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F86F-40 JSDF build, review and questions. - Complete


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Good Morning.

Shopping for some Acrylic Paint to try to create a 'golden canopy' effect for my Rafale M, I saw this F86 for sale at the nice price of AU$6. Being a Trumpeter as well I thought it would give me an introduction into their lineup of plastic, instructions and the rest.

I came home and was browsing through the ARC forums... I see the group build here for Sabres and I thought.."I have to do it..." Joined, asked, started and so forth.

A bit of History first.. I first made a Monogram snaptight kit? Bf109G in green when I was about 5 years old.. late 70s!

I have done kits off and on up until about 15-16 years old. I did a fair chunk of the Matchbox series in 72 scale. A few 1/48s (with my last being a F16 something) and 1/35 Leopard 2 (box shape turret Italeri?) Either way... 20+years ago.

And a few months ago I picked up a 1/72 Airfix Hunter FGA9 (1984 release) Icky. Then a Revell Spitfire Vb 1/72 (which DOES have a Gullwing that I can see). Then the Revell Rafale M and now this. All of the above are being used as 'get me back into kitset modeling' as all offer different challenges and techniques to learn and use.

Now.. onto the Sabre.

Upon opening the box I see how tiny this thing is and I still intend to get a Me262 as well!

The plastic is quite firm and I feel a fraction brittle but it certainly allows for very fine cutting/trimming with a sharp blade. (No sanding done on it as yet)

f86portsheet.jpg

f86starboardsheet.jpg

f86glass.jpg

What is not shown is that the sprue with fuselage shows F86f-30 and the wing sprue is F86F-40. Just FYI..... but was there any difference in fuselage between the versions... just the change of wing length and shape?

I like how clean/clear the ejector pin marks are in relation to the sprues.

spruepunch.jpg

Now, I am slowing getting various paints and brushes.. but at this point in time, the airbrush and setup is not available to me... Space, $$ and what not.

I currently have a Tamiya spraycan Aluminium which does this finish-

spray2.jpg

spray3.jpg

spray1.jpg

I don't think that this is going to be acceptable at all.

What sort of choice of paint/brand for a reasonable NMF at this scale? Considering that I will be brush painting or spray painting it.

I have a can of Humbrol 56... any other thoughts?

Next... a shot of the F86 parked to the being assembled Rafale M

sidebysidej.jpg

Interesting the span sizing. Please note too, that incredibly fine sensor tube on the s/brd wing of the F86. That is how it comes folks! Yummy.

Now.. a question... what the heck do I use or tools to fill those fine gaps between wing and body. I am not looking forward to this. I do have some milliputt and twink/whiteout fluid. But still? Hmmm.. Some thoughts please?

Now for the next shot.

f86tailangle.jpg

That is the angle of the tailplane... as it wants to sit. I need to adjust it down a bit on the starboard side methinks?

Thanks for your future comments.. both good and bad... Let me have it as I want to learn!

Cheers and ka kite!

Jonathan

Edited by Wege
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Wege:

Welcome to ARC and this GB. I wasn't aware that Trumpeter put out a Sabre. Interesting. It looks like it's 1/72 or 1/144. I can't tell. While not a Sabre expert, I have built a few so I'll provide you with some of my thoughts and I'm sure others will chime in and provide their assistance as well.

"What is not shown is that the sprue with fuselage shows F86f-30 and the wing sprue is F86F-40. Just FYI..... but was there any difference in fuselage between the versions... just the change of wing length and shape?"

Correct. See this thread by Jennings. http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index....howtopic=201670 It's a great primer on various Sabre wing configurations. A, E and F series Sabres all had basically the same fuselage design.

As for the painting, what about multiple fine coats of the Tamiya spray can aluminum, if that's possible? Unfortunately, the three NMF Sabres I've built have all been painted with Alclad through an airbrush. What about laying down a primer coat then shooting the aluminum? Also, are do you have access to any arts & crafts or outdoor, rust protection type paints like Krylon or Rustoleum? Just a thought...

"Please note too, that incredibly fine sensor tube on the s/brd wing of the F86. That is how it comes folks!"

The pitot tube on the Sabre is quite fine. Be careful with it. If it should break off, you can drill a small hole in the wing and use a piece of stretched sprue, a pin or a piece of guitar string.

"what the heck do I use or tools to fill those fine gaps between wing and body."

Do what I do. Use some plastic card stock, like Evergreen. Fill the gaps with plastic and then contour to shape. If you do it properly and cut the plastic to the curve of the top of the wing, you'll have minimal work to do to get things right. Like this:

DSC_0485.jpg

"That is the angle of the tailplane... as it wants to sit. I need to adjust it down a bit on the starboard side methinks?"

Nope. You need to raise the port side a little. The Sabre had a very large and pronounced dihedral angle on the horizontal stabilizers.

DSC_0023.jpg

GuysSabre003.jpg

430zulu.jpg

416dispersal.jpg

AX298.jpg

Good luck with the build Jonathan. I look forward to seeing your build completed. Are you using the kit supplied markings or are you going to use aftermarket stuff.

Keep it up.

Mike

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Thank you Mike.

Certainly the supplied markings - I have yet to see a/m decals for it.

Besides, it will be interesting to see how good these models are.

As mentioned above, so far my experience with decals has been Matchbox, Airfix (that fell apart on me as soon as it went into water.. and I'm looking at the B.P Defiant by them as grrrr!), Monogram, Hasegawa, Italeri, Tamiya and early Dragon.

The scale, which I forgot to mention, is 1/144. This plastic is dated 2004.

Krylon.. I have used that previously on a G36c and P90...to break up the outline... I liked out it applied - the spray was nicer than the Tamiya IMO. However I don't think that Krylon is available in Australia. Rustoleum.. I don't believe is in this country either.

I will try a few more coats/dustings of the Tamiya rattlecan - it can but only fail or succeed!

And thank you for the thought on filling that gap.... Now to get a sheet thin enough.. perhaps .1mm or finer for both sides. Because of the position of the gap, I think I will have to make sure that no filler is required. Unlike the rest of the fuselage.

One of the next tasks. will be to mask off the canopy - also a first... for me. Thankfully there is something similar to Future still available here in Australia.. but I intend to get some 'actual stuff' from N.Z when I can.

Before that, though, will be a requirement to get some M.M Interior Green - I don't think that the H78 'quite' cuts it, n'cest pas? "D

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Wege,

As you're in 1/144 scale, why not use gap filling super glue for the wing to fuselage fit. Certainly easier than the shim method I suggested. And why not try brush painting at that scale? Get a jar of Tamiya Aluminum (XF-16) and use a wide brush. You never know. For the canopy, it might be just as easy to get some liquid masking agent like MicroMask or something along those lines, at least for the front windscreen. You'll probably go B) trying to tape mask in that scale.

As for the interior, unless the CAC, Avon engined Sabres used interior green, all Sabres had black or grey cockpits. See this thread...

http://f-86.tripod.com/colours333.html

As for 1/144 scale decals, try Wm. (Bill) Burns at:

www.canmilair.com

He has a selection of over 30 Canadian Sabre markings starting at $7 Cdn + shipping. If you're interested. Bill's stuff is top shelf.

Good luck mate.

Mike

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Thank you Mike.

After having perused through his website that raises the temptation to buy a whole lot of these little F86's and make a small flight of them! Gosh... Which would be more appropriate - the F-40 wing or the F-30 wing? Wow and neat! And with your experience, does a general painting guide come with it too? :worship: The irony would be that the models would cost almost 1.5x as much as the kitsets themselves! Crazyyyyy.

Painting this thing is progressing reasonably well. I picked up a bottle of Model Master Interior Green (which works favorably with Humbrol thinners when brush-painting at least) and have put a couple of light coats in the brakes and wells.

I have read through that 'colours of cockpits' post and wandered through the Sabre walkaround thread at aircraftresourcecenter.com too. (Not mentioning the time spent looking through at Sabre shots via the websearch... Nope. )

Now to work out what little what splotches to put here and there in the minimal cockpit. And painting that blasted chair. I won't throw a gunsite into it, even though that is what I intend doing on the Rafale.

The exterior looks a bit better with 'wafts' of the Tamiya aerosol. I will continue experimenting with it - if I don't how will I learn what works or doesn't? O_o

A thought for the gap.... what about something like Mr Surfacer 500 or 1000? I have never used the stuff (ditto to Gap C.A. glue) but could that be a better option for the size of that gap? I will take a photo highlight the actual width of it.

I was looking at plastic card/sheets/slivers and that would be a brutal job to get something that thing.... need to be translucent or something.

Ka Kite!

Jonathan

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  • 3 weeks later...

Ok.. Fuselage glued, wings glued, wheel wells and airbrake wells painted.

Cockpit- sooo out of scale- the pilot would need 6ft arms methinks :lol: However the first casualty has occurred... carpet monster ate my control stick. Grr.

Now to see if a grey undercoat over the silver AS will be ok for colour/metal.

Cheers

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  • 2 weeks later...

a shot taken roughly where I think people would 'shoot' at 1/72 or 1/48... for scale.

bothshots.jpg

The other is of a nearly complete RoG Rafale M.

sabrerf.jpg

repainted in grey to give an undercoat. I am trying to see how the Tamiya AS works on it -whether it comes out right or not. If not, then, ummmm... (shrugs). Oh well, progress anyways. :cheers:

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  • 3 weeks later...

The Tamiya AS comes out ok - bad move though in using bluetack as a mask for the canopy - not a good look.

One thing with those airbrakes in this scale- freaking fiddly! I have got the hydraulic rams not quite balanced ... but there acceptable at this time.

The weight... it is a tail-sitter :( I did put some weight into the nose but obviously not enough.

Now.. wing tanks on or off would be the next question.... it looks rather nice as it is. :) This will be complete this week.. maybe even 2moro night.. ( or a few minutes from now.. if I can be bothered to put the missing port undercarriage leg cover into position.. :)

Edited by Wege
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ok... it is done! :worship:

a couple of shots at the moment - some did not turn out focused at all- blast.

sabreporthighs.jpg

and

sabrestarboardrears.jpg

2 other wings? Yes.. a couple of P51Ds that I am experimenting with (as was the F86 and the couple of Mig21PFs... all in 1/144) to try to find a NMF that works for me for brushing.

The Sabre is Tamiya AS Aluminium, the closer -D wing is Humbrol 200xx something and the further -D wing is Model Master buffing steel :worship:

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I took those photos as 'before'... I applied some Microsol? Microset? to assist with a couple of decals not being down 'flush' enough.

Those other pics will have to wait till later to be taken.

Btw.. thanks for the comments.. :wave:

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Looks good Wege. As for being a tail sitter, did the kit come with a FOD cover for the intake? If it did, you could simply slide a small amount of weight down the intake and use the FOD cover to hide it. Is that a possibility? The canopy looks good from here too. In the future you might use liquid mask for the canopies? Apply with a tiny brush or toothpick and peel it off once the painting is done. There should be no residue and you'll have nice, crisp lines. Just a thought.

For 1/144 scale, it's a looker. Like Derek said, at that sale, I'd lose my marbles. I have a 1/100 scale BAC Lightning and that's plenty small. It'll be a challenge for my sausage fingers.

Keep up the good work.

Mike

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Looks good Wege. As for being a tail sitter, did the kit come with a FOD cover for the intake? If it did, you could simply slide a small amount of weight down the intake and use the FOD cover to hide it. Is that a possibility? The canopy looks good from here too. In the future you might use liquid mask for the canopies? Apply with a tiny brush or toothpick and peel it off once the painting is done. There should be no residue and you'll have nice, crisp lines. Just a thought.

For 1/144 scale, it's a looker. Like Derek said, at that sale, I'd lose my marbles. I have a 1/100 scale BAC Lightning and that's plenty small. It'll be a challenge for my sausage fingers.

Keep up the good work.

Mike

Nice idea on the weight - I just had a go with a bit of lead to see how that works - more mass required than volume available. Hmmm Could I fake it and try to (at some point) make a trestle/work stand of some sort and have it placed beneath the rear fuselage?

http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/1585/sabreporthighs.jpg that little silver mark on the canopy above the '6' is optical - I don't know what caused that... as you can see in this image sabrecanopyclose.jpg I don't know how to get into the corners to smooth those out without damaging the canopy. Thoughts?

Edit - Oh! I did use Tamiya tape for the bulk of the canopy, I just tried using the blutack to see how that would work for the front - I don't think I will use that again. :) (shakes head)

sabrefront.jpg

NEARLY got the tailplane bang on... nearly.. doh. Ah well. :)

Not too bad from above sabretop.jpg

I just don't know what sort of distance to take pics from of this scale...whether I should stand the camera back about two feet because the detail can look clunky in the tiny scale of things.. :)

Edited by Wege
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  • 2 weeks later...

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