RAF Sabre

[DaveJL]

Hello all,

 

Could anyone tell me what model of Sabre the RAF used? I've read online that they were Canadair built jets - are there any visual differences on this variant compared to, say, an Academy F-86F kit?

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[chrisrope]

Canadair Sabre Mk.4 were used by the RAF. Earlier ones used the slatted narrower F-86E wing and later ones the broader F-86F non slatted wing with the little fences. 

 

Some, but not all, were “re-winged” with the later wings so you need to see which Aircraft you want to build as to which wing it had at the time

The Academy F-86 is a good starting kit for an RAF Sabre

[jaw]

If you can find the excellent book The Canadair Sabre in RAF Service by Duncan Curtiss that will tell you which Sabres had the slatted wing and which had the later 6-3 wing With fences. Bear in mind the some aircraft with the slatted wing had the 6-3 wing retrofitted whilst others retained the slatted wing throughout their RAF service. As a VERY  VERY rough guide those with the XB serials had the slatted wing initially ( but may have had the 6-3 wing retrofitted ) whilst those with XD serials tended to have the 6-3 wing from the outset. 

 

Hope me this helps but the book will give definite guidance.

 

John

[chrisrope]

 

 

@Paul J is selling the Sabre book here  

[rayprit]

1 hour ago, DaveJL said:

Hello all,

 

Could anyone tell me what model of Sabre the RAF used? I've read online that they were Canadair built jets - are there any visual differences on this variant compared to, say, an Academy F-86F kit?

 

Cheers

 

Dave

This subject has been done to death on this site, if you do a search of britmodeller you will find loads of articles on the wing configuration of the RAF Sabre...………..heres just one, there are plenty more

 

:-  

 

[DaveJL]

Thanks for the responses chaps. 

 

These are the only decals I can find from a quick search - the IV Sqn jet - straight out of the box?

[Des]

Quick glance turned up these ones as well - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-48-Eagle-Strike-Decals-F-86-Sabres-Monogram-Academy-Revell-Tamiya-Hasegawa/153498824640?hash=item23bd3e2fc0:g:HfoAAOSw42dZBk-o

[Biggles87]

You could also take a look at the recent RAF Sabre Build by @Fatcawthorne which might give you a few ideas.

 

John

[DaveJL]

28 minutes ago, Des said:

Quick glance turned up these ones as well - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-48-Eagle-Strike-Decals-F-86-Sabres-Monogram-Academy-Revell-Tamiya-Hasegawa/153498824640?hash=item23bd3e2fc0:g:HfoAAOSw42dZBk-o

Nice options on there, cheers.

 

11 minutes ago, Biggles87 said:

You could also take a look at the recent RAF Sabre Build by @Fatcawthorne which might give you a few ideas.

 

John

Will do, thanks.

[Wez]

4 hours ago, chrisrope said:

Some, but not all, were “re-winged” with the later wings

 

Not really re-winged, they just had their leading edges replaced.

 

2 hours ago, jaw said:

As a VERY  VERY rough guide those with the XB serials had the slatted wing initially ( but may have had the 6-3 wing retrofitted ) whilst those with XD serials tended to have the 6-3 wing from the outset.

Mmm, not really the case, plenty of the XD aircraft had slats, I guess its natural to assume that because XD serialled aircraft came after the XB serialled aircraft they were delivered later but I don't think that was actually the case, you'd have to check the Beechers Brook deliveries but I think they were all mixed up.

 

The XD aircraft were designated for ADGB, I haven't seen a picture of one of these painted in anything other than silver undersides.  The XB aircraft were intended for service with RAFG and had PRU Blue undersides (both had DSG/DG uppersurfaces).  I don't recall any of the ADGB jets serving in Germany but there were numerous cases of RAFG jets ending up with 66 and 92 Sqns in the UK.

 

There was at least one XB serialled jet with silver undersides but with the PRU Blue higher demarcation serving with 66 Sqn.

 

@Sabrejet is the main man for this subject.

Edited May 29, 2019 by Wez

[Sabrejet]

2 hours ago, jaw said:

If you can find the excellent book The Canadair Sabre in RAF Service by Duncan Curtiss that will tell you which Sabres had the slatted wing and which had the later 6-3 wing With fences.

"Curtis" (one 's')

 

4 Squadron operated only '6-3' winged aircraft so the Academy kit should be a good starting point. The only two major differences between the kit and the 4 Sqn aircraft would be to delete the prominent intake/vent panel at the leading edge of the vertical tail fin (simple case of sanding it flush); the Sabre 4 had a very simple exhaust duct in that area. Second thing to do is add the two small vents along the fuselage side which are a feature of F-86A/E and also the Canadair Sabres. I'll post some images in a bit to explain.

[Sabrejet]

Here you go:

 

 

[Sabrejet]

F-86E/Canadair Sabre fuselage (note prominent mid-fuselage vent and the simple exhaust vent at the base of the vertical fin extension):

 

 

 

And then the complex vent/exhaust panel of the F-86F (the bit you need to sand flush):

 

 

[DaveJL]

Thank you mate, that is a great help! 

[Sabrejet]

Note also black cockpit & panels on F-86E/Canadair and gray on F-86F; it's a bit more complex than that but it's not a bad general guide!

[tempestfan]

13 hours ago, Wez said:

 

 

@Sabrejet is the main man for this subject.

He should be, as he is the author of that bible mentioned above 😉

 

Another worthwhile book is Larry Milberry‘s tome, but it may take a bit of searching to find one at a reasonable price.

[72modeler]

Duncan, You are da man! Thanks, as always for sharing your reference library with the rest of us Sabrephiles! I bet @Courageous left drool on his screen! (Now he's gotta pry the canopy off of his last build to put all those goodies behind the bang seat!)

Mike

[Courageous]

3 hours ago, 72modeler said:

drool on his screen!

Nah, I'm slowly building my own library, it already has Duncan's and Larry's books in it but I'll never have a reference library like Duncan's and many others.

3 hours ago, 72modeler said:

Now he's gotta pry the canopy off of his last build to put all those goodies behind the bang seat!

Nah, they'll be staying 'as-is', I do enough to satisfy the major characteristics for the craft I'm doing and that's it....so many Sabres, so little time.

 

Stuart