baldwin8

@Troy Smith by breakdown, I assume your referring to Constructor Numbers? This is it. Notice I do not use the term "Mark" in the list when describing the Canadair Sabre versions. The "Mark" seems a unofficial one that I can't see mentioned in Canadair or RCAF documents, although I can not speak for the RAF Sabre 4. Various changes were made during manufacture of the aircraft and not all changes were version specific. C/N Sabre Variant 1 1 2 to 352 2 100 3 353 to 790 4 791 to 1160 5 1161 to 1815 6

@Troy Smith , When dealing with Canadair Sabres, it is really best to take into account the Constructor Number(C/N) list for the various changes introduced. The change from slatted wing to the non-slatted 6-3 wing began at C/N 701 XD780 and carried through to C/N 1400 RCAF 23610. At C/N 1401 RCAF 23611 the slats on the 6-3 were re-introduced until the last, C/N 1815. Early Sabre 6's with the hard wing were later equipped with the slats. This information is contained in the very detailed book "Canadair Sabre" by Larry Milberry.

In this photo of 421 squadron Sabre 5's, the first aircraft looks to have a black cockpit, while the one behind a grey one.

Fewer outdoor distractions these days and a few hours at the bench on this and other projects. Poor representation of the area behind the seat in the cockpit. Without a good view of that area I will close it in. Continuing checking for tolerances with the sidewalls of the fuselage halves. More detail will be added to the cockpit. Intake smoothed with putty and then flat Tamiya white paint and topcoat of AK Metal color Duraluminium. The front of the engine now painted dark grey, when cured, bright metal colour with be added to the bullet nose and compressor blades will feature some highlighting and shadows. After the fuselage is closed another check over photographs and drawings for correcting panel lines, blemishes etc.. Searching around the internet and finding some gems, like this DND image catching a photo tech servicing a gunsight camera. Offering some nice period views of the upper instrument panel detail and colour. Thanks for looking. Craig

Gene, if you try this, it should work http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2016/10/north-american-fj-44b-fury-notes.html and this http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2009/10/fj-fury.html

I know a FOD cover would reduce time building but this is special project for me and really trying to make it interesting with lots to look at. Including the pitot tube on the upper side of the intake. The putty works very well, almost ready to paint it.

Very well done. Love the newer AA livery. Also like your subtle weathering.

Agreed Tony. I will likely use a dark pencil to make a seam where it needs to be. Do you know what colour the intake should be, natural aluminum?

As per Milberry's Sabre book c/n 701 (XD780) started the 6-3 non-slatted wing. I always prefer the use of constructor numbers but hope this helps with the RAF serial.

Thank you Gene K and hoping all is well with you today. So much more sense of creating something when I can carve and cut my way to a finished part. My Putty arrived in the mail yesterday and allowed me to fill some very rough gaps in the intake. Perfect Plastic Putty is water soluble so working inside this very small area with sculpting tools and a large round paint brush dipped in water made the intake thing manageable. I took nearly an hour working in small areas and careful blending to get it to degree of smoothness I wanted. Wouldn't a slide moulded intake be perfect for this kit? I may retouch this a bit. Academy's treatment of the intake/cockpit/nose landing gear well was very simplified and seams in the intake were a problem. The nose landing gear well you can see had to filed down to allow for the ammo containers and panel inner structure. A period photo of the front view of the Orenda engine. Note hole in the front end of the bullet nose. Just in case some snoopy spectator decides to shine their light up my engine inlet. I'm ready for them, right @Steve in Ottawa ? Now moving onto the ammo containers in that open armament door. Thank you for checking in. Craig

Thank you Sabrejet, although I am keeping this one together I do appreciate all this information. As well I love seeing the "insides" in shots like that. Some things never change, that yellow maintenance stand in the second post was still being used during most of my career in the Canadian Forces. Simple but effective.

A lot of research and bit of modelling to keep this going. I will admit I love the research part. Finding the little nuggets of information is a reward for me. This website has some good pictures and information about operations at 2 Wing, Grostenquin France http://www.c-and-e-museum.org/grostenquin/gtphotos.html A great photo reference for this project. NMF Sabre 5 of 421 squadron. This squadron operated the 5 from March 1954 to June 1956, a small window before replaced by the Sabre 6. The ammunition trays access panel was used as a step as well to access the cockpit and it will be shown in the open position. Again going the scratchbuilding route just for the love of scratchbuilding. Some more panel lines are filled in as seen with the grey Tamiya surfacer. Some times at least two days curing before sanding to ensure no shrinkage after sanding. While there was good detail in the kit speedbrake bay, my choice was to replace with my own detailing. The forward section of the bay bulkhead needed the cutouts for the speedbrake arms to be angled as on the actual bulkhead. Still deciding on how to add the hydraulic lines, either wire or stretched sprue, which I've seen done rather well by some modellers. @Sabrejet has aided some research for the project as well, he is a wealth of information of this aircraft. Thank you for looking in.

@Steve in Ottawa and I have been researching the Canadair Sabres and trying to sort out the differences. While the Canadair Sabre 5 and 6's have the "sugar scoops" installed in the lower position (left and right) the F have this ventilation type panel. Only assuming it is for extra ventilation required for the different engines installed.

This project has started to take up a lot of my modelling time so I would like to share with you my research and modifying the Academy F-86F to a Canadair Sabre 5. A huge aid in this project is a Facebook group page and Larry Milberry's Canadair Sabre book ( which is still available). Some members and friends are helping out with sorting out all the details to make this as accurate as I would like make it. My intent is finish in livery as a 5 would have been in frontline service in Europe, mid 1950's. The Milberry Canadair Sabre book will aid with a lot of information. Typical Larry Milberry style with a great set of 1/48 drawings at the back in the blue pages. Along with serial number histories and constructor facts of the aircraft. The kit holds up well to the drawings in the book for shape but panel lines need to be adjusted in different spots. Careful study of a number of photographs show the vertical fin forward extension is way too blunt and without the crispness of the actual Sabre. Finding the photo that shows this well is difficult. Once I noticed anomaly with the kit it became more of a sticking point with me and I had to correct. Although the side view was the correct shape, much sanding was required to thin the shape. Also you will notice I am removing part of the speed brake well to redo the multiple hydraulic lines and components in each well. Although online information shows changes from the F-86F to a Canadair Sabre 5/6, it usually only includes the removal and addition of the fuel filling caps. The fuselage bottom has two vents to be modified as well. The only pictures I have are copyright protected, so I will show the image from the Milberry book. Several aftermarket resin sets are available for this kit, but I love a challenge...... I will be using the kit cockpit and add detail to it plus detailing the area aft of the seat on the rear deck. The intake will difficult to fill but I choose to remove part of the intake that can not be seen to allow me to access the seams that will filling and sanding. The external fuel wing tanks look very good but are dressed up with stretched sprue to give the look of weld seams. I can't guarantee the rate of my progress but hopefully show you some more work as I proceed. Thank you for looking in.

Great completion @Columbia20713Yes airliners do get dirty. I've even seen a couple of Lufthansa airliners with a lot of dirt on them pass through our airport.