dai phan Posted June 18, 2024 Share Posted June 18, 2024 (edited) Greetings to all, MustHave! produced a F-86K kit over 12 years ago and this is the most accurate kit of the K variant in 1/48 scale. Actually it is a fuselage upgrade to the K with a whole ProModeler (Monogram) 86D kit included. The reviews are very positive and since the D kit goes together so fast, why not do the K while waiting for the thinner to arrive? I will not use any after market cockpit set as I have seen beautiful cockpit sample built OOB. The K differs from the D on the side fuselage cannon blisters and lengthened fuse. I will have to watch out for the fuselage vents also as some have flushed ones as well as short or long wings. I wonder if the extension from Hasegawa F-40 wings would work? Dai Edited July 15, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caudleryan Posted June 24, 2024 Share Posted June 24, 2024 Looks to be the start of another outstanding project! Can't wait to see more! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted June 25, 2024 Author Share Posted June 25, 2024 (edited) Howdy all, The first 3 kits from Hobby Link Japan have arrived. Shipping is quite expensive as I paid over 50 USD for Fed Ex Priority for 3 kits. Other methods of shipping is almost the same. Since this is a hard to get kit, I went ahead and order 3 more totalling six. Quite a bargain under 26 USD per kit ! The Revell kit alone doubles this! Got some excellent references for this build. It is essentially the Revel 86D with new injection molded fuselage and some minor items in resin. Apart from the nose with the guns and lengthened fuselage panel lines, the rest of the panel lines are virtually identical to the Revell kit. I think Musthave! used the existing Revell tooling and made modifications. No doubt this IS the definitive kit of the D/K variant. Too bad there is no after market items like avionic or gun bays. Dai Edited June 25, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted June 25, 2024 Author Share Posted June 25, 2024 (edited) More good references coming in. Dai Edited June 25, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted June 26, 2024 Author Share Posted June 26, 2024 (edited) Hello all, I have hoarding problem? Dai Edited June 26, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geoff M Posted June 27, 2024 Share Posted June 27, 2024 Maybe? 🤔 But I am the same. lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted June 28, 2024 Author Share Posted June 28, 2024 (edited) Hi all, The only vendor has these kits for sale is Hobby Link Japan. The price is under 26 USD per kit which is a real bargain. The Revell kit alone costs way more than this. The downside is the shipping from Japan is expensive. But if you order multiple kits, then the cost per kit is reasonable. I paid over 100 USD shipping Fed Ex for 6 kits that comes out under 43 USD per kit. Quite still reasonable. I could have waited for all 6 to come in and ship all at once instead of shipping 3 at a time. In that case shipping is about 80 USD. If in the future you want this kit and cannot find online, you know I have some available. Dai https://www.hlj.com/1-48-scale-military-of-germany-north-american-f-86k-mhv148002g Edited June 28, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted July 1, 2024 Author Share Posted July 1, 2024 (edited) Greetings, Ordered some decals for the K. Dai Edited July 1, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted July 8, 2024 Author Share Posted July 8, 2024 (edited) Hello all, The D is done and now onto the K. Dai Edited July 8, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted July 12, 2024 Author Share Posted July 12, 2024 (edited) Hi all, Start working on the K. No after market items except for seat belts and may be decals. I have seen excellent cockpits from OOB. Dry fitting of the cockpit tub reveals less than ideal fit but workable with some shovings and CA work. The decals by Musthave! is pretty good and extensive (not shown). Below is Dutch Decals. Dai Edited July 12, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted July 14, 2024 Author Share Posted July 14, 2024 (edited) Greetings, You need to trim about .25 mm of the horizontal bar where it touches the seat to allow the cockpit tube to sit further back. The longer fuselage of the K version is evident in this photo. It should be noted the kit is the Monogram kit rather than the Revell kit. Maybe Monogram had a surplus of these kits and that is why they let MH use them? Dai Edited July 15, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted July 14, 2024 Author Share Posted July 14, 2024 (edited) F 86D F 86K. The K is longer as seen here. In later service life many Ks were retrofitted with longer wings like the 86 F-40. You can buy the Special Hobby F-86K and cut off a wing section to increase the chord on this kit which is superior to the SH one. Edited July 14, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GeneK Posted July 15, 2024 Share Posted July 15, 2024 That's an excellent (and complete) conversion kit ... much better than the other conversions like the resin fuselage from Italian Kits, or the complete kit from Special Hobby. Thanks for the lead to finding the kits on HobbyLink Japan. Mine will sit alongside my original kit from 2012 (as dated on the decals). Are the fuselage halves molded in black or have you primed it? Looking forward to following your build! Gene K Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted July 15, 2024 Author Share Posted July 15, 2024 (edited) 1 hour ago, GeneK said: That's an excellent (and complete) conversion kit ... much better than the other conversions like the resin fuselage from Italian Kits, or the complete kit from Special Hobby. Thanks for the lead to finding the kits on HobbyLink Japan. Mine will sit alongside my original kit from 2012 (as dated on the decals). Are the fuselage halves molded in black or have you primed it? Looking forward to following your build! Gene K The color is dark green. Yes I will prime the whole model in black if I choose to do the NMF. Or I may do the Luftwaffe version to compliment with my F-86 MK 6. If I choose the latter, I will have to install the raised scoops. Nothing is glued in so I still have options. Just to let you know the later releases of the MH, the kit comes with German markings. Dai Edited July 15, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted July 16, 2024 Author Share Posted July 16, 2024 (edited) Hi all, Work a little bit on the cockpit tonight. Unlike the R/M kit, the fuselage does not have the tabs where the IP is glued to. Dai Edited July 16, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Drifterdon Posted July 16, 2024 Share Posted July 16, 2024 Very nice Dai. I'll be following along with this one as well. I'm currently working on the Special Hobby F-86K. It's a whole different animal from the Revell/Monogram F-86D. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted July 16, 2024 Author Share Posted July 16, 2024 (edited) 1 hour ago, Drifterdon said: Very nice Dai. I'll be following along with this one as well. I'm currently working on the Special Hobby F-86K. It's a whole different animal from the Revell/Monogram F-86D. Unless you are almost done, do away and build the MH. I have seen the builds on the Net and I cannot believe low quality releases are still happening with today's technology. The use of PE for the vortex generators are appalling. I would use the SH wing extension on this MH/M kit if you want an unique K. Later in service life all Ks were retrofitted with longer chord wings as I have researched. Dai Edited July 16, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Drifterdon Posted July 16, 2024 Share Posted July 16, 2024 3 hours ago, dai phan said: Unless you are almost done, do away and build the MH. I have seen the builds on the Net and I cannot believe low quality releases are still happening with today's technology. The use of PE for the vortex generators are appalling. I would use the SH wing extension on this MH/M kit if you want an unique K. Later in service life all Ks were retrofitted with longer chord wings as I have researched. Dai Unfortunately, I already own three of the Special Hobby kits and can't really afford to buy a Must Have. Especially for what you paid through HLJ. It's one of those deals where I'll make do with what I have on hand. Still can't wait to see what you do with your MH kit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted July 16, 2024 Author Share Posted July 16, 2024 18 minutes ago, Drifterdon said: Unfortunately, I already own three of the Special Hobby kits and can't really afford to buy a Must Have. Especially for what you paid through HLJ. It's one of those deals where I'll make do with what I have on hand. Still can't wait to see what you do with your MH kit. Please post your build here. I am sure admin won't mind 🙂 Dai Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Drifterdon Posted July 17, 2024 Share Posted July 17, 2024 16 hours ago, dai phan said: Please post your build here. I am sure admin won't mind 🙂 Dai Dai, this thread is for your magic. Can't wait to see what you do next. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted July 19, 2024 Author Share Posted July 19, 2024 (edited) Hi all, Working on the cockpit today. Everything is OOB except for the seat belts and warning tags. I tried to take a photo of the IP but could not get clear shots. You need to trim .25 mm of the horizontal bar to allow the cockpit tub to sit in the proper position. Dai Edited July 24, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GeneK Posted July 19, 2024 Share Posted July 19, 2024 Looks great, Dai! What is "the horizontal bar"? Gene K Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted July 20, 2024 Author Share Posted July 20, 2024 (edited) Howdy, The plane is coming together and the fit is not as good as the Monogram tooling. Some putty work is needed although minor. The gun channels should extend all the way to the intake lip rather ending at the intake panel line. MH should have modified the Monogram intake or make their own. Expert modelers should make this modification. I leave it alone because I know I will butcher if I try. The resin IP hood is way undersized so I will take the one from Revell kit and modify to account for the shortened IP. The side fuselage vents when installed should be flushed and smooth with the fuse outside so there should be a small gap from the inside. If you push all the way to make the parts touch the inner side of the fuse you will have the intakes stick way out like a sore thumb on the outside. Dai Edited July 20, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted July 20, 2024 Author Share Posted July 20, 2024 On 7/19/2024 at 6:24 PM, GeneK said: Looks great, Dai! What is "the horizontal bar"? Gene K The bar behind the seat. Trim .25 where it touches the seat to allow the cockpit to sit further back or the front wheel well will not line up the cut out. Dai Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dai phan Posted July 21, 2024 Author Share Posted July 21, 2024 (edited) Hello all, The plane is primed with Mr Surfacer 1500 black. Much more correction work than the R/M offering. The nose does not fit welll to the fuse (slightly smaller in diameter) requiring putty and lots of clean up. The fuse width is wider in the the canopy area so if you plan to install the canopy closed, some filing is needed. To save the trouble keep it open. The cut outs for the speed brakes are slightly bigger than the brakes. To save the trouble, keep them open. Still this is way bettter than the Special Hobby kit or the old resin upgrade. Dai Edited August 20, 2024 by dai phan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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