| 5th Squadron | |
|---|---|
| 第5飛行隊 | |
| Active | February 1, 1957 |
| Disbanded | July 1, 1971 |
| Country | Japan |
| Branch | Japan Air Self-Defense Force |
| Part of | Central Air Defense Force, 4th Air Wing |
| Garrison/HQ | Matsushima Air Base |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | North American F-86F Sabre |
The 5th Squadron (第5飛行隊(dai-go-hikoutai)) was a squadron of the 4th Air Wing of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force based at Matsushima Air Base, in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. It was equipped with North American F-86F Sabre aircraft. [1]
The Japan Air Self-Defense Force, JASDF, also referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the air warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace and for other aerospace operations. It is the de facto air force of Japan. The JASDF carries out combat air patrols around Japan, while also maintaining a network of ground and air early-warning radar systems. The branch also has an aerobatic team known as Blue Impulse and has provided air transport in UN peacekeeping missions.
Iwate Prefecture is a prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. Located on the main island of Honshu, it contains the island's easternmost point. The capital is Morioka. Iwate has the lowest population density of any prefecture outside Hokkaido. Famous attractions include the Buddhist temples of Hiraizumi, including Chūson-ji and Mōtsū-ji with their treasures, Fujiwara no Sato, a movie lot and theme park in Esashi Ward, Oshu City, Tenshochi, a park in Kitakami City known for its big, old cherry trees and Morioka Castle in Morioka City.
The North American F-86 Sabre, sometimes called the Sabrejet, is a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as the United States' first swept wing fighter that could counter the swept-wing Soviet MiG-15 in high-speed dogfights in the skies of the Korean War (1950–1953), fighting some of the earliest jet-to-jet battles in history. Considered one of the best and most important fighter aircraft in that war, the F-86 is also rated highly in comparison with fighters of other eras. Although it was developed in the late 1940s and was outdated by the end of the 1950s, the Sabre proved versatile and adaptable and continued as a front-line fighter in numerous air forces until the last active operational examples were retired by the Bolivian Air Force in 1994.
