SAAF SABRE History

KOREA

The last significant war, the piston-engined fighters of World War II, (the Mustang F-51, the Yak-9 and the Chance-Vought Corsairs) took part in was the Korean conflict - before the jet age finally rendered them obsolete. The US Far East Air Force retained the upper hand in the Korean airspace until the new Russian-built MiG-15 jets of the Chinese Air Force arrived. The balance of air power swinged to a significant degree to the Communist Forces. The US answer was the new Sabre. It is therefore accepted to be the aircraft ready for the right war.   The first Sabre mission in Korea was flown on December 17, 1950, and the second Sabre to take the air that day achieved the firsl jet ‘kill’ of the war when it shot down a MiC-1 5 deep inside North Korean territory. South Africa’s contribution to the polyglot UN force was No. 2 Squadron, the famous ‘Flying Cheetahs’, which was attached to the 18th Fighter-Bomber Wing of the USAF. (See also the Mustang article). The 'Flying Cheetahs'  served with distinction and was awarded a presidential unit citation — a high American military honour - seldom given, particularly to a foreign unit. For the major part of the war the ‘Cheetahs’ flew the F-51D Mustang. But in late 1952 word came that 2 Sqdn was to be re-equipped with the latest Sabre variant, the improved F-86F, on loan from the USAF.   The first five F-86Fs (serials 601 to 605) were delivered to No. 2 Squadron late in January 1953, and after conversion training the first missions were flown from March 12, 1953, along the Yalu River in the notorious ‘Mig Alley’. In the remaining four months before the armistice, the SAAF Sabres flew 1 694 sorties. Even on July 27,1953, the last day of the war, No.2 Squadron flew no less than 41 sorties before the armistice came into effect at one minute past 22h00. Of the 20 or so Sabres flown by No. 2 Sguadron, only four were lost on active service, although a fifth crashed after the armistice. All operational flying ceased on October 1,1953. Ten days later the Cheetahs’ brief but passionate love affair with the beautiful swept-wing fighter ended when the last two Sabres were flown to a USAF base to be handed back. Apparently, all the ex-SAAF F-86Fs found their way to the Philippines Air Force, who later scrapped them. No. 2 Squadron returned to the Union of South Africa, where it was re-equipped with Vampire F.B.Mk.S2s - recently been delivered from Britain. But the memory of the beautiful Sabre stayed with the flight crews for the next three years. 

SOUTH AFRICA

But the SAAF was evaluating several other aircraft types as a possible successor to its Vampires and finally settled on the Canadian version of the Sabre, the Canadair CL-138 Sabre Mk6. This was the final production version of a long line of Sabre variants - been a totally modernized and updated form of the original F-86F. Among the improvements was the more powerful Orenda 14 turbojet engine, which could bring it to within an eyelash of Mach 1 at sea-level. A total of 34 were ordered from Canadair (serials 350 383) to equip, No.1 and No.2 Squadrons, They were test-flown in Canada, then dismantled and shipped to South Africa, where they were re-assembled at No. 1 Air Depot, in August 1956. The first to fly was 350, a No. 1 Squadron aircraft, which took to the air on September 4,1956, and almost immediately Capt. Larry Eagar, flying a No. 1 Squadron Sabre, became the first pilot in South Africa to break the sound barrier. The Canadair Sabre carried much more muscle than its American Korean version, but remained a pilot's dream to fly.   For seven years the Sabres were South Africa’s premier first-line fighters. In the early 1960s, it was announced; No. 2 Squadron was  to re-equipped with the newer, faster and more potent Dassault Mirage IIICZ. All its Sabres were handed over to No.1 Squadron, which later (in 1967) moved out of Waterkloof to the air base at Pietersburg. There it remained, its Sabres still playing a key role in South Africa’s air defences. But their days as first-line SAAF fighters were shortening and, in 1975, when No. 1 Squadron converted to the Mirage F-1AZ, the Sabres were all transferred to Pietersburg's 85 Advanced Flying School. For the next four years the Sabres soldiered on in the ranks of 85 AFSs as training aircraft but, after more than two decades of high-stress flying, their age was beginning to show. In August 1979 all were grounded for the last time. Their last public appearance was during the SAAF 50th anniversary celebrations in January 1980 when Sabres featured in two air shows— five aircraft at Pietersburg and one at Waterkloof. Three months later, in April 1980, the Chief of the SAAF, Lieut, Gen. A. M. Muller, wrote the final words in the saga of the beautiful Canadians by announcing that all the Sabres had finally been withdrawn from SAAF service. Ten of the retired airframes were sold to Flying Systems Incorporated in the United States, where they were to be converted to QFS6 target drones. About six remained in South Africa. One Sabre (No. 361) remains on display at the SAAF Museum Swartkops, and is finished in natural metal and markings of a No. 1 Squadron aircraft.   But this was not to be the last. For years rumours been doing the rounds that a Sabre was been restored to flying condition. This was confirmed when a Sabre again took to the air in the beginning of 2000.