Irish Air Corps F-86D Sabre Dog-COMPLETED

[AeroplaneDriver]

I've struggled with a couple of real world builds lately, and with being in training away from home M-F I have had very little bench time so this past weekend I decided I needed a Mojo-restoring build.  I went with a kit I know goes together beautifully and is a nice basis (if underrepresented) for a Whif. 

Revell/ProModeller 1/48 F-86D.  36 hours in and she is all primed up ready for first paint coat.  I'll be home on Friday night, finally for more than 48 hours at home so hope to gt this finished next week. Not sure how it will be finished yet, but the three I'm leaning towards are:

1.  RCAF, German based
2.  RAuxAf
3.  USN China Lake testbed. 


Feel free to chime in with input or other ideas! 

[Dizzyfugu]

RCAF sounds interesting, maybe in NMF with red/white cheastlines? But Germany-based sounds more like camouflage, I guess? As an alternative, how about something exotic like Sri Lanka, Indonesia or Malaysia?

As inspiration, I did a, F-86K in Finnish colors some time ago:


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

[zenrat]

RAAF or RNZAF?

[Pellson]

Repurposed RNoAF anti-shipping missile carrier?

[Old Wombat]

My favourite F-86 after the CAC CA-27.


Hmmm? Cuban? (South) Vietnamese?

Or RAuxAF or RAAF

[Dizzyfugu]

Repurposed RNoAF anti-shipping missile carrier?

1:72 Fiat G.91N; RNoAF, 333 squadron, Ørland air base, 1988 (Whif/Italeri kit conversion) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[PR19_Kit]

I hope they keep the tyres of your F-86N up to pressure Thomas, those Penguin's fins are VERY close to the ground! 

[AeroplaneDriver]

I'm liking all these ideas being thrown out...I may need to do some rethinking...

[Dizzyfugu]

Indonesian Navy anti-shipping is also an option! 

[scooter]

(South) Vietnamese?

Or a Vietnam that had had gained its independence from France with the backing of an America that didn't have Woodrow Wilson's paternalism.

[lenny100]

you might consider a real world what if. the f86-d in the uk is painted up as two aircraft one side has the markings from itys time with the sabre knights display team and the other as a usaf germany aircraft

[Mossie]

Sweden, what if they alligned more with the US rather than the UK for early jets?  it also somewhat resembles the Lansen.
Brazil, a more modern upgrade to the P-80s.
Belgium.  One of the few NATO members not to operate an F-86 variant.  I think the colours would suit it too and some F-84s had colourful schemes.

[Cobra]

How about going Gerry Anderson and turn it into a World Air Force Interceptor? that work for You? Dan

[AeroplaneDriver]

The great input on this build got the gears working and I abandoned my original three ideas for Something Completely Different. 

Backstory is in the works and will be ready for the final reveal, hopefully tomorrow...if not then by the weekend. 

Paint coat on and some panel shipping done.



Decals on, and a quick wash.  Looking a bit manky before the final finishes go on. 

This Sabre Dog will be patrolling the eastern Atlantic armed with "Mighty Mouse" rockets and a pair of Sidewinder AAMs. 

[Dizzyfugu]

That's a nice ide, too, and looking good.