F-86A Sabre

Peter E. Davies has published over 30 books for Osprey. He has specialised in the aircraft of the Vietnam and Cold Wars, analysing tactics, background politics and technologies in combat and relying on first-hand interviews and unpublished material. Peter has also been a contributor to Aeroplane Monthly, Aviation News and Aircraft Illustrated. The illustrators for this volume are Gareth Hector (cover and battlescene), Jim Laurier (armament views) and Tim Brown (ribbon diagrams).

CHAPTER 1
In Battle
This chapter features an account of a Sabre engagement with MiG-15s over ‘MiG Alley’ to involve the reader in the atmosphere of battle from the outset.

CHAPTER 2
Setting the Scene
Sabre's first clashes with MiGs.

CHAPTER 3
Path to Combat
Anecdotal experiences of pilots concerning training and tactical instruction.

CHAPTER 4
Weapon of War
Although some early pilots found the F-86A lacked manufacturing consistency (one remarked that ‘pieces kept falling off them’), the first batch of 35 F-86A-1s for the 4th FIW soon evolved into effective F-86A-5 combat machines.

CHAPTER 5
Art of War
USAF, Soviet and Chinese sources are used in studying the combat techniques brought to the battles over ‘MiG Alley’ by pilots from both sides.

CHAPTER 6
Combat
USAF pilots describe their experiences in the F-86A, explaining how their combat tactics evolved and assessing their engagements. F-86As also flew ground attack missions, although the later Sabre variants were better equipped for this.

CONCLUSION
APPENDICES
F-86A units and bases in Korea 1950-51, notable pilots involved in these early A-model actions and aces of that period.

INDEX