The first XP-86 Prototype 45-59598, flown by George Welch. The North American F-86 Sabre is one of the most well-known fighter aircraft of all time, marking the transition from the propeller to the jet turbine.

The F-86 was produced as both a fighter-interceptor and fighter-bomber. Several variants were introduced over its production life, with improvements and different armament implemented (see below). The XP-86 was fitted with a General Electric J35-C-3 …

2024年10月14日 · The XP-86 was initially powered by a General Electric-designed, Chevrolet-built J35-C-3 turbojet which produced 4,000 pounds of thrust. This was soon changed to an Allison J35-A-5. Performance testing was conducted with the Allison engine installed.

14 October 1947: Twenty minutes before Captain Charles E. (“Chuck”) Yeager broke the sound barrier with a Bell X-1 rocketplane, North American Aviation Chief Test Pilot George S. Welch put the swept-wing XP-86 prototype, serial number 45-59597, into a shallow dive from 37,000 feet (11,278 meters) and accelerated.

At a gross weight of 11,500 pounds, the XP-86 was estimated to be capable of achieving a top speed of 574 mph at sea level and 582 mph at 10,000 feet, still below the USAAF requirement. Initial climb rate was to be 5850 feet per minute and service ceiling was to be 46,000 feet.

1 October 1947: After three years development in which 801,386 engineering hours and 340,594 drafting hours had been expended, the first prototype North American Aviation XP-86 (company designation NA-140), serial number 45-59597, was ready for its first flight at Muroc Dry Lake in the high desert, north of Los Angeles, California.

North American Aviation XP-86 prototypes. Front to back, 45-59598, 45-59597 and 45-59599. [Source: National Archives and Records Administration]

The XP-86 Lineage The U. S. Navy’s FJ-1. The U.S. Navy, anticipating the invasion of the Japanese home islands by early 1946, wanted a turbojet-powered fighter capable of fleet opera-tions. It was late 1944 when the U.S. Navy con-tracted with North American Aviation (NAA) of Inglewood, California, for three prototypes of the

The original NA-140 / XP-86 design strongly resembled the NA-134 / XFJ-1. It had straight wings, the same J35 engine, and the same fit of six Browning machine guns. The major difference was a longer and slenderer fuselage, achieved through the elimination of the structure and gear needed for carrier deck operation.

Tests showed it was faster than anything else in service by 75 mph. North American re-engined one of the prototypes with the new GE 5,200 lb. static thrust engines and with this engine the XP-86 was put through the sound barrier on April 25, 1948, the first production aircraft to achieve this.