Italeri 1/32 scale F-86F-30 Sabre by Roger Hardy

Italeri's 1/32 scale
F-86F-30 Sabre

by Roger Hardy

F-86F-30 Sabre

Italeri's 1/32 scale F-86F-30 Sabre is available online from Squadron

Introduction

Background

This is the Kinetic kit re-issued by Italeri with additional decals for Italian and British aircraft and a highly-elevated price! I decided to do the RAF version as I have always liked the look of this iconic aircraft in British markings. The Sabre was only in RAF service for a couple of years (1953-55) while they waited for the Hunter to be delivered, then they were gifted to Yugoslavia and Italy.

Actually, they were not even North American-built but made by Canadair as the Sabre Mk 4.
The earlier in-box review covers the kit in detail and I would only add that I personally like the surface details of the fuselage and wings, really restrained rivets that look absolutely realistic when painted and given a satin finish. If you look at the real aircraft you will see that the finish was not that smooth and I think that this kit reproduces those imperfections well. In fact, it was looking at the detail of the fuselage that made me want to build this one as a canvas for a paint scheme, rather than as a great super-detailed model. Therefore I made it straight from the box, added nothing except some seat belts and only left out the engine, which is not particularly good and a bit of a gimmick.

A word of warning; this is the chunkiest kit I have ever made and, at first glance, gives the appearance of being a little toy-like. However, don’t be fooled – it’s a first class kit. Not Tamiya, but then it’s not at a Tamiya price. It makes the old Hasegawa 1/32 kit totally obsolete.

Construction

The build was problem-free and the fit of the parts was good with few joints to fill.

The only problems were the joints between the one-piece wing and the lower fuselage, front and back. I use Milliput as a filler because it can be smoothed with a wet finger and doesn’t attack plastic, this minimizes the fettling required later.

Some locating holes needed to be drilled-out but the assembly is foolproof and this is not a kit that requires great modeling skills. I mulled over the undercarriage doors, airbrakes and flaps because, as a former pilot, I know that these should normally be closed on parked aircraft, yet the instructions say that they should all be open and flaps down. I looked at photographs of aircraft in service and, sure enough, they were all hanging down; even the airbrakes were normally open on parked aircraft. I think that the reason for this is that, like the Mustang, these various doors fall open as the pressure in the hydraulic system bleeds away.

A word of warning – it needs a lot of nose weight, about 40g. There is a tray where you can locate it but if you miss it out, you are doomed.

The Kinetic kit provides a nose weight, the Italeri kit does not.

Painting and Markings

I sprayed it with an Aztek airbrush, using Tamiya paints that I mixed myself. Like to spray satin finish paints because you can decal directly onto them and don’t have to gloss-up a flat finish. I had a box full of Xtracrylix paints but when I opened them, they had all turned to jelly. Pure gloss and matt finishes don’t look right on models, in my view. Most aircraft are satin to some extent and satin finish can be mixed from flat and gloss varnish (although I actually used Tamiya’s semi-gloss clear spray can - recommended). I use Tamiya paints because they are the nearest thing I can get to my favourites, Gunze Sangyo. I didn’t bother with weathering because I think the junkyard look should be reserved for dioramas. Straight models should look good in a museum. I like the showroom finish. Also, I’m crap at weathering!

The decals are excellent. I think they’re by Cartograf so you don’t need any after-market decals. They cover two USAF Korean War aircraft as well, similar to the original Kinetic kit but they are the usual aircraft…the Huff, etc. There’s not much more to be said. I think this would also look great in natural metal, with all that luscious rivet and panel detail.

Conclusion

So, overall, this is a great kit and the finished model looks exactly right.

It was courtesy of my pocket and I am grateful for the new kids on the block at Kinetic for finally giving us a good big-scale Sabre.

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