1/72 TF-86F Sabre Trainer

[Sabrejet]

Couple of bits I forgot to mention:

 

1. I noted a reference to the TF-86Fs having taller tailfins: this isn't correct. I suspect that someone has misinterpreted 'extra fin area' in the wrong way. To reiterate, on the No.2 aircraft the extra fin area was added at the junction of the fin and the dorsal spine: it's the darker-coloured triangular aluminium section visible forward of the 'E' in 'U S AIR FORCE' in this photo:

 

 

2. A lesson learnt from the No.1 TF-86F was that forward visibility from the aft cockpit was obscured by the headrest of the front seat (unlike many tandem two-seaters, the TF-86Fs didn't have an aft seat which was raised in comparison to the front seat, which would have allowed the aft pilot to gain some forward visibility over the head of the front-seater). As a result, the No.2 TF-86F had a headrest which was smaller in area and could be folded horizontal to reduce the obstruction: its lower edge was padded so that it could afford some comfort if folded flat with a front-seat pilot aboard. Key thing here is that I have never seen the headrest of the No.2 TF-86F in anything but its folded, horizontal position - I suspect it was just too much of a pain to remember to fold/unfold it each time. See photos above and these too:

 

 

 

 

 

[Courageous]

Sabrejet...to late to alter my headrest now.

 

Model has had its first coat of Metalcote, so a light buff tonight before its second coat. DIY decals have been done, printed and 'filmed'. Hopefully they'll be going on soon.

 

As a matter of interest, what colour is the nose cone of '228' as I've seen varying colours. Thinking of doing the 'near white' cone? Also, what is that bit at top of fin?

 

Stuart

[woody37]

Never seen one of these before, looking forwards to the progress pics

[Sabrejet]

1 hour ago, Courageous said:

Sabrejet...to late to alter my headrest now.

 

Model has had its first coat of Metalcote, so a light buff tonight before its second coat. DIY decals have been done, printed and 'filmed'. Hopefully they'll be going on soon.

 

As a matter of interest, what colour is the nose cone of '228' as I've seen varying colours. Thinking of doing the 'near white' cone? Also, what is that bit at top of fin?

 

Stuart

 

Headrest will be OK - you'll just have it in the unfolded position!

 

Nose cone (gunsight radome) colour varies: most will be black from new, which is a neoprene-type protective coating. As it wears off, you see the bare fibreglass/honeycomb structure underneath and colour is governed by the type of resin used in the fibreglass, and how long it's been exposed to sunlight. I have seen darkish-brown radomes but the base colour in later radomes is actually a very pale yellowy-green (very pale).

 

The fin-top area is where the VHF and IFF antennae are located: being less wear-prone they usually remain more or less in their native state, with a pale gray paint coating. There is a Spec quoted for this coating, but I doubt the Spec specifies a defined colour, since its main requirements are to provide protection and to be radio-transparent.

 

EDIT: just to clarify, on the No.2 TF-86F, the top-most, forward part of the fin tip (if that makes sense) was aluminium alloy, in NMF: the rest of the fin-tip was fibreglass, painted Spec AN-L-29, which was a light gray colour. For leading edge protection, the very small portion of fibreglass at the front of the fin cap (i.e the bit below the aluminium portion) had a black neoprene coating applied.

 

Hope that makes sense.

Edited May 12, 2017 by Sabrejet

[Courageous]

4 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

 

Headrest will be OK - you'll just have it in the unfolded position!

 

Nose cone (gunsight radome) colour varies: most will be black from new, which is a neoprene-type protective coating. As it wears off, you see the bare fibreglass/honeycomb structure underneath and colour is governed by the type of resin used in the fibreglass, and how long it's been exposed to sunlight. I have seen darkish-brown radomes but the base colour in later radomes is actually a very pale yellowy-green (very pale).

 

The fin-top area is where the VHF and IFF antennae are located: being less wear-prone they usually remain more or less in their native state, with a pale gray paint coating. There is a Spec quoted for this coating, but I doubt the Spec specifies a defined colour, since its main requirements are to provide protection and to be radio-transparent.

 

EDIT: just to clarify, on the No.2 TF-86F, the top-most, forward part of the fin tip (if that makes sense) was aluminium alloy, in NMF: the rest of the fin-tip was fibreglass, painted Spec AN-L-29, which was a light gray colour. For leading edge protection, the very small portion of fibreglass at the front of the fin cap (i.e the bit below the aluminium portion) had a black neoprene coating applied.

 

Hope that makes sense.

Thanks Sabrejet

 

So, using the above image, what would the nose cone and tail tip colour be?

 

Stuart

[Sabrejet]

As per:

 

 

[Courageous]

Well it's been a little while since the last update...1:1 stuff keeps getting in the way.

 

 

Well the paint is on but for some reason the Metalcote was harder work this time round, don't know what I done different to last time. Two coats of Clear also on, next stop decals; from the box and the DIY serials.

 

Stuart

[Lightningboy2000]

Hi Stuart, looking good so far.

 

Martin

[Courageous]

All done. RFI... 

 

Stuart

 

[Bedders]

Just seen the RFI. Lovely job on a really interesting subject. 

Edited May 19, 2017 by Bedders

[AngstROM]

TOP NOTCH!