F-86E vaious shades of NMF panels

[Plumbum]

Is there a guide somewhere showing the various NMF panels and there shades or colors? I am

going to paint an F-86E and want to try getting a more realistic look by doing dark and light

panels that contrast each other. Is there such a schematic showing this "scheme" somewhere?

Thanks---John

[72modeler]

John,

 

The only possibility that comes to mind, other than looking at as  many photos as you can find, would be a painting guide that Alclad put out when their metal paints were introduced. IIRC, it had diagrams of several aircraft that showed the coloration of various panels using the different shades of Alclad paint. I don't have a copy of the guide, just the page that covered Mustangs, but maybe somebody out there has a copy; I'm pretty sure I recall the F-86 and F-100 being two of the jets included. (That being said, I can't vouch for the accuracy of their color guide.) Most of the paneling on a Sabre was dull, not shiny, with the exception of the tail cone. Be careful in  using photos, especially Korean War examples, as many enterprising crew chiefs polished their pilots' mounts and "ratted up" the exhaust for a little more thrust! Maybe @Sabrejet or @Courageous could shed more light on this. Like the Mustang and Super Sabre, getting the various metal panels right really adds to the character of the finished product.  

Mike

[Plumbum]

Thanks Mike---I found a schematic 3 view for an F-86A and the Eduard Ultimate Sabre instructions kind of show different

NMF panels. Looking for an F-86E 10 NA. I am painting HELLER-ER-BUST-X.---John

[72modeler]

Johnv,

 

I just remembered this article done by Bob King from Austin, TX- Bob was the former owner of King's Hobbies and an extremely talented model builder; this is an excellent article he did for th ASMS newsletter, and it has some very good information and techniques on bare metal finishes using Alclad II paints. I think you or others might find it helpful. I am not endorsing Alclad products- they are just the paints Bob used when writing his article.

Mike

 

http://www.austinsms.org/Alclad-Lacquer-Metal-Finishes.php

[Plumbum]

Thanks Mike---I was hunting down images and came across a line of F-86As in Korea, black and white stripes.

Miss Louise was in that image but the strange thing is I saw NO pitot tubes on the right wing! I thought I was

seeing things but I enlarged the image and saw nothing on the right wing between the wing tip light and slats.

Am I missing something? Was the A models on the left wing tip? Was it cranked like the Es?---John

[Sabrejet]

Pitot tube in the intake on F-86As until reworked (mainly at Long Beach) to place it on the RH wingtip.

[Plumbum]

Thanks Duncan , no need to make a pitot tube for my Matchbox F-86A.---John

[Plumbum]

That's what I did on my Matchbox F-86A, center wing sections were a light aluminum almost like

coruguard color. Speaking of F-86As I am going to do a better one in 1/72. The Matchbox I just did

I used the new mold Airfix cockpit, wheels, gear legs and doors but retained the Matchbox canopy.

I am looking at the Kiwi Resin kit which uses I think the old Airfix F-86E? Anyone ever use that Kiwi

conversion. I want the slats deployed.---John