f 86

This is the story of the first jet versus jet war, the largest in number of victories and losses, and one of the few military bright spots in the Korean War. It tells how an outnumbered force of F-86 Sabres limited by range and restricted by the rules of engagement, decisively defeated its foe.

This is the remarkable story of America's first swept-wing fighter and its elite battle-hardened aircrews. Developed from jet technology captured from the Germans after WWII, the F-86 approached speeds of Mach 1. First deployed during the Korean War, the F-86 battled the Soviet-made MiG-15, fighting some of the earliest jet-to-jet battles in history. For over two years, the F-86 Sabre took on the menacing Russian MiG-15 in the skies over Korea and out-performed it, accounting for a final ratio of 10-to-1. Whether playing interceptor or fighter-bomber, the Sabre was a battle winner. Find out why pilots called it the best plane they ever flew.

The F-86 Sabre was the most widely produced post-war swept wing fighter. Aviation historian and Sabre researcher Duncan Curtis tells the full story of the design, development and operational use of both the F-86 and its close relative the Navy's FJ Fury. Curtis chronicles the aircraft's many variants and its worldwide use by countries from Great Britain to Australia. Fully illustrated with many rare photos.