Difference between revisions of "F-86F-30 (China)"

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{{About
 
{{About
 
| about = Chinese jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
| about = Chinese jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
−
| usage = other uses
+
| usage = other versions
 
| link = F-86 (Family)
 
| link = F-86 (Family)
 
}}
 
}}
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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
−
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].
+
After the end of the Korean War, many American F-86 Sabres were placed into surplus reserves. After more advanced fighters came into service, US Sabres were then exported to various other countries. The Republic of China was one of the many countries that received a large number of Sabres. The RoC received over 300 F-86Fs and a significant number were upgraded to the F-40 standard. Sabres and MiG aircraft would soon duel again. In the late 1950s, the Chinese Communist mainland and the Nationalists fought and many dogfights ensued. RoC Sabres had relatively good success against the MiGs and would soon receive the new AIM-9 Sidewinder; a guided missile that could home in on heat sources.
 +
 
 +
Introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]], the '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a good subsonic fighter jet. It has relatively good manoeuvrability and an excellent top speed of just over 1,100 km/h (683 mph). The F-86F-30 also has an excellent roll rate and is superior to many of the jets it will face. The F-30 comes armed with six 12.7 mm M3 machine guns which boast a higher rate of fire over the M2 Browning machine guns. However, they are still .50 calibre guns and players should expect to fire many rounds into an enemy to down them. The F-30 Sabre can carry an assortment of bombs and rockets. Although, since the F-30 is the earlier version, it doesn't get access to the [[AIM-9B Sidewinder]] which is present in the [[F-86F-40 (China)|F-40 Sabre]]. Nonetheless, the F-86F-30 is still an impressive single-engine fighter with overall good attributes.  
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Flight performance ===
 
=== Flight performance ===
 
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
−
<!--''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''-->
+
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
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|}
 
|}
  
−
====Details====
+
==== Details ====
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
|-
 
|-
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! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 
|-
 
|-
−
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 620 || 620 || 350 || ~12 || ~7
+
| 1,170 <!-- {{Specs|destruction|body}} --> || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 590 || 550 || 350 || ~11 || ~6
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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! 7m fuel || 20m fuel || 26m fuel
 
! 7m fuel || 20m fuel || 26m fuel
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1,150 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
+
| 900 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
 
| 5,787 kg || 6,429 kg || 6,726 kg || 9,530 kg
 
| 5,787 kg || 6,429 kg || 6,726 kg || 9,530 kg
 
|-
 
|-
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=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
−
<!-- Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems. -->
+
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
  
 
* 6.35 mm steel - in front of cockpit
 
* 6.35 mm steel - in front of cockpit
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* 6 x 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 1,800 total)
 
* 6 x 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 1,800 total)
 +
 +
Six 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine guns make up the F-86F-30's firepower by the sheer rate of fire rather than the damage potential of a single projectile. The six machine guns altogether can make even a half-second hit on an enemy plane crippling for the enemy's modules.
 +
 +
The 12.7 mm machine gun can also be quite versatile in Air RB, as the M3 Browning has enough penetration power with ''Default'' and ''Ground Target'' belts to destroy light pillboxes.
  
 
=== Suspended armament ===
 
=== Suspended armament ===
 
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 
<!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
−
{{main|AN-M65A1 Fin M129 (1,000 lb)|HVAR}}
+
{{main|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|AN-M65A1 Fin M129 (1,000 lb)|HVAR}}
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
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* Without load
 
* Without load
 
* 16 x HVAR rockets
 
* 16 x HVAR rockets
 +
* 2 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (1,500 lb total)
 
* 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (2,000 lb total)
 
* 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (2,000 lb total)
 +
 +
The F-86F-30 can carry a small assortment of payloads. Though not inconsequentially small, the payloads do impact the F-86F-30's flight characteristics enough that it is not suggested to use them in a fighter role at all if equipped with ordnance.
 +
 +
Use rockets on battlefields with many lightly-armoured vehicles, while bombs against hard points like a well dug-in tank.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
−
<!--''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''-->
+
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Air combat
 +
 
 +
While the F-86F-30's acceleration and top speed are lacking compared to its contemporaries, the F-86F-30's slats allow the plane to have an outstanding manoeuvrability. That said, one must beware of their speed as pulling high manoeuvres at high and max speed can put the plane under great stress which leads to the wings falling apart. The outstanding manoeuvrability comes at the cost of speed. Pulling hard turns will bleed your airspeed. Try to climb up before engaging the enemy to ensure you have enough energy to get out of a sticky situation. Hopefully, there will be a furball underneath you where you would be able to pounce on low-energy fighters with your guns. One advantage the F-86 has over the jets of other nations is the large ammo count of its six .50 cals (1,800 rounds), although it would be wise to hit most of your shoots. Try staying above 500 km/h as any slower and you would lose a significant amount of energy in a prolonged turn.
 +
 
 +
The tactics to use the F-86F-30 is very dependent on the enemies it faces and their energy state. An opponent travelling faster than the F-86F-30 should be countered utilizing the Sabre's turning and rolling rate to evade their attack run, hopefully overshooting for the F-86F-30 to take a shot. If encountering a slower jet, the F-86F-30 can attempt to Boom-N-Zoom them, gaining speed in a dive for the attack then climbing away if the enemy lives to prevent them getting a good shot off. For the latter scenario, beware if the enemy has missiles as they will attempt to reach out and attack the F-86F-30 if it climbs away without maneuvering. Most missiles at this stage would be the early versions like AIM-9B or R-3S that can be easily out-manoeuvred, but missiles from planes like the [[Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2]] or [[AV-8A]] that the F-86F-30 can encounter will be far more manoeuvrable and harder to dodge.
 +
 
 +
;Ground attack
 +
 
 +
The F-86F-30 has a respectable ordnance load of HVAR and 1,000 lb bombs for use against ground targets.
 +
 
 +
The bomb loadout suffers from the F-86F-30's setup to drop both bombs at the same time, meaning the two 1,000 lb bombs is only suitable for one attack attempt. Not only that, but there is no bomb aiming assist with the F-86F-30, so it is only up to the player's skills and intuition to get the bomb right onto their target. However, if the player is able to land two 1,000 lb bombs onto their desired target, there is very little chance an armoured target like a tank will survive the explosion.
 +
 
 +
If players wish to engage multiple different ground targets in the same sortie, the HVAR loadout is the one to take. The rockets are fired individually, meaning players have 16 attempts to neutralize their desired targets with HVAR. HVAR's effect on armored targets is rather limited due to the limited penetration outside of vulnerable locations like the roof armour. The HVAR does excel against soft-skinned targets, meaning they are perfect for use in Air RB against soft targets like armoured cars, howitzers, or AA guns, as well as light tanks, armoured cars, and certain SPAAs in Ground RB.
  
−
While the F-86F-30's acceleration and top speed are lacking compared to its contemporaries, the F-86F-30's slats allow the plane to have an outstanding maneuvrability. That said, one must beware of their speed as pulling high maneuvres at high and max speed can put the plane under great stress which leads to the wings falling apart. The outstanding manoeuvrability comes at the cost of speed. Pulling hard turns will bleed your airspeed. Try to climb up before engaging the enemy to ensure you have enough energy to get out of a sticky situation. Hopefully, there will be a furball underneath you where you would be able to pounce on low-energy fighters with your guns. One advantage the F-86 has over the jets of other nations is the large ammo count of its 6 x 50 cals (1,800) although it would be wise to hit most of your shoots. Try staying above 500 km/h as any slower and you would lose a significant amount of energy in a pro-longed turn.
+
=== Radars ===
 +
<!--{{main|AN/APG-30}}-->
 +
The F-86F-30 is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
 +
It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range.
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
! colspan="4" | AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar
 +
|-
 +
! {{Annotation|Maximum<br/>Tracking<br/>Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
 +
! {{Annotation|Minimum<br/>Tracking<br/>Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
 +
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking<br/>Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
 +
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking<br/>Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
 +
|-
 +
| 2,750 m || 300 m || ±9° || ±9°
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
<!--''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''-->
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
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* Decent turn time for jet
 
* Decent turn time for jet
 
* Good acceleration
 
* Good acceleration
−
* Decent armament 12.7mm M3 with a high rate of fire
+
* Decent armament 12.7 mm M3 with a high rate of fire
 
* Can carry bombs or rockets
 
* Can carry bombs or rockets
 
* Decent radar
 
* Decent radar
Line 162: Line 202:
 
* Easy to rip off the wings with high-speed manoeuvres (realistic and simulator battles)
 
* Easy to rip off the wings with high-speed manoeuvres (realistic and simulator battles)
 
* This plane fights against jets with afterburners and missiles
 
* This plane fights against jets with afterburners and missiles
−
* Low ammo count equates to only 15-second burst
+
* High firing rate means the large ammo amount for armament equates to only 15-second burst
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
+
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
The Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) was one of the many nations to use surplus F-86 Sabre jet-fighters. Between December 1954 to June 1961, the ROCAF received 160 surplus American F-86F-1 to F-86F-30 aircraft, and by 1958, the ROCAF possessed 320 such aircraft. The aircraft would engage in air combat with Chinese MiGs over the Taiwan Strait during the Taiwan Strait crisis of 1958. Additionally, ROCAF Sabres were among the first aircraft to be equipped with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, which were used with devastating effectiveness against Chinese MiGs during the Taiwan Strait Crisis.
 +
 
 +
Following the end of the Chinese Civil War, the ROCAF received the F-86F series jet fighter from the United States, being surplus USAF airframes. The ROCAF received 160 airframes between December of 1954 to June of 1956, with further aircraft delivered afterwards contributing to a total of 320 F-86F aircraft. These aircraft were mostly upgraded to F-86F-40 standards. ROCAF F-86Fs engaged Communist MiG-15s and MiG-17s during the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis. During the crisis, Communist MiGs shot down or damaged 42 ROCAF aircraft but lost 15 of their own.
 +
 
 +
However, the Taiwanese F-86F introduced a new weapon to the realm of aerial warfare - air-to-air missiles. In 1958, under Operation Black Magic, the United States equipped Taiwanese F-86Fs with the newly-developed AIM-9 Sidewinder. Each aircraft was fitted with two Sidewinders on underwing launch racks, which were used with considerable success against Chinese MiGs over the Taiwan Strait. ROCAF F-86Fs were the first aircraft to fire the missile in combat and achieved the first air-to-air missile kills on September 24th 1958, when multiple MiG-17s were shot down using the new weapon.
 +
 
 +
The AIM-9 Sidewinder severely undermined the air superiority of the Chinese MiG-17s, which had better thrust-to-weight ratio, vertical performance and climb rate than the ROCAF F-86s. The AIM-9 changed this, as Sabre pilots could engage with Chinese MiGs without needing to reach a similar altitude. However, while the AIM-9's deployment was a considerable setback for the PLAAF, the situation changed when a Chinese MiG-17 returned to base with an unexploded AIM-9B lodged in its airframe. The missile was given to Soviet technicians, and subsequently reverse-engineered into the R-3 series of missiles.
 +
 
 +
=== Sabre in ROCAF ===
 +
It's questionable if ROCAF received stock F-86F-40 or actually F-86F-30 with F-40 modification kits. The service history and combat history, including tales of firing Infrared guided air-to-air missiles would be covered in the page of ROCAF F-86F-40:
 +
 
 +
{{Main|F-86F-40_(China)#History|l1=History of the F-86F-40 (China)}}
 +
 
 +
===In-game plane details===
 +
The F-86F-30 depicted in-game is an F-86F-30-NA model with the serial number 52-4589.
 +
 
 +
52-4589 was issued to the 4th Fighter Wing towards the last weeks of the Korean War, flown by 1Lt Edwin Scariff from the 334th Fighter Squadron under the name ''JACKIE'S BOY'' with tail number "FU-589".<ref name="ThompsonF86Aces">Thompson 2006, p.95</ref> In 1954, 52-4589 was given to the Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) renamed as F-86011 "011".<ref name="ThompsonF86Aces" /><ref name="RoseFJWBR">Rose 2018</ref><ref name="YocumRoCAF">Yocum 2017</ref> 52-4589 served in the No.17 squadron of the 5th Fighter Group,<ref name="YocumRoCAF">Yocum 2017</ref> which transitioned to using the F-86 in January 1955.<ref name="LiRoCAF">Li 2019, p.27</ref>
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-86f-30_china Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
−
<!--''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
+
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
−
 
 
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
  
 
;Related development
 
;Related development
  
−
* Canadair [[F-86 (Family)|Sabre]] (those Sabres manufactured with the designator "CL")
 
−
* North American [[F-86K (France)|F-86D]] Sabre
 
 
* North American [[F-100D|F-100]] Super Sabre
 
* North American [[F-100D|F-100]] Super Sabre
−
* North American [[FJ-4B|FJ-4]] Fury
 
  
 
;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
 
;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
  
 
* Dassault [[Super Mystere B2|Super Mystère]]
 
* Dassault [[Super Mystere B2|Super Mystère]]
−
* Grumman [[F9F-8|F-9]] Cougar
+
* Grumman [[F9F (Family)|F9F]] Cougar
−
* Hawker [[Hunter F.1|Hunter]]
+
* Hawker [[Hunter (Family)|Hunter]]
 
* Lavochkin [[La-15]]
 
* Lavochkin [[La-15]]
−
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-15]]
+
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-15 (Family)|MiG-15]]
−
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-17]]
+
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-17 (Family)|MiG-17]]
 
* Saab [[J29D|J29]] Tunnan
 
* Saab [[J29D|J29]] Tunnan
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
−
<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
−
 
 
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
−
* ''other literature.''-->
 
  
 
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/272062-north-american-f-86f-30/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
 
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/272062-north-american-f-86f-30/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
 +
 +
=== References ===
 +
;Citations
 +
<references />
 +
 +
;Bibliography
 +
* Baugher, Joseph F. "F-86F in Foreign Service." ''<nowiki>joebaugher.com</nowiki>'', 05 NOV 1999, [http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/p86_12.html Website].
 +
* Li, Jordan. ''Harder Than Climbing to Heaven: Fighter Aviation in the Republic of China Air Force (1928-1994).'' California Polytechnic State University, March 2019.
 +
* Rose, Scott. "North American F-86F Sabre - 52-4305 to 52-5530." ''Forgotten Jets - A Warbirds Resource Group Site'', 2018, [http://www.forgottenjets.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/f86f-sabre_524305-525530.html Website].
 +
* Thompson, Warren. ''F-86 Sabre Aces of the 4th Fighter Wing.'' Osprey Publishing Limited, 2006.
 +
* Yocum, Eric. "RoCAF F-86 Sabres Database" ''Yocum USA - Sweet Rose'', 2017, [http://yocumusa.com/sweetrose//images/2017rocaf/db199.htm Website].
  
 
{{AirManufacturer NAA}}
 
{{AirManufacturer NAA}}
 
{{China jet aircraft}}
 
{{China jet aircraft}}

Latest revision as of 08:27, 9 October 2023

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
This page is about the Chinese jet fighter F-86F-30 (China). For other versions, see F-86 (Family).
␗F-86F-30
f-86f-30_china.png
GarageImage F-86F-30 (China).jpg
␗F-86F-30
China flag.png China
V Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
8.0 8.3 8.7
Class:
Research:105 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:300 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

After the end of the Korean War, many American F-86 Sabres were placed into surplus reserves. After more advanced fighters came into service, US Sabres were then exported to various other countries. The Republic of China was one of the many countries that received a large number of Sabres. The RoC received over 300 F-86Fs and a significant number were upgraded to the F-40 standard. Sabres and MiG aircraft would soon duel again. In the late 1950s, the Chinese Communist mainland and the Nationalists fought and many dogfights ensued. RoC Sabres had relatively good success against the MiGs and would soon receive the new AIM-9 Sidewinder; a guided missile that could home in on heat sources.

Introduced in Update 1.91 "Night Vision", the ␗F-86F-30 Sabre is a good subsonic fighter jet. It has relatively good manoeuvrability and an excellent top speed of just over 1,100 km/h (683 mph). The F-86F-30 also has an excellent roll rate and is superior to many of the jets it will face. The F-30 comes armed with six 12.7 mm M3 machine guns which boast a higher rate of fire over the M2 Browning machine guns. However, they are still .50 calibre guns and players should expect to fire many rounds into an enemy to down them. The F-30 Sabre can carry an assortment of bombs and rockets. Although, since the F-30 is the earlier version, it doesn't get access to the AIM-9B Sidewinder which is present in the F-40 Sabre. Nonetheless, the F-86F-30 is still an impressive single-engine fighter with overall good attributes.

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes
Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps
Max speed
at 0 m1 106 km/h
Turn time24 s
Max altitude14 700 m
EngineGeneral Electric J47-GE-27
TypeJet
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight10 t
Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 0 m - sea level) 		Max altitude
(metres) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(metres/second) 		Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 1,095 1,089 14700 24.7 25.9 38.8 35.9 750
Upgraded 1,115 1,106 23.6 24.0 56.5 46.7

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear Drogue chute
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
1,170 350 590 550 350 ~11 ~6
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 850 < 600 < 650 N/A

Engine performance

Engine Aircraft mass
Engine name Number Empty mass Wing loading (full fuel)
General Electric J47-GE-27 1 5,430 kg 239 kg/m2
Engine characteristics Mass with fuel (no weapons load) Max Takeoff
Weight
Weight (each) Type 7m fuel 20m fuel 26m fuel
900 kg Axial-flow turbojet 5,787 kg 6,429 kg 6,726 kg 9,530 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB) Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
Condition 100% WEP 7m fuel 20m fuel 26m fuel MTOW
Stationary 2,626 kgf N/A 0.45 0.41 0.39 0.28
Optimal 2,626 kgf
(0 km/h) 		N/A 0.45 0.41 0.39 0.28

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural0 km/h
Gear350 km/h
  • 6.35 mm steel - in front of cockpit
  • 12.7 mm steel - behind pilot
  • 38 mm steel - armoured windscreen
  • 20 mm steel pilot's headrest

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB3 459 → 4 638 Sl icon.png
RB8 939 → 11 987 Sl icon.png
SB10 176 → 13 646 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications91 200 Rp icon.png
147 200 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 100 Ge icon.png
Crew training86 000 Sl icon.png
Experts300 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 700 Ge icon.png
Research Aces720 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
120 / 370 / 600 % Sl icon.png
196 / 196 / 196 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
6 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 800 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods jet compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
6 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 800 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mods booster.png
New boosters
Research:
6 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
5 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 200 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods jet engine.png
Engine
Research:
5 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 200 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods g suit.png
G-suit
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
16 000 Sl icon.png
460 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
6 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
16 000 Sl icon.png
460 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
bmg50_belt_pack
Research:
6 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 800 Sl icon.png
290 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods pilon rocket.png
FRC mk.2
Research:
6 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
bmg50_new_gun
Research:
5 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 200 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
M117
Research:
5 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 200 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
FLBC mk.1
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
16 000 Sl icon.png
460 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 16 x 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine gun
Ammunition1 800 rounds
Fire rate1 200 shots/min
Main article: M3 Browning (12.7 mm)

The F-86F-30 (China) is armed with:

  • 6 x 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 1,800 total)

Six 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine guns make up the F-86F-30's firepower by the sheer rate of fire rather than the damage potential of a single projectile. The six machine guns altogether can make even a half-second hit on an enemy plane crippling for the enemy's modules.

The 12.7 mm machine gun can also be quite versatile in Air RB, as the M3 Browning has enough penetration power with Default and Ground Target belts to destroy light pillboxes.

Suspended armament

List of setups (3)
Setup 18 x HVAR rockets
8 x HVAR rockets
Setup 22 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb
Setup 32 x 1000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bomb
Main articles: M117 cone 45 (750 lb), AN-M65A1 Fin M129 (1,000 lb), HVAR

The F-86F-30 (China) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • Without load
  • 16 x HVAR rockets
  • 2 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (1,500 lb total)
  • 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (2,000 lb total)

The F-86F-30 can carry a small assortment of payloads. Though not inconsequentially small, the payloads do impact the F-86F-30's flight characteristics enough that it is not suggested to use them in a fighter role at all if equipped with ordnance.

Use rockets on battlefields with many lightly-armoured vehicles, while bombs against hard points like a well dug-in tank.

Usage in battles

Air combat

While the F-86F-30's acceleration and top speed are lacking compared to its contemporaries, the F-86F-30's slats allow the plane to have an outstanding manoeuvrability. That said, one must beware of their speed as pulling high manoeuvres at high and max speed can put the plane under great stress which leads to the wings falling apart. The outstanding manoeuvrability comes at the cost of speed. Pulling hard turns will bleed your airspeed. Try to climb up before engaging the enemy to ensure you have enough energy to get out of a sticky situation. Hopefully, there will be a furball underneath you where you would be able to pounce on low-energy fighters with your guns. One advantage the F-86 has over the jets of other nations is the large ammo count of its six .50 cals (1,800 rounds), although it would be wise to hit most of your shoots. Try staying above 500 km/h as any slower and you would lose a significant amount of energy in a prolonged turn.

The tactics to use the F-86F-30 is very dependent on the enemies it faces and their energy state. An opponent travelling faster than the F-86F-30 should be countered utilizing the Sabre's turning and rolling rate to evade their attack run, hopefully overshooting for the F-86F-30 to take a shot. If encountering a slower jet, the F-86F-30 can attempt to Boom-N-Zoom them, gaining speed in a dive for the attack then climbing away if the enemy lives to prevent them getting a good shot off. For the latter scenario, beware if the enemy has missiles as they will attempt to reach out and attack the F-86F-30 if it climbs away without maneuvering. Most missiles at this stage would be the early versions like AIM-9B or R-3S that can be easily out-manoeuvred, but missiles from planes like the Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 or AV-8A that the F-86F-30 can encounter will be far more manoeuvrable and harder to dodge.

Ground attack

The F-86F-30 has a respectable ordnance load of HVAR and 1,000 lb bombs for use against ground targets.

The bomb loadout suffers from the F-86F-30's setup to drop both bombs at the same time, meaning the two 1,000 lb bombs is only suitable for one attack attempt. Not only that, but there is no bomb aiming assist with the F-86F-30, so it is only up to the player's skills and intuition to get the bomb right onto their target. However, if the player is able to land two 1,000 lb bombs onto their desired target, there is very little chance an armoured target like a tank will survive the explosion.

If players wish to engage multiple different ground targets in the same sortie, the HVAR loadout is the one to take. The rockets are fired individually, meaning players have 16 attempts to neutralize their desired targets with HVAR. HVAR's effect on armored targets is rather limited due to the limited penetration outside of vulnerable locations like the roof armour. The HVAR does excel against soft-skinned targets, meaning they are perfect for use in Air RB against soft targets like armoured cars, howitzers, or AA guns, as well as light tanks, armoured cars, and certain SPAAs in Ground RB.

Radars

The F-86F-30 is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft. It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range.

AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar
Maximum
Tracking
Range 		Minimum
Tracking
Range 		Azimuth Tracking
Angle 		Elevation Tracking
Angle
2,750 m 300 m ±9° ±9°

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Clear cockpit view for simulator battle
  • Decent turn time for jet
  • Good acceleration
  • Decent armament 12.7 mm M3 with a high rate of fire
  • Can carry bombs or rockets
  • Decent radar

Cons:

  • Easy to rip off the wings with high-speed manoeuvres (realistic and simulator battles)
  • This plane fights against jets with afterburners and missiles
  • High firing rate means the large ammo amount for armament equates to only 15-second burst

History

The Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) was one of the many nations to use surplus F-86 Sabre jet-fighters. Between December 1954 to June 1961, the ROCAF received 160 surplus American F-86F-1 to F-86F-30 aircraft, and by 1958, the ROCAF possessed 320 such aircraft. The aircraft would engage in air combat with Chinese MiGs over the Taiwan Strait during the Taiwan Strait crisis of 1958. Additionally, ROCAF Sabres were among the first aircraft to be equipped with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, which were used with devastating effectiveness against Chinese MiGs during the Taiwan Strait Crisis.

Following the end of the Chinese Civil War, the ROCAF received the F-86F series jet fighter from the United States, being surplus USAF airframes. The ROCAF received 160 airframes between December of 1954 to June of 1956, with further aircraft delivered afterwards contributing to a total of 320 F-86F aircraft. These aircraft were mostly upgraded to F-86F-40 standards. ROCAF F-86Fs engaged Communist MiG-15s and MiG-17s during the 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis. During the crisis, Communist MiGs shot down or damaged 42 ROCAF aircraft but lost 15 of their own.

However, the Taiwanese F-86F introduced a new weapon to the realm of aerial warfare - air-to-air missiles. In 1958, under Operation Black Magic, the United States equipped Taiwanese F-86Fs with the newly-developed AIM-9 Sidewinder. Each aircraft was fitted with two Sidewinders on underwing launch racks, which were used with considerable success against Chinese MiGs over the Taiwan Strait. ROCAF F-86Fs were the first aircraft to fire the missile in combat and achieved the first air-to-air missile kills on September 24th 1958, when multiple MiG-17s were shot down using the new weapon.

The AIM-9 Sidewinder severely undermined the air superiority of the Chinese MiG-17s, which had better thrust-to-weight ratio, vertical performance and climb rate than the ROCAF F-86s. The AIM-9 changed this, as Sabre pilots could engage with Chinese MiGs without needing to reach a similar altitude. However, while the AIM-9's deployment was a considerable setback for the PLAAF, the situation changed when a Chinese MiG-17 returned to base with an unexploded AIM-9B lodged in its airframe. The missile was given to Soviet technicians, and subsequently reverse-engineered into the R-3 series of missiles.

Sabre in ROCAF

It's questionable if ROCAF received stock F-86F-40 or actually F-86F-30 with F-40 modification kits. The service history and combat history, including tales of firing Infrared guided air-to-air missiles would be covered in the page of ROCAF F-86F-40:

Main article: History of the F-86F-40 (China)

In-game plane details

The F-86F-30 depicted in-game is an F-86F-30-NA model with the serial number 52-4589.

52-4589 was issued to the 4th Fighter Wing towards the last weeks of the Korean War, flown by 1Lt Edwin Scariff from the 334th Fighter Squadron under the name JACKIE'S BOY with tail number "FU-589".[1] In 1954, 52-4589 was given to the Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) renamed as F-86011 "011".[1][2][3] 52-4589 served in the No.17 squadron of the 5th Fighter Group,[3] which transitioned to using the F-86 in January 1955.[4]

Media

Skins

See also

Related development
  • North American F-100 Super Sabre
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

External links

References

Citations
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Thompson 2006, p.95
  2. ↑ Rose 2018
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Yocum 2017
  4. ↑ Li 2019, p.27
Bibliography
  • Baugher, Joseph F. "F-86F in Foreign Service." joebaugher.com, 05 NOV 1999, Website.
  • Li, Jordan. Harder Than Climbing to Heaven: Fighter Aviation in the Republic of China Air Force (1928-1994). California Polytechnic State University, March 2019.
  • Rose, Scott. "North American F-86F Sabre - 52-4305 to 52-5530." Forgotten Jets - A Warbirds Resource Group Site, 2018, Website.
  • Thompson, Warren. F-86 Sabre Aces of the 4th Fighter Wing. Osprey Publishing Limited, 2006.
  • Yocum, Eric. "RoCAF F-86 Sabres Database" Yocum USA - Sweet Rose, 2017, Website.


North American Aviation
Fighters 
P-51A  P-51 · P-51A
P-51C  P-51C-10
P-51D  P-51D-5 · P-51D-10 · P-51D-20-NA · P-51D-30
P-51H  P-51H-5-NA
Twin-engine fighters  F-82E
Jet fighters  F-86A-5 · F-86F-2 · F-86F-25 · F-86F-35 · F-100D
Strike aircraft  A-36 · PBJ-1H · PBJ-1J
  FJ-4B · FJ-4B VMF-232
Bombers  B-25J-1 · B-25J-20
Export/Licence  ▂B-25J-30 · ␗B-25J-30
  ▄Mustang Mk IA · F-6C-10-NA · ␗P-51C-11-NT · ␗P-51D-20 · J26 David · J26 · P-51D-20-NA · ␗P-51K
  F-86F-30 ▅ · ␗F-86F-30 · F-86F-40 ▅ · F-86F-40 JASDF▅ · ␗F-86F-40
  ◄F-86K · ▄F-86K (Italy) · ▄F-86K (France)
  ␗F-100A · ▄F-100D · ␗F-100F
Captured  ▅P-51C-11-NT
  Canadair Limited license-built the F-86 as the CL-13 for use in Canada and export to Europe.
  Fiat license-built the F-86K for the Italian Air Force though another 120 NAA built F-86Ks were also sold to the Italians.
See Also  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries · Canadair Limited · Fiat Aviation

China jet aircraft
Fighters  J-2 · J-4 · J-6A · J-7II · J-7D · J-7E · J-8B · J-8F · J-10A · J-11 · J-11A
Strike aircraft  Q-5 early · Q-5A · Q-5L · JH-7A
Bombers  H-5
France  ␗Mirage 2000-5Ei
USA  ␗F-84G-21-RE · ␗F-84G-31-RE · ␗F-86F-30 · ␗F-86F-40 · ␗F-100A · ␗F-100F · ␗F-104A · ␗F-104G · ␗F-5A · ␗F-5E · ␗F-16A MLU
USSR  ␗MiG-9 · ␗MiG-9 (l)
North Korea  Shenyang F-5
Pakistan  A-5C · JF-17

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