Corgi AA35802 North American F-86A-5 Sabre United States Air Force 81087/FU-087 116th FIS/81st FIW, Shepherds Grove, Suffolk, England, August 1951

Decertificated by Corgi, no Limited Edition certificate

Soon after the end of WWII, the USAAF (as it was until 1947) vacated the UK en masse and it was not until August 1951 that tactical elements of the USAF returned to the UK in the form of the 81st Fighter Interceptor Wing. On 27th of that month, F-86A-5 Sabres of the 116th Fighter Interceptor Squadron took up residence at Shepherds Grove in Suffolk, being the first aircraft of this type to be based in Europe. The other two squadrons forming the 81st FIW were the 91st and 92nd F.I. Squadrons. The 81st FIW was re-named the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing and later moved to nearby bases at Bentwaters and Woodbridge.