51-2190

Is the F86 Sabre with the tail number of 12910 at Classic Wings museum in New Zealand authentic? I.E. is it really the 3rd F86 that Joseph McConnell flew in Korea?

No, the New Zealand preserved F-86 carries fake marks “12910” It is actually a F-86F-25-NA s/n 51-13496. (ex Iranian AF, and ex Ethiopian AF s/n 277).

The real F-86F-1-NA s/n 51-2910 of USAF 39th FIS (Joseph McConnell's ride) was transferred to the Taiwanese Air Force and later written-off.

Joe McConnell's jet, was named; "Beauteous Butch II"

McConnell flew 3 different F-86s, all named “Beautious Butch II”; a pet name for his wife. (One F-86E and two F-86F's one of the -F's was shot down, the other to Taiwan)

There are (were) quite a few F-86s on display, marked as 12910. I may have missed a few!

Some are:

F-86A-1-NA s/n 47-614 preserved at the Chanute Aerospace Museum, IL, falsely marked as “12910“

F-86F-30-NA s/n 52-4573 USAF 355th FIS (4th FIW) preserved at Osan AB, falsely marked as 12910 “51-2910”

F-86F-25-NA s/n 52-5513 preserved at the USAF Armaments Museum, FL, falsely marked as “12831” and now as “12910“

F-86F-40-NA s/n 55-5035 Taiwanese AF as F-86423, to the US Navy as spare parts for the QF-86F drone fleet,preserved at the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham, AL, falsely marked as “12910”

The Yanks Air Museum also has a "12910" also in false mks. It is Canadair CL-13B Sabre 6, ex RCAF and other services. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/51-2910.html

Your reference to New Zealand's 12910 is here (but listed incorrectly as 52-2190)

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/52-2190.html

Your original post's link to 51-2190 need to be corrected, as 51-2190 was in reality a B-47B Stratojet.

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/51-2190.html

Clear as mud?

John