Australia’s Avon Sabre Trainer’

The Avon-Sabre Trainer – A Forgotten Secret

In the early 1950s, an aeroplane called the Sabre was hot in the news. In the United States, it was breaking speed records. Over Korea, it was achieving a kill ratio over the deadly MiG-15 of four-to-one. In Australia, Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) were gearing up to manufacture the type as the RAAF’s new fighter. The Sabre went on to carve itself a place in history as the classic jet fighter; the last of the dogfighters. However, history has all but forgotten that plans were also made to manufacture a two-seat version of the Avon Sabre in Australia.

The decision to build the F-86 Sabre in Australia was made in early 1951; a re-engined version of the F-86E was chosen to provide the improved performance that would keep the aircraft competitive into the 1960s. The engine chosen was the Rolls Royce Avon, lighter and more powerful than the original General Electric J47 of the American version. The first prototype Avon Sabre took to the air on 3rd August, 1953.

At this stage, consideration was being given to conversion training for pilots moving to the new Sabre. The advent of the jet fighter had created a need for twin-seat conversion training, and the two-seat Vampire trainer, then in RAAF service, was deemed to be inadequate to provide suitable preparation for the high-performance Avon Sabre.

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