F-86 Sabres of Pakistan Air Force

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Air Vice Marshal Abdul Masood Khan, HI(M), SJ, a decorated Ghazi of the 1965 War.

 

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Legendry men above, may Allah bless their souls.

 

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Flt Lt Yusuf Ali Khan nurses his damaged F-86F Sabre back to Sargodha on 3 September 1965 after surviving a 6 vs 1 melee with IAF Gnats. Later in the war, Flt Lt Yusuf would get his pound of flesh when he would shoot down an IAF Gnat flown by F/L A.N. Kale, who managed to eject safely.

The image shows the damaged F-86F (S/N 553870) at Sargodha.

 

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DGPR (AIR FORCE)
@DGPR_PAF

Today in History

On 13 June 1956, Pakistan Air Force entered a new era with the induction of F-86F Sabre under the US Military Assistance Program. A total of 102 aircraft were delivered, replacing aging platforms such as Hawker Sea Fury and Supermarine Attacker, becoming the backbone of PAF. Renowned for its agility and formidable firepower, F-86F was armed with six .50 caliber machine guns and could carry rockets, bombs and Sidewinder Air-to-Air missiles, significantly enhancing operational capability and shaping modern aerial warfare in the region.

A defining milestone came on 10 April 1959, when Flt Lt M Yunis flying a Sabre achieved PAF’s first aerial kill by intercepting and shooting down an Indian Air Force Canberra, marking a decisive shift in Pakistan’s air defence. The Sabre cemented its legend during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, where it proved decisive in multiple engagements. Most notably, Sqn Ldr M M Alam achieved “Ace in a Day,” downing five Indian Hunters in under a minute—an unmatched feat in aerial combat history.

Retired in 1980, the F-86F Sabre never truly faded — it lives on as a towering symbol of professionalism and excellence etched into the soul of Pakistan's air power history. Today, proudly displayed in museums and memorials across the country, its wings may be still but its legend continues to soar.

 

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