The Canadair Sabre was a variant of F-86 Sabre jet fighter aircraft built by Canadair under license from North American Aviation. It was equipped with the Canadian-built Orenda engine which enhanced altitude performance and climb rate over the previous versions while retaining excellent low-speed characteristics. It was considered to be the best production Sabres ever built. The Canadian public best remembers the Sabre as the aircraft of the RCAF Golden Hawks aerobatic flying team, which performed dazzling aerial displays in the 1960s. Initially a six-plane team flying the brilliantly-painted metallic-gold Canadair Sabres were supposed to perform for one year, but the Golden Hawks were so popular after their initial 1970 season that the team was expanded.