Hasegawa F-86D Sabre Dog 'Shark Teeth' 1:72

[Julien]

F-86D Sabre Dog "Shark Teeth"

Hasegawa 1:72

In 1948 following an intelligence warning concerning Soviet long range bombers the USAF was prompted to accelerate the development of an all-weather interceptor to protect the US. This interceptor was to be based around the new 2.75 Mighty Mouse Folding Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR). It was felt at the time that a salvo of such rockets would be more effective against a large bomber formation than cannon fire. These were fitted to the F-86D in a ventral tray which extended under the airframe.

North American designed the interceptor around their already successful F-86A, although the D model only actually had a 25% commonality of parts with other F-86 variants. It had a larger/wider fuselage, a larger afterburning engine, a clamshell canopy; and a nose radome hosing an AN-APG-36 all weather radar. The prototype (then called the YF-95) first flew on 22/12/49 becoming the first night fighter with only a single a crew member and a single for the USAF.

The Kit
This kit from Hasegawa has been around for a while yet but is still the best F-86D in 1/72.The kit represents the later model F-86D with the parachute housing. The moulds are starting to show their age a bit as there is a lot of flash on some of the parts, that being aid its great to see the kit being re-released as its been hard to find of late.

Construction of the kit follows the usual steps starting with the cockpit. This is not as detailed as some F-86 kits with the base of the ejection seat being moulded into the cockpit tub. Following this you need to make and add the intake, and exhaust to the fuselage before closing it up. No mention is made of having to add any nose weight, however its pretty sure this will be needed.

With the fuselage complete its time to add the wings. These are conventionally moulded with the slats as deeper panel lines. Hasegawa missed a trick here, the aircraft is rarely seen on the ground with the slats retracted and the kit would have been so much better had this feature been included in the kit.

Following this, it just remains to add all the detail parts to the airframe. The undercarriage is very nice, as its close to scale thickness care must be taken at this stage. If wanted a complete tray of the mighty mouse rockets can be built a placed under the fuselage in the down position for the tray. drop tanks are two halved but the fins are provided as separate parts which will enable the seam to be removed without any trouble. Hasegawa have done a credible job in moulding the rear vortex generators, some additional ones are provided for above the tailplane which the modeller will have to apply themselves.

The canopy is very clear and you can see the antenna lines moulded into the plasic which is good.

Decals
Decals are provided for two US aircraft from The 498th Fighter Intercept Squadron which feature the Sharks Teeth as the boxing would suggest. The first is FU-866, this aircraft has "Kings Queen" on the side and a crown. The second is FU-997, unlike the first aircraft this hs the "US AIR FORCE" titles on the side. This second aircraft has wing stripes, plus the character "BIG VIV" on the side. I am not sure who she was, or whether she appreciated being on the side of this F-86!

The decals appear well printed and not as thick as some of Hasegawa's normal offerings. The tail and tank decals come as two parts, they can be applied as a whole; or painted and the individual decals applied separately. The same can not be said for the canopy decals as you only get the complete sets with the white stars not being supplied as a separate.

Conclusion
Its great to see this kit out on release again from hasegawa, despite some flash showing on the parts, this is not great problem for the modeller; overall recomended.

Review sample courtesy of
UK distributors for

[rs2man]

Nice and welcome kit it may be , but 30 quid seems very expensive for a smallish and simple kit .

[Shalako]

Nice kit and a very interesting subject but, the price is wrong.