Strombecker 1/72 F-86 Sabre .............................(Completed 04 May 2014)

[lastvautour]

Christmas came early in the form of a 1/72 Strombecker F-86 from the site founder Ray. I hope I can do the model justice. The model is assembled and a coat of primer has been applied. I will post photos as it progresses. The photo below is linked from www.planetdiecast.com which is a nice place to surf.




Lou

[cliff strachan]

I'm sure that that will be a very interesting version of an F86. But an additional reason for this note is to draw attention to a very interesting site dedicated to the Bush Era in North America:
                                                               www.wcam.mb.ca

Cliff.

[lastvautour]

Did some minor sanding and priming on the gifted F-86. At the same time I discovered that my Sabre had some alignment issues with the vertical fin, fuselage and wing angles. I decided to make my own Strombecker model using the unassembled kit as a guide and will use a solid wood canopy. The photo shows the assembled model in grey, the kit in darker wood and finely my parts in clear pine. The parts in the kit are rather rough with one wing requiring extensive sanding to remove the grain lines. I don't know if this was normal or did I just get a dud or did lengthy exposure to cold temp and humidity in my basement cause the trouble. Regardless, more to come later.

Lou

[Balsabasher]

What a lovely model,plus a kind gesture gentlemen.
Barry.

[lastvautour]

The Strombecker F-86 received its red intake lip as a start to the paint job. My version is coming along but still far from the paint shop.

Lou

[cliff strachan]

Lou, your version may be far from the paint shop but I really think that you've presented - not only on this occasion but on many prior times  - what solid scale is all about. That is, a real sense of accomplishment. I particularly like the way you've got the wing root on your F86 to fit the fuselage. I've heard it said by a plastic maker that plastic models are more realistic. Which is undeniably true. But for personal self-satisfaction try to beat a solid scale model. Are we out to detail every bit of an aircraft - which is impossible anyway - or is our goal a facsimile of some historic mode?
Keep up the good work. It deserves a response even only occasionally.

Cliff.

[lastvautour]

Thank you Cliff. The carving is always the best part of the hobby where something seem to come out of nothing but a block. It is a shame that our younger generation does have that urge to create in a similar fashion. I do know the attraction plastics have and I have been bitten by the bug also. I still assemble plastics today although not as many.

Lou

[Balsabasher]

I go along with everything Cliff says,even with the best will in the world even plastics cannot reproduce every detail,what we do is to shrink down the essential elements thus presenting delightful miniatures as Lou has proven possible,the answer is to stand back from your subject say in real life with a complex myriad of parts assembled in front of you called an aeroplane,those sharpe edges and panels are transformed into beautiful singular shape ie our solid models,it cannot get any better and its great.
Barry.

[Mark Braunlich]

Lou,
Nice work on the Strombecker build.  I see that your scratch-built version has the flat windscreen. That was introduced somewhere in the F-86E series and was of course carried into the F-86F (Sabre 5 in Canada).  The Strombecker model is the F-86A with the V-shaped windscreen.  Be aware there are various dimensional changes to the overall length and the wing chord, etc between the various versions.   Have you ever built a solid of one of the Golden Hawks (Sabre 5)?   I only ask because there are some nice GH decal sets available.

[lastvautour]

I have yet to do an F-86 in solid wood. I have a 1/24 scale version sitting on the shelf with some grain direction issues on the tail plane that needs some work. I have a few plastic versions (2 GH) in 1/72 and 1/48 scale.

So far today, the red tips and intake lips are done and the aluminium colour has been applied but needs a bit of a buffing as the spray metallic finish generates fine dust that comes off on my hands.

I have crop and pasted an image of the decals for printing, but used my last clear piece on the L-19. Good thing pay day was today for us Canadian pensioners. Photos to follow soon.

Lou

https://www.flickr.com/photos/8416077@N08/7486896184/in/set-72157600326958847
https://www.flickr.com/photos/8416077@N08/3398627138/in/set-72157609964236662

[lastvautour]

I have tried to find a photo of a v shape windscreen. Other than the Strombecker kit, I cannot find one.

Lou

[Mark Braunlich]

Here's one:

[lastvautour]

Mark, I jumped too quick. I have since reviewed all my pubs and did find the V shaped windscreen. Thanks for the photo. That was a feature I had never noticed.  I also found that not all A model had them and that some E versions had some also. The Canadian version never had the V shape windscreen, so one has to see which serial number is used to decide on the windscreen. Regardless, attached is the wooden F-86s in my care with the 1/24, the Strombecker assembled/unassembled and my scratch version.

Lou

[lastvautour]

A few closer photos of the "International build" F-86. I have yet to buy some decal film.

Lou

[buccfan]

Very nice Lou, the silver coat looks great. Look forward to seeing it with decals.Regards Paul J.