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Don’t, whatever you do, confuse the original US Air Force F-86 Sabre with Australia’s variant, the CAC 27 Avon Sabre. Why? Because RAAF had by far the superior model.
Here, a bit of explaining is needed. The original Sabre began its development at the latter stage of WWII, but it quickly became apparent that it wasn’t going to meet requirements. Sent back to the drawing board, it was significantly redesigned to incorporate a swept wing and flew for the first time in October 1947. Whatever they did worked: it quickly broke the sound barrier in a shallow dive, making it – arguably –the first aircraft in the world to achieve the feat.
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Gregory Jarosch
says:Are there any DVDs of the Australian Sabre?
David Olley
says:I think the Sabre in Picture # 7 is the one which gave rise to the practice now of ATC always asking RAAF Crew “Check Wheels” when on final approach and the RAAF Crew responding to ATC with the reply “Three Greens”(hopefully) so that RAAF Crew have to visibly check that wheels are down and ATC are told so. Perhaps someone can check and tell me if I am wrong.
angelo calleja
says:The CAC CA-27, were the best of the breed.
Gordon Mackinlay
says:My brother in law who flew DH Vampire/ Venom in the RNAZF operationally in Malaya, after he joined the RAAF flew the CA-27 Sabre for over a thousand hours. In his opinion the best of that breed. He later flew the Hawker Hunter with the Sultan of Oman’s Armed Forces, in the strike role, having the opinion that if he had gone to a real shooting war he would have chosen the FGA-9 Hunter.
Neil Radford
says:I was at Richmond Air Force Base (I think) early 1955 when I was 10 years old when a Sabre F86 did the dive and broke the sound barrier, will never forget that day. And the low flying Neptune squadron was a buzz too at 50 feet of the deck, great memories
Rick
says:Amazing sound that they make when taking off its a real Tiger and I would love to take one for a spin >>>
David B
says:The Story about George Welch in the the Sabre beating the X1 to Mach 1 has been investigated many times and found wanting… No doubt it was done not long after the X1 but this one has become folk lore.
Wally James
says:A real and the first truly Aussie fast Jet fighter. Loved the sound at low level and high speed over Willamtown.