Corgi AA35816 Canadair Sabre MkVI – Luftwaffe – JA-111, Hartmann JG71, 1 Staffel, ‘Richthofen’,1963

In 1949 the US and Canadian governments reached an agreement that allowed Canadair Ltd to build a version of the F-86 Sabre under license in Canada. This ultimately resulted in the development of the Canadair CL13-B Mk6 Sabre powered by an Orenda 14 engine enabling a top speed of 710mph and a rate of climb of almost 12000 ft per minute. West Germany received 225 of this version for the Luftwaffe equipping 3 day fighter wings, JG71, JG 72 and JG73 This model is an example from JG71 ‘Richthofen’ as identified by the ‘R’ inscription and wearing the striking ‘tulip’ markings. These were originally used to personalise the Me 109 aircraft flown by Erich Hartmann in World War 2 and it was Hartmann himself, as Commander of JG71, who accepted the first Sabre Mk6 for the unit in June 1959 JG71 converted to the F104 Starfighter in 1964 but JG72 and JG73 continued to use their Sabre’s in the fighter-bomber role until 1966.