Plane Porn

While leaving the airport after flying on Monday, we stopped by the gate on the military side of the field on the off-chance that the Air Police guard at the gate might let us near the nicely-restored North American F-86 Sabre jet that's now on display just inside that gate.

And much thanks to the A.P., he let us in to see the plane. (He had to think about it for a minute, but I guess we seemed harmless at first glance.)

This one is an F-86H, Serial #52-2058N. In it's earlier days, it was assigned to the West Virginia Air Guard and it pulled duty right here at Martinsburg with the 167th Fighter squadron (Today the 167th Airlift Wing). The 167th flew these from 1957-1961, when they switched from jet fighters to C-119 transports. Ironically, the base at Martinsburg had been specially selected and expanded in 1955 just to accomodate the jet fighters, which the 167th lost when is was transitioned into an airlift unit.

This Sabre was one of the ones that was used here during that time, along with it's brother, 52-2044, which now sits in considerably poorer shape down at Front Royal, VA.

This one's in great shape, though. The tires are all up to pressure, and I beleive that it even stall has it's engine--turbines are still visible down the intake and up the tailpipe.

This one needs to fly. And I'd be happy to kick it's tires and light it's fire.

This one still has six .50 machine guns, unlike the slightly later F-86H on display at the Old Soldiers' Home in Washington, DC.

Found me a button. Thinking of my pal, OldAFSarge here, because he tempts me to pushing such buttons.

I was gonna press it, but if anything were to happen as a result, it would probably get that nice young A.P. in trouble. So for his sake, I resisted the temptation...this time.

Any idea what these three slots are for? The other H-model has them, too. They are only on the left side.

Max take-off weight: 22,100lbs. Max speed: 692mph. Max climb rate: 12,900 feet per minute. Ceiling: 50,800 feet. Fuel consumption: off the charts. Number built: 9,860. Number owned by me: 0. (Very sad.)

Yeah, this old warrior wants to fly. Just look at it and you can tell. I wonder if they'd notice if I switched it out for my Cessna 172, just for a day or so over the week-end?

Edited: OK, per this picture of the "skinless" F-86H at Wright Patterson, the aircraft's power inverter is behind that vented panel referenced above.