F-86 Sabre

摘要

Called the "fighter pilot's fighter," USAF's F-86 was a marriage of US manufacturing technique and German swept-wing research. The hot little North American jet aircraft took over from its P-51 Mustang predecessor to become the top air superiority fighter in the Air Force. Before it was done, it had served as an interceptor, fighter-bomber, nuclear strike fighter, reconnaissance aircraft, and trainer. Original plans called for the Sabre to have straight wings like those of the Navy FJ-1 from which it was derived. However, the prototype XP-86 was enhanced with a 35-degree swept wing. It had automatic slats similar to those used on the Messerschmitt Me 262 fighter. The Sabre was capable of supersonic flight in a dive. In fact, the F-86 suffered a high accident rate until pilots could routinely be given training of a caliber commensurate with the fighter's performance.