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The F-86F Saberjet Era (1957- 1967)
1955- 1957 The prop-driven P-51 Mustangs were gradually phased out and the Filipino pilots transitioned in the first T-33 jet trainers flown in from Japan. This temporarily halted the public exhibition of the Blue Diamond as the modernization of the Air Force took place. In 1957, the PAF acquired the more modern F-86F Sabre jets. A number of fighter pilots and some members of the Blue Diamond were made to undergo jet-flying courses at Clark Air Base and in various USAF service schools. With the absence of the original members who were into jet transition training, a new team was formed employing the venerable Mustangs, if only to maintain the growing air show tradition. Col Godofredo Juliano the 5th FW Commander designated Lt Lino C Abadia Jr as team leader. Abadia was from the 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron and he proceeded to forge a team from the fliers in his unit. Unfortunately he died in a Mustang crash a day before the Aviation Week Performance. Weeks earlier, unaware of the formation of the Mustangs contingency team, Lt Gonzalez, together with the 6th TFS pilots, flew hard under fifty hours, wrestling to get acquainted with the first Sabre jets. Their performance, done in neat precision and audacity stole the admiration of crowds and the respect of foreign flyers and visiting head of states that came to view the vaunted Sabres. Before the year passed though, another pilot was lost. Capt Antonio Roig had long wanted to join the aerobatics team. In one of the team’s rehearsal over Clark, he tagged along and from a distance followed the aerial repertoire. His engine flamed out. Roig’s right wing plowed into the field in a fiery crash. 1958 The team increased to eight aircraft and for the first time the use of smoke was introduced. Silhouetted against the sky, the smoke outlined the exact movements of the planes and greatly enhanced their appeal. 1959 In the year’s air show, participated by the American and Chinese Air Forces, a nine member Blue Diamond team with three airborne reserves virtually stole the thunder from the USAF Thunderbirds. At the start of the performance, team leader Gonzalez stunned the crowd when he took off and rushing toward them snapped his Sabre into a perfect roll with gears and flaps extended only meters from the ground, then at the last moment pulled up into an astonishing Immelman turn, stabbing in the reverse direction. It was the first time that at such low altitude and airspeed aviation on F-86F performed such daring maneuvers. He capped his solo number with a clean slow roll. The applause was loudest when the team went into a difficult cloverleaf with four loops and twists at the top of each leaf, then broke into a neat bomb burst breakaway. Born fliers, team members owed their proficiency to constant practice more than anything else. Gonzalez rarely flew with the whole band. His normal practice runs involved only the basic 4-plane diamond formations. In one practice, Gonzalez heard a loud explosion from his cockpit. His left armament panel tore off its rivets (Capts Angel Mapua and Romeo Almario as his right and left wingman and Reinfredo Barrientos as slot). Mapua was able to slide out, but Barrientos rammed into Almario. Although both aircraft suffered major wing damages, they were able to safely land at Basa. Before the year ended though, the team was mourning the loss of 2Lt Gilberto Ledesma when he crashed while practicing aerial combat. 1960 The Blue Diamonds emerged with a new team leader, Capt Angel Mapua. Under him, the Blue Diamond’s membership ballooned to sixteen, by far the largest PAF aerial demonstration team ever organized. For the first time, the members of the Blue Diamonds were chosen from other squadrons. The team renamed their group the Blue Diamonds, the letter S added, hinting a quality of individuality in oneness and oneness in individuality. One team member never made it to the actual performance. 2Lt Norberto de Guzman lost his life in a crash while on a routine mission. 1961 “Deadly Gun” Capt Marcelo Barbero Jr led the team in 1961. Switching to 12 planes, they treated their audience to a colorful repertoire by using colored smoke burnt out of the exhaust pipes of the Sabre jets, instead of the standard white smoke. Under Barbero’s leadership, the Blue Diamonds enjoyed the widest publicity ever received. 1962 In 1962, Capt Isidro Agunod who led a nine–plane formation during the Aviation Week celebration, introduced new maneuvers. The team performed only for 10 minutes because of a tragedy. The crowd was never aware of what actually happened. Weather conditions were cited as the main reason for the aborted performance. 2Lt Salvador Abadesco , a member of the team developed engine trouble during the performance. He separated from the flight and proceeded to Manila Bay. He tried ditching the aircraft but be didn’t make it. 1963 The team did not perform. Taking a lesson from last year’s interruption of the air show, the CAA decided to move the aviation week from November to March to avoid the seasonal inclement weather conditions and thereby practically safeguard future shows. Instead the PAF activated and sent the 9th Tactical Fighter Limbas Squadron to Congo, Africa in response to the United Nations call for concerted peacekeeping efforts. Several members of the team readily transferred to the 9th TFS to see action in Africa. 1964 The next performance came in March 1964 at the resumption of the annual Aviation Week. Capt Angel Mapua once again led the Blue Diamonds. The nine –man team with two reserves started its show with a whifferdill, a loop in formation wedge, and a right roll then on top to a wedge switching to a diamond and back to a roll in wedge. Then came the impressive bomb burst followed by a stunt pass and a 360 degree low level turns, spontaneously executing a lazy eight, then on to pitch out before landing. 1965 In 1965, the PAF acquired the more sophisticated jet powered, twin engine supersonic F-5A Freedom Fighter. However it was only in 1968 that the Blue Diamonds shifted to the Freedom Fighter. While the members were learning the feel of the aircraft, the team stuck to the Sabres for their demonstration-placing premium on polished excellence under Capt Mapua’s leadership. 1966 The Blue Diamonds’ six plane demonstration in 1966 marked the last time they utilized the F-86 Sabres. It was a proud moment for the Sabres which were flying farewell to the team and prouder for the pilots who flew, as it capped an era tied to the last war and heralded a new age in flying. 1967 As in the case of the Mustang-Sabre jets transition, the initiation to the Freedom Fighters took time and led to the scrapping of the aviation activities.
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