Sabre F-86

What makes you think theres no dihedral? That photo shows it. Did you see something else that isn't on that site? Sabre

Im watching this thread with a great amount of interest. I too have one of these kits lurking in the wings. I also bought the Rutman set. I'll see if I can dig it out and photograph it for you. Im cutting and pasting these posts to a log which I wll print out and put in with the model for future reference. Keep going, Its looking very interesting so far. Sabre

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll have another go at it next days off. Maybe get some more pics. Too much stuff going on at work, keeps me bummed out. We are looking at a long nasty strike in the next month or so, n everyones getting depressed about it. Myself included. I can weather it for a month or so, but then its off to the temp shop for a job shoveling crap or something. Sabre

Might as well do so Dave, this has to be (I think) the longest build I've ever done. A bit at a time until its done is all I can say. Tks Sabre

Better late than never: Heres the port aileron, it and the stbd side just need a bit of cleaning up. Both tail planes, a bit of sanding and ready to be painted. I'll pose them afterwards. Preliminary work on the cockpit floor, seat and insturment panel. Fiddly little things, half of it. GRRRR. The engine, painted and washed with dark oil wash. Not great but it'll do. Prop still needs some contouring, but its getting there. Looks better than the original version. Longer and finer. Anyway, I doubt I'll get this done in time, (Story of my life) but reality is biting me in the butt a lot lately. Sabre

Finally got some photos, not great but the lighting sucks in my shop and the flash didn't fire for some reason. Anyway, here are a couple of (dusty) photos of the front end, and the transmission and rotorhead for the Huey. I'm still trying to get some work done, slow but sure. I need to add the belts. Still havent managed to get a good paint job on the instrument panel though As noted, I'm planning on keeping the door covers closed, so no one will see the turbine. I'm still adding a few details to the transmission and rotor head. My shop is a horror for dust. Sabre

Steve, it looks great so far, but I have to tell you the cockpit is way to shallow on the kit. Like it needs to be about 3/8s of an inch deeper. I'm only telling you this so you are aware of it. Pray continue if you don't mind that issue. Otherwise, I've been looking at the kit on my table and scratching the interior isn't too hard. Depends on how you feel about working with raw sheet n such. I also think that taking the kit parts and sanding the back of the interior panels until they are opened will allow you to nip of the parts of the interior and put them onto built up interior walls. At least thats what Im planning. Add in a floor at the level of the wings and maybe increase the seat height, and it will work. I've been a fan of the P-40, B and C models since I was a kid. I have 3 of these. My first one will be in British North African markings. Sabre

I'm stuck!!! I've been trying to paint the instrument panel. Black with grey overlay, grey with black overlay. Liquid mask, BMF mask. NOTHING works. I've tried flowing paint around the bezels, it over runs. I've tried to paint the bezels, It runs over. I"ve stripped the paint 4 x now. Still not getting it to look half decent. Any suggestions??? Sabre OH yeh, Im ticked off at Revell for including the weapons system in this kit. Viet Nam 1Ds never had it installed. So why is it there?? Its like the U-505 box. Comes with a VIIC instead of a IX but Nah, they'll never know the difference.

Should have some pics tonite. Got camera, software is loaded in the new pc, and I have batteries! Sabre

I use a toothpick. Stick it in my mouth, get it wet and then just apply the small end to the plastic disk. Works pretty well. Place the button on to a pre glued spot on the panel and it will stay. No fuss, no muss. No residue either. OH yeh, if its a round cocktail toothpick, snip off the tip so you have a flat end. Sabre

Actually, I kicked myself in the butt a few hours ago and dug it out once more. Painted up the engine, and finished priming all the main surfaces for more scribing. Filled in a few glitches, and figured out how to do the leading edge slots. I need to box them in somehow, forgot to do that while building them. Anyway, I'm going to keep muddling along. I will get it done, just don't ask which century. I'm working both the SBD and the UH-1D at the same time, Seems I can get more done in a given period that way. Sabre

No Dave, I haven't even touched it in weeks. I don't know what the problem is, I just dont seem to be motivated to finish it. About the last thing I did was spray the fuselage halves with primer to see where the panel lines need to be tweeked. I put aside then and havent looked at it. I thought it might be an advanced case of AMS, so I'm trying to do a UH-1D for the Under $50 group build, and thats comeing along fairly well. It may also be that I have 2 Trump SBDs in the garage and am subconciously wondering why I kill myself to finish a $10 old beast like the matchbox kit. I guess we will see if I ever go back to work on it. Sabre

I should be closing up the hull in the next couple of days. (my days off are wednesday and thursday). I have the parts for the interior just about done, some added detailing to the seat backs is all I'm adding, as I will be leaving the big side doors off and the seats are so obviously bare. Just out of curiosity, does anyone know what color the big multi bin ammo chest was? Im suspecting OD green for the boxs with the grey tiedown bars and either green or gray straps. I have an italeri kit which has better callouts for colors but its currently in storage far far away. I've solved the problem of the poor quality of the engine, Im simply going to build it with the doors closed. Anyway I should be posting some picks in the next couple of days. Sabre

Klaus, That is truly outstanding work. I've been following your thread since you started it, and I just sit in awe. Well done. I hope you will indulge us with as detailed an account of the new progect, the 1/18th scale Corsair. I have one sitting here, and have been thinking of doing the same. I look forward to seeing how you go about that one. Sabre

Nice work on the pit, I'm looking forward to seeing the engine. Does that kit come with a removable cowling? Round engines look so nice when done up to the 9s. Sabre

Ok, still pluggin along, Im about ready to paint the interior, and finish assembling it into the fuselage before joining the two sides. Been working on the rotor head, armament, (2x 2.75 pods and 4 M-60s) getting them cleaned up. No pics yet, tried to get some last nite, need new batteries in the camera. Sabre

YOu know, I don't think I've ever spent so much time filling ejector marks and sinks or trying to carve flash into something resembling a helos complex control system. I didnt' realize this thing was so long in the tooth. Anyway, I've been working on all the subassemblys trying to make them look good before painting or doing any major assemblys. Going to be a while yet. I also didn't realize that the inside of the cabin is blank. no interior details at all other than the floor n ceiling, so im scraping down the sidewalls to make them smooth before painting. Im not going to bother with the engine too much, its pretty misaligned and full of sinks, and other distortions. I'll just fix up the top of the transmission housing and clean up the control rods. I should have some photos during the next couple of days. Sabre

You know, I started building this on New Years day. Im already thinking to my self, I can change this, or I could improve that. AMS is a scary thing to behold. I'm fighting it, I'm fighting it. I suppose adding stuff out of the scrap bin would be a no no? OMG I'm starting to get the twitching awfuls. I must be going into withdrawal... Sabre

As I mentioned in the discussion leading up to the GB, I have a Revell UH-1D that I'll do OOB and if theres time I'll try do the trumpeter CJ-5a Nanjang or whatever its called, (Im at work, don't have the box here) That 2 seat trigear trainer thingie. Sabre

If you need some parts, let me know, I just scrapped one, plus have parts from a second one. Sabre

I look forward to seeing the photos. Hudson has been a favourite of mine for years. Sabre

I've got 5 of these monsters so far. First was a Bf-109E, then an F4U-1. Since then I've picked up an F-104G, a Sabre and a Ju-87. All of them have various shape problems, especially with the airfoils. All five have very thick trailing edges which will require some serious work with a mill file. Some of them exhibit problems with the airfoil on all surfaces, the Stuka and the Sabre being the worst of them. The Stuka has some shape issues with the fuselage from the cockpit back to the fin. All in all, they need some serious work to make them presentable. I've started working on the Ju-87, trying to seperate the parts. In some spots its easy, in others, I think C4 might be the only option. (just kidding, but that glue is amazing) I concur with the idea of seeing them as vacuforms and they do have a lot of potential. But man do they ever take up space. I've pretty much run out and won't be buying any more. Sabre

Ok, in between buying a new boat and putting the old one to bed, being off with a bad back for weeks and other usual excuses, I've gotten started again on the SBD. The outer wing panels are now joined to the center section, and I'm working on the offsetting of the ailerons and the flaps. Putting the final touchs on the tail planes before permanently offsetting the elevators, then I'll start to put on all the eduard PE for them. Im about to try using the PE bending tool I bought, should be interesting as some of the smaller parts are unbelievable in size. IF this works, the level of detail should be pretty impressive. EITHER THAT or I go insane and they lead me away in a white coat with oversize sleeves. I should have some photos shortly. Sabre

Thanks for the compliment. I'll be at it again in about 4 weeks if not sooner. Sailing season is coming to a rapid end boo hoo! Sabre

I stalled out on this one in the PTO build. Its about a 3rd completed. I'll have another go at it. Fall is coming, should have more time over the winter. Sabre