F-86F Sabre drop tanks

[Dazey]

Hello all,

I am seeking advice on how to construct an F-86F Sabre that is in-flight but has jettisoned its drop tanks (e.g. when the Sabres were about to engage Migs): Should I attach the drop tank rack/connector(?) to the wing undersides, or omit all such parts and just fill the holes on the wing underside?

(I am using the Airfix 1/72 kit for the F86-F/E; # A03082A)

I've searched many images on the web and modelling forums, but haven't found anything useful, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

By the way, I have only just started making models in the last couple of months with my first-born. Otherwise, it has been more than 35 years since I put together a Matchbox kit. I am amazed at how the hobby has progressed and what products and after-market upgrades are available for the base kits. Good times ahead.

Many thanks in advance,

Dazey

[72modeler]

Dazey,

The pylons remained on the aircraft- just the tanks and/or ordnance would be jettisoned. Also, be aware that the number of pylons on an F-86F depends upon what variant you plan to model. Up to the F-86F-30, Sabres carried one pylon under each wing. Beginning with the F-86F-25 and F-86F-30 an additional pylon was added to each wing inboard from the original pair; it was able to carry either 1,000 lbs of ordnance or an external fuel tank. In addition, this pylon was longer and a different shape than the outboard pylon.

Mike

Edited February 17, 2016 by 72modeler

[Wez]

So Dazey,

It depends upon what markings you're doing your Sabre in and the time period, if it's a FIW aircraft, it'll just have the tank pylons, if it's an FBW aircraft it may have the bomb pylons. Either way, as Mike says, the pylons should stay with the aircraft (this is normal practice for most aircraft).

Do a Google search for the aircraft you're doing to find out what it's got.

FIW - Fighter Intercept Wing - fighter fit.

FBW - FighterBomber Wing - fighter bomber fit

Edited February 17, 2016 by Wez

[Tony Edmundson]

The pylons remained with the tank when dropped. Just try to find a photo of a returning/landing Sabre with just pylons, that aren't bomb pylons. They don't exist.

Here are some tank pylon pics;

The Sabre above has already dropped his tanks;

HTH Tony

Edited February 17, 2016 by Tony Edmundson

[Wez]

Wow!

It just goes to show, you learn something new every day, thanks for that Tony!

Happy to admit I got this wrong

Edited February 17, 2016 by Wez

[Red Dragon]

The tanks could be jettisoned complete with pylons.

Phil

[Dazey]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies, useful information and images. I had trawled through 100s of images without finding an informative photo. I did find a copy of artwork showing a group of Sabres dropping their tanks with pylons attached, but was unsure of how much artistic licence had been taken.

In a way it’s good the drop tank pylons were also jettisoned – saves me moving the naked pylons inboard as I did with the wing fences.

I am doing this kit as John Glenn’s “Mig Mad Marine”, so I will also be omitting the kit’s bomb racks too. I have images of the artwork and Glenn's Sabre, but I think I'm unable or not allowed to attach them.

Regards, and thanks again!
Dazey

[72modeler]

Tony,

Wow! I did not know that, either! Now that you mentioned it, I started looking at photos, and you are right! Can't believe I never noticed that before, but it always seems if you're not looking for a specific detail, you don't catch it until somebody else calls your attention to it. Guess a lot of the ground photos of Sabres with bare pylons attached were staged, which makes sense. Guess maybe the inboard pylons on the FB Sabres were retained due to being plumbed for stores/fuel nd were not just simple/easy to fabricate units like the dedicated fuel tank pylons.I have only found one excellent photo of an inboard pylon in the new series FAOW on the Sabre that shows the shape and the fuel plumbing very well.

Thanks for your expertise!

Mike