The North American F-86 Sabre was perhaps the most famous of the early jet fighters. They fought MiG-15s over Korea and went on to serve with most air forces in the ‘Free World’ in the 1950s and 1960s.

Design of the North American F-86 began before the end of World War II but was given swept wings when the allies began analysing captured German aeronautical data.

The first F-86 flew on 1 October 1947 and entered service from February 1949.

The Korean War accelerated development with the F-86F being ordered into production in April 1951, the first ones flying in September 1951 and those with a more powerful engine in early 1952.

They gave the United States Air Force a fighter at least equivalent to the MiG-15.

This model represents a F-86F flown by Major John Glenn, later America’s first astronaut to circle the earth.

Heller 1:72 kit with Microscale decals completed by Leigh Edmonds in March 1987.