HOBBY MASTER 1/72 REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) AIR FORCE NORTH AMERICAN F-86 SABRE 42-4494 (HA4302)

The North American F-86 Sabre was manufactured from 1949 – 1956 and was America’s first swept-wing fighter. As well as being built in the U.S. variants were built in Canada and Australia bringing the total of all variants manufactured to 9,860 units. During the Korean War the Sabre arrived to take on the other swept-wing aircraft of the conflict, the MiG-15 Fagot. The Americans claim they shot down 792 MiGs while only losing 78 Sabres, a 10:1 victory ratio which is greatly disputed.

In 1958 Nationalist China MIG-17s had an altitude advantage over the RoCAF F-86Fs and would cruise over the Sabres picking and choosing when to strike. That is until the USN provided the ROC with the new AIM-9 Sidewinder missile. Initially 20 F-86s were modified to carry the AIM-9. On September 24, 1958 MIG-17s proceeded as normal and the RoCAF F-86Fs began to launch the Sidewinders destroying 10 MIGs with 2 probables with no loss of Sabres. F-86F 42-4494 was the first to claim a victory.