This listing details all the major titles which have been published on the Sabre. I have also included two books that deal in part with the F-86, as I feel they deserve a mention. Any additions or corrections would be welcome. The first few books are the latest releases, but the rest of the listing is is no particular order, other than the order they appear on my bookshelf!
| Title | Author | ISBN No. | Publisher | Number of Pages | Comments |
| MiG Alley: Sabres vs MiGs Over Korea | Warren E Thompson and David R McLaren | 1-58007-058-2 | Specialty Press, USA 2002 | 190 | See above for review. |
| Crowood Aviation Series: North American F-86 Sabre | Duncan Curtis | 1-86126-358-9 | Crowood Press, UK 2001 | 192 | My F-86 monograph. It's not fair for me to review this book, but a couple of reviews are available on Amazon.com (it scores 5 stars there) |
| Alas Espanolas 108: F-86F Sabre | Gonzalo Avila and Roberto Yanez | 84-95493-03-9 | Reserva Anticipada, Spain 2001 | 51 | In familiar landscape format, this Spanish text book chronicles the story
of the North American F-86F in Spanish AF service. The text provides a good detail of each squadron that flew the Sabre, and
unit badges are detailed in full colour. Photographic coverage - both colour and black and white - is of good quality and
ably illustrates each colour scheme. The latter is also supplemented by Gonzalo Avila's excellent colour side-view artwork.
Finally, a short appendix details serial number and brief service details of each Spanish Sabre. A small book packed with much new information - RECOMMENDED | Walk Around 21: F-86 Sabre | Larry Davis | 0-89747 -409-0 | Squadron Signal Publications, USA 2000 | 80 | This book concentrates on photographic
details of the F-86 (though the title would be more accurately, "F-86A/E/F Sabre"). The
'walkaround' aspect is not as thorough as, say the Model Art book on a similar subject.
Also, there is no coverage of F-86D/H/K or L, and little on the Canadair or Commonwealth day
fighters. The slant is also very much 'Korean War'. Though minor, there are a few mistakes; the 'Canadair Sabre 6' cockpit view on p36 is in fact a Portuguese F-86F, and the wing configurations on p43 show the 'unique-to-Sabre 6', slatted 6-3 wing as also applicable to F-86F-25/30. However, there is some good colour coverage, and more than a few interesting colour schemes. RECOMMENDED |
Serie Fuerza Aerea No.6: F-86F-30-NA Sabre | Baldini, Cettolo, Marino. Mosquera & Nunez Padin | none | Serie Fuerza Aerea, Argentina 1999 | 44 | Extensive booklet-type history of the F-86F-30 with Argentine AF slant. Very well researched and presented with excellent colour photographs and colour side views. In Spanish with English photo captions. Another fine effort, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED | Air Force Legends No. 202: F-86D/K/L Part One | Ray Wagner | 0- 942612 -99-X | Steve Ginter, USA 1999 | 97 | 'Naval Fighters'-type book that covers every aspect of F-86D/K and L design, structural and testing etc. It manages to cover many rarely-seen developmental aspects, and brings together a lot of new photos. Also a good modelling companion, it has a high number of Tech Order extracts and detail photos. However, the text appears to have come in large part from Wagner's 1963 monograph for MacDonald & Co., and could have made use of new information/corrections ('Turkish' F-86Ds being one oft- repeated error). | Edicion Especial Fuerza Aerea No.2: Escuadrilla Acrobatica Cruz del Sur |
Atilio Baldini & Jorge Felix Nunez Padin | none | Serie Fuerza Aerea, Argentina 1999 | 48 | 'Squadron/Signal'-type book that covers every aspect of the famous Argentine AF 'Cruz del Sur' F-86F aerobatic team. Contains many previously unseen photographs, excellent colour side views of each team aircraft, and a listing of each display by aircraft/pilot/formation position. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. | Profile 20: The North American F-86A Sabre | Edward Shacklady | none | Profile Publications, UK 1971 | 12 | Small booklet which covers bare essentials of the F-86A, with colour side views. However, the colours stated for schemes of a number are incorrect. | Profile 42: The North American FJ Fury | Francis K. Mason | none | Profile Publications, UK 1965 | 12 | As above, though colours are OK. | Profile 186: The Canadair Sabre | Gerhard Joos | none | Profile Publications, UK 1967 | 12 | As above, though colours are OK. | Sabre F-86F/K | n/a | none | NFF, Norway | 32 | Nicely produced title which deals only with Norwegian use of the Sabre. Very useful modelling reference with many line drawings and colour scheme details. Norwegian Text. | Naval Fighters 7: North American FJ-1 Fury | Steve Ginter with Ron Picciani | 0- 942612 -07-8 | Naval Fighters, USA 1983 | 30 | Very competent book that covers the FJ-1 in more detail than has been previously published. Includes photos and line drawings, plus modelling the FJ-1 | Naval Fighters 10: North American FJ-2 Fury | Steve Ginter | 0- 942612 -10-8 | Naval Fighters, USA 1984 | 45 | Much the same as the FJ-1 title, again very good research, nice photos and modelling reviews of Fury kits. | Naval Fighters 25: North American FJ-4/4B Fury | Steve Ginter | 0- 942612 -25-6 | Naval Fighters, USA 1994 | 105 | Again, a very good book on the FJ-4/4B, though this time (of necessity) there is much more text, photos etc. Definately recommended. | Fighting Colors: F-86 Sabre in Color | Larry Davis | 0- 89747 -110-5 | Squadron/Signal Publications 1981 | 32 | Small but worthwhile booklet that provides detail shots and artwork of Sabre and Fury models. Another good title for the modeller. | Modern Combat Aircraft 4: F-86 Sabre | Maurice Allward | 0- 7110- 0860-4 | Ian Allan, UK 1978 | 128 | Now hard to come by, this is quite a good book, though it lacks a logical structure. | Aircraft No.33: F-86 Sabre in Action | Larry Davis | none | Squadron/Signal, USA 1978 | 50 | Covers basic development and service of each model, but really shines with the excellent colour artwork in the centre pages. | Aircraft No. 103: FJ Fury in Action | Jim Mesko | 0- 89747 -245-4 | Squadron/Signal, USA 1990 | 50 | As above. | Aircraft No. 126: F-86 Sabre in Action | Larry Davis | 0- 89747 -282-9 | Squadron/Signal, USA 1992 | 58 | Update of the first Sabre title in the series, though this has little or no photos or artwork in common with it. Get them both. | Flight Handbook F-86D & TF-86D Aircraft | n/a | 0- 88740 -822-2 | Schiffer Military/Aviation History | 300 | Very useful publication of the original USAF flight handbook. Interesting reading for the dedicated Sabre nut, with details of flight procedures, as well as numerous photos of instrument/interior details. Let down slightly by quality of reproduction. | Flugzeuge der Bundeswehr 10: North American (FIAT) F-86K Sabre | Siegfried Wache | none | F-40, Germany 1989 | 31 | German text story of the Sabre K in German service. Lots of photos and details, plus drawings. Recommended. | Flugzeuge der Bundeswehr 12: Canadair Sabre CL-13A Mk.5 | Peter Sickinger | none | F-40, Germany 1990 | 47 | As above. | Flugzeuge der Bundeswehr 17: Canadair Sabre CL-13B Mk.6 | Siegfried Wache | none | F-40, Germany 1992 | 42 | As above. | Koku Fan 39: F-86A,E,F Sabre | n/a | none | Bunrin Do, Japan 1973 | 74 | Japanese text book with emphasis on Japanese Sabres. Another good modelling reference | Koku Fan 73: F-86D,K,L Sabre | n/a | none | Bunrin Do, Japan | 74 | As above. | Koku Fan 107: F-86F Sabre | n/a | none | Bunrin Do, Japan, 1979 | 66 | As above, though the quality of photography in this one is really excellent. | MacDonald Aircraft Monographs: The North American Sabre | Ray Wagner | none | MacDonald & Co., UK 1963 | 162 | The book that started it all...Often imitated, rarely surpassed. Although history (and documents now in the public domain) has rendered some of the facts incorrect, this is still an excellent history of the Sabre. Worth getting, but be prepared to pay for it. Also contains some unusual photos. | Documenti Aeronautica 12: North American (FIAT) F-86K | Nicola Malizia | none | Edizioni Bizzarri, Italy 1974 | 80 | Italian text book on the F-86K. Good photo coverage, as well as some colour side views. | The Canadair Sabre | Larry Milberry | 0- 9690703 -7-3 | CANAV Books, Canada 1986 | 372 | Without doubt the best book yet written on the Sabre, and one of the best aircraft books published. Though it covers only the Canadair-built Sabres, it contains an astounding amount of photos, personal recollections, drawings, individual aircraft histories etc. Not only informative, but also a very good read. If you are going to buy only one Sabre book, make sure this is it! | Warbirds Today Series: Sabre | various | 1- 870601 -31-9 | Warbirds Worldwide, UK 1993 | 83 | Interesting compilation of stories relating to restoring, flying and researching the F-86. Also some very good colour photographs. | Monografie Aeronautiche Italiane 10: Canadair CL-13 F-86E(M) | n/a | none | Monografie Aeronautiche Italiane, Italy 1980 | 16 | Italian text booklet with colour side views and a camouflage paint chip! | Monografie Aeronautiche Italiane 14: North American FIAT F-86K | n/a | none | Monografie Aeronautiche Italiane, Italy 1981 | 16 | As above, but without the paint chip. | Classic Warplanes: North American F-86 Sabre | Lindsay Peacock | 0- 86101 -537-1 | Salamander Books, UK/USA 1991 | 46 | Basic book on the Sabre, though it has some nice colour side views and photos. | F-86 Sabre MiG Killer | Witold Kowal & Przemyslaw Skulski | 83- 86153 -15-6 | Ace Publications, Poland 1995 | 48 | Polish text book in the same vein as the Squadron/Signal 'Fighting Colors' book (indeed, the colour paintings look to have been copied from the latter), contains some good detail drawings. | Aircam Aviation Series No.17: North American F-86A-L Sabre in USAF & Foreign Service | Richard Ward | 85045 -019-5 | Osprey Publications, UK | 48 | Photo and colour side view-orientated book with small text history. Let down by reproduction quality. | Aircam Aviation Series No.20: Canadair Sabre Mk.1-6, Commonwealth Sabre Mk.30-32 in RCAF-RAF-RAAF-SAAF- Luftwaffe & Foreign Service | Richard Ward | 85045 -024-1 | Osprey Publications, UK | 48 | As above | Warbird History: F-86 Sabre | Robert F. Dorr | 0- 87938 -748-3 | Motorbooks International, USA 1993 | 144 | Another accomplished title, with some nice new angles on Sabre development and foreign service details. Emphasis on Korean War and recollections. | Warbird Tech Series 3: North American F-86 SabreJet Day Fighters | Chris Hughes & Walter Dranem | 0- 933424 -66-3 | Specialty Press, USA 1996 | 100 | Very interesting book detailing the technical side of the Sabre day fighters. There are many previously unpublished photos and drawings in here which make it well worth looking at. | North American F-86 Sabre | Francis Bergese | 2- 85882 -561-0 | Ouest France, France 1983 | 160 | French text, with many previously unseen photos. Also contains some good colour side views. | Koku Fan Illustrated No.2: F-86 Sabre | n/a | none | Bunrin Do, Japan 1980 | 224 | In-depth photo essay on all Sabres. Particularly useful for modellers, it has details (as far as possible) of each country's Sabres, with photos of most. A colour section details Japanese Sabres. | Model Art No.302: F-86F Sabre | n/a | none | Model Art, Japan | 136 | THE book to have if you're detailing an F-86F. Contains photographs of just about every nook and cranny of the F-86F - even giving details of the undersides of access panels! Also contains detailed plans and a decal sheet for JASDF F-86F unit markings. | F-86 Sabre The Operational Record | Robert Jackson | 1- 85310 -402-7 | Airlife, UK 1994 | 150 | Poor quality book that offers little new, and a lot of inaccurate or incorrect captioning (e.g. the XP-86 prototype is labelled as an 'F-86F', an F-86A is captioned as an F-86E. Avoid. | Famous Aircraft Series: F-86 Sabre | R.J. Childerhose | none | Arco Publishing, USA 1966 | 64 | Very entertaining anecdotal book based on the author's recollections of RCAF Sabres. Well worth a read. | Sabre-Comienzo de una Epoca | G. Avila Cruz/J.L. Gonzalez Serrano | 84-505 -8129- X | IHCA, Spain 1989 | 99 | Spanish text, but very useful history of Spanish F-86Fs. Also contains some very good quality colour side views, and the text is worth getting translated too! | Mountaineer Sabres | Jack H. Smith | 0- 929521 -02-1 | Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, USA 1988 | 56 | Photo-orientated history of the 167th Fighter Squadron West Virginia ANG's use of the Sabre. Well-written with personal recollections. | Legends of the Air 1: F-86 Sabre, MiG-15 Fagot, Hawker Hunter | Stewart Wilson | 1- 875671 -12-9 | Aerospace Publications, Australia 1995 | 209 | Though not entirely Sabre in content, this book has enough in quality to make it worth a look. Though most of the photos have been seen before, the colour side views and technical drawings are new and useful. | Meteor, Sabre and Mirage in Australian Service | Stewart Wilson | 0- 9587978 -2-X | Aerospace Publications, Australia 1989 | 209 | Much the same as above, though there is more new RAAF detail in this one. |