1/72 Fujimi Sabre Mk.5 drone

by John "Johnopfor" Lanning

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Flight Systems Inc./ US Army Sabre Mk.5 drone Mar. 1979

  I used the 1/72 scale Fujimi kit, and an old set of Mircoscale decals along some "homemade" markings for the registration number. The kit is out of the box except for the for the drone control panel that replaced the gunsight in the cockpit. I used Testors Aluminum Metalizer and Insignia Red for the paint scheme. The model represents a former RCAF Sabre Mk. 5 that was converted into a drone in 1978, and destroyed in April 1979.

   Flight Systems Inc. was formed in 1968 and after a flight demonstration with a pair of converted QF-86E's, won the US Army contract for producing target drones for testing over White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico in 1974. The FSI conversions were rather cheap and unlike drones used elsewhere, the plane could still be flown by a pilot when needed. On average, the drones were flown about 50 hours before destruction over the ranges. Up until the end of the program in 1996 (superceeded by the QF-100 Super Sabre), fifty-six aircraft were converted. A vast majority of the Sabres were former RCAF Sabre Mk.5's, but at least six were former South African Air Force Sabre Mk.6's....at least one still in it's camoflauge. Even though the aircraft were technically US Military, they carried civilian registration along with US Army registration (they used the RCAF registration number) and were operated by FSI employees. They were used in the testing and development of US Army air defense systems or prototypes including the Roland 2, Stinger, DIVAD (Sgt. York), ADATS, Chaparral and Patriot. Two were used in "Operation Mill Race", a simulation of a nuclear blast using conventional explosives. A large number of the Sabres actually survived drone use, including the six former SAAF aircraft.

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   The Sabre Mk.5 is practically a Canadair built version of the F-86F-25 Sabre, but with the GE engine replaced by the Canadian designed Avro Orenda. They were built for the RCAF and West German Luftwaffe and retired from service during the 1960's. Oddly enough, in US Army service, the converted Sabres were known as the QF-86E, this may have to due with the fact that the first two conversions were F-86E Sabres.

   I have an indirect link with this very aircraft. Sabre Mk 5 N2291B/ US Army 23215 was shot down over White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico on April 27, 1979 by the same air defense system that I was to become crew member of 13 years later......the Patriot System.

John 

Photos and text © by John "Johnopfor" Lanning