Australian Naval Sabre ???

[Keith Gaff]

Irrespective of this photograph the Australian built Avon Sabre never served with the Royal Australian Navy. Sabre A94-922 became an instructional airframe after retirement and was allocated to the Surface Finishing Unit at RAAF Base Amberley where it was used to teach paint stripping and spray painting etc. During one course in the mid 1970's a group of Australian sailors was instructed to paint the Sabre. The swabbies finished her in the colours carried by Australian Navy Macchi MB326H's. I believe the aircraft was also painted Gull Grey and pink at one stage. I would love to see a picture of that. This Sabre still exists and is now resident in New Zealand where it is undergoing restoration to airworthy.

Keith Gaff
Secretary
Friends of the RAAF Museum

[Chris]

Is the Avon Sabre comparable to the F86H?

[bdk]

I think it has more internal fuel and no slats, but don't quote me. Didn't Carl Scholl and Tony Ritzman have a bunch of these in the desert?

[Chris]

I was kind of comparing it to the QF86H that POF has on their back lot. Looks like there's some similarities.

[JDK]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAC_Sabre

CA-26 Sabre
Prototype, one built
CA-27 Sabre Mk 30
Production version powered by the Avon 20 engine and fitted with wing slats; 22 built.
CA-27 Sabre Mk 31
Version similar to Mk 30 but with wing slats removed; 20 built and surviving Mk 30s converted to this standard.
CA-27 Sabre Mk 32
Final production batch with four wing pylons, Avon 26 engine and increased fuel capacity; 69 built.

Related development

* F-86 Sabre
* Canadair Sabre

Comparable aircraft

* Dassault Super Mystère
* de Havilland Venom
* F-84F Thunderstreak
* Hawker Hunter
* Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
* Saab 32 Lansen
* Sukhoi Su-9

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-86_Sabre#Variants

[bdk]

I was kind of comparing it to the QF86H that POF has on their back lot. Looks like there's some similarities.

I guess if it is an F-86 variant with a larger than a J-47 engine than that would be correct that they are similar.

Thanks for the added clarification JDK. I guess I was sorta right????

A few of these filtered through Sanders Aircraft when they were in Chino. Not sure where they all got off to now, the registry seems to not show any recent activity.

CA-27 Mk. 30s, I guess upgraded to the Mk 31 standard then:

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/jetregis ... 94909.html
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/jetregis ... 94914.html
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/jetregis ... 94916.html

CA-27 Mk. 32 (interesting that the later model has a lower construction number):

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/jetregis ... 94354.html

[JDK]

It's a 'what are you comparing' type question. The F-86H was a re-engineering of the F-86, and the CAC Sabre was also a re-engineering of the F-86, so they are parallel developments, but technically and in mission profile (job) they are as different as they are alike.

I did a comparison of the CAC Sabre with the Canadair Sabre for a recent Flightpath, inspired by the recent return to flight of the Canadians Hawk 1 and Australia's CAC Sabre A94-983. The Canadair was closer to the F-86E, but generally regarded as 'the best' performing of those equivalents. Not surprisingly, the CAC Sabre was a more complex-change development and also performed 'better'. I'd suggest - without checking performance figures - that the F-86H was another step away from the F-86A-E structure with developed fuselage wings, new engine and tail, and the performance arising.

There were indeed a number of CAC Sabres in the USA, but none have ever been restored or flown there, and I suspect the chances of one ever flying in the US are very low. AFAIK, post service use, only one CAC Sabre has flown, and that's A94-983 owned by the RAAF and operated by the Temora Aviation Museum. There are at least two that others are mentioned as being under restoration to fly, but I suspect the jobs bigger than anyone (except those doing it) realise. The NZ example mentioned above wasn't under work in the middle of last year.

Regards,

[Mark_Pilkington]

A few of these filtered through Sanders Aircraft when they were in Chino. Not sure where they all got off to now, the registry seems to not show any recent activity.

CA-27 Mk. 30s, I guess upgraded to the Mk 31 standard then:

CA-27 Mk. 32 (interesting that the later model has a lower construction number):

I understand the Chino aircraft are still stored in the Desert?

The CAC "Avon Sabre" as the type was originally called by CAC and the RAAF, was built in 3 distinct models under "four" orders

The prototype CA-26 and 22 CA-27 aircraft (s/n 1-22) were built as mark 30 aircraft, (these had leading edge slats), the 22 CA-27 aircraft were modified to mark 31 standard in service (the prototype at the RAAF Museum Point Cook therefore is the only surviving mark 30 with its leading edge slats in place).



Image copyright RAAF Museum - http://airforce.gov.au/raafmuseum/exhib ... /sabre.htm

All subsequent aircraft were CA-27 models, the next production order consisted of 20 additional mark 31 direct from the factory, (s/n 23- 42) and 28 mark 32 aircraft (sn/ 43-70). The next order was for 20 additional mark 32 aircraft (s/n 71 - 90) while the last order was for 21 mark 32 aircraft (s/n 91 - 111).

The RAAF used to occasionally "scramble" serial numbers on post war types to confuse any enemy in terms of total aircraft in service, hence the A94-909 to 916 are early mark 30s' yet the later A94-354 despite its airforce "A94" series identification number being out of sequence and an "lower" number, it is in fact CAC manufacturers s/n 94, the fourth built under the last order of mark 32 aircraft. The same thing occurs on many other types and can be confusing.

regards

Mark Pilkington

[bdk]

Ex-Indonesian Sabres in Borrego Springs (with thanks to the WIX search function):

http://woodser.smugmug.com/Wreckchasing ... 2674_eNrHP

The Ex-Chino aircraft were owned by the Sanders family as I recall and had nothing to do with the Ex-Indonesian Borrego Springs examples.

[JDK]

Good find Brandon!