"Golden Apple" F-86A Returning to the U.S.

It looks like the world's only flying "A" model of the F-86 Sabre will be returning to the United States after flying out of Duxford in the UK for MANY years.

Can't wait to hopefully see this unique jet warbird flying at some North American air shows in the not too distant future........

http://www.goldenappleoperations.org/

[Chris Brame]

This Sabre (48-178) is also believed to be the world's oldest flying jet powered aircraft

At least until POF's P-59 flies again. I guess the (new-build) Me262 doesn't count.

[Matt Gunsch]

Now all it needs is to be painted in the best F-86A marking there ever were,

Matt - agree, that would be a very nice F-86A paint scheme! Here's another nice one:


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... 9-1262.jpg

Does anyone have an update on the status of the F-86A from the UK that was disassembled and sent to the U.S. from the UK last year for a new owner??

At one time it was supposedly going to be ready to fly and attend last month's EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh. It was not there and I have not heard anything about it for a while. Wonder if it has flown yet?

[kalamazookid]

Does anyone have an update on the status of the F-86A from the UK that was disassembled and sent to the U.S. from the UK last year for a new owner??

At one time it was supposedly going to be ready to fly and attend last month's EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh. It was not there and I have not heard anything about it for a while. Wonder if it has flown yet?

I heard that it was receiving extensive maintenance and that was why it didn't make Oshkosh.

[JohnB]

Are there many As left?
I saw the static one at Fairchild the other day.

If it's rare, it would be nice to trade it to an organization that could keep it indoors...unless Fairchild or the WA ANG has a special relationship with As (or that airframe) that I'm unaware of.

[JohnTerrell]

The Flying Heritage Collection own an F-86A, 49-1217, that is either in storage or under restoration to fly.

[quemerford]

The Flying Heritage Collection own an F-86A, 49-1217, that is either in storage or under restoration to fly.

It's the latter.

[Sasquatch]

Is the FHC one Ben Hall's old bird?

[T J Johansen]

Ex- Planes of Fame I think.

T J

[Mike]

The FHC one came from The Fighter Collection.

There was also a sort of bodged-together A-based hybrid which went from Planes of Fame to IWM in exchange for the Meteor F.4 now at Chino. Sadly it was a piece of junk though, with painted-on slats and gun ports, and the IWM soon got rid of it as it had no place in a national collection. A shame, as they went to a lot of trouble to do a nice restoration on the Meteor they exchanged for it.

[T J Johansen]

Oops, sorry.

PoF > TFC > FHC

49-1217
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/ph ... 85680.html

PoF > IWM > MAM

49-0242
http://www.paulnann.com/Make.asp?Make=N ... _w2072.jpg

T J

Thanks for all the miscellaneous F-86A data.......

But the purpose of trying to revive this old thread was to get updated information on the status of the former "Golden Apple" F-86A which hopefully will be flying again soon.

[quemerford]

Thanks for all the miscellaneous F-86A data.......

But the purpose of trying to revive this old thread was to get updated information on the status of the former "Golden Apple" F-86A which hopefully will be flying again soon.

The aircraft is with Heritage Aircraft of Rockford, Illinois and will then go to Oklahoma for new owner Dr John Schwartz.