Korean War F-86F Fuselage Band Width

[bfwaechter]

I think it is generally accepted that the width of the yellow wing ID bands on F-86F's flown in Korea were 36", but I have seen a couple of threads on other sites suggesting the fuselage yellow ID band was 28" and 36" depending on where they were applied (28" in Japan, 36" in the NAA factory).   To me, it appears that these fuselage bands were 28" in width, but can someone confirm my observation?  I believe those F-86's flown by the 4th Fighter Wing which also had the yellow bands applied to their vertical stabilizer's were also 36".  

 

Thanks,

 

Boyd Waechter

Katy, TX.

[Sabrejet]

I haven't seen any evidence that the Korean War i.d. bands were applied at the factory. Aside from the initial batch of F-86As (which carried the unit markings of the squadrons they'd been assigned to prior to diversion to Korea), all other F-86E, F and Sabre 2 airframes  just wore standard USAF insignia and no specific theatre markings.

[bfwaechter]

I read a posting on another web site saying that post 1952, the yellow bands were applied in the factory.  Evidently the author was mistaken.

[chrish]

Insufficient bandwidth?

[blackbetty]

in pyn up decals "sassy sabres" pt2 dave klaus mentiones two band widths were used. the instructions are on scalemates. maybe his sabre markings book has more info?

[Sabrejet]

9 hours ago, bfwaechter said:

I read a posting on another web site saying that post 1952, the yellow bands were applied in the factory.  Evidently the author was mistaken.

 

Just to close this out, here is a factory-fresh, late-war F-86F photographed at George AFB on delivery to the San Francisco port of embarkation for Korea on/around 10 January 1953. Many of the aircraft delivered from NAA Inglewood to the embarkation point were ferried by crews from the 479th FDW at George AFB, which made a convenient stopping point for some. As can be seen, the aircraft wears only standard USAF markings at this time.

 

After shipping and de-preservation in Japan, 52-4412 was delivered to the 8th FBW in early March 1953.

 

One final point however; though there is no evidence of i.d. bands being applied by NAA, it is possible  that they were applied to some aircraft at the Sacramento Air Materiel Area/McClellan AFB prior to embarkation: all of the later aircraft passed through McClellan for cocooning prior to embarkation and so it is feasible that i.d. bands were applied there. However I've seen no Air Force records to indicate this.  

 

[Pete Roberts]

So ID bands were applied in Korea?

[Sabrejet]

5 minutes ago, Pete Roberts said:

So ID bands were applied in Korea?

 

Japan.

[Sabrejet]

Attached for info: this is a return for the 51st Maintenance Squadron, based at Tsuiki AB, Japan for June 1952. The unit was processing (among others) the first F-86Fs for the 51st FIW in Korea.

 

[allthumbs]

On 8/2/2026 at 10:53 AM, bfwaechter said:

…28" and 36" depending…

For the fuselage band, I think it’s a matter of definition: 28 inch yellow band, plus two 4 inch black lines equals 36 inches total. 
 

Dimensions could very well have changed through the years. Some say that early on the band was narrower.

 

Find an archival profile picture of your subject, or one of its contemporaries, size it up to 1/32 on your monitor, and then measure away. This will get you very close.

 

Edited August 6 by allthumbs