VERSIONS – F-86D, K, L
Export version for MDAP (Mutual Defence Assistance Program) for
The Netherlands and Norway, details as F-86D unless otherwise indicated
1 x General Electric J47-GE-33 afterburning
turbojet with electronic fuel control
Antenna on
some aircraft
Rear fuselage with
brake chute housing
Under fuselage rocket
tray deleted
4 x 20 mm (.79 in)
M-24A1 cannons with
132 rounds per gun
NACA inlets on fuselage
Gun gas ducts (port and starboard)
Prototype F-86K unarmed and equipped
with 1 x General Electric J47-GE-17B
afterburning turbojet
NACA inlets later
replaced by large
sugar scoop intakes
(see F-86K FIAT
production below)
MG-4 FCS (Fire Control System) controlled by
AN/APA-84 computer
203 mm (8 in) forward fuselage extension to maintain centre
of gravity
A-4 gunsight
Small inlet
F-86K North American Aviation production
Details as F-86D unless otherwise indicated
AN/ARR-39 antenna
Project Follow On: 981 surviving low-time F-86D
airframes withdrawn from service and converted
at North American Aviation Inglewood and Fresno,
McClellan AFB and Sacremento Air Material Area
between 1956-1958
1 x General Electric J47-GE-33 afterburning
turbojet with electronic fuel control
Sugar scoop inlet added
Revised rear fuselage with
new brake chute housing
AN/ARR-39 antenna (port side only)
SAGE: (Semi Automatic Ground Environment) a linked
system using upgraded GCI (Ground Controlled
Intercept) sites to instantaneously relay radar data
to interceptor aircraft enabling intercept courses to
be automatically steered by autopilot
Additional avionics for SAGE system in F-86L:
AN/ARR-39 datalink receiver, AN/ARC-34 UHF command
radio, AN/APX-25 IFF, AN/ARN-31 glide scope receiver
'F-40' wing with
.3 m (12 in) wingtip
extension and '6-3'
slatted leading edge
Large sugar scoop
intakes added in
place of NACA inlet
F-86L Project Follow On
Details as F-86D unless otherwise indicated
1 x General Electric J47-GE-17B afterburning
turbojet with electronic fuel control, later
J47-GE-33 afterburning turbojet
Revised rear fuselage with
new brake chute housing
Project Pull Out: all surviving pre-F-86D-45 aircraft were
withdrawn from service and upgraded to -45 standard
at North American Aviation Fresno, McClellan AFB and
Sacremento Air Material Area, totalling 1,128 airframes
between 1953-1955, differentiated by altered block
numbers -11(was -10)/-16/-21/-26/-31/-36/-41
Sugar scoop inlet added
Additional: modified engine oil drains, ceramic
aspirator liner (F-86D-50 onwards);
Alternate hydraulic system accumulator dump valve,
external power receptacle relocated to starboard,
AN/ARC-34 UHF command radio (replacing AN/ARC-27
unit), revised ejector seat lap belts (F-86D-55);
External power receptacle relocated to under fuselage,
modified wing attachment fittings, provision for
AN/APX-25 IFF set (F-86D-60)
Large sugar scoop
intakes added in
place of NACA inlet
F-86D block -45/-50/Project Pull Out blocks -11/-16/-21/-26/-31/-36/-41
Powered rudder with trim tab
deleted on F-86D-10/-15/-20
1 x General Electric J47-GE-17 (J47-GE-17B (F-86D-40 onwards)) afterburning turbojet
with electronic fuel control
Side mounted air brakes
repositioned on rear fuselage
Fuel dump
nozzle
New larger/wider
fuselage with
redesigned nose/
intake section
Increased internal
fuel load
Production windshield, F-86A-5
V-shaped on prototypes
Prototypes fitted with sliding
canopy, rear hinged, clamshell
canopy on production aircraft
Vortex generators added to rear fuselage
and under port tailplane
Additional: pilot's oxygen cylinder, redesigned
instrument panel, new FCS alternator;
Repositioned main battery (F-86D-5 onwards);
Modified afterburner fuel pump, gun camera in left
wing root (F-86D-10 deleted on some -40);
Single point refuelling receptacle added (F-86D-15);
External power connectors repositioned, engine
fuel filter (F-86D-20 onwards);
Provision for jettisonable drop tanks (F-86D-25);
Automatic approach control system (F-86D-30);
External ground power receptacle (F-86D-35);
New fuel-flow meter, AN/ARN-18 glide path receiver
replacing AN/ARN-5B (F-86D-40)
Hughes E-3 FCS (Fire Control
System (F-86D-1), updated to
E-4 FCS (F-86D-5 onwards)
controlled by AN/APA-84
computer, AN/ARN-14 omni-
directional ranging radar (VOR)
added on F-86D-35 onwards
Tailplane with no dihedral
Revised North American T-4E-1 ejector seat
New, prominent radome with
Westinghouse AN/APG-36 radar
Prototypes fitted with
F-86A tailplanes, all-
moving tailplanes
with increased area
on production aircraft
F-86A wings
AN/APX-6 IFF
3 x NACA inlets on port side
Armament: 24 x 70 mm (2.75 in)
FFAR 'Mighty Mouse' rockets in
under fuselage retractable tray,
with 6, 12 or 24 missile salvo
options
No gun armament
Rear fuselage empennage revised from
prototype to production aircraft
Wide undernose intake
Anti-icing system on
wing, fin, tail and
intake leading edges
using engine bleed air
Ailerons moved
slightly inboard
AN/ARC-27 UHF command radio
F-86D blocks -1/-5/-10/-15/-20/-30/-35/-40
Export version for MDAP (Mutual Defence Assistance Program) for France,
Italy and West Germany, details as F-86D unless otherwise indicated
1 x General Electric J47-GE-33 afterburning turbojet with electronic fuel control
Antenna on
some aircraft
NACA inlets later
replaced by large
Sugar scoop intakes
(shown)
MG-4 FCS (Fire Control
System) controlled by
AN/APA-84 computer
203 mm (8 in) forward fuselage extension to maintain centre
of gravity
Rear fuselage with
brake chute housing
A-4 gunsight
Under fuselage rocket
tray deleted
4 x 20 mm (.79 in)
M-24A1 cannons with
132 rounds per gun
NACA inlets on fuselage
Small inlet
Gun gas ducts (port and starboard)
F-86K produced under licence by
FIAT, Turin-Caselle, Italy
Last 45 FIAT produced airframes fitted with
'F-40' wing with
.3 m (12 in) wingtip
extension and '6-3'
slatted leading edge,
earlier airframes fitted
with standard F-86D
wings (see F-86K North
American Aviation
production)
F-86K FIAT production
ILLUSTRATIONS: © ADRIAN DAVID MOORE 2015 • NO ITEMS MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER
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ILLUSTRATIONS: © ADRIAN DAVID MOORE 2015
