The F-86 is a very convenient size. I designed it to be a good park flyer, to not necessarily need the massive flying fields of other RC EDF aircraft. Needing only two sheets of foamboard, the Sabre is easily built and rebuilt after a crash. And with the blistering speeds this thing hits, you’ll almost surely need to rebuild.
The Real Sabre
The North American F-86 Sabre was a first-generation jet fighter designed after WWII and put into service in 1949. The premier fighter aircraft of the USAF during the Korean War, it became a legend during the war, going up against the Soviet MiG-15 in MiG Alley. The F-86 was the last American jet to be designed solely as an air superiority fighter until the F-15, it was armed with six .50 caliber machine guns and was credited with more MiG kills than any other jet aircraft.
The Sabre was the first American fighter plane with a swept wing. The improvement in aerodynamics meant that the F-86 was often buddying up to the sound barrier. With production totaling 9,860 the Sabre was the most produced Western jet-fighter.
Building the F-86 Sabre
The Sabre is not a difficult build, but the fuselage does have some complexity. An intermediate build for intermediate to advanced pilots. Here are the models specifications.
SPECS:
WINGSPAN: 82cm (32in)
CG: 24cm (9.4in)
LENGTH: 76cm (30in)
DRY WEIGHT: 342g
ALL UP WEIGHT: 550g (with 4S 1300 mAh, minimum battery)
EXPO: 60 % Ail, 30 % Elv
CHANNELS: 3 (THR | AIL | ELV)
ELECTRONICS:
MOTOR: 50MM EDF
ESC: 40 A
SERVOS: 4 X 9 g
BATTERY: 4S 1300 mAh – 4S 2400 mAh
The F-86 can be built quite quickly, the trick is the addition of an electronics bay in the upper part of the fuselage. I've found that the addition of a paint stick in the front for the battery to rest on is incredible useful.
I used a 50mm EDF to power my Sabre, However, the airplane has been built with both a 55mm EDF and a 64mm EDF. The trick is to use whatever you have available
Flying the Sabre
Here’s a video of me flying the Sabre and I’m putting it through its paces, trying to loose my quadcopter tail. Its fast, highly maneuverable and an incredibly flying airplane. It is certainly not for the novice pilot, you definitely need experience to fly it. The good news is that if you don’t, it’s only made of 2 sheets of foam and it’s easily rebuildable.
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