Airfix 1/72 F-86 Sabre - The repairs are almost done - It's a happy ending!

[Terry1954]

Having completed a Special hobby F-86H last year, and a hybrid CAC Avon Sabre last week (see below), this in theory gives me more time to work on the 1/72 Sedbergh glider ..................... however I'm already suffering Sabre withdrawal, so need to get another underway.

 

 

RFI's for both can be found on here.

 

I am a little spoilt for choice on the matter of which Sabre to build next:

 

 

In the end the chosen one is this, mainly because I actually have two of this one! I am undecided on exactly which scheme to do at the moment, but any suggestions welcome!

 

 

 

Progress so far is limited to some work in the cockpit to get some weight in a stable place and also make some improvements to the seat.

 

 

Also, some weeks back I recall @Lord Riot was given some advice on wing fence position so I have started to work on repositioning these more appropriately. The plan is to insert a fin sliver of plastic card and shape accordingly. I used this approach on the Avon Sabre and it worked OK.

 

You can probably just make out where the original fences were positioned, outboard of where I have made my cuts.

 

 

More to come soon.

 

Terry

[Azgaron]

Nice start!

 

Håkan

 

[Paul J]

I'm sure this will be a winner too! I could suggest finishing it as an RCAF F.4 . But thats just me liking Canadian schemes. So many to choose fom.  Look forward to seing progress.

[Lord Riot]

Good choice!

 

[Terry1954]

Cheers folks.

 

7 hours ago, Paul J said:

I'm sure this will be a winner too! I could suggest finishing it as an RCAF F.4 . But thats just me liking Canadian schemes. So many to choose fom.  Look forward to seing progress.

I like your suggestion Paul, and I will certainly look at that as an option. I see Hannants have the Model Alliance set for Canadian sabres, so will check that out. Will need to check out the wings though for the correct version.

 

Cheers

 

terry

[Tony Edmundson]

Wings of an RCAF Sabre 4 were of the original short chord slatted version.  HTH

 

Tony

[FAAMAN]

You don't have an Airfix Sabre Dog in your F-86 stash

Great work so far 🍻

I'll be watching this with interest as I've one of these to do 😎

[Hamden]

 

Nice start I'll take the seat in the corner and watch quietly if you don't mind?

 

        Roger

[Martian]

I would be inclined to go for the camouflaged option, it looks different.

 

Martian 👽

[Terry1954]

5 hours ago, Tony Edmundson said:

Wings of an RCAF Sabre 4 were of the original short chord slatted version.  HTH

 

Tony

Yes thanks Tony. I am aware that careful study of wings will be needed for RCAF sabres (and others I guess). I have found some sources which state that although F4's had the short cord slatted wings from the outset, some were subsequently retrofitted with 6-3 wing with fences. It seems F5's were fitted with the 6-3 and fences from the start. Also many Canadair Sabres were passed onto Nato countries so any retrofit may have occurred after leaving RCAF.

 

I think I would tend to try and get a photo ref of the model I choose to be sure!

 

Whatever option I choose to do, I will make sure its the 6-3 fenced wing as I don't plan to try and alter the wing!

 

Thanks again

 

Terry

[Terry1954]

4 hours ago, FAAMAN said:

You don't have an Airfix Sabre Dog in your F-86 stash

Great work so far 🍻

I'll be watching this with interest as I've one of these to do 😎

No Airfix Sabre Dog ......... yet 😁

 

4 hours ago, Hamden said:

 

Nice start I'll take the seat in the corner and watch quietly if you don't mind?

 

        Roger

Please do Roger, although I'm afraid I tend to build slowly......!

 

3 hours ago, Martian Hale said:

I would be inclined to go for the camouflaged option, it looks different.

 

Martian 👽

Thats my thinking at the moment as well Martian, I need a change from silver and N/M!

 

Terry

[StephenCJ]

Your Sabres look great.

 

Stephen

[Terry1954]

3 hours ago, StephenCJ said:

Your Sabres look great.

 

Stephen

Thanks Stephen, glad you like!

[Tony Edmundson]

5 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

Yes thanks Tony. I am aware that careful study of wings will be needed for RCAF sabres (and others I guess). I have found some sources which state that although F4's had the short cord slatted wings from the outset, some were subsequently retrofitted with 6-3 wing with fences. It seems F5's were fitted with the 6-3 and fences from the start. Also many Canadair Sabres were passed onto Nato countries so any retrofit may have occurred after leaving RCAF.

 

I think I would tend to try and get a photo ref of the model I choose to be sure!

 

Whatever option I choose to do, I will make sure its the 6-3 fenced wing as I don't plan to try and alter the wing!

 

Thanks again

 

Terry

Terry,  all that is true, I was just mentioning that the few Mk4s that the RCAF kept at first, were early in the batch and had the original wing.  Later on in RAF service, well that's another kettle of fish.

 

Model On !!

 

Tony

[Terry1954]

22 minutes ago, Tony Edmundson said:

Terry,  all that is true, I was just mentioning that the few Mk4s that the RCAF kept at first, were early in the batch and had the original wing.  Later on in RAF service, well that's another kettle of fish.

 

Model On !!

 

Tony

Cheers Tony, will do!

 

Terry

[Terry1954]

Spent some time on the Sedbergh today so had little time for this one, although I have been paring away at plastic to get a better wing to fuselage trial fit. The fit on this one doesn't seem great as you can see here:

 

 

Things are also a bit loose at the front end:

 

 

Plan is to finish off the new wing fences which are in place but need tidying up, then finish off the cockpit so that things can be closed up and I can sort the gaps in the wing/fuselage area.

 

Meanwhile I'm still pondering markings, RAF, RCAF, other ????

 

More tomorrow I think.

 

Cheers

 

Terry

[Courageous]

Yet to build an Airfix Sabre, so it's useful to see the fit issues.

 

Stuart

[Tony Edmundson]

if you're into fixing things up with the wing, you can move the wing tank pylon mounts in to 35mm from centreline.  Airfix got that wrong too.

 

Tony

Edited May 14, 2018 by Tony Edmundson

[FAAMAN]

Pardon me for asking, and I hope I'm not hi-jacking your thread, but what are the accuracy issues with this kit. You've made me start doubting my Chrissy (2016) purchase.

I have the F-86F/E(M) A03082A (2014) issue of the kit.

[Terry1954]

7 hours ago, Tony Edmundson said:

if you're into fixing things up with the wing, you can move the wing tank pylon mounts in to 35mm from centreline.  Airfix got that wrong too.

 

Tony

Hi Tony.

 

Thanks for that heads up! I can see what you mean from studying photo's of underside and alignment with inner aileron break line etc. Airfix comes out at 42mm from centreline.

Out of interest I measured the same on my Fujimi F-86F's and they come out as 41mm from centreline. Hasegawa F-86D's are spot on at 35mm. Special Hobby F-86K shows 42.5mm on the instructions - they actually specify where to make the holes.

Is it safe to assume therefore that only Hasegawa have that right?. Do you know if there were variations for say the K for example, for some reason or have Special Hobby got that wrong also along with Fujimi?

 

Really appreciate you pointing this out. I had originally wanted to make this one largely OOB, but I do like to get things right also, so will be fixing issues like this as required. Its a good job my builds are slow!

 

Many thanks

 

Terry

[Terry1954]

2 hours ago, FAAMAN said:

Pardon me for asking, and I hope I'm not hi-jacking your thread, but what are the accuracy issues with this kit. You've made me start doubting my Chrissy (2016) purchase.

I have the F-86F/E(M) A03082A (2014) issue of the kit.

Hi FAAMAN,

 

No problem at all. Thats what I like about this forum, plenty of views and experience to help in all ways. Certainly @Tony Edmundson will be able to advise I am sure.

 

I'm not best placed to answer, but as I understand it there are a few issues which can be relatively easily corrected the main ones being around wing fence position and wing pylons, but there may be others. There are other threads here on the subject, one I found was here:

 

 

In the end it depends on how far you want to go.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Terry

[Paul J]

3 hours ago, FAAMAN said:

Pardon me for asking, and I hope I'm not hi-jacking your thread, but what are the accuracy issues with this kit. You've made me start doubting my Chrissy (2016) purchase.

I have the F-86F/E(M) A03082A (2014) issue of the kit.

Very basically, The canopy frame too shallow easily fixed by what ever method one chooses, the talked about wing fences too far out by about 6.00mm/ quarter of an inch and likewise the underwing pylons. The wheels could do with replacing as the detail is a bit muddy. But thats about it for the main issues. Overrall a nice kit. Pavla do replacement canopy wheels etc, You only need to do a little bit of surgery to be done. Tony Edmundson will help greatly!!

[Tony Edmundson]

The poor areas of the Airfix kit have been previously mentioned and I will add the area behind the seat/under the canopy are fiction;   the speedbrake interior are a bit suspect;  the drop tanks are a bit wonky, but I find the worst aspect of the Airfix kit is the bloated belly, reminiscent of the F-86D.

 

Cheers, Tony

[stevehnz]

8 hours ago, Tony Edmundson said:

the bloated belly, reminiscent of the F-86D.

How does it compare to the Hobby Boss one you alerted me to sometime ago? At least the HB one has enough plastic to withstand some filing, which I would doubt the Airfix one does.

Steve.

[Tony Edmundson]

13 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

Hi Tony.

 

Thanks for that heads up! I can see what you mean from studying photo's of underside and alignment with inner aileron break line etc. Airfix comes out at 42mm from centreline.

Out of interest I measured the same on my Fujimi F-86F's and they come out as 41mm from centreline. Hasegawa F-86D's are spot on at 35mm. Special Hobby F-86K shows 42.5mm on the instructions - they actually specify where to make the holes.

Is it safe to assume therefore that only Hasegawa have that right?. Do you know if there were variations for say the K for example, for some reason or have Special Hobby got that wrong also along with Fujimi?

 

Really appreciate you pointing this out. I had originally wanted to make this one largely OOB, but I do like to get things right also, so will be fixing issues like this as required. Its a good job my builds are slow!

 

Many thanks

 

Terry

Strange that the old Airfix F-86D has the pylons in the correct place.

 

Tony