I should have gone into more detail on the different models of the F-86. There were two basic variants produced each with different details.
The first variant was the clear air, air superiority fighter. They were the A, E, and H models and they all had 6-.50 cal machine guns. They were the ones with guns. The A model is the one you think of for the Korean war and the Mig-15 fights. They had a small gun-laying radar that fed range to the gun sight that was one of the large advantages we had over the Migs in Korea. The small black bulb on the top of the inlet was the antenna, and was fixed. The biggest problem the A model had was the horizontal stabilizer/elevator system that made the pilot use muscle to control pitch. The E model changed the pitch system to a slab or all-flying tail and made pitch control much easier. This one came online around the end of '52 to '53 and used in Korea at the very end. The last model in the group was the H model and was the hot rod of the bunch. It had an afterburner, where the earlier models did not. I think it also had four hard points so it could carry some extra ordnance in addition to the drop tanks (which added the designation of fighter-bomber), where the earlier ones had only two, which usually carried the drops. Finally the ultimate performer was the Canadair Sabre, which the US didn't use.
The other variant was the D and L models which had the large radome above the intake, had an AI radar, carried only unguided rockets (no guns), had an afterburner and was a pure interceptor. The difference between the 2 interceptor models was the electronics package. No difference in outward appearance.
In '52 the only models were the A (no AI radar-guns), the air superiority model, and the D, the interceptor model (rockets-no guns), of which were the ones of Ruppelt's story.
PD