The F -86F 40 upgrade from F30 model, she was designed purely for export, and never served operationally with any USAF units. First F -86F -40-NA rolled out of the factory in October of 1955. The new F -86F was basically similar to the earlier F -86F Sabre. The wing tips were extended, increasing the wingspan from 37.12 feet to 39.11 feet. The last of 280 California-built F -86F -40-NA was delivered in December of 1956.
- Kit No 80259
- Item Name: F-86F-40 Sabre
- Scale: 1/72
- Item Type Static kit
- Model Brief Length:153 mm Width:165 mm Height:59 mm
- Total Parts: 31
- Total Sprues: 3 sprues, wing, and slide molded fuselage (one piece wing)
- MSRP: $9.99
- Street Price: Approximately $6.99+ USD
- Camouflage Scheme:
1）German Air Force 3/JG71.1963.
2）Japan Self -Defense Air Forces
Here is a 1/72 F-86–40 from Hobby Boss with a story. This is the story that many model builders probably may have also passed thru. This particular one was purchased in a local Hobby Town shop which is no longer in business after the recession. These 1/72 Hobby Boss kits are very cheap and make a great kit to relief from larger complicated builds and also they do make a nice gift for the younglings.
While working on the Tamiya 1/32 F-16 CJ Fighting Falcon, I decided to make a stop in the build and build the Hobby Boss model kit. Although I paint for the most part in acrylics nowadays, when I came back to the hobby after my long hiatus, I started many projects with Testors Model Master Enamel Spray. I wanted to get rid of those Model Master cans as soon as possible so there was a can of Model Master FS 36076 German Gray with a bit left but enough for this small project.
It was a beautiful summer day with no humidity and I decided to move it to our garage and let the paint dry. Clumsy me, I slightly tripped and the model came off a wooden dowel I was using to paint it. Immediately the model got filled with little pebbles from the ground.
Thanks to my wife, this little F-86F was saved from certain doom as it was going to end under tons of trash in the landfill.
I was so mad that I took it from the ground and threw it instead of in the garbage bin. It was a $7 model kit but I did put a couple of hours in the cockpit. Mad with myself, the model stayed in the garbage bin for about 3 days. Every time I came with trash I would avoid placing it on top of it. This thing was giving me the Sad Sam puppy eyes.
Trash collection day arrived and I was pulling the bin out while mumbling to myself. My wife laughing told me to get it out and give it a chance. So I did! The heat in the garage worked some magic. I took the model kit out of the bin and the paint was totally dry and cured. Turns out that all the pebbles stuck to it where removed by simply running my fingers thru the fuselage.
To remedy the tiny imperfections left by the pebbles, I gave the model another coat of the German Gray. Once cured I added the acrylic green, gloss coat, and decals. A coat of clear flat coat and WALA!
Here is my humble 1/72 F-86F-40 from Hobby Boss.
This was almost 7 years ago. I did learn from that experience to be more patient. This incident put my modeling fuse to the test and to be in this hobby, we have to have a longer fuse and sometimes even thick skin. Lesson learned! After all that time, I pulled the model kit from the case for the pictures shown below.
Do you have any modeling snafus that you would like to share? Please do so on the comments section below and thanks for reading.
