Restoring a North American F-86F Has Been a 10-Year Project

The workers and staff at Doug Matthews' Classic Fighters of America are excited about the impending maiden flight and evaluation trials of a North American F-86F Korea-Era fighter soon to begin. Global Aviation Management in Titusville, Florida sits at the center of the work and is funding the efforts to create a nearly brand-new edition of the F-86F, original serial number 52-5116. Restoration efforts include extensive inspections, upgrades and modernization of the cockpit, all of which are nearing completion.

While items like the fighter’s hydraulic lines have been replaced, the restoration will include a few updated items. In the cockpit, a large multi-function display will be surrounded by several analog gauges powered by an entirely new wiring system that was fabricated from scratch to blend a bit of old and new technology. The storage capacity for breathing oxygen has also been increased. This F-86 will have the ability to hang a pair of either 120 or 200-US gallon auxiliary fuel tanks.

While a date for the airplane's first flight has not yet been set, it is expected to be later this summer.