North American F-86K Sabre

MustHave! Models, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Mick Evans

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This is the second kit from newcomers MustHave! models.  At this point in time the company has been using existing manufacturers kits and adding updated parts to build differing variants to those supplied by the original manufacturer.  In this case, MustHave has taken the original Revell/Monogram F-86D Sabre kit and supplied the parts to convert the kit to the F-86K variant.

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The original Revell/Monogram kit was a superb kit when released featuring:

• Detailed cockpits and seat

• Full length intake ducting

• Detailed exhaust nozzle

• Positionable leading and trailing edge flaps

• Detailed undercarriage and bays

• Canopy can be positioned open or closed

• Underwing fuel tanks

• Rocket bay pack (not fitted to F-86K)

The original kit was very accurate with one of the only exception being the rudder trim tab that depicted the oversized trial aircraft.
 
It would have been easier for MustHave to only have supplied a replacement nose section to depict the cannons fitted to the F-86K but to their credit they have provided two complete and accurate fuselage haves.  The new fuselage halves have had all the panel detail corrected for the F-86K across the entire fuselage including the oversized rudder trim tab.

 
Included in this kit are some very nice resin and etch metal details to further improve the original kit. 

The etched metal fret contains:

• New instrument panel along with a photo acetate instrument sheet

• Ejection seat harness set

• Parachute pack door

• Undercarriage scissor links

• Cockpit rail detail

• Canopy detail

The resin parts include:

• Positionable rudder

• Instrument shroud

• Gunsight

Most of the replacement parts are a direct replacement for the kit parts but some kit surgery will be required to remove the kit parts.  The rudder replacement is a personal taste and something that I will not be doing as the rudder is almost always seen in the streamlined position.

 
The decals provided look superb and are supplied on three sheets with one of these containing all of the data decals.  They are crisply printed and are thin and have good colour saturation.  

The painting instructions provide for five natural metal aircraft from four different nations as detailed below:

• Italian Air Force N.A (Fiat) F-86K (Kappone), Serial No 1-39/54903 flown by Magg Pilota Francesco Fatigati of 1 Stormo COT 17 Gruppo based at Istrana Air Base, Italy in Summer 1956.

• Norwegian Air Force N.A F-86K Serial No ZK-A/541251 of 337 Squadron of the RNAF based at Gardermoen Air Station Norway in 1954.

• Royal Netherlands N.A (Fiat) F-86K “Kaasjager” Y7-2/54238 of 701 AWX Squadron Klu of the RNethAF based at Twenthe AFB the Netherlands in 1959.

• French N.A (Fiat) F-86K Serial No 13 PH/54835 flown by Cne Brossier of ECTT 2/13 Alpes based at Colmar-Meyenheim France in 1957/59.

• French N.A (Fiat) F-86K Serial No 13 QV/54860 flown by Sgt Chavelet of ECTT 1/13 Artois based at Colmar-Meyenheim France in 1957/59.

 
This is a very welcome release enabling modellers to build the cannon armed F-86K based on the excellent original Revell/Monogram kit.
 
The simple thing is modellers of all levels of skill can easily build this kit and turn out a great result without extensive modification work that would have been required to build this version earlier.  My only beef with the kit is it would have been nice to have included markings for a camouflaged aircraft of the West German Air Force.
 
Excellent work from MustHave and I hope they keep rolling out the nice kits.  I am really looking forward to building this kit having built the original Revell/Monogram F-86D some years ago and the finished result in natural metal looked very striking.

Thanks to MustHave Models for the review sample.

Text Copyright © 2012 by Mick Evans
Images Copyright © 2012 by Brett Green
This Page Created on 7 August, 2012
Last updated 7 August, 2012

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