HGUCSU wrote:
Anyone know why F-80s and F-84s havent survived to fly nowdays yet T-33 and F-86 do ?
This is an easy question to answer. The T-33 and F-86 both saw widespread service with the air forces of many countries besides the USA, most notably with Canada, who also built both in large quantities under license (and later exported them to many other countries). In the early years of the Jet Age, technology was moving ahead at a blinding pace, and the early straight-winged fighters became obsolete after just a few years. The T-33 was a very useful trainer, despite its straight wings, and its legendary utility helped it to last for decades in active service around the world. Some countries may still be using them. There's nothing wrong with straight winged jet trainers (look at how long the T-37 Tweet and T-2 Buckeye have served the US armed forces). The Sabre was quickly eclipsed by the newer generation of jet fighters after the Korean hostilities, but it was still a very capable fighter that was plenty good enough to serve the needs of the air forces of smaller countries, which is where many of today's survivors came from. At VFM, we have a "genuine" North American F-86F-30 (as opposed to the Candair Sabre) on static display which last saw survice with the Fuerza Aerea Boliviana (Bolivian Air Force) and still wears their camouflage and markings. The same thing is true for much of the surviving T-33 fleet. They came from the surplus stocks of the air arms of many countries. Canada is still selling them off right now.
Cheers!
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