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.
Click on
images below to see larger images
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
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