiwan Strait for provocations in order to intimidate Taiwan. The ROCAF showed no fear, sending fighters to intercept the intruding PLAAF aircraft. The ROCAF also sent aircraft to the mainland for reconnaissance missions as a form of counterattack. The PLAAF scrambled their new MiG-17s, MiG-17Fs, and J-5s against the ROCAF's Sabres, with the latter usually reigning victorious in air combat.
  
−
In 1954, the Republic Of China, led by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek's Kuomintang, started to order F-86 from the US. Next year, RF-86F, reconnaissance versions of the F-86F, were delivered to the Republic Of China's Air Force (ROCAF). During the second Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1958, the F-86 composed the backbone of the ROCAF. Through "Operation Black Magic", ROCAF Sabers were equipped with AIM-9B Sidewinders, which proved effective against the People's Liberation Army Air Force's (PLAAF) MiG-15s and MiG-17s. One was reported to have hit a MiG-17 but failed to detonate, the missile was later brought back to mainland China and later given to the USSR, where it was reverse engineered into the R-3S.
+
On paper, the F-86F Sabre's maximum level flight speed was less than MiG-17 and MiG-17F "Fresco", with the latter's climb rate at sea level also being slightly higher than F-86F. However, the early versions of F-86F's maximum climb rate was almost the same or even higher than MiG-15bis and MiG-17s. The Sabres could also out-turn MiG-15s and MiG-17s in both instantaneous and sustained turn fights. Apart from that, the F-86Fs had an A-4 gun/rocket/bomb calculating gunsight which worked with the AN/APG-30 ranging-radar, which were more advanced than the avionics equipped on the PLAAF's MiGs. (Note that the J-5 didn't have the ranging radar mounted on the later version of MiG-17F).
  
−
In the 1970, the F-86 was retired from service in the ROCAF and repurposed for training duties, by 1977 all F-86 planes were fully retired. Now a days one can find some ROCAF F-86 in parks throughout the island.
+
From a training point of view, the PLAAF's pilots usually lacked the necessary combat experience compared to the ROCAF pilots at the time, with this being a glaring issue during the Matsu air battle on July 21, 1956. ROCAF pilots even shot down several PLAAF MiG fighters with older F-84s which were loaded with HVAR rockets and had a numbers disadvantage.
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 +
=== AIM-9B "Black Magic" ===
 +
[[File:F-86F with AIM-9B underwing.png|left|thumb|396x396px|The F-86F "357" 52-4673, with AIM-9B underwing.]]
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On August 18th, 1958, under the secret project "Black Magic" (codenamed "明星計劃" in Chinese, Operation Bright Star), a C-124 transport plane landed in Taiwan with some American technical officers and the new GAR-8 Sidewinder infrared-guided air-to-air missile, which is better known as AIM-9B. To teach the ROCAF pilots how to operate the new Sidewinder missiles, the US pilots flew F-100 Super Sabres to simulate PLAAF MiGs, while the ROCAF pilots flew F-86s to conduct simulated attacks on the F-100s with their Sidewinder missiles. During this, the technical officers collected data of the Sidewinder missiles in combat to find flaws and areas where they could be improved.
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 +
On July 29th, 1958, a PLAAF MiG-17 shot down a ROCAF F-84G and heavily damaged another (the pilot successfully bailed out in Magong). A few weeks later, ROCAF F-86s shot down four MiG-17s. At that time, the ROCAF had received 40 Sidewinders and 40 launchers in total, and on September 10th, 1958, two batches of ROCAF pilots returned to their squadron after completing training on the use of the Sidewinder missile.
 +
 
 +
=== Sidewinder over the Taiwan Strait, battle debut ===
 +
On September 24th, 1958, the ROCAF sent nine RF-84F Thunderflash reconnaissance aircraft to the mainland for a surveillance mission. The commander saw it as an opportunity to test the combat effectiveness of the new GAR-8 Sidewinder missiles, so the 11th Fighter Group was ordered to undertake an escort mission for the RF-84s. The initial plan was that the Sabres would be divided into four squadrons, the first squadron had four Sabres equipped with Sidewinders while two more squadrons without missiles were to assist the missile-equipped squadron if they were to have trouble with PLAAF MiGs in a close-range battle.
 +
 
 +
The fourth squadron was ordered to stay to stay at 45,000 feet to act as a decoy, using the condensation trail of the J47 engine at high altitude to attract the attention of the PLAAF MiGs, so that the other squadrons could attack them while they were climbing.
 +
 
 +
At 10:30 am, the attack group led by Lieutenant Colonel Li Shuyuan arrived in the sky over Wenzhou. One minute later, a message came from Shimen Battle Control Center said that PLAAF MiG fighters were taking off from Luqiao Airport to intercept those ROCAF reconnaissance aircraft. As the original plan expected, the MiGs' attention was drawn to the Sabres at high altitude. Unfortunately, the first squadron couldn't identify whether the condensation trail was friendly or foe, so Lieutenant Colonel Li Shuyuan ordered the Sabres of the fourth decoy squadron to bank right, which allowed him to identify them.
 +
[[File:Gun camera of shooting down MiG.png|thumb|352x352px|Gun camera image of shooting down PLAAF MiG. The image shows the tail cloud of the MiG and a flying AIM-9B missile.]]
 +
At the beginning of the battle, Li Shuyuan and Qian Yiqiang each fired one Sidewinder and shot down one MiG-17. One of MiG-17s managed to evade a Sidewinder fired by Qian Yiqiang, but was hit by another missile fired by another Sabre. The last MiG-17 was shot down by another missile fired by the fourth F-86F Sabre fighter of the first squadron. After suffering severe losses, the remaining MiG-17s decided to withdraw from the battle.
 +
 
 +
Later, four Sabres from the commander squadron ambushed a MiG-17 formation which had just taken off from the airfield and successfully shot down one. After that, the fourth squadron scored two more kills and another squadron led by Ma Dapeng successfully shot down another two.
 +
 
 +
The ROCAF's F-86s had successfully shot down a total nine PLAAF MiG-17s, four of which were Sidewinder kills and the remaining five by gun.
 +
[[File:Sabre ace pilot Lee.jpg|left|thumb|247x247px|Lieutenant Colonel Li Shuyuan, the first man in history to shoot down aircraft with homing missiles in air combat.]]
 +
From the point of view of the PLAAF: At 8:47 am, twelve J-5/MiG-17s from the 46th Regiment of the 16th Division took off to intercept eight Sabres. At 9:06 am, eight MiG-15bis from the 5th Regiment and eight MiG-17Fs from the 6th Regiment of the 2nd Division spotted four Sabres flying at 13,000 m at 9:30 am. The enemy then tried to turn to avoid the engagement (which was the same as the description of ROCAF's combat report, but one hour earlier). The commander of the 2nd division ordered the formation of 5th Regiment to pull back in order to attract the enemy aircraft to the mainland, but when they tried to bank right at Wenzhou Bay, the fourth plane suddenly lost control and began to dive steeply. Others saw this and told the pilot to bail out, but no response was received. In general, PLAAF claimed that they only lost one fighter due to a Sidewinder.
 +
 
 +
The F-86F Sabre remained in ROCAF service until 1977, and was retired when its flight performance and endurance was considered outdated and unsuitable for active service. It was replaced by the more advanced F-100A Super Sabre and F-5A Freedom Fighter.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
 
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-86f-40_china Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
 
;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
  
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* Dassault [[Super Mystere B2|Super Mystère]]
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* Grumman [[F9F-8|F9F]] Cougar
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* Grumman [[F9F-8|F-9]] Cougar
 
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* Hawker [[Hunter F.1|Hunter]]
 
 
* Lavochkin [[La-15]]
 
* Lavochkin [[La-15]]
 
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-15]]
 
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-15]]
 
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-17]]
 
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-17]]
 +
* Hawker [[Hunter F.1|Hunter]]
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* Dassault [[Super Mystere B2|Super Mystère]]
 
* Saab [[J29D|J29]] Tunnan
 
* Saab [[J29D|J29]] Tunnan
  
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Latest revision as of 20:50, 23 March 2024

Introducing Wiki 3.0
This page is about the jet fighter F-86F-40 (China). For other variants, see F-86 (Family).
␗F-86F-40
f-86f-40_china.png
GarageImage F-86F-40 (China).jpg
␗F-86F-40
China flag.png China
V Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
8.3 9.0 9.3
Class:
Research:61 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:340 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png

Description

The ␗F-86F-40 Sabre(known as 軍刀機 in Taiwan and ROCAF) represented the later "blocks" of F-86F delivered to ROCAF since mid-1950s under the MAP military aids to upgrade their obsolete fleet into jet era. Although these jets had scored a few victories against PLAAF jets, the most notable victory was on 1958/9/24 when a ROCAF pilot used the freshly-arrived AIM-9B during the battle, shooting down a MiG-17/J-5 and claimed the very first AAM kill in combat history. These jets served ROCAF for another 2 decade until F-100A, F-104 and F-5 eventually replaced all subsonic fighters in ROCAF in 1977, marking the end of subsonic era of ROCAF.

Introduced in Update "Starfighters" alongside with other F-86F with missile capabilities. Most of the performance is identical to its F-86F-30 cousin, but the installation of AIM-9B turned the table by giving it at least a 2 km upper hand against subsonic jets if used at the correct moment. Only firing them at careless targets or at enemies who depleted their energy to evade is a must for a successful kill. In case both missiles have already been launched, the remaining guns can still make sure enemy jets will be bothered by the high energy retention of F-86F-40.

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes
Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps
Max speed
at 0 m1 106 km/h
Turn time23 s
Max altitude14 700 m
EngineGeneral Electric J47-GE-27
TypeJet
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight10 t

While the F-86F-40's acceleration and top speed are lacking compared to its contemporaries, the F-86F-40's slats allow the plane to have an outstanding manoeuvrability. That said, one must be aware of their speed as pulling high manoeuvres at high and max speed can put the plane under great stress which leads to the wings falling apart. The outstanding manoeuvrability comes at the cost of speed. Pulling hard turns will bleed your air speed.

Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 0 m - sea level) 		Max altitude
(metres) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(metres/second) 		Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 1,095 1,088 14700 24.4 24.9 38.8 36.3 750
Upgraded 1,115 1,106 22.1 23.0 55.8 46.5

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear Drogue chute
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
1,170 350 590 550 350 ~11 ~6
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 850 < 600 < 650 N/A

Engine performance

Engine Aircraft mass
Engine name Number Empty mass Wing loading (full fuel)
General Electric J47-GE-27 1 5,490 kg 232 kg/m2
Engine characteristics Mass with fuel (no weapons load) Max Takeoff
Weight
Weight (each) Type 7m fuel 20m fuel 26m fuel
1,150 kg Axial-flow turbojet 5,848 kg 6,490 kg 6,786 kg 9,530 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB) Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
Condition 100% WEP 7m fuel 20m fuel 26m fuel MTOW
Stationary 2,626 kgf N/A 0.45 0.41 0.39 0.28
Optimal 2,626 kgf
(0 km/h) 		N/A 0.45 0.41 0.39 0.28

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural0 km/h
Gear350 km/h
  • 6.35 mm - Fore-cockpit steel plates
  • 38 mm - Bulletproof windscreen
  • 12.7 mm - Steel plate behind pilot's seat
  • 20 mm - Steel plate in pilot's headrest

The plane is equipped at the front with 2 steel plates, each 6.35 mm thick. The cockpit has a 38 mm bullet proof glass that protects the pilot's torso and head. The backseat is made of 12.7 mm of steel which protects the pilot's back while his head is further protected by another 20 mm steel plate. This protection will help against smaller calibre rounds, however, cannot sustain many direct hits with 20 mm rounds or higher.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB3 422 → 4 588 Sl icon.png
RB9 012 → 12 085 Sl icon.png
SB9 520 → 12 766 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications101 800 Rp icon.png
162 800 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 200 Ge icon.png
Crew training98 000 Sl icon.png
Experts340 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 800 Ge icon.png
Research Aces780 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
120 / 380 / 600 % Sl icon.png
202 / 202 / 202 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
5 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
8 200 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods jet compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
5 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
8 200 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods booster.png
New boosters
Research:
7 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
12 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
6 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
310 Ge icon.png
Mods jet engine.png
Engine
Research:
6 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
310 Ge icon.png
Mods g suit.png
G-suit
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
520 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
7 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
12 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
520 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
bmg50_belt_pack
Research:
5 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
8 200 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods pilon rocket.png
FRC mk.2
Research:
5 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
8 200 Sl icon.png
240 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
M117
Research:
7 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
12 000 Sl icon.png
360 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
bmg50_new_gun
Research:
6 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
310 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
FLBC mk.1
Research:
6 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
310 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods air to air missile.png
AIM-9B
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
520 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 16 x 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine gun
Ammunition1 800 rounds
Fire rate1 200 shots/min
Main article: M3 Browning (12.7 mm)

The F-86F-40 (China) is armed with:

  • 6 x 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 1,800 total)

The F-86F-40 (China) offered the same offensive armament of many of its Sabre brethren, namely the 6 x M3 Browning 12.7 mm/.50 calibre machine guns. These machine guns are similar in performance to their predecessor, the M2 Browning; however, they excelled with a significantly higher rate of fire. The total ammunition count for this aircraft is 1,800 rounds, divided up with 300 rounds per gun. Ammunition belts for this aircraft are conventional 12.7 mm belts found on US aircraft, and typically the tracer belts permit for the quickest correction of aim. Other belts may be utilised as necessary and depending on playstyle such as the Stealth belts; however, these should be used by skilled pilots who already understand the firing aspects of the M3 Brownings and bullet performance. One challenge with the Stealth belts is the lack of tracers, making it much harder to correct aim when solely relying on visual clues.

Suspended armament

List of setups (4)
Setup 18 x HVAR rockets
8 x HVAR rockets
Setup 22 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb
Setup 32 x 1000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bomb
Setup 42 x AIM-9B Sidewinder air-to-air missiles
Main articles: M117 cone 45 (750 lb), AN-M65A1 Fin M129 (1,000 lb), AIM-9B Sidewinder, HVAR

The F-86F-40 (China) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • Without load
  • 16 x HVAR rockets
  • 2 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (1,500 lb total)
  • 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (2,000 lb total)
  • 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles

The unguided rockets out-fitted on this aircraft are the familiar American HVARs, which can be used against slow-moving bombers or ground target vehicles and anti-aircraft guns. Since the HVARs are a fire-and-forget rocket, they work best against either stationary targets or against slow-moving targets which may not be able to avoid inbound rockets. Another option for suspended ordnances includes bombs, namely the 1,000 lbs AN-M65A1 bombs. Two of these bombs is all that this aircraft can safely carry, but these bombs will do considerable damage against ground units, ships and bases. While performing bombing runs, always be on the lookout for enemy fighters attempting to swoop in and eliminate the F-86F-40 which may be flying slower and lower than typical. For air-to-air combat, using the Aim-9B missiles to complement the M3 Browning machine guns makes for a deadly combination. These missiles are best used in close quarters, anywhere from 600 - 800 m which minimizes the opportunity for the enemy pilot to evade or out-fly the missiles. It is quite possible for the enemy to avoid the in-bound missile; however, this provides the attacking aircraft with the opportunity to manoeuvre in and take out the fighter with its machine guns. Hopefully, the enemy fighter has bled any energy advantage it may have had presenting itself as an ideal target for the machine guns.

Usage in battles

Try to climb up before engaging the enemy to ensure you have enough energy to get out of a sticky situation. Hopefully, there will be a jets fighting underneath you where you would be able to pounce on low-energy fighters with your guns or the AIM-9B. One advantage the F-86 has over the jets of other nations is the large ammo count of its 6 x .50 cals (1,800) although it would be wise to hit most of your shoots. Try staying above 500 km/h as any slower and you would lose a significant amount of energy in a prolonged turn.

Air Realistic Battles

In air realistic battles, the F-86F-40 (China) is not the fastest jet at its BR when it comes to top speed. The thrust output is below average and without an afterburner, and the jet does not accelerate fast either. It is best to take off and do a slight side climb while paying attention to aircraft like Harriers that could try to fly over the team. It is important to maintain at least 600 km/h IAS because any slower the Sabre will struggle to dodge enemy missiles. Once a furball is started, proceed into it and pick targets that are low on energy. The F-86F-40 should take advantage of its wings and good energy retention. Combined with a good roll rate, no enemy should be able to shake you once you are on their tail. Watch for attempts by enemies to force you to overshoot. In late game air realistic battles, there will be more freedom to how slow a fight can get. If you know where the enemy is, you can afford to stall climb and get a missile off to a climbing enemy F-104A.

Ground Realistic Battles - CAS

In mixed ground battles, the F-86F-40 (China) is a good all-round aircraft. In ground attack, the HVAR rockets are a good option against lightly armoured SPAAGs or light tanks. The 1,000 lb bombs are good but both drop at the same time only giving chance for one attack round per landing. In an air superiority role, the Sabre is a good helicopter hunter with 1,800 rounds of .50 cal, which is enough to take care of any amount of enemy UHT or Apache helicopters. Enemy fighters should be engaged with care: keep away from the battlefield before climbing to avoid enemy SAMs. It is however the better air-to-air fighter compared to other options for China at this BR, as the Q-5 early has better climb and top speed but no missiles.

Air Simulator Battles

In air simulator battles, the F-86F-40 (China) is an excellent turn fighter. While the wings with slats do give a lot of angle of attack before stalling, they're also great for turn fights. This Sabre will be able to outturn most jets it can face, at anywhere between 400 and 800 km/h IAS. It is recommended to stay above 600 km/h IAS because any slower the Sabre will struggle to dodge enemy missiles. The AIM-9B should be able to deal with any running/climbing enemy. However, enemies with RWR will get notified if the rangefinding radar is turned on and may drop flares. It is best to keep the radar off when launching a missile attack against aircraft like the German Starfighter or the Mirage III. In battle, stay low and fast and by the time you are up close to your enemy they would not be able to outrun the missiles or outturn the Sabre.

Ground Simulator Battles CAS

In ground simulator battles, F-86F-40 can be a multirole fighter depending on the task to complete. In ground attack, the HVAR rockets will struggle with most targets at the top simulator bracket, but do offer better accuracy per 100 m when compared to the Bombs. The 1,000 lb bombs are very reliable against all levels of protection but take a higher approach for a accurate drop (lack of bomb sight). In an air superiority role, the Sabre will preform even better than it did in air simulator battles. The 6 x .50 cal MGs will make quick work of any enemy helicopter, even if they try to manoeuvre, the Sabre's roll rate should allow for last second adjustments. Turnfighting enemy fighter also got easier as the chances of them carrying bombs/rockets are up, thus limiting their performance. Tree-top level flying should be practiced to avoid SAMs. -->

Radars

The F-86F-40 is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft. It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range. Note that this Radar will trigger RWR of enemy helicopters and jets and may lead to them using flares which will defeat the AIM-9B.

AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar
Maximum
Tracking
Range 		Minimum
Tracking
Range 		Azimuth Tracking
Angle 		Elevation Tracking
Angle
2,750 m 300 m ±9° ±9°

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Outstanding manoeuvrability
  • Can wield air-to-air missiles
  • Good guns: the 12.7 mm MGs have lots of ammo, straight bullet trajectory, and adequate velocity
  • Air-to-ground armament, such as bombs and missiles
  • Excellent roll rate
  • Great dive acceleration makes it a nice diver
  • Good energy retention in a climb
  • Stable shooting platform during high speeds
  • Air brakes and flaps allow for tight manoeuvres and enemy overshoots at the cost of reduced speed

Cons:

  • Mediocre acceleration
  • Mediocre top speed
  • Weak one-second burst mass of the armament
  • High speed manoeuvres can lead to wings breaking apart
  • Slower turn rate than many contemporaries

History

In the 1950s, after the Korean War was over, the US government decided to send more modern military equipment to Taiwan to counter the increasing threat of the mainland Chinese Army, especially the PLAAF's MiG-15 Fagot fighter which was supplied by Soviet Union and saw action during the Korean War.

At this time, the straight-wing design version of the F-84 Thunderjet fighters of the ROCAF could no longer effectively counter the MiG-15 fighter with the swept-wing design. As for the solution, the US government had officially decided to supply more than 500 F-86 Sabre fighters to Taiwan in early 1950s (some sources claim that this number is just an estimate, not the actual number of Sabre fighter fleet because many of them were delivered in the mid to late 1950s, and some sources also confirm that Taiwan received 415 F-86F fighters, 18 F-86D interceptors and 7 RF-86F reconnaissance aircraft in total). This Military Assistance Program (MAP) was named 4F343, and started in 1954, about 320 F-86F Sabre fighters and 7 RF-86 Sabre reconnaissance aircraft were delivered to ROCAF. Apart from that, ROCAF also received about 18 F-86D-36 Sabre Dog interceptors from US Air Force in 1960 too.

Sabre in the ROCAF

The first Sabre fighter delivered to the ROCAF was an F-86F-1, series number 51-2893. By June 1956, 171 F-86s had been delivered, including 38 F-86F-1s, 9 F-86F-5s, and 23 F-86F-10s. The 26th Fighter Squadron from the 5th Fighter Wing stationed at Taoyuan Air Base was the first combat unit to receive the new Sabres in late 1954.

Twin F-86F Sabre fighters of 5th Fighter Wing of ROCAF armed with two AIM-9B Sidewinder air-to-air missiles underwing.

The ROCAF also received some F-86F-30s, but it is unknown whether they received actual F-40 variants because at that time, North American Aviation company not only produced the F-86F-40 , but also produced modification kits for countries that received the F-30 variants to help them upgrade their Sabres to the newest version. One F-86F-30 that was captured by the PLAAF in the 1950s is displayed in the Beijing Aviation Museum, and has leading-edge slats which was re-added to the Canadian CL-13 Mk.6 and American F-86F-40s, which gives solid evidence to the theory that the ROCAF had upgraded some F-30s to the newest F-40 version.

In the 1950s, the PLAAF often sent aircraft to the Taiwan Strait for provocations in order to intimidate Taiwan. The ROCAF showed no fear, sending fighters to intercept the intruding PLAAF aircraft. The ROCAF also sent aircraft to the mainland for reconnaissance missions as a form of counterattack. The PLAAF scrambled their new MiG-17s, MiG-17Fs, and J-5s against the ROCAF's Sabres, with the latter usually reigning victorious in air combat.

On paper, the F-86F Sabre's maximum level flight speed was less than MiG-17 and MiG-17F "Fresco", with the latter's climb rate at sea level also being slightly higher than F-86F. However, the early versions of F-86F's maximum climb rate was almost the same or even higher than MiG-15bis and MiG-17s. The Sabres could also out-turn MiG-15s and MiG-17s in both instantaneous and sustained turn fights. Apart from that, the F-86Fs had an A-4 gun/rocket/bomb calculating gunsight which worked with the AN/APG-30 ranging-radar, which were more advanced than the avionics equipped on the PLAAF's MiGs. (Note that the J-5 didn't have the ranging radar mounted on the later version of MiG-17F).

From a training point of view, the PLAAF's pilots usually lacked the necessary combat experience compared to the ROCAF pilots at the time, with this being a glaring issue during the Matsu air battle on July 21, 1956. ROCAF pilots even shot down several PLAAF MiG fighters with older F-84s which were loaded with HVAR rockets and had a numbers disadvantage.

AIM-9B "Black Magic"

The F-86F "357" 52-4673, with AIM-9B underwing.

On August 18th, 1958, under the secret project "Black Magic" (codenamed "明星計劃" in Chinese, Operation Bright Star), a C-124 transport plane landed in Taiwan with some American technical officers and the new GAR-8 Sidewinder infrared-guided air-to-air missile, which is better known as AIM-9B. To teach the ROCAF pilots how to operate the new Sidewinder missiles, the US pilots flew F-100 Super Sabres to simulate PLAAF MiGs, while the ROCAF pilots flew F-86s to conduct simulated attacks on the F-100s with their Sidewinder missiles. During this, the technical officers collected data of the Sidewinder missiles in combat to find flaws and areas where they could be improved.

On July 29th, 1958, a PLAAF MiG-17 shot down a ROCAF F-84G and heavily damaged another (the pilot successfully bailed out in Magong). A few weeks later, ROCAF F-86s shot down four MiG-17s. At that time, the ROCAF had received 40 Sidewinders and 40 launchers in total, and on September 10th, 1958, two batches of ROCAF pilots returned to their squadron after completing training on the use of the Sidewinder missile.

Sidewinder over the Taiwan Strait, battle debut

On September 24th, 1958, the ROCAF sent nine RF-84F Thunderflash reconnaissance aircraft to the mainland for a surveillance mission. The commander saw it as an opportunity to test the combat effectiveness of the new GAR-8 Sidewinder missiles, so the 11th Fighter Group was ordered to undertake an escort mission for the RF-84s. The initial plan was that the Sabres would be divided into four squadrons, the first squadron had four Sabres equipped with Sidewinders while two more squadrons without missiles were to assist the missile-equipped squadron if they were to have trouble with PLAAF MiGs in a close-range battle.

The fourth squadron was ordered to stay to stay at 45,000 feet to act as a decoy, using the condensation trail of the J47 engine at high altitude to attract the attention of the PLAAF MiGs, so that the other squadrons could attack them while they were climbing.

At 10:30 am, the attack group led by Lieutenant Colonel Li Shuyuan arrived in the sky over Wenzhou. One minute later, a message came from Shimen Battle Control Center said that PLAAF MiG fighters were taking off from Luqiao Airport to intercept those ROCAF reconnaissance aircraft. As the original plan expected, the MiGs' attention was drawn to the Sabres at high altitude. Unfortunately, the first squadron couldn't identify whether the condensation trail was friendly or foe, so Lieutenant Colonel Li Shuyuan ordered the Sabres of the fourth decoy squadron to bank right, which allowed him to identify them.

Gun camera image of shooting down PLAAF MiG. The image shows the tail cloud of the MiG and a flying AIM-9B missile.

At the beginning of the battle, Li Shuyuan and Qian Yiqiang each fired one Sidewinder and shot down one MiG-17. One of MiG-17s managed to evade a Sidewinder fired by Qian Yiqiang, but was hit by another missile fired by another Sabre. The last MiG-17 was shot down by another missile fired by the fourth F-86F Sabre fighter of the first squadron. After suffering severe losses, the remaining MiG-17s decided to withdraw from the battle.

Later, four Sabres from the commander squadron ambushed a MiG-17 formation which had just taken off from the airfield and successfully shot down one. After that, the fourth squadron scored two more kills and another squadron led by Ma Dapeng successfully shot down another two.

The ROCAF's F-86s had successfully shot down a total nine PLAAF MiG-17s, four of which were Sidewinder kills and the remaining five by gun.

Lieutenant Colonel Li Shuyuan, the first man in history to shoot down aircraft with homing missiles in air combat.

From the point of view of the PLAAF: At 8:47 am, twelve J-5/MiG-17s from the 46th Regiment of the 16th Division took off to intercept eight Sabres. At 9:06 am, eight MiG-15bis from the 5th Regiment and eight MiG-17Fs from the 6th Regiment of the 2nd Division spotted four Sabres flying at 13,000 m at 9:30 am. The enemy then tried to turn to avoid the engagement (which was the same as the description of ROCAF's combat report, but one hour earlier). The commander of the 2nd division ordered the formation of 5th Regiment to pull back in order to attract the enemy aircraft to the mainland, but when they tried to bank right at Wenzhou Bay, the fourth plane suddenly lost control and began to dive steeply. Others saw this and told the pilot to bail out, but no response was received. In general, PLAAF claimed that they only lost one fighter due to a Sidewinder.

The F-86F Sabre remained in ROCAF service until 1977, and was retired when its flight performance and endurance was considered outdated and unsuitable for active service. It was replaced by the more advanced F-100A Super Sabre and F-5A Freedom Fighter.

Media

Skins

See also

Related development
  • Canadair Sabre (those Sabres manufactured with the designator "CL")
  • North American F-86D Sabre
  • North American F-100 Super Sabre
  • North American FJ-4 Fury
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

External links


North American Aviation
Fighters 
P-51A  P-51 · P-51A
P-51C  P-51C-10
P-51D  P-51D-5 · P-51D-10 · P-51D-20-NA · P-51D-30
P-51H  P-51H-5-NA
Twin-engine fighters  F-82E
Jet fighters  F-86A-5 · F-86F-2 · F-86F-25 · F-86F-35 · F-100D
Strike aircraft  A-36 · PBJ-1H · PBJ-1J
  FJ-4B · FJ-4B VMF-232
Bombers  B-25J-1 · B-25J-20
Export/Licence  ▂B-25J-30 · ␗B-25J-30
  ▄Mustang Mk IA · F-6C-10-NA · ␗P-51C-11-NT · ␗P-51D-20 · J26 David · J26 · P-51D-20-NA · ␗P-51K
  F-86F-30 ▅ · ␗F-86F-30 · F-86F-40 ▅ · F-86F-40 JASDF▅ · ␗F-86F-40
  ◄F-86K · ▄F-86K (Italy) · ▄F-86K (France)
  ␗F-100A · ▄F-100D · ␗F-100F
Captured  ▅P-51C-11-NT
  Canadair Limited license-built the F-86 as the CL-13 for use in Canada and export to Europe.
  Fiat license-built the F-86K for the Italian Air Force though another 120 NAA built F-86Ks were also sold to the Italians.
See Also  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries · Canadair Limited · Fiat Aviation

China jet aircraft
Fighters  J-2 · J-4 · J-6A · J-7II · J-7D · J-7E · J-8B · J-8F · J-10A · J-11 · J-11A
Strike aircraft  Q-5 early · Q-5A · Q-5L · JH-7A
Bombers  H-5
France  ␗Mirage 2000-5Ei
USA  ␗F-84G-21-RE · ␗F-84G-31-RE · ␗F-86F-30 · ␗F-86F-40 · ␗F-100A · ␗F-100F · ␗F-104A · ␗F-104G · ␗F-5A · ␗F-5E · ␗F-16A MLU
USSR  ␗MiG-9 · ␗MiG-9 (l)
North Korea  Shenyang F-5
Pakistan  A-5C · JF-17

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