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Canadair CL-13 Sabre

1950 COLD WAR INDO-PAK WAR

History

After World War II, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) joined other major aviation services around the world in upgrading its fighter fleet to jet fighters to replace the outgoing stockpile of propeller-driven frontline interceptors and fighter jets . When Germany and Japan were defeated as the world's major threats, the Soviet Union took on the role of a global enemy of the West, which spurred the development of increasingly powerful machines to thwart anticipated invasions and all-out wars. For the Canadians, the front will be a home game against looting Soviet bombers from the West and Europe, with Soviet troops invading from the East.

While the Avro Canada CF-100 "Canuck" under development will be Canada's new jet-powered interceptor, it still lacks a viable replacement for its WWII-era roster. The most sensible solution came in 1948, when the next Canadian fighter took over the newly minted North American F-86 Sabre jet fighters of the United States Air Force (USAF). The F-86 represented a fast, single-seat, maneuverable and stable artillery platform that would be successful in the upcoming Korean War (1950-1953).

Air Canada was established to manufacture the aircraft locally and licensed the CL-13 Sabre of the Royal Canadian Air Force through a factory in Montreal.

From this test-oriented Mk 3 was born the Sabre Mk 4 variant, with a total of 438 aircraft produced. However, 428 of these stocks were shipped to the RAF for service, and only 10 remained with the RAF. Building on the F-86F Sabre, the subsequent Sabre Mk 5 was fitted with a Canadian Orenda turbojet - all 370 of the brand were delivered to RCAF for repair.

The following 655 Sabre Mk 6 model further strengthens these numbers - the 390 goes to RCAF.

At the end of its development, Canadair Sabre was allowed to carry its standard machine gun battery and had rocket launch facilities and support for conventional throwing guns and rockets. The 6 x .50 caliber guns, loaded with 1,602 rounds, were buried along the sides of the fuselage along the nose-mounted ducts that sucked the engines into the interior. Only the oval muzzle was visible, as the gun was completely hidden by the side walls of the plane. The aircraft can be equipped with 2 Matra missile pods, each containing 18 x 68mm SNEB missiles, for extended tactical role on the battlefield. The bomb load was limited to 5,300 lbs gross weight over four underwing hardpoints.

The wing's internal hardpoints have also been redesigned to carry discardable fuel tanks for increased patrolling range. Sabre is also authorized to carry nuclear warhead launchers and two AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles.

The RAF identifies the Mk 4 as "Sabre F.4". With 75 refurbished Mk-5 fighter jets and 225 brand new Mk-6 fighter jets, the West German Air Force is the main recipient of many former Royal Canadian Air Force and newly built Air Canada Sabres. These served from 1957 to 1964, with the final coaching form not retiring until 1983.

Other ex-RCAF mounts went to Pakistan (the last one retired in 1980) and elsewhere. Ultimately, operators include (besides already mentioned) Bangladesh, Colombia, Greece, Honduras, Italy, South Africa, Turkey and Yugoslavia.

Total production of the CL-13 was 1,815. Demand for the Canadian fighter then declined to the Lockheed F-104 "Starfighter" family, operated by RCAF as the "CF-104". About 200 are - again - locally built and licensed by Canadaair.