#5 DONE +++ N.A. F-86K, 'SD-103' of 2./HävLLv 31, Ilmavoimat, late Sixties @p.3

TheChronicOne · November 26, 2016, 11:20:12 AM

Glorious!! Remarkable work as always, Diz. Looking forward to the glamour shots.

Captain Canada · November 26, 2016, 12:43:06 PM

Love it ! Those colours look perfect.

Dizzyfugu · November 26, 2016, 11:53:28 PM

Quote from: Captain Canada on November 26, 2016, 12:43:06 PM
Love it ! Those colours look perfect.

Thank you (all, so far). Yes, the colors took some research and trial work. But I think I found a good look that catches esp. the unique dark tone well.

Snowtrooper · November 27, 2016, 04:16:30 AM

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on November 26, 2016, 02:45:37 AM
Thanks a lot for the info concerning the Finnish colors - I could not find any useful information and relied upon many reference pictures, online and in literature. In the recent Airfix BAe Hawk, which also contains an option for a Finnish aircraft, the recommended Humbrol tones are 224, 163 and 166. 224 is IMHO very good, but only if you want a "fresh" aircraft and do no shading or weathering. 163 is dubious, IMHO too light, but it could work as a combo - even though real world aircraft appear much darker to me, hence my mixed attempt that has a dedicated brownish hue. The undersides appear very pale, and simply grey. FS 36440 sound plausible, I even went with 166 for an even lighter tone - and it looks very good.

Everything will change, though, since a lot of shading with lighter and more intense colors follows soon - but the first impression looks good, at least to me.

If you're interested, here's some more tidbits:

Two 21UM's were the first to be camo'd in 1974 with Finnish tones, roughly FS 30059 / 34064 / 34233 at this point (the scheme was still being experimented at that point).

Airfix instructions are probably correct for brand new Hawks: they were painted from the start with colours that (factory-fresh) actually match the BS definitions given in my earlier post (222/437/637) - this "standard" scheme was decided in 1977 and the NMF 21F's were also painted to this scheme when opportunity arose (eg. during a service overhaul).

The 21bis's which were delivered starting from 1978 were factory-painted in the Soviet Union and were supposed to be painted in the new Hawk scheme but as Stalin said, "big country, big tolerances": the reality was often closer to FS 30108 (black) / 34127 (dark green) / 36373 (light blue-gray) and the tones varied wildly, even on the same aircraft and became weathered even faster. Again, they were repainted with "standard" colours whenever convenient.

In 1988, paint supply for the "standard" colours was switched to a domestic alternative and thus the tones changed slightly from the 1977 version, roughly FS 30040 / 34102 / 36440 if you're really pedantic, but after weathering the difference is not really noticeable in nature (plus during the transition, there were of course new and old paint supplies used side by side, making things even more confusing...)

But like I said, if it looks good, it's good

Captain Canada · November 27, 2016, 05:10:30 AM

Thanks for that info ! I've started a folder with paint info. I'm horrible at keeping track !

NARSES2 · November 27, 2016, 08:00:08 AM

As per usual transfers bring it all to life

nighthunter · November 27, 2016, 09:35:45 AM

This is interesting for me as I plan on making a Finnish AF Mirage F-1EF

Dizzyfugu · November 28, 2016, 05:00:49 AM

So, here she is, in full glory:

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Some background:
The North American F-86D Sabre (sometimes called the "Sabre Dog") was a transonic jet all-weather interceptor conceived for the United States Air Force, but found use in many other air forces, too. Originally designated YF-95, work began in March 1949 and the first, unarmed prototype made its m,aiden flight on 22 December 1949. It was the first U.S. Air Force night fighter design with only a single crewman and a single engine, a J47-GE-17 with afterburner rated at 5,425 lbf (24.1 kN) static thrust. Gun armament was completely eliminated in favor of a retractable under-fuselage tray carrying 24 unguided Mk. 4 HVAR rockets, then considered a more effective weapon against incoming enemy bomber groups at high altitude than a barrage of short-ranged cannon fire. The YF-95 nomenclature was short-lived, though, as the design was subsequently re-designated YF-86D – even though the new aircraft had only a 25% commonality with the F-86 day fighter.

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The fuselage was wider than the daytime fighter and the airframe length increased to 40 ft 4 in (12.29 m), with a clamshell canopy, enlarged tail surfaces and an AN/APG-36 all-weather radar fitted in a radome in the nose, above the relocated air intake. Later models of the F-86D received an uprated J-47-GE-33 engine rated at 5,550 lbf (24.7 kN) (from the F-86D-45 production blocks onward), and a total of 2,504 D-models were built until 1954.
Derivatives for NATO partners (models K and L) eventually returned to the cannon armament, had a simpler avionics suite with an MG-4 fire control system, an APG-37 radar and augmented these with IR-guided AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs.

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Among the many overseas operators of the Sabre all-weather fighter in Europe and Asia, Finland's Air Force settled upon the type as an addition to the newly adopted MiG-21F-13 of Soviet origin as the Ilmavoimat's primary high performance daytime interceptor in the early Sixties. During the Cold War years, Finland tried to balance its purchases between east, west and domestic producers, strictly limited by the Paris peace talks of 1947. This led to a diverse inventory of Soviet, British, Swedish, French and Finnish aircraft.

After a thorough selection process, the Western F-86K was chosen and a total of 22 machines was procured from Italy, where most of the machines for European NATO partners were built in license. The Ilmavoimat's F-86Ks featured the F-86D's "short" wing from early production, and were originally delivered in bare metal livery, even though this was soon changed and a protective camouflage paint scheme applied.
By design, the Finnish F-86Ks were able to carry IR-guided AIM-9B Sidewinder AAMs on underwing pylons – but the Finnish Air Force did not procure the Sidewinder at all. Effectively, the Finnish F-86Ks were armed with K-13 AAMs, procured together with the MiG-21Fs and integral part of the fighter as a weapon system.

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Similar in appearance and function to the American AIM-9 Sidewinder, the K-13 was reverse-engineered from early Sidewinders, obtained by the Soviet Union during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1958 via China. The copy work was actually so thorough that shape and size of the missiles were almost identical. Western shackles could be used without a problem – and the copy work even went so far that the K-13's internal elements like the guidance system were so closely modeled after the AIM-9B that Western and Eastern electronics were actually easily compatible! The unusual result was that the Finnish F-86Ks were the only Western fighters at that time toting weapons of Eastern Block origin!

The Finnish F-86Ks were assigned to two fighter units (HävLLv 21 and 31, located at Rovaniemi and Kuopio-Rissala, respectively), where flights for daytime (equipped with MiG-21Fs) and all-weather interception duties were built up and operated side-by-side.

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Maintaining both the MiG-21 and the F-86 at the same time and the same places turned out to be a logistic nightmare, especially for a relatively small air force with limited resources like the Suomen Ilmavoimat. Consequently, the Sabre interceptors were already retired after a mere 10 years of service in 1972 – but the type was totally outdated, anyway, and posed no serious deterrence to potential intruders.
In the all-weather interceptor role, the F-86Ks were replaced by the Swedish state-of-the-art Saab 35BS Draken, while the MiG-21Fs soldiered on until the Eighties and were augmented and replaced by the MiG-21bis, which were also all-weather-capable.

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

General characteristics:
Crew: one
Length: 40 ft 11 in (12,50 m)
Wingspan: 37 ft 1.5 in (11.31 m)
Height: 15 ft 1 in (4.60 m)
Empty weight: 14,200 lb (6.447 kg)
Gross weight: 20,430 lb (9.276 kg)

Powerplant:
1× General Electric J47-GE-17B turbojet,
delivering 5,425 lbf (24.1 kN) dry thrust and 7,500 lbf (33.4 kN) with afterburner

Performance:
Maximum speed: 691 mph (1,112 km/h)
Maximum speed: Mach .91
Maxium range with internal fuel: 740 ml (1.190 km)
Service ceiling: 49,130 ft (15,000 m)
Rate of climb: 12,150 ft/min (61.7 m/s)

Armament:
4× 20 mm M24A1 cannon with 132 rounds per gun in the forward fuselage
4× underwing hardpoints for two IR-guided K-13/AA-2 'Atoll' (alternatively AIM9B
Sidewinder) AAMs, unguided missile pods, bombs of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg) caliber,
and a pair of drop tanks

1:72 North American (Fiat) F-86K "Sabre", 'SD-103' of the 2nd Flight/HävLLv 31 (Fighter Squadron 31/Hävittäjälentolaivue 31), Suomen Ilmavoimat (Finnish Air Force), Karelian Air Command; Kuopio-Rissala, 1968 (Whif/modified Airfix kit) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

A model with more work involved than visible at first glance. One can argue whether the addition of the two fuselage plugs was actually worthwhile? But the Finnish livery suits the Sabre Dog very well, even though it might historically be a bit too early for the aircraft and its pseudo-historic window. But it look great!

NARSES2 · November 28, 2016, 06:56:04 AM

That is just superb

reddfoxx · November 28, 2016, 07:23:05 AM

Beautiful! And well done.

perttime · November 28, 2016, 07:37:09 AM

The photos prove it: It is a true story

Dizzyfugu · November 28, 2016, 08:30:03 AM

Thank you very much!

The pic with the missile launch might be a little dramatic - but the scene and the perspective were just right, I had to try - and it worked!
Otherwise, it is again interesting to see how effective a paint scheme is in the appropriate surroundings. Especially the low level scenes are very convincing.

Captain Canada · November 28, 2016, 08:43:05 AM

Great job. It just looks and sounds so right. Love the shot of her firing the missiles !

TheChronicOne · November 28, 2016, 09:08:18 AM

Faaaaaaaaantastic! I love how you take the time and care to make these wonderful pictures like this. I'm w/ CC, I liked that shot with the crossed up missiles.

Excellent work on a dog..

Meanwhile, I'm taking bets on how long before this winds up elseweres on the net.

DogfighterZen · November 28, 2016, 10:52:28 AM

Looks very good, Dizzy, great job!