Every system in the aircraft either thoroughly overhauled or newly-fabricated, and the entire wiring system is brand new. Photo by Mike Killian.
On Monday, May 3rd, Doug Matthews’ North American F-86F-30 Sabre (52-5116) performed its first engine test at the Classic Fighters of America facility in Titusville, Florida. We have been following this restoration project for some time now, and it is clear that the workmanship is of a very high calibre. While Classic Fighters had hoped to have the Sabre flying last year, the global pandemic definitely caused significant delays. Even so, as often happens with warbird restorations, the last 1% of the project is often the hardest part.