CAC CA.26 and CA.27

[Jan den Das]

Well known of the Koreanwar is the North American Sabre. This type was build under licence in Canada as the Canadair CL-13 Sabre.[/size]But more interresting is the Australian build versions.There first prototype was the CAC Ca-26 and the production versions the CAC Ca-27 Mk.30, Mk.31 and Mk.32, based on the F-86F. These aeroplanes were armament with two 30mm Aden cannons replacing the 6 .50in machine guns and the General Electric engine was replaced by a RR Avon.The RR Avon was smaller than the GE engine, so there was more space for fuel, so it good fly a longer range.This was what years later happened in the UK when there Government ordered the Phantom II for the Royal Navy with RR engines. This British engines were smaller then the USA build engines.Is there any body who can help me with good drawings, also cut away, of the Australian build versions, and other costruction details etc.?ThanksJan

 

[Abraham Gubler]

Stewart Wilson's book "Meteor, Sabre and Mirage in Australian Service" is probably the best printed source on the Avon Sabre.


Also here are some good weblinks. There is more data at the http://www.adf-serials.com.au/ webpage than just this .pdf:


http://www.adf-serials.com.au/research/avon-sabre.pdf


http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1954/1954%20-%200264.html (a contemporary article on several pages of .pdf)

 

[Jan den Das]

Thanks for the information.
Is there anybody who can help me with copies/scans of the pages of Stewart Wilson's book?
I found some one who has this book for sale, but it was very expensive, to much for me!


Thanks
Jan

 

[Abraham Gubler]

Thanks for the information.
Is there anybody who can help me with copies/scans of the pages of Stewart Wilson's book?
I found some one who has this book for sale, but it was very expensive, to much for me!

I don't have that particular edition though I can see if I can get one from a library. I wouldn't mind having some scans for my own records. I'll update you in a day or two when I have time to chase this up.

 

[Jan den Das]

I'll wait

 

[Stargazer]

I know these are from an old publication you probably already have, but just in case, here's a set of pages from Aircam Aviation Series #20: Canadair Sabre Mk.1-6, Commonwealth Sabre Mk.30-32.

 

[Stargazer]

A photo showing the assembly line of CAC Sabre Mk. 30 units, from Aviation Classics #009: North American F-86 Sabre:

 

[Stargazer]

A small item from Squadron Signal's Walk Around #21:

 

[Stargazer]

From Squadron Signal's In Action #1126 (the second volume in this series on the Sabre). As this book is still available I have reduced the scans somewhat:

 

[Stargazer]

The Crowood Aircraft Series volume on the F-86 has a few pages on the Commonwealth Sabres, but I thought this diagram might prove especially useful:

 

[Zeppelin]

Fantastic post - How much structural change was implemented. Has anyone recorded why such changes were made?.
[/size]I superimposed both - the US blue and the Canadian/Aus in red. Were all the changes due to the AVON engine size and requirements?

 

[Jan den Das]

Thanks for this, good, materials.
Is/are there any 3 (or more) side view darwings of the Australian versions?

 

[elmayerle]

One aspect of the Australian Avon version is that the Avon has rather higher mass flow requirements than the GE engine or the Orenda engine in the Sabre Mk.6, consequently it needed a larger intake and that drove a number of structural changes. Compare the Australian intake with that of a FJ-3 or Fj-4 Fury and you will likely find them quite similar in that the FJ-3/-4 used the J65, the US-built Sapphire, that was equivalent to the Avon.

 

[Jos Heyman]

3 view drawing from Green & Pollinger, The Aircraft Of The World (1965).

 

[Jan den Das]

Thanks for the information concerning the intake and the drawing

 

[GTX]

I highly recommend Keith Meggs' "Australian-built Aircraft and the Industry" Vol 2, particularly Section 14 for more on the Avon Sabre:

Source it here.

Some teasers regarding potential CAC Avon Sabre developments investigated:

• Fitment of RR Avon RA-14 engine of 9,500 lbf (42.26 kN) vs normal RA-26 version of 7,500 lbf (33 kN) thrust
• Fitment of 4 x 30mm cannon instead of 2 x 30mm cannon
• Fitment of Napier NRE17 external rocket engine which provided 2,250 lbs thrust
• Fitment of in-flight refuelling with two drop tanks (one of 100 gal and one of 166 gal) per side with the larger tanks having refuelling probes thus necessitating 2 contacts to refuel completely. This was potentially to be used in conjunction with a EE Canberra tanker

 

[Pioneer]

Source it here.

Some teasers regarding potential CAC Avon Sabre developments investigated:

• Fitment of RR Avon RA-14 engine of 9,500 lbf (42.26 kN) vs normal RA-26 version of 7,500 lbf (33 kN) thrust
• Fitment of 4 x 30mm cannon instead of 2 x 30mm cannon
• Fitment of Napier NRE17 external rocket engine which provided 2,250 lbs thrust
• Fitment of in-flight refuelling with two drop tanks (one of 100 gal and one of 166 gal) per side with the larger tanks having refuelling probes thus necessitating 2 contacts to refuel completely. This was potentially to be used in conjunction with a EE Canberra tanker

Fascinating!!

Thanks Greg.

Regards
Pioneer

 

[ZacYates]

I had no idea the Woomera section was so large, that's fantastic! Thanks for sharing the index with us Greg - I wonder if I can convince our local library that this is a good buy?