Sabre returns to the skies
Next year, the School of Air Navigation celebrates its 60th anniversary. Andrew Stackpool looks at a unit which has been one of Air Force’s quiet achievers over the past six decades.

By Andrew Stackpool

A Sabre currently on display at the RAAF Museum will be loaned to the Temora Aviation Museum to be restored to flying condition.

Photo from the Air Force Image Gallery

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* Sabre A94-983 is an Australian modification of the North American F-86F Sabre fighter aircraft, which first flew in 1947. The swept-wing fighter was quickly in action over Korea and established superiority over Russian and Chinese-flown North Korean MiG-15s. The Australian Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation rebuilt the F-86 to take the larger Rolls Royce Avon engine and re-armed it with two 30mm cannons. Rails for Sidewinder air-to-air missiles were later fitted. It was redesignated the CA-26 or Avon Sabre, and issue to the RAAF began in August 1954. There were 112 aircraft manufactured from 1954 to 1961, and were flown by Nos. 3, 75, 76, 77, and 79 Squadrons. Sabres were involved in counter-insurgency operations against communist forces in Malaya in the late 50s and early 60s and on standby during other periods of tension in SE Asia. Others provided combat air patrols out of Thailand at the start of the war in Vietnam. With the introduction to service of the Mirage III, the Sabres were sold to Malaysia and Indonesia. A94-983 went to Malaysia and eventually returned to Australia assuming a new life at RAAF Richmond in March 1981, as a flying and then static display aircraft. In 1992, it was relocated to RAAF Base Point Cook.

A SIGNIFICANT piece of Air Force aviation history will soon be seen again in the skies over NSW.

Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd and the Chief Executive Officer of the Temora Aviation Museum, David Lowy, have signed an agreement to loan a Sabre jet fighter to the museum. The museum’s world-class engineers will refurbish the historic warbird and restore it to flying condition.

The aircraft, Sabre A94-983, is presently displayed at the RAAF Museum at RAAF Base Point Cook.

To the background cacophony of radial engines from a World War II PBY Catalina and two DC-3 Dakotas conducting demonstration fly-pasts, the document was signed on November 26, 2005, at the museum’s flying weekend. The tailplane of the museum’s Mk VIII Spitfire provided a suitable table.

Mr Lowy said the Museum had approached Air Force to get the Sabre and was delighted when this was agreed.
“We’ve always had a good relationship with Air Force and are happy they are reciprocating,” he said.

“I think there’s a lot we can help each other with and the fun in aviation is the sharing of it.

“Being able to share our passion with the people from the Air Force is just fantastic. We look forward to having the Sabre here and getting it flying as soon as we can.”

Describing the Museum as a world-class centre of excellence and professionalism, AIRMSHL Shepherd said Air Force was excited to be a part of this project to preserve a part of Australia’s aviation heritage.

“We share David’s great passion and the great passion all the people here at Temora have to keep these wonderful warbirds flying,” he said.

“We have a great Air Force and we do have a flying display at Point Cook, but we don’t have the expertise or resources and people skills to maintain and fly old aeroplanes.

“We have the Sabre but it hasn’t flown for a couple of years. We’re going to loan it to David and the team because they’ve got the expertise to get the aeroplane flying.

“I see that as a great beneficial arrangement for both of us.”

He thanked the Museum staff “for having the passion to produce something like this for the people of Australia”.

“It’s a great credit to you and the whole team here at Temora. We’ll look forward very much to sharing this relationship and developing it accordingly. Well done and thank you.”

Mr Lowry said there is a lot to be done to restore the Sabre to airworthiness, but that it is in good shape for an aircraft that has not been flown for some time. “Our people are enthusiastic and specialists. We’re confident we can get it together,” he said.

 

 

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