AIRFIX 1/72 North American F-86D Sabre

[adey m]

Another one I built many years ago was the Airfix 1970s release of the F-86D Sabre interceptor which was armed with 24 unguided Mighty Mouse rockets in a retractable tray under the nose.

 

 

My boxing was like this one. The model was moulded in that good quality hard silver grey plastic that characterised Airfix kits of the 1960s and 70s and literally clicked together with precision. Cockpit detail comprised a floor, ejector seat, instrument panel with a radar scope and a nicely  detailed pilot. The canopy was a beautifully moulded and clear one piece transparency. I added a brass wire pitot tube and opted to display the rocket housing in the down position which meant drilling 24 small holes in the front and back of the rocket tray.

 

I sprayed the model with Halfords Aluminium car paint and brush painted different airframe panels and the other colours.

 

There were two very nice decal options, the blue adorned one on the box front or a yellow adorned one of the 512th Fighter Interceptor Squadron which was based at RAF Bentwaters in 1956. As I have very fond memories of our time living near the USAF bases at  RAF Bentwaters and RAF Woodbidge in the 1960s and early 1970s and of the wonderful American presence all around us on the ground and in the sky I opted for the yellow trimmed one. The decals went on well.

 

Alas though I only have this one photograph of it.

 

 

The added detail in the cockpit and the rocket tray under the forward fuselage can be seen.

regards,  adey

Edited July 16, 2018 by adey m

[RMCS]

Classic kit...classic build...lovley

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Very nice Sabre Dog Adey 👍

Edited July 5, 2018 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Unfinished project]

Another classic Adey, I remember building this as little ickle unfinished project thanks for bringing back more happy memories. 👍

[Sabrejet]

Nice job! My late friend Pete Hutting was crew chief on '035 when it first arrived at Bentwaters:

 

 

[adey m]

24 minutes ago, Sabrejet said:

Nice job! My late friend Pete Hutting was crew chief on '035 when it first arrived at Bentwaters:

 

 

Oh yes, that is a fantastic coincidence Sabrejet and what a superb photograph of 035 sat on those old spectacle hardstandings at Bentwaters.

 

It is moments like this that make being part of the modelling community a great place to be.

 

Thankyou for posting this photo and hopefully it brings back happy memories of your friend Pete.

 

regards,  adey

[cardiff guy]

what a dog, sabre dog that is very nice work as always well done.

 

Glenn.

[72modeler]

Adey,

 

Are you sure that's not the Hasegawa kit? Very, very nice build! The Airfix kit is still a very nice one- wish Airfix or Hasegawa had molded the slats separately- those wings would be stripped for SO many conversions! Well done!

 

As an aside- Hi, SJ! What are you working on?

Mike

[Sabrejet]

8 hours ago, 72modeler said:

As an aside- Hi, SJ! What are you working on?

Mike

Adey - apologies for the thread hijack. Last night I cut the narrow-chord slatted wings off a Revell/Monogram 1/48 F-86D centre section and did the same on the Eduard F-86F to see if a swap can be done. It looks feasible so far, so l'm looking at early F-86F, late F-86E or (if my patience will stand it), F-86A. Long-term-ish because I have a 1/43 Alfa TZ and a 1/32 Tiger Moth I'd like to finish first! 

[Sabrejet]

@adey m - I found a similar grainy photo to yours: this is my attempt at the Airfix F-86D - taken I guess around 1988:

 

 

This was the second one I did - the first one I did when the kit first came out and in (IIRC) the kit sharkmouth markings. Shame about my photography but it's still a good kit and probably cheap as chips!

[Britman]

Very smart. Has anyone knowledge of 48th decals for 512th , 13th or 14th F86D's. My dad was at Manston with them as a civilian finisher at the time and had a hand in developing the lance down the side. I  think this would be a great subject as a stand alone subject for all three squadrons. 

[adey m]

12 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

@adey m - I found a similar grainy photo to yours: this is my attempt at the Airfix F-86D - taken I guess around 1988:

 

 

This was the second one I did - the first one I did when the kit first came out and in (IIRC) the kit sharkmouth markings. Shame about my photography but it's still a good kit and probably cheap as chips!

That really is superb SJ, you put in a lot of extra work on the Airfix model by the look of it. To open up the canopy would have required scratchbuilding a full cockpit too, ditto for the open airbrakes.  And I can see the retractable step.

 

They have left the grass to grow rather long around the dispersal area though .....................

 

regards,  adey

Edited July 7, 2018 by adey m

[Sabrejet]

12 hours ago, Britman said:

Very smart. Has anyone knowledge of 48th decals for 512th , 13th or 14th F86D's. My dad was at Manston with them as a civilian finisher at the time and had a hand in developing the lance down the side. I  think this would be a great subject as a stand alone subject for all three squadrons. 

I did the Eagles Talon Dog as a 514th aircraft but can't recall if the decals were original to the kit. I don't recall anyone doing a 513th scheme in 1/48th. 512th wasn't at Manston with F-86Ds but I recall that Revell did a kit with these markings. 

[FAAMAN]

Superb work on the Airfix Dogs gents, your finishes were outstanding

Three of these in the stash, two of the original boxing and an MPC 1982 issue with Artic Hi-viz panels which is a replacement for a started Dog that was ruined during painting by the atomising nozzel in one of those small spray cans of Humbrol Silver Fox failing and dumping most of the can in a split second over my model

Keep the memories coming old son, love being dragged down memory lane

[ColinChipmunkfan]

Great pictures of reminders of younger times.  I agree with FAAMAN, keep driving us down memory lane Adey.

[Eric Mc]

One of my favourite Classic Airfix kits.

[adey m]

16 hours ago, FAAMAN said:

Superb work on the Airfix Dogs gents, your finishes were outstanding

Three of these in the stash, two of the original boxing and an MPC 1982 issue with Artic Hi-viz panels which is a replacement for a started Dog that was ruined during painting by the atomising nozzel in one of those small spray cans of Humbrol Silver Fox failing and dumping most of the can in a split second over my model

Keep the memories coming old son, love being dragged down memory lane

Don't you just hate that, after all the preparation work it just explodes all at once before you have even started ........😉

Edited July 8, 2018 by adey m

[Selwyn]

On 7/6/2018 at 6:46 PM, Sabrejet said:

Nice job! My late friend Pete Hutting was crew chief on '035 when it first arrived at Bentwaters:

 

 

Interesting that although its the same aircraft depicted in the Airfix kit the  markings are  modified and from a different time in its flying  life.  It's different in that the Buzz number is positioned on the nose and the large "US AIR FORCE" is missing but the yellow cheat line is the same as the airfix depiction. It should be easy enough to use the kit decals to depict this changed scheme.

 

I just wonder if this is the early Bentwaters scheme or a later scheme? Anyone know? 

 

Selwyn

[Knight_Flyer]

Certainly is a good blast from the past for me. I really liked the different look of the Sabre Dog and a bonus to have a nmf USAF scheme. As I recall, the kit went together really well - quite unusual for an Airfix model I thought at the time.

Edited July 8, 2018 by Knight_Flyer

[Eric Mc]

Airfix produced a few kits around the time of the Sabre D that are little gems. I'd include thge P-80 and the F-84F.

[adey m]

5 hours ago, Selwyn said:

Interesting that although its the same aircraft depicted in the Airfix kit the  markings are  modified and from a different time in its flying  life.  It's different in that the Buzz number is positioned on the nose and the large "US AIR FORCE" is missing but the yellow cheat line is the same as the airfix depiction. It should be easy enough to use the kit decals to depict this changed scheme.

 

I just wonder if this is the early Bentwaters scheme or a later scheme? Anyone know? 

 

Selwyn

That is an interesting observation and question Selwyn and I am finding it difficult to find an answer on the web. So I have reverted to some good old fashioned looking through my books.  In my copy of FORCE FOR FREEDOM The USAF in the UK since 1948 all the photographs of USAF fighters before about 1956 have the Buzz numbers on their noses and then from about 1956-57 the Buzz numbers have moved to the tail and U.S. AIR FORCE appears on the nose. I would therefore dare to conclude that the photograph of 035 at Bentwaters was taken before some sort of ruling came out regarding the above.

 

regards, adey

[Sabrejet]

6 hours ago, Selwyn said:

Interesting that although its the same aircraft depicted in the Airfix kit the  markings are  modified and from a different time in its flying  life.  It's different in that the Buzz number is positioned on the nose and the large "US AIR FORCE" is missing but the yellow cheat line is the same as the airfix depiction. It should be easy enough to use the kit decals to depict this changed scheme.

 

I just wonder if this is the early Bentwaters scheme or a later scheme? Anyone know? 

 

Selwyn

To be fully accurate, the photo above shows '035 in 87th FIS colours rather than 512th: this little-lived (at Bentwaters) unit - and little-known too - had been based at Sioux City AFB in Iowa, and operated the F-51D Mustang until September 1953, when it made a massive jump to the F-86D.  The squadron was alerted for overseas movement in July 1954 'less aircraft and equipment' and then began to relinquish its aircraft and prepared for transport by sea to RAF Bentwaters. There it would pick up newly-assigned F-86Ds which had separately been shipped to St Nazaire, France.

 

On 13 December 1954 the first 87th FIS personnel arrived at Bentwaters, and on 21 December the unit was reassigned to 3rd Air Force, USAF Europe; 87th FIS was supported by the RAF Manston-based Sabre squadrons of 406th FIW for administrative and supply purposes. The squadron receiveed F-86D-45 and –50 Sabres from 2 January 1955, with 52-10035 being assigned from St Nazaire on 17 January. The photo above was taken during the early months of 1955.

 

87th FIS was inactivated on 8 September 1955 and its personnel and equipment passed to 512th FIS, whose squadron designation was transferred to Bentwaters from Soesterberg in Holland the same day. The 87th FIS badge and ‘Vigilare Pro Pace’ motto also passed to 512th FIS.

 

The Airfix kit markings show the aircraft as it appeared (in 512th FIS ownership) at the May 1956 Sculthorpe Armed Forces Open House.
 

Incidentally, the change in buzz number etc was a 1954/55 USAF Order but took some time to effect at the manufacturers, and even longer to make the change in service. I no doubt have a date of the order some place, but as mentioned, it took the units a year or two to get the aircraft repainted. I may do a separate post because I don't want to hijack @adey m 's thread any more!

 

 

Edited July 8, 2018 by Sabrejet

[Andre B]

Wonder if anyone at Airfix knew about what nugget they have in their F-86D mould? It's time to see it be reissued or why not a new mould F-86D?

 

Cheers / André

 

Edited July 8, 2018 by Andre B

[Selwyn]

3 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

To be fully accurate, the photo above shows '035 in 87th FIS colours rather than 512th: this little-lived (at Bentwaters) unit - and little-known too - had been based at Sioux City AFB in Iowa, and operated the F-51D Mustang until September 1953, when it made a massive jump to the F-86D.  The squadron was alerted for overseas movement in July 1954 'less aircraft and equipment' and then began to relinquish its aircraft and prepared for transport by sea to RAF Bentwaters. There it would pick up newly-assigned F-86Ds which had separately been shipped to St Nazaire, France.

 

On 13 December 1954 the first 87th FIS personnel arrived at Bentwaters, and on 21 December the unit was reassigned to 3rd Air Force, USAF Europe; 87th FIS was supported by the RAF Manston-based Sabre squadrons of 406th FIW for administrative and supply purposes. The squadron receiveed F-86D-45 and –50 Sabres from 2 January 1955, with 52-10035 being assigned from St Nazaire on 17 January. The photo above was taken during the early months of 1955.

 

87th FIS was inactivated on 8 September 1955 and its personnel and equipment passed to 512th FIS, whose squadron designation was transferred to Bentwaters from Soesterberg in Holland the same day. The 87th FIS badge and ‘Vigilare Pro Pace’ motto also passed to 512th FIS.

 

The Airfix kit markings show the aircraft as it appeared (in 512th FIS ownership) at the May 1956 Sculthorpe Armed Forces Open House.
 

Incidentally, the change in buzz number etc was a 1954/55 USAF Order but took some time to effect at the manufacturers, and even longer to make the change in service. I no doubt have a date of the order some place, but as mentioned, it took the units a year or two to get the aircraft repainted. I may do a separate post because I don't want to hijack @adey m 's thread any more!

 

 

Thanks for the info!  I might have to get out my Airfix Sabre Dog out of the stash and  have a go at the earlier scheme.

 

Selwyn

[Terry1954]

Great thread Adey. I'm working through my third F-86 build (in recent years) at the moment (thread elsewhere), and I have a couple of D's in the stash. Maybe I'll do a D next!

 

Terry