F-86K (called Kaasjager in Dutch) Sabre in 1/32 scale |
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... continued from page 3.... After the shining metallic finishes were applied, it was time to add the decals. Dutch Decal set #32019 provided the F-86K decals that were also included in the AEROPOXY conversion set at the time.
There was considerable variation between individual F-86K Kaasjagers. Using loads of reference photos it turned up that on operational "Kaasjagers", the amount of stencilling is limited. (NOTE that the walkarounds of the Dutch museum F-86K are based on an Italian F-86K and not accurate for an accurate Royal Netherlands Air Force F-86K). As this model was for the "later style F-40 wing retrofit", a F-86K Kaasjager of no.700 Squadron of the KLu with code "Q-293" as used from Twenthe Air Force Base, The Netherlands in 1964 was picked. This aircraft also carried Sidewinders as per modification 1961. Tips for the Dutch Decal set:
The result is seen here of the decalled
model. Next the final details and parts are to be added........
.. This KLu F-86K model represented a later style aircraft with larger "F-40"wing that also from 1961 onwards was equiped with the GAR-8 Sidewinder missiles and systems. This means some additional "boxes" should be fitted, like the missile release indicator in the windscreen. Some other missiles control boxes are integrated. The model main instrument panel was
painted medium grey and the details of clocks and knobs black. Also, some
spare decals for the instruments were added. The fuseboxes on the side
were also added made from scrap.
At the rear of the ejection seat,
launch rails and a bulkhead was made from card and plastic rail from EVERGREEN.
On the cockpit edges sometimes the small canopy locks are also seen, it
depends if they are extended or retracted with the canopy control handle.
The aft details of the canopy base
frame came from the kit (parts D4, E57, E58, E59, E60) , but I did not
see the metal frame part in the Hasegawa kit on the F-86K. From the spares
box, a transparant yellow dome as set on top.
The F-86D Sabredog and F-86K seat
is different than those used in early F-86 Sabres. This is most noticeable
at the base of the seat but invisible when installed in the cockpit. It
turned out despite these differences, the kit seat can be used when detailed
further.
The canopy will be kept detachable
by setting it in place with thin metal wires that go through drilled holes
at the base fairing.
The gear brake lines were added made
from stretched sprue (seen here as blue sprue), metal wires and wheel bays
details added from scrap and bits and pieces. The wheel bays themselves
can be either aluminium or interior green on KLu Kaasjagers. Here, it is
interior green and details were painted black and metal.
[1] On the airframe and horizontal
stabilizer, on the F-86K various small vortex generators are seen. The
Sabres were not aerodynamically advanced, the beginning of the jet was
emerging after the Second World War. The vortex generators were used to
trigger airflow vortices and they differ per individual aircraft. Often,
at the rear fuselage exhaust area often 4 vortex generators are seen below
the horizontal tailplane and 5 above below the rudder. At the lower surface
of the horizontal tailplanes usually 4 rows with at least 36! vortex generators
are seen. Sometimes , at the mid fuselage section at the airflow intake,
some are also seen. Sometimes on a particular aircraft, even vortex generators
are seen amidst the mid-fuselage near the NACA intake scoops.
[2] The AEROPOXY air intake and exhaust
ground covers, painted red, were added as well as the fuel dump pipe.
[4] The separate slats, flaps and ailerons are provided by the Hasegawa kit and look great. The slats are often seen drooped on a parked F-86K. These parts were simply installed but the slat rails needed a bit bending to get a better pose. The gaps were closed with white glue. I also added extra plastic rods to suggest sliding "rails" on the inside slat area. A bit of trimming was needed at the end of the ailerons. As the decals had dried and various details were added at the model like the slats, it was decided to do an ALCLAD II airbrushing again at smaller locations. This well "blend in" the various details and decals. Only light passes were made with the ALCLAD loaded Harder Steenbeck airbrush.
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[5] The model depicted a later F-86K that could also launch early generation air-to-air missiles (PHILCO-FORD / RAYTHEON GAR-8, later called AIM-9B Sidewinder). The launchers and pylons of the F-86F kit can be used for the F-86K Kaasjager with some modification. I removed 2 mm of the pylon edge and a "V" section at the rear. The launch rail itself seems to be white and the pylon metal. .. [6] The Sidewinder missiles in the
Hasegawa F-86 kit have very thick fins so a replacement was sought. (the
Sidewinders of the old Hasegawa F-104 have better thinner fins). But I
had also couple of AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles from the latest Italeri
F-104 1/32 kit
and these are even better detailed and picked from that
kit.
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[8] The pitot tube was made from some metal rods and superglued to the right wing tip. (there is no kink in the tube for the later style F-40 6-3 wing). The wing tip lights were painted red (LEFT) and blue (RIGHT) at the wing tips. That completed this 1/32 scale F-86K Kaasjager! |
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... Sometimes on a particular aircraft, even vortex generators are seen amidst the fuselage near the NACA intake scoops. On this model, a few were set in place as well. |
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Created this page March 5, 2015 |