Placeholder for my first group build. Not the best at finishing models but a deadline always helps. I looking to make a North American Fury in 1/72, not sure if it will be an FJ-1 or maybe an FJ-4B. Picked up an Emhar kit this week for a tenner, a moment of madness as I had one in the stash already (since about 1990), no one honestly needs two of them! Also still have a few Pegasus FJ-1 kits, which is almost definitely an easier kit to build then the Emhar monster.

I'm thinking along the lines of an RCN FJ-1, or perhaps RAN FJ-4B, or maybe the other way around, inspired by kits build by Mike McEvoy on GOM, but I might just go for a decent F-86 Sabre kit instead.

None the less, I'm building something for the group build!

Thanks,
Colin     

Of course there is the lovely FJ-4F with a rocket engine in the tail and fetching radar proboscis.


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I like the look of the FJ-4F, but it just means even more work!

Colin 

Had a dig about in the shed and found one of my remaining Pegasus FJ-1 Fury kits. As expected it looks like slightly less work than the Emhar FJ-4, so I think the subject choice has been made. Also as the owner of the Pegasus range, its about time I have another crack at one. I've not build a Pegasus kit since I was a teenager.

The kit has some very nice metal parts, I think the wheels might have come Heller F-86F, or possibly the Airfix F-86D (Heller models provided quite a few detail parts for Pegasus kits). I have the original masters for the metal parts in a box somewhere, I will try and dig them out. Here is a picture of the kit built for promotion by Chris Gannon, straight out of the box.


I doubt mine will be this well made. Plan is to build a stock FJ-1, with some refinements to the kit but nothing major. The kit nose is a bit short but I'm not going to worry about it.

The USN ordered 100 FJ-1 Fury's, but only 30 where built in the end. I'm most likely going to built a second hand exported version from the mid 50's, going on the assumption that the production run was not cut and it wasn't such a poor aircraft. Not sure which customer, but thinking most likely Canada in RCN colours.

I will try and make a start next week. I won'd be using any specific aftermarket parts, although surprisingly for a short run kit from the 90's there are some available. Ventura did a replacement  vacform canopy (made by Falcon Industries), which until recently was still available from a seller in New Zealand on ebay. The two part canopy in the kit isn't actually bad, and as I'm not adding much detail I don't need a clearer one!

Thanks,
Colin
           

RCN always get's my vote ! Two grey with some orange, and those beautiful leafy roundels 

Quote from: jcf on February 24, 2023, 04:49:21 PMOf course there is the lovely FJ-4F with a rocket engine in the tail and fetching radar proboscis.

Thanks, that inspired me new Mustangs, I posted those drawings at https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=4461.3045

The front wheel looks a lot like an Airfix F-86 donor. 

RCN is a good choice - I have built a contemporary Ryan Darkshark in this guise many moons ago, and it looked (and still looks) very good in the two-tone grey livery with a high waterline.   


1:72 Ryan F2R 'Dark Shark'; aircraft "117/Bu. No. 141467" of VF 870 Squadron, Royal Canadian Navy/RCN, HMCS Magnificent, early 1951 (Whif/MPM kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Great Dark Shark, yes that is the scheme I would like to do. I also have a Pegasus Ryan FR.1 Fireball in the stash, the Fireball was I think the last Pegasus kit I built.

Colin

Of course EDSG (or even DSG) over Sky looks good on jets.

So after a small amount of research, I found the attached image of the original NA-140 XP-86 proposed for the USAAF from 1944, in development along side the USN FJ-1.  Modelling an NA-140 opens up a lot of potential possibilities of a What-If straight wing Sabre in service in the early 50s.


What to do next!

Colin

Can't wait to see how this progresses! 

Hopefully with an F-86 style removable aft fuselage for engine maintenance/changes instead of
having to remove the top of the fuselage like the FJ-1.


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The FJ-1 is an attractive design, perhaps in a cute way.
What would it be called in USAF service?
What colour would it be? Bare metal with some highlights?

Quote from: perttime on March 10, 2023, 10:06:29 PMThe FJ-1 is an attractive design, perhaps in a cute way.
What would it be called in USAF service?
What colour would it be? Bare metal with some highlights?

If they had proceeded with the original FJ-1 based P-86, then after 1947 it would have been designated
F-86.

Apologies all,  had good intentions but got distracted so this ended up a non-started. So I put it back in the stash for another day. Sorry!

Colin