Quinte West, Ontario, CA — These iconic fighters once screamed through the skies, carrying hundreds of Royal Canadian Air Force pilots on missions around the world.
Today, many F-86 Sabres that remain are mounted on pedestals or part of static aircraft displays in parks and museums across the country.
The Sabre on the display at the National Air Force Museum of Canada is screaming for a facelift.
Number 257 will soon get that TLC, thanks to $25,000 in federal funding from the New Horizons for Seniors Program.
The Sabre will be restored and painted the traditional metallic silver. It’s the same colour scheme the aircraft had when it was on active service at RCAF Station in Chatham, New Brunswick.
“It was a high performance aircraft,” said museum executive director Chris Colton. “The swept wings created a lot of challenges for pilots.”
The aircraft on display at the museum was used as a trainer.
“Pilots would take their first solo flights in the Sabre. There was a pretty high accident rate,” said Colton.
More than 1,000 Sabres were in service with the RCAF between 1948 and 1958. It was the first fighter jet that could break the sound barrier and could reach a speed of 973 km-h.
Canadian Sabre to gets its look back