F-86K (Germany)
| This page is about the German jet fighter F-86K (Germany). For other versions, see F-86 (Family). |
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Contents
Description
The F-86K Sabre (also known as "Sabre Dog" or "Dog Sabre") is a first-generation American interceptor fighter developed by North American in 1953. The first prototype, YF-86K, took to the skies on July 15, 1954. It was produced in the United States and Italy (at the Fiat factories), with 120 and 221 aircraft manufactured, respectively. Widely exported to NATO member countries as an interceptor, the aircraft was originally intended to be designated as the F-95A. However, the conclusion of the Korean War forced the designers to use the already well-established F-86 designation to secure funding from Congress. Nevertheless, only about 25% of the original F-86 components and assemblies remained in the F-86K. The aircraft underwent significant improvements in terms of armament and electronics, and it received a new engine equipped with an afterburner, which greatly enhanced its flight performance. The West German Luftwaffe would acquire 86 F-86K from the Fiat factories.
Introduced in Update "Starfighters", the aircraft closely resembles the familiar F-86 Sabre, but the strengths of the original Sabre were further enhanced in the F-86K. The aircraft boasts better speed and altitude capabilities with its afterburning engine, powerful forward armament, high roll rate, and good horizontal maneuverability. However, like its predecessors, the "Sabre Dog" has a mediocre vertical maneuverability and wings that are somewhat susceptible to overloads. With only AIM-9B missiles available, the F-86K"s capability of reaching out towards the enemy is rather limited, but can help out in a pinch than just reliant on the aircraft's guns.
General info
Flight performance
The F-86K is a decent aircraft at its BR. Unfortunately it rarely fights at its BR. When uptiered, which is most of the time, it is abysmal, being both slower and less manoeuvrable then the opposition. The F-86K has good low-end acceleration due to its afterburner, however, this aircraft is still only a subsonic fighter. Like every other jet, it's bad at manoeuvring at low speeds and its control surfaces compress at high speeds. However, the F-86K can handle top speed relatively well compared to other aircraft of its rank. If the F-86K can do one thing very well, it excels when going into vertical flight, which is only a factor when playing at its BR or lower, which is extremely rare.
| 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 | 1,103 | 1,097 | 15500 | 27.4 | 28.3 | 42.7 | 37.1 | 1,000 |
| Upgraded | 1,121 | 1,111 | 26.6 | 27.0 | 73.1 | 56.0 | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | ✓ |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 1,187 | 350 | 593 | 556 | 370 | ~8 | ~4 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 850 | < 600 | < 660 | N/A |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | ||||
| General Electric J47-GE-17B | 1 | 6,532 kg | 286 kg/m2 | ||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Takeoff Weight | |||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 13m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 46m fuel | ||
| 1,150 kg | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet | 7,034 kg | 7,313 kg | 7,703 kg | 8,338 kg | 9,530 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP) | ||||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 13m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 46m fuel | MTOW |
| Stationary | 2,294 kgf | 3,158 kgf | 0.45 | 0.43 | 0.41 | 0.38 | 0.33 |
| Optimal | 2,294 kgf (0 km/h) |
3,861 kgf (1,200 km/h) |
0.55 | 0.53 | 0.50 | 0.46 | 0.41 |
Survivability and armour
The plane is equipped at the front with a 6.35 mm steel plate protecting the pilot's wrist and up. The cockpit's frontal glass is made of 38 mm of bulletproof glass that helps against incoming small calibre rounds. All the while the pilot's seat is made of 12.7 mm of steel which protects his back of any incoming small calibre rounds and shrapnel.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Offensive armament
The F-86K (Germany) is armed with:
- 4 x 20 mm M24A1 cannons, nose-mounted (132 rpg = 528 total)
Suspended armament
The F-86K (Germany) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- Without load
- 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
Usage in battles
The F-86K should only be used as a support fighter, due to its sub-par manoeuvrability and relatively low top speed compared to other aircraft at its BR such as the MiG-17 at low speeds and the fact that it is most often up-tiered, in which case it is greatly outclassed. These flight performance issues mean the F-86K will not do well in 1 vs. 1 dogfight scenarios, except perhaps in downtiers when fighting against planes like the MiG-15bis and F-86A-5 that the F-86K will be able to out-climb or out-run. However, more often than not the F-86K will be flying against F-105s, AV-8s, F-4s, and the like, to which the F-86K is highly vulnerable to and pose nearly no threat as they can either outrun or out-turn the F-86K, or both. As such it is recommended to work with teammates to help divert the enemy attention while dodging any incoming enemy attacks. With the help of allies, try and get the enemies into a vulnerable state that the F-86K can destroy when the opportunity presents itself.
When it comes to bomber hunting, this aircraft has four M24A1s, one of the few things that makes this aircraft somewhat playable. With this armament, head-on attacks are a viable option. However, do not commit to head-ons, instead fire a burst from maybe .8 km out then pull out. This is to decrease the chances of both planes crashing and increasing the F-86K's chance of surviving. Be advised that early radar-guided missiles can be present and will negate the plane's head-on capability.
Radars
The F-86K is equipped with an AN/APS-21 search radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
| AN/APS-21 - Target Detection Radar | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Detection Range |
Guaranteed Detection Range |
Max Azimuth Scan Angle |
Max Elevation Scan Angle |
| 45,000 m | 28,000 m | ±85° | ±16° |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Good top speed
- Good roll rate at low/medium speed (<800 km/h)
- Good acceleration with afterburner
- Has a search radar (can only spot bombers or large attackers)
- High velocity 20 mm cannons, highly effective in head-ons and deflection shots
- Possesses payload of two air-to-air missiles AIM-9B Sidewinders
- Brake chute
Cons:
- Subsonic
- Heavy compared to regular Sabres so less nimble, even with leading slats
- Hard compression at high speed (>900 km/h), especially in the roll axis
- Can easily rip wings with strong input
- Afterburner guzzles a lot of fuel
- Missile lock can be broken with a high-G manoeuvre
- No bombs or rockets
History
In March 1949, the North American company launched the development of a new jet interceptor, based on the existing F-86 Sabre, as part of a private venture. The new design was the first interceptor developed to be operated by a single crew member and utilized unguided rockets in combination with a complex fire control system, rather than conventional guns, in order to destroy its target. Already by April, the project had received official endorsement from high-ranking military officials and development of a production version began in parallel.
While a production contract was signed in October, the first prototype, designated YF-95, conducted its maiden flight in December 1949. In the early '50s, Soviet nuclear testing and the subsequent start of the Korean conflict led to an accelerated development of the YF-95. Despite this, problems during development caused production to be delayed, resulting in the aircraft reaching its first units only in March 1951. During the delay however, the designation of the aircraft changed to F-86D and it received its unofficial nickname "Sabre Dog".
In January 1953, North American was approached by an offer from the Italian military to develop a twin-seater version of the F-86D armed with cannons. As the cost and necessary redesign work turned out to be too great, an agreement was made to produce the aircraft in its original design, but with cannon armament and a simplified fire control system instead. This new export version of the Sabre Dog received the new designation of F-86K.
Initially, the F-86K was produced exclusively in the U.S., but would later also be manufactured under licence by the Italian Fiat company. The F-86 entered service in 1955 and apart from the West German's Air Force, the F-86K also served with many other operators worldwide including France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Honduras, Venezuela. Around 340 F-86Ks were produced out of over 2,800 Sabre Dogs built in total. Most of the F-86Ks would be decommissioned by the late '60s, while some even went on to serve into the '70s.
- From Devblog
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- Related development
- Canadair Sabre (Sabres manufactured with the designator "CL")
- North American F-86A/F
- North American F-100 Super Sabre
- North American FJ-4 Fury
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- Grumman F9F Cougar
- Lavochkin La-15
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
- Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17
- Hawker Hunter
- Dassault Super Mystère
- Saab J29 Tunnan
External links
- [Devblog] F-86K Sabre Dog: The Grand Tourist
- [joebaugher.com] North American F-86K Sabre
- Official data sheet - more details about the performance
| 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 |
| Germany jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
|
Luftwaffe |
| He 162 | He 162 A-1 · He 162 A-2 |
| Me 163 | Me 163 B · Me 163 B-0 |
| Ho 229 | Ho 229 V3 |
| Ar 234 | Ar 234 B-2 · Ar 234 C-3 |
| Me 262 | Me 262 A-1a · Me 262 A-1a/Jabo · Me 262 A-1a/U1 · Me 262 A-1/U4 · Me 262 A-2a |
| Me 262 C-1a · Me 262 C-2b | |
|
LSK |
| Fighters | ◊MiG-15bis · ◊Lim-5P · ◊MiG-19S |
| ◊MiG-21MF · ◊MiG-21bis-SAU · ◊MiG-21 "Lazur-M" | |
| ◊MiG-29 | |
| Attackers | ◊MiG-23BN · ◊MiG-23MF · ◊MiG-23MLA |
| ◊Su-22UM3K · ◊Su-22M4 | |
| ◊IL-28 | |
|
Luftwaffe |
| F-84 | ◄F-84F |
| F-86 | ◄CL-13A Mk 5 · ◄CL-13B Mk.6 · ◄F-86K |
| F-104 | ◄F-104G |
| F-4 | ◄F-4F Early · ◄F-4F · ◄F-4F KWS LV |
| G.91 | ◄G.91 R/3 · ◄G.91 R/4 |
| Tornado | ◄Tornado IDS WTD61 · ◄Tornado IDS MFG · ◄Tornado IDS ASSTA1 |
| Other | Alpha Jet A · ◄Sea Hawk Mk.100 |
| Ex-LSK | ◄MiG-21 SPS-K · ◄MiG-29G · ◄Su-22M4 WTD61 |
|
Swiss Air Force |
| ◌Hunter F.58 · FFA P-16 | |
