Curtis, Duncan Famous American Aircraft. F-86 Sabre

The North American F-86 Sabre was the first swept-wing jet fighter in the United States. It was involved in some of the first dogfights between jet aircraft in history, competing against Soviet Migs over Korea. Although it was developed in the late 1940s and replaced by more modern models in the late 1950s, the Sabre proved to be versatile and adaptable and remained in service with numerous air forces as a frontline fighter. For example, it remained in service with the Peruvian Air Force until the 1990s. Between 1949 and 1956, almost 8,000 Sabres were built in the USA, Japan and Italy. A further 738 versions modified for use on aircraft carriers were purchased by the US Navy, and other variants were produced in Canada and Australia. This is a completely new monograph detailing the entire F-86 series from its inception and development through the many variants produced to its retirement. Its operational career is also analysed in detail. The book draws on numerous primary sources, including documents from the US Air Force Historical Records Agency, the US National Archives, the Boeing archives and the British Public Record Office. Much of this data has only been in the public domain for a few years and was therefore not available when earlier books on the F-86 were written. The book is richly illustrated and contains around 500 colour and black and white photographs, many of which are previously unpublished. The thoroughly researched text and extensive photo documentation make this work a near definitive treatise on this groundbreaking aircraft. This book will interest anyone interested in the history of Cold War aviation, as well as anyone involved in modelling aircraft from this era.