North American NA-140

Fighter

An impression of the NA-140 in flight

Specifications for NA-140

Engine: 1x General Electric TG 180 (J-35) turbojet making 4,000 lb of thrust

Wing Span: 38' 2'''

Length: 35' 5''

Height: 13' 2''

Weight: Loaded 14,600 lb

Maximum Speed: 582 mph

Ceiling: 44,900'

Range: 1,500 miles

Crew: 1

Armament: 6x 0.50'' machine guns / 8x 5'' HVAR rockets or 2x 1,000 bombs under the wings.

History:

The only known photo of the NA 140

On the 18/5/1945 the USAAF issued a contract to North American for three prototypes of a new jet fighter with the designation XP-86, the requirements called for a day fighter and fighter/bomber with a top speed of over 600 mph. The project (NA-140) used many parts from the XFJ-1 "Fury" (NA-134), however it differed in some major ways from the "Fury" the by having a more refined fuselage shape with a oval intake for the engine, thinner wings fitted with air brakes taken from the A-36 version of the Mustang. On the 20/6/1945 the mock-up was unveiled and quickly approved by the USAAF.

The Air Brake from the North American A-36 "Apache"

However it soon became apparent with the information coming from Germany by mid 1945, that the aircraft could not meet the speed requirements and the decision was taken to radically redesign the XP-86 by sweeping the wings and tail surfaces to 35 degrees as well as fitting SLATS to wing leading edge, these changes were mated to the NA-140 fuselage which it's self had been refined by having air brakes fitted to it's sides and belly. The USAAF approved the "new" XP-86 on the 28/02/1946 with work on the "first" prototype starting in August 1946.

The NA 140 after it's redesign in 1946, now called the XP-86 "Sabre"