From the same company that produced the legendary Mustang, the North American F-86 Sabre is without a doubt one of the most iconic figures of post-war US aviation and an enduring symbol of the Cold War. It was designed by Edgar Schmued as a swept wing day fighter that could also operate as a fighter-bomber and featured a nose intake, swept tail surfaces, and a pressurized cockpit. The result was an outstanding fighter, far and away the best Western dogfighter of its time and which was quickly pressed into service during the Korean War where it would make a name for itself as the most feared US fighter of the war, scoring an impressive tally of 792 claimed MiG-15 kills (this figure has since been disputed). Although inferior in many ways to its Soviet rival, the F-86 could boast of more experienced pilots as well as superior tactics, factors which greatly explained its high kill ratio. Over the course of its service life (in which it was flown by 150 front line USAF and 57 ANG reserve squadrons), the F-86 was given multiple improvements such as structural modifications, radar fire control systems, and even the capability to carry missiles and tactical nuclear weapons. After the Korean War, F-86s continued to serve in front line units until replaced in the late 1950s by more superior types but continued to thrive in foreign hands: it equipped the air forces of 38 countries including most NATO partners and they saw further action in the Taiwan Straits, the Indo-Pakistani Wars and other smaller conflicts.

The XP-86 prototype was first flown on 1 October 1947 and entered production as the F-86A. A few structural modificiations were in place in the improved F-86E which was the first Sabre variant to be used in large numbers in Korea and served as the basis of the Canadair-built Sabre (a few of which were sent back to the USAF as the F-86E-6). Combat experience during the war eventually led to the F-86F, the definitive day fighter variant of the Sabre with a new wing without slats (and with extra hardpoints) and a more powerful engine. The Sabre was also adapted into a radar-equipped all-weather fighter: the F-86D which only shared 25 percent commonality with its predecessors and was originally slated to be designated as the F-95A but was switched back due to political reasons. It featured nose mounted radar and an afterburning engine and was further refined in the F-86L with upgraded avionics and a ground-air data link. A downgraded versions intented for export service with various NATO nations was known as the F-86K and was fitted with guns rather than rockets. Finally, a dedicated fighter-bomber variant was the F-86H with a resdesigned fuselage accomodating a more powerful enigne and could carry a variety of ordinance such as rockets, napalm, and a tactical nuclear weapons. Other developments included license production in Canada and Australia, assembly in Italy (Fiat) and Japan (Mitsubishi), as well as a navalized variant for USN service which was known as the FJ Fury and is described separately.