ABC Z642 with Wheeling power snakes past "AY" on the north side of Akron on the evening of 8/29/18. What was once a busy junction with B&O, PRR, and Erie, now just features the former B&O Chicago-Pittsburgh main and a mostly abandoned former B&O Valley line and adjoining AY yard.

i feel like this is weird and random and completely different from the stuff I usually do

meh, i might delete it

--

yall are sweet :) this one stays for now

Elli<3

Finally got around to building this hauler I made in LDD a while back. Changed a few things here and there, mainly just features. The trailer I changed quite a bit. This version is actually A LOT stronger than the previous LDD version. THe trailer can hold up to a 10-wide vehicle or tank. The truck itself can seat 6 total like the real deal, 4 inside, 2 out back. Austin is planning a scene with this big boy as soon as we get the last few pieces ready.

This is a variation on the shot I shared last week. I wondered if the barn and the rail line together cluttered the composition up too much. So this alternative just features the rails. Still not sure which I like better. But I love the flexibility in composition I get from the drone. I can experiment with all kinds of angles and perspectives from the same location.

#somosinstagramers #estaes_espania #estaes_europa #ok_spain #bts_member #igerspain #igersvalencia #loves_spain #igerscomunitat #ig_europe #estaes_valencia #loves_valencia #shotsofresh #ig_spain #alicantegram #fotonline_es #valenciaterraimar #valenciagram #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #ig_hiddenearth #total_cvalenciana #just_features #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #waycoolshots #match_valencia #spain_greatshots #hq_globe #spain

✰ This photo was featured on The Epic Global Showcase here: ift.tt/24kBxWd

-------------

It’s true Nessie WAS in the Thames #LDN4ALL_WWIM13_LE #ldn4all_wwim13 #wwim13_nightsession #wwim13_london #lifeonearthwwim13 #wwim13 #️⃣#VSCOlondon #ldn4all #london4all #toplondonphoto #THISISLONDON #igerslondon #shutup_london #london_enthusiast #loves_london # #click_london #just_features #meistershots #uk_enthusiasts #HQ_UK #nightphotography #widewhynot #maybeldner #thelondonlifeinc #the_london_eyes #steelwool #london_masters #londonforyou #murderdotcom @instagram @londre @londra @londonforyou @thelondonlifeinc @london.c1ty @lostinlondon @london

by @cosplore01 on Instagram.

#festive_ru #rebels_united @rebels_united #igerslondon #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #bts_member #shotsofresh #loves_britain #just_features #britains_talent #grittyprettylondon #loves_london @bbc #capturingbritain_urban #splendid_urban #loves_united_england #icu_britain #loves_england #london_enthusiast #metropolisldn #photosofbritain #prettylittlelondon #london_masters #ig_hiddenearth #hq_uk #icu_britain #london4all #thelondonlifeinc #wundrouslondon #loves_united_kingdom #hq_uk, visitlondon, visitbritain, timeoutlondon, leadenhallmarket, london, londres, londra, crystalball

#TBT #somosinstagramers #estaes_europa #ok_spain #bts_member #igerspain #igersvalencia #loves_spain #igerscomunitat #ig_europe #estaes_valencia #loves_valencia #shotsofresh #ig_spain #alicantegram #fotonline_es #valenciaterraimar #valenciagram #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #ig_hiddenearth #total_cvalenciana #just_features #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #match_valencia #spain_greatshots #hq_globe #igers #igersclm #igersalicante

#igerslondon #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #bts_member #shotsofresh #loves_britain #just_features #britains_talent #grittyprettylondon #loves_london @bbc #capturingbritain_urban #splendid_urban #loves_united_england #icu_britain #loves_england #london_enthusiast #metropolisldn #photosofbritain #prettylittlelondon #london_masters #ig_hiddenearth #hq_uk #icu_britain #london4all #thelondonlifeinc #wundrouslondon #loves_united_kingdom #visitlondon, london, londres, londra, londinium, visitlondon, visittatemodern, visitbritain, tateswitch, switchhouse, bbc, itv, tatemodern, shard, theshard

visitlondon, visitbritain, timeoutlondon, london, londres, londra, bondstreet, longexposure,

#LDN4ALL_HappyHolidays #LO_Tinsel #london_only #igerslondon #nightscene #Nightphotography #longexposureoftheday #loves_longexpo #amazing_longexpo #longexposurephotography #loves_longexposure #bts_member #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #shotssofresh #loves_britain #capturingbritain_urban #just_features #britains_talent #loves_united_kingdom #loves_united_england #icu_britain #london_enthusiast #hq_uk #visitlondon #wundrouslondon #Metropolis_London #vsco

#somosinstagramers #estaes_espania #estaes_europa #ok_spain #bts_member #igerspain #igersvalencia #loves_spain #igerscomunitat #ig_europe #estaes_valencia #loves_valencia #shotsofresh #ig_spain #litratongpinoy #alicantegram #fotonline_es #valenciaterraimar #valenciagram #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #total_cvalenciana #just_features #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #waycoolshots #insta_ankara #ig_ikeda #españa #spain

#ldn4all_7thheaven

#somosinstagramers #estaes_espania #estaes_europa #ok_spain #bts_member #igerspain ##loves_spain #igerscomunitat #ig_europe #estaes_salamanca #shotsofresh #ig_spain #fotonline_es #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #ig_hiddenearth #just_features #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #waycoolshots #spain_greatshots #hq_globe #eyeem #igers #salamanca #noche

#somosinstagramers #estaes_espania #estaes_europa #ok_spain #bts_member #igerspain ##loves_spain #igerscomunitat #ig_europe #estaes_salamanca #shotsofresh #ig_spain #fotonline_es #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #ig_hiddenearth #just_features #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #waycoolshots #spain_greatshots #hq_globe #eyeem #igers #salamanca #oldtown #elbarrioantinguo

#ldn4all_riverboats #lo_discovery #igerslondon #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #bts_member #shotsofresh #loves_britain #just_features #britains_talent #grittyprettylondon #loves_london #visitlondonofficial #capturingbritain_city #splendid_urban #loves_united_kingdom #loves_united_england #icu_britain #loves_england #london_enthusiast #sunchasersldn #metropolisldn #photosofbritain #prettylittlelondon #london_masters #ig_hiddenearth #hq_uk #icu_britain #london4all @thamesclippers #mbnathamesclippers

#ldn4all_iseelines #lo_lightandshadow #igerslondon #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #ig_britishisles #maybeLDNer #ig_shutterbugs_member #shotsofresh #loves_britain #bts_member #just_features #britains_talent #grittyprettylondon #loves_london #visitlondonofficial #bts_member #just_features #loves_united_kingdom #loves_united_england #icu_britain #loves_england #london_enthusiast #sunchasersldn #metropolisldn #photosofbritain #prettylittlelondon #london_masters #uvmembersclub #thisislondon #ig_hiddenearth #hq_uk #mattrockslondon

I wanted to create something beautiful and cinematic. Something like a nice establishing shot. Hope you like it. Please read the description in german and english below.

Schleswig-Holstein hat mehr zu bieten als Strand und Meer. Der doch eher durchwachsene Sommer hat im Norden mit seinem Spiel von Sonne und Wolken über endlosen Feldern seinen ganz eigenen Reiz. Und entgegen der landläufigen Meinung ist Schleswig-Holstein zudem alles andere als nur Flach. Aufnahmen entstanden im Bereich des Naturpak Westensees. Dieses Video ist eher ein Test, der in Zukunft vielleicht mehr Videos nach sich ziehen wird ;)

Musik: Slow Motion - Bensound.com

Schleswig-Holstein has more to offer then just Beaches and Sea. The changeable weather this summer has it's nice Faces, too. Sun and Clouds changing above wide fields of Grain. Despite the widespread Opinion that Schleswig-Holstein is wide and flat there are many Hills here, too. Recorded in the Naturpark Westensee in Northern Germany. This Video just features some Test footage I quickly recorded today. Maybe there will be more in the future ;)

Music: Slow Motion - Bensound.com

#ldn4all_londonweather #lo_midnight #igerslondon #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #bts_member #shotsofresh #loves_britain #just_features #britains_talent #grittyprettylondon #loves_london #visitlondonofficial #capturingbritain_city #splendid_urban #loves_united_kingdom #loves_united_england #icu_britain #loves_england #london_enthusiast #sunchasersldn #metropolisldn #photosofbritain #prettylittlelondon #london_masters #ig_hiddenearth #hq_uk #icu_britain #london4all #timeoutlondon

.

#sunsetsforbreakfast #igerslondon #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #bts_member #shotsofresh #loves_britain #just_features #britains_talent #grittyprettylondon #loves_london #visitlondonofficial #capturingbritain_urban #splendid_urban #loves_united_kingdom #loves_united_england #icu_britain #loves_england #london_enthusiast #sunchasersldn #metropolisldn #photosofbritain #prettylittlelondon #london_masters #ig_hiddenearth #hq_uk #icu_britain #london4all #thelondonlifeinc #wundrouslondon

#london_only #LO_zion_ #LDN4ALL_770 #nightscene #Nightphotography #longexposureoftheday #loves_longexpo #amazing_longexpo #longexposurephotography #loves_longexposure #agameoftones #igerslondon #mylife_mychoice_myfeed

#ig_britishisles #bts_member #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #shotssofresh #loves_britain #capturingbritain_urban #just_features #britains_talent #loves_united_kingdom #loves_united_england #icu_britain #london_enthusiast #hq_uk #visitlondon #wundrouslondon #Metropolis_London, london, visitlondon, visitbritain, visitengland, timeoutlondon, bbc, itv

#somosinstagramers #estaes_espania #estaes_europa #ok_spain #bts_member #igerspain #igersvalencia #loves_spain #igerscomunitat #ig_europe #estaes_valencia #loves_valencia #shotsofresh #ig_spain #litratongpinoy #alicantegram #fotonline_es #valenciaterraimar #valenciagram #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #ig_hiddenearth #total_cvalenciana #just_features #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #waycoolshots #match_valencia #spain_greatshots #hq_globe #cullera

#LO_CH

#LDN4ALL_BigMac #igerslondon #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #bts_member #shotsofresh #loves_britain #just_features #britains_talent #grittyprettylondon #loves_london #visitlondonofficial #capturingbritain_urban #loves_united_kingdom #loves_united_england #icu_britain #loves_england #london_enthusiast #metropolisldn #photosofbritain #prettylittlelondon #london_masters #ig_hiddenearth #hq_uk #icu_britain #london4all #thelondonlifeinc #wundrouslondon #tulipstaircase london, londres, crystalballphotography, visitlondon, thequeenshouse, tulipstaircase, queenshouse, greenwich

#somosinstagramers #estaes_espania #estaes_europa #ok_spain #bts_member #igerspain #igersvalencia #loves_spain #igerscomunitat #ig_europe #estaes_valencia #loves_valencia #shotsofresh #ig_spain #alicantegram #fotonline_es #valenciaterraimar #valenciagram #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #ig_hiddenearth #total_cvalenciana #just_features #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #waycoolshots #match_valencia #spain_greatshots #hq_globe #spain #estaes_lasplayas

#somosinstagramers #estaes_espania #estaes_europa #ok_spain #bts_member #igerspain #igersvalencia #loves_spain #igerscomunitat #ig_europe #estaes_valencia #loves_valencia #shotsofresh #ig_spain #litratongpinoy #alicantegram #fotonline_es #valenciaterraimar #valenciagram #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #ig_hiddenearth #total_cvalenciana #just_features #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #waycoolshots #insta_ankara #ig_ikeda #rsa_social

Anybody else remember getting one of these VHS tapes in the mail around 2002 ish? My dad got one way back then from Lego, and strange thing is- it's not on Bricklink at all. It just features a newscast of Jack's exploits saving the city, and so on. He even gets presented with the key to the city by the mayor! Anybody remember this or receive it too?

#RU_Macro_16 #rebelmacro #rebelsunited

#igerslondon #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #bts_member #shotsofresh #loves_britain #just_features #britains_talent #grittyprettylondon #loves_london #visitlondonofficial #capturingbritain_city #splendid_urban #loves_united_kingdom #loves_united_england #icu_britain #loves_england #london_enthusiast #sunchasersldn #metropolisldn #photosofbritain #prettylittlelondon #london_masters #ig_hiddenearth #hq_uk #icu_britain

🌰 'Fighting Fire with ice-ceam' del artista británico Alex Chinneck. 🌰 Alex creó el espectacular árbol de Navidad suspendido en un cubo de hielo de 7 metros que se derrite en las fuentes de Granary Square.

london, londres, londra, visitlondon, visitbritain, visitengland, timeoutlondon, alexchinneck, granarysquare, #LDN4ALL_Hohoho #LO_Makeamove #london_only #igerslondon #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #bts_member #shotsofresh #loves_britain #just_features #britains_talent #grittyprettylondon #loves_london @bbc #capturingbritain_urban #splendid_urban #loves_united_england #icu_britain #loves_england #london_enthusiast #metropolis_london #photosofbritain #prettylittlelondon #london_masters #ig_hiddenearth #hq_uk #icu_britain #london4all #thelondonlifeinc #wundrouslondon #loves_united_kingdom

🌰 So, yesterday I was told by an employee that I am not allowed to take photos here, even when I pointed out that I am allowed for personal use, he would not have it.... It seems this employee is incorrect because there's a @transportforlondon page asking us for our photos of the underground. If you are taking photographs for a shoot then I believe you need permission. 🌰 Así que, ayer me dijeron por un empleado que no se me permite tomar fotos aquí, incluso cuando me señaló que estoy autorizado para uso personal, él no lo tendría .... Parece que este empleado es incorrecto porque su @transportforlondon página pidiéndonos nuestras fotos del metro. Si está tomando fotografías para un rodaje entonces creo que necesita permiso.

london, londres, timeoutlondon, visitlondon, visitengland, visitbritain, gantshill, transportforlondon, tfl,

#igerslondon #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #bts_member #shotsofresh #loves_britain #just_features #britains_talent #grittyprettylondon #loves_london @bbc #capturingbritain_urban #splendid_urban #loves_united_england #icu_britain #loves_england #london_enthusiast #metropolis_london #photosofbritain #londonsbest

#london_masters #ig_hiddenearth #hq_uk #icu_britain #london4all #thelondonlifeinc #wundrouslondon #vsco #LondonLive

#BedroomIdeas - Boys’ bedroom sets that best available in the market are cheap priced with charming themes for more than just features that fill the bedroom designing and decorating. Boys’ bedding sets on sale especially based on IKEA ideas and plans are quite simple yet marvelous with elegance as well as fun...

goo.gl/yr9tlE

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The North American F-86D Sabre (sometimes called the "Sabre Dog") was a transonic jet all-weather interceptor conceived for the United States Air Force, but found use in many other air forces, too. Originally designated YF-95, work began in March 1949 and the first, unarmed prototype made its m,aiden flight on 22 December 1949. It was the first U.S. Air Force night fighter design with only a single crewman and a single engine, a J47-GE-17 with afterburner rated at 5,425 lbf (24.1 kN) static thrust. Gun armament was completely eliminated in favor of a retractable under-fuselage tray carrying 24 unguided Mk. 4 HVAR rockets, then considered a more effective weapon against incoming enemy bomber groups at high altitude than a barrage of short-ranged cannon fire. The YF-95 nomenclature was short-lived, though, as the design was subsequently re-designated YF-86D – even though the new aircraft had only a 25% commonality with the F-86 day fighter.

In the all-weather interceptor role, the F-86Ks were replaced by the Swedish state-of-the-art Saab 35BS Draken, while the MiG-21Fs soldiered on until the Eighties and were augmented and replaced by the MiG-21bis, which were also all-weather-capable.

General characteristics:

Crew: one

Length: 40 ft 11 in (12,50 m)

Wingspan: 37 ft 1.5 in (11.31 m)

Height: 15 ft 1 in (4.60 m)

Empty weight: 14,200 lb (6.447 kg)

Gross weight: 20,430 lb (9.276 kg)

Powerplant:

1× General Electric J47-GE-17B turbojet,

delivering 5,425 lbf (24.1 kN) dry thrust and 7,500 lbf (33.4 kN) with afterburner

Performance:

Maximum speed: 691 mph (1,112 km/h)

Maximum speed: Mach .91

Maxium range with internal fuel: 740 ml (1.190 km)

Service ceiling: 49,130 ft (15,000 m)

Rate of climb: 12,150 ft/min (61.7 m/s)

Armament:

4× 20 mm M24A1 cannon with 132 rounds per gun in the forward fuselage

4× underwing hardpoints for two IR-guided K-13/AA-2 ‘Atoll’ (alternatively AIM9B

Sidewinder) AAMs, unguided missile pods, bombs of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg) caliber,

and a pair of drop tanks

The kit and its assembly:

Another entry for the “Old Kit” Group Build at whatifmodelers.com in late 2016. Inspiration for this one actually came from a flight simulator screenshot, posted in the WWW: someone had mated an F-86 daylight fighter with a skin from/for a camouflaged Finnish MiG-21MF – and the classic, green camouflage scheme with the roundels under the cockpit looked interesting, to say the least.

Anyway, I could not find a good historical slot or justification for the daytime Sabre in Finnish service, because this role was filled out through the much more capable MiG-21F. A contemporary all-weather fighter was lacking, though, and so I realized the concept through a Sabre Dog, for which I dug out an 1:72 Airfix F-86D from 1975 from the kit pile.

I could have built the D variant with its missile tray OOB, but, with the non-NATO Ilmavoimat as intended operator, I’d rather deem the simpler K version with guns and a less sophisticated radar a more plausible option. But this would result in some mods to the basic kit…

Adding holes and fairings for the four guns on the air intake flanks was the easiest part (including hollow steel needles as gun muzzles). More complicated was the addition of two fuselage plugs: the F-86K had a slightly longer fuselage than the original D variant, for CG reasons. That difference was just 20cm (8 inches) in real life, which means a mere 3mm in 1:72 scale, added behind the wings.

It’s minimal, yes, but I decided to add this extra length and chose a very simple method: once the fuselage had been finished/closed, I made a Z-shaped vertical/horizontal cut above and behind the wings and added two “bulkhead plugs” of oversized styrene sheet (actually a 2× 1.5mm sandwich) between them. Simple, but effective, and once the fuselage had been put back together again, the sheet be easily trimmed and hidden under relatively little PSR work, since the old Airfix kit comes with raised, relatively delicate surface details.

Integrating the air intake turned out to be a little tricky: Basically the intake duct fits well into the fuselage opening, but the many styrene layers look very thick and massive, so I tried to take away as much material as possible. The intake lip still looks rather round, though, and the tight space does not make thing easy.

The “short” OOB wings of the F-86D were kept; I could have exchanged them for “6-3” wings from an F-86F-40, but early production F-86Ks still had the short D variant wings.

While working on the fuselage, though, I decided to modify the canopy for an open position. OOB, the kit just features a single clear piece; the canopy frame is an integral part of the fuselage, so a closed cockpit is the only option. The latter was cut out and some interior details added; the canopy was cut into two pieces. Inside, a new seat replaces the rather simple OOB part, and I added side consoles that fill the otherwise rather empty cockpit.

Other additions are the inner pylons (from an Academy MiG-23) and the pair of launch rails and K-13 AAMs, taken from a MasterCraft Soviet aircraft weapon set. I also used different (757 l) drop tanks – taken from a Revell G.91. I guess these are actually F-86 drop tanks, but they are slightly bigger than the Airfix OOB parts, have simply a better shape and the fins are more complex, including small end plates. Around the hull, some air scoops, antennae as well as a pitot on the bow side wing were added.

Painting and markings:

As mentioned above, this build was inspired by a CG simulation. The scheme on my Sabre Dog interpretation of the topic was inspired by a Finnish MiG-21U trainer, but, effectively, the pattern is based on an early Finnish Bae Hawk 51 trainer: a vivid olive green and “another murky color”, combined with pale grey undersides and a rather wavy waterline and the grey partly extended upwards on the flanks.

There is much debate concerning the colors to use. While FS 34096 is IMHO a good option for the lighter green (at least for WWII aircraft, even though there seem to be wide variations, too), too, the “murky color” remains obscure – the recommendations range from pure black though dark olive drab or Forest Green (FS 34079) to a chocolate brown. Obviously, light and weathering have a huge impact and the paints and how they appear.

According to a trustful source (fellow modeler Snowtrooper at whatifmodelers.com), here's some additional information: "The "light" green is the (in)famous Kimmo Kenttävihreä (Kim the Field Green) which according to the official standard is roughly FS 34151 or BS381c 222 aka US Interior Green (or British Light Bronze Green) which is just about nonstandard as hues get, and as it gets weathered (which it does very quickly) it gets a more yellowish hue. The official name is very descriptively "Vihreä" (green).

The "dark" green, supposedly about FS34064/BS381c 437 can be approximated with just about anything ranging from Schwartzgrün to Helo Drab - a very dark green that weathers to a brownish hue and gets progressively lighter. The official name calls it "Mustavihreä" (black green).

The light gray (Vaaleanharmaa) is variously approximated either as FS36440 or RAF Aircraft Grey BS381c 627.

A complicate subject, and I relied upon pictures of real world aircraft for guesstimates, and tried to avoid FS tones for a more individual look. As basic upper colors I settled upon simple Light Olive Green (Humbrol 86) and a 1:1:1 mix of Humbrol 173 (Scenic Track Color), 242 (RLM71, Dunkelgrün, a pretty murky and bluish variant, though) and 108 (WWI Green, a very dark olive tone) for an “Extra Dark Braunviolett”, or - how I’d affectionately call it - “Breen”. Simple RAF Aircraft Grey (Humbrol 166) was used for the undersides.

Before the basic enamels were applied, some acrylic Aluminum was also added as a primer under the leading edges and the rear fuselage where the afterburner is located: some chipping is to simulate some wear and tear after almost 10 years of service under harsh climatic conditions. For the same reason I painted some areas in slightly different colors, simulating repairs and replacement parts.

The upper colors were, after a light black ink wash, thoroughly lightened through dry-brushed panel shading with Humbrol 226, 150, 159 and 80 (for a deep, grass green look) as well as 173, 10 and some 251 (in order to preserve the rather brownish hue of the dark tone).

Interior surfaces remained authentic: a grey (Humbrol 140) cockpit interior, interior green (Humbrol 226) landing gear wells, and landing gear struts and covers in dull Aluminum (Humbrol 56). The air intake duct became bright Aluminum (Revell Acrylics 99).

Roundels and squadron markings come from an Italeri 1:72 Bf 109G kit; the “Bat & Moon” emblem belonged to 2./HävLLv 31 when it was a night fighter squadron in the early Fifties, but it disappeared with the Finnish Bf 109s. The fictional all-weather F-86K appeared like an appropriate carrier, and, otherwise, the well-known lynx emblem would have been the alternative.

The individual tactical code was puzzled together from single black letters and digits (TL Modellbau), while most stencils come from the OOB sheet and some other sources. “SD” was chosen (“Sabre Dog”, maybe? ;-)) since “SB” had already been used in WWII and other letter combinations carried some unwanted political connotations. After all, it’s a whif, and the Finnish tactical code system is very flexible, if not creative.

A model with more work involved than visible at first glance. One can argue whether the addition of the two fuselage plugs was actually worthwhile?

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The North American F-86D Sabre (sometimes called the "Sabre Dog") was a transonic jet all-weather interceptor conceived for the United States Air Force, but found use in many other air forces, too. Originally designated YF-95, work began in March 1949 and the first, unarmed prototype made its m,aiden flight on 22 December 1949. It was the first U.S. Air Force night fighter design with only a single crewman and a single engine, a J47-GE-17 with afterburner rated at 5,425 lbf (24.1 kN) static thrust. Gun armament was completely eliminated in favor of a retractable under-fuselage tray carrying 24 unguided Mk. 4 HVAR rockets, then considered a more effective weapon against incoming enemy bomber groups at high altitude than a barrage of short-ranged cannon fire. The YF-95 nomenclature was short-lived, though, as the design was subsequently re-designated YF-86D – even though the new aircraft had only a 25% commonality with the F-86 day fighter.

In the all-weather interceptor role, the F-86Ks were replaced by the Swedish state-of-the-art Saab 35BS Draken, while the MiG-21Fs soldiered on until the Eighties and were augmented and replaced by the MiG-21bis, which were also all-weather-capable.

General characteristics:

Crew: one

Length: 40 ft 11 in (12,50 m)

Wingspan: 37 ft 1.5 in (11.31 m)

Height: 15 ft 1 in (4.60 m)

Empty weight: 14,200 lb (6.447 kg)

Gross weight: 20,430 lb (9.276 kg)

Powerplant:

1× General Electric J47-GE-17B turbojet,

delivering 5,425 lbf (24.1 kN) dry thrust and 7,500 lbf (33.4 kN) with afterburner

Performance:

Maximum speed: 691 mph (1,112 km/h)

Maximum speed: Mach .91

Maxium range with internal fuel: 740 ml (1.190 km)

Service ceiling: 49,130 ft (15,000 m)

Rate of climb: 12,150 ft/min (61.7 m/s)

Armament:

4× 20 mm M24A1 cannon with 132 rounds per gun in the forward fuselage

4× underwing hardpoints for two IR-guided K-13/AA-2 ‘Atoll’ (alternatively AIM9B

Sidewinder) AAMs, unguided missile pods, bombs of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg) caliber,

and a pair of drop tanks

The kit and its assembly:

Another entry for the “Old Kit” Group Build at whatifmodelers.com in late 2016. Inspiration for this one actually came from a flight simulator screenshot, posted in the WWW: someone had mated an F-86 daylight fighter with a skin from/for a camouflaged Finnish MiG-21MF – and the classic, green camouflage scheme with the roundels under the cockpit looked interesting, to say the least.

Anyway, I could not find a good historical slot or justification for the daytime Sabre in Finnish service, because this role was filled out through the much more capable MiG-21F. A contemporary all-weather fighter was lacking, though, and so I realized the concept through a Sabre Dog, for which I dug out an 1:72 Airfix F-86D from 1975 from the kit pile.

I could have built the D variant with its missile tray OOB, but, with the non-NATO Ilmavoimat as intended operator, I’d rather deem the simpler K version with guns and a less sophisticated radar a more plausible option. But this would result in some mods to the basic kit…

Adding holes and fairings for the four guns on the air intake flanks was the easiest part (including hollow steel needles as gun muzzles). More complicated was the addition of two fuselage plugs: the F-86K had a slightly longer fuselage than the original D variant, for CG reasons. That difference was just 20cm (8 inches) in real life, which means a mere 3mm in 1:72 scale, added behind the wings.

It’s minimal, yes, but I decided to add this extra length and chose a very simple method: once the fuselage had been finished/closed, I made a Z-shaped vertical/horizontal cut above and behind the wings and added two “bulkhead plugs” of oversized styrene sheet (actually a 2× 1.5mm sandwich) between them. Simple, but effective, and once the fuselage had been put back together again, the sheet be easily trimmed and hidden under relatively little PSR work, since the old Airfix kit comes with raised, relatively delicate surface details.

Integrating the air intake turned out to be a little tricky: Basically the intake duct fits well into the fuselage opening, but the many styrene layers look very thick and massive, so I tried to take away as much material as possible. The intake lip still looks rather round, though, and the tight space does not make thing easy.

The “short” OOB wings of the F-86D were kept; I could have exchanged them for “6-3” wings from an F-86F-40, but early production F-86Ks still had the short D variant wings.

While working on the fuselage, though, I decided to modify the canopy for an open position. OOB, the kit just features a single clear piece; the canopy frame is an integral part of the fuselage, so a closed cockpit is the only option. The latter was cut out and some interior details added; the canopy was cut into two pieces. Inside, a new seat replaces the rather simple OOB part, and I added side consoles that fill the otherwise rather empty cockpit.

Other additions are the inner pylons (from an Academy MiG-23) and the pair of launch rails and K-13 AAMs, taken from a MasterCraft Soviet aircraft weapon set. I also used different (757 l) drop tanks – taken from a Revell G.91. I guess these are actually F-86 drop tanks, but they are slightly bigger than the Airfix OOB parts, have simply a better shape and the fins are more complex, including small end plates. Around the hull, some air scoops, antennae as well as a pitot on the bow side wing were added.

Painting and markings:

As mentioned above, this build was inspired by a CG simulation. The scheme on my Sabre Dog interpretation of the topic was inspired by a Finnish MiG-21U trainer, but, effectively, the pattern is based on an early Finnish Bae Hawk 51 trainer: a vivid olive green and “another murky color”, combined with pale grey undersides and a rather wavy waterline and the grey partly extended upwards on the flanks.

There is much debate concerning the colors to use. While FS 34096 is IMHO a good option for the lighter green (at least for WWII aircraft, even though there seem to be wide variations, too), too, the “murky color” remains obscure – the recommendations range from pure black though dark olive drab or Forest Green (FS 34079) to a chocolate brown. Obviously, light and weathering have a huge impact and the paints and how they appear.

According to a trustful source (fellow modeler Snowtrooper at whatifmodelers.com), here's some additional information: "The "light" green is the (in)famous Kimmo Kenttävihreä (Kim the Field Green) which according to the official standard is roughly FS 34151 or BS381c 222 aka US Interior Green (or British Light Bronze Green) which is just about nonstandard as hues get, and as it gets weathered (which it does very quickly) it gets a more yellowish hue. The official name is very descriptively "Vihreä" (green).

The "dark" green, supposedly about FS34064/BS381c 437 can be approximated with just about anything ranging from Schwartzgrün to Helo Drab - a very dark green that weathers to a brownish hue and gets progressively lighter. The official name calls it "Mustavihreä" (black green).

The light gray (Vaaleanharmaa) is variously approximated either as FS36440 or RAF Aircraft Grey BS381c 627.

A complicate subject, and I relied upon pictures of real world aircraft for guesstimates, and tried to avoid FS tones for a more individual look. As basic upper colors I settled upon simple Light Olive Green (Humbrol 86) and a 1:1:1 mix of Humbrol 173 (Scenic Track Color), 242 (RLM71, Dunkelgrün, a pretty murky and bluish variant, though) and 108 (WWI Green, a very dark olive tone) for an “Extra Dark Braunviolett”, or - how I’d affectionately call it - “Breen”. Simple RAF Aircraft Grey (Humbrol 166) was used for the undersides.

Before the basic enamels were applied, some acrylic Aluminum was also added as a primer under the leading edges and the rear fuselage where the afterburner is located: some chipping is to simulate some wear and tear after almost 10 years of service under harsh climatic conditions. For the same reason I painted some areas in slightly different colors, simulating repairs and replacement parts.

The upper colors were, after a light black ink wash, thoroughly lightened through dry-brushed panel shading with Humbrol 226, 150, 159 and 80 (for a deep, grass green look) as well as 173, 10 and some 251 (in order to preserve the rather brownish hue of the dark tone).

Interior surfaces remained authentic: a grey (Humbrol 140) cockpit interior, interior green (Humbrol 226) landing gear wells, and landing gear struts and covers in dull Aluminum (Humbrol 56). The air intake duct became bright Aluminum (Revell Acrylics 99).

Roundels and squadron markings come from an Italeri 1:72 Bf 109G kit; the “Bat & Moon” emblem belonged to 2./HävLLv 31 when it was a night fighter squadron in the early Fifties, but it disappeared with the Finnish Bf 109s. The fictional all-weather F-86K appeared like an appropriate carrier, and, otherwise, the well-known lynx emblem would have been the alternative.

The individual tactical code was puzzled together from single black letters and digits (TL Modellbau), while most stencils come from the OOB sheet and some other sources. “SD” was chosen (“Sabre Dog”, maybe? ;-)) since “SB” had already been used in WWII and other letter combinations carried some unwanted political connotations. After all, it’s a whif, and the Finnish tactical code system is very flexible, if not creative.

A model with more work involved than visible at first glance. One can argue whether the addition of the two fuselage plugs was actually worthwhile?

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The Kawasaki Ki-100 was a fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. The Japanese Army designation was "Type 5 Fighter". The emergency measure of adapting a Ki-61-II-KAI fighter to carry a Mitsubishi radial engine resulted in one of the best interceptors used by the Army during the entire war. It combined excellent power and maneuverability and, although its high-altitude performance against the USAAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers was limited by the lack of an efficient supercharger, it performed better than most other IJAAF fighters.

Operational missions began in March 1945. From the first engagements, the Ki-100 performed well against the B-29 and showed itself to be equally effective against U.S. Navy carrier fighters. But the development did not stop, because the B-29 bombers still presented a serious threat, and even higher altitudes of the intruders were expected. As a desperate measure to improve high altitude performance, a radical further step was taken, which eventually led to the Ki-100-II with a turbocharged radial and the Ki-100-III with a modified airframe and a license-built German engine.

Nevertheless, the Ki-100-III KAI proved to be very effective at altitudes of 12.000 m and more, and the machines' original armament of only two wing-mounted 20 mm Ho-5 cannons was quickly augmented in the field by another pair of these guns in streamlined pods on the underwing hardpoints.

General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 10.29 m (33 ft 9 in)

Wingspan: 14.25 m (46 ft 8 in)

Height: 4.17 m (13 ft 8 in)

Wing area: 20 m² (215 ft²)

Empty weight: 2,525 kg (5,567 lb)

Loaded weight: 3,495 kg (7,705 lb)

Powerplant:

1× Kawasaki Ha-213 (a license-built variant of the German Jumo 213E) liquid-cooled

inverted V-12, delivering 1,287 kW (1,750 PS) and temporary 2,050 PS with

MW-50 injection at low altitudes

Performance:

Maximum speed: 759 km/h (472 mph) at 12,500 m (41,000 ft) using GM-1 boost

Range: 2,000 km (1,240 mi)

Service ceiling: 15,100 m using GM-1 boost (49,540 ft using GM-1 boost)

Rate of climb: 20 m/s to 25.4 m/s (3,937 ft/min at maximum weight of 5,217 kg

to ~5,000+ ft/min at 4,727 kg)

Wing loading: 196.8 kg/m² (41.38 lb/ft²)

Power/mass: 0.276 kW/kg (0.167 hp/lb)

Armament:

2× 20 mm Ho-5 cannons, mounted in the wings outside of the propeller arc.

Two underwing hardpoints for 94 gal. drop tanks or bombs of up to 250 kg caliber,

frequently occupied by two further Ho-5 cannons in external pods

The kit and its assembly:

This project was inspired by a very similar build that I found recently while browsing the WWW. I liked the idea of a Ki-61 with a German Jumo 213 from the Ta 152 high altitude fighter - would make sense, and there was actually a technology exchange between Japan an Germany, so that the combo appears plausible. The engine appears very suitable for a Japanese emergency high altitude fighter, because it was operational in 1945 and did not rely on a huge turbo-supercharger with complex plumbing, rather on a combined injection system for extra performance.

The basis is the vintage Ki-100 I kit from Aoshima from the early 70ies. It's simple, with raised details and a retractable landing gear(!). Anyway, it was cheap, I did not want to slice up a more modern (and much more expensive) kit of this aircraft. The Ki-100 was chosen because it already features the late, lowered spine, and the radial fitted to the streamlined Ki-61 fuselage would hopefully create a wider intersection to take the Jumo 213 more easily and with less body work.

The latter comes from the (also seriously vintage) Ta 152 from FROG, in this case in a recent Revell re-boxing. With its annular radiator, the engine looks almost like a radial, and it is pretty long. So I tried to put the new engine as close as possible to the cockpit. The respective fuselage cut was made at the wings' leading edge. Fitting the new engine to the narrow Ki-100 fuselage still proved to be trickier than expected, though. I had to take out wedges from both of the rather round Ta 152 engine section halves to narrow it down far enough that it would roughly match the oval Ki-100 fuselage. The round annular radiator was kept, though. The nose shape is a bit odd now, but the plausible result of mating things that were not originally intended for each other…

I also found the German propeller to be very massive an the slender Ki-100, so I replaced it with an alternative from an AZ Model Spitfire Mk. IX. The radiator fan (from a BMW 801) was added, because the FROG Ta 152 radiator just features a gaping ring hole. And instead of implanting a structure I rather hid the weak spot behind the fan... Odd arrangement, yes, but it works.

As a high altitude fighter, I increased wingspan and rudder area. The additional wing tips are actually parts from an Airfix B-26 elevator, after LOTS of carving and sculpting... The original fixed part of the fin was retained but a deeper rudder with a more square shape, somewhat matching the new wing tips, was implanted, scratched/carved from a leftover tail of a PM Model Ta 183. The cannon pods under the wings come from a Hobby Boss Bf 109 kit.

In order to compensate for the bigger span and longer nose I finally implanted a 1cm fuselage plug in front of the tail – very similar to the Fw 190 D/Ta 152 arrangement. This was sculpted from massive 2C putty.

Inside, a complete cockpit was implanted, taken from an Italerl Fw 190 D. The landing gear was slightly upgraded, too. The rather massive struts are OOB, but new wheels, from a Hobby Boss Bf 109, were used. A bulkhead was added in the main gear wells, blocking sight into the fuselage. The original fixed tail wheel was replaced by a retractable alternative (also from a Spitfire) with new covers.

Painting and markings:

This went a bit wrong, but I kept the result. I originally wanted to paint the machine all over light green-grey, a bit like Sky "S". But I decided to mix a color instead of taking a stock paint - I mixed Humbrol 28 (FS 36622) with a little Humbrol 155 (FS 34087), and the result was not a pale green but rather a dull beige, almost like British Hemp with an olive hue. The tone looked interesting, though, so I stuck with it.

Anyway, the engine received covers in bare steel and aluminum, and I painted the radiator section as well as an anti-glare panel in front of the cockpit in black, which turned the Ki-100 II into a kind of IJN aircraft, reminiscent of early WWII A6M 'Zero' fighters of the IJN?

That changed after weathering and panel shading, when I applied decals, especially the white home defense bars under the Hinomaru and the yellow ID stripes on the wings (all stripes were cut from generic decal sheet from TL Modellbau). Still, the livery is a little confusing?

All interior surfaces were painted with Chrome Yellow primer (Humbrol 81, mixed with 94).

The squadron markings comes from a vintage MicroScale decal sheet, the blue fuselage stripe is a personal addition that underlines the aircraft’s 4th Sentai affiliation.

After some soot stains around guns and exhaust pipes the kit received a coat of matt acrylic varnish.

An interesting build, and quite a challenge. Even though most of the original Ki-100 was kept, the larger wing span and the different engine change the look considerably. At first glance, this one really reminds of the Ta 152 in Japanese colors, but except for the engine (which was modified, too) nothing actually comes from the German aircraft! On the other side, this conversion shows how ‘natural’ the way from the Fw 190 to the Ta 152 H must have been, since I went through similar modifications in order to get to this high altitude version?

#somosinstagramers #estaes_espania #estaes_europa #ok_spain #bts_member #igerspain #igersvalencia #loves_spain #igerscomunitat #ig_europe #estaes_valencia #loves_valencia #shotsofresh #ig_spain #alicantegram #fotonline_es #valenciaterraimar #valenciagram #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #ig_hiddenearth #total_cvalenciana #just_features #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #match_valencia #spain_greatshots #hq_globe #eyeem #igers

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The Kawasaki Ki-100 was a fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. The Japanese Army designation was "Type 5 Fighter". The emergency measure of adapting a Ki-61-II-KAI fighter to carry a Mitsubishi radial engine resulted in one of the best interceptors used by the Army during the entire war. It combined excellent power and maneuverability and, although its high-altitude performance against the USAAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers was limited by the lack of an efficient supercharger, it performed better than most other IJAAF fighters.

Operational missions began in March 1945. From the first engagements, the Ki-100 performed well against the B-29 and showed itself to be equally effective against U.S. Navy carrier fighters. But the development did not stop, because the B-29 bombers still presented a serious threat, and even higher altitudes of the intruders were expected. As a desperate measure to improve high altitude performance, a radical further step was taken, which eventually led to the Ki-100-II with a turbocharged radial and the Ki-100-III with a modified airframe and a license-built German engine.

Nevertheless, the Ki-100-III KAI proved to be very effective at altitudes of 12.000 m and more, and the machines' original armament of only two wing-mounted 20 mm Ho-5 cannons was quickly augmented in the field by another pair of these guns in streamlined pods on the underwing hardpoints.

General characteristics:

Crew: 1

Length: 10.29 m (33 ft 9 in)

Wingspan: 14.25 m (46 ft 8 in)

Height: 4.17 m (13 ft 8 in)

Wing area: 20 m² (215 ft²)

Empty weight: 2,525 kg (5,567 lb)

Loaded weight: 3,495 kg (7,705 lb)

Powerplant:

1× Kawasaki Ha-213 (a license-built variant of the German Jumo 213E) liquid-cooled

inverted V-12, delivering 1,287 kW (1,750 PS) and temporary 2,050 PS with

MW-50 injection at low altitudes

Performance:

Maximum speed: 759 km/h (472 mph) at 12,500 m (41,000 ft) using GM-1 boost

Range: 2,000 km (1,240 mi)

Service ceiling: 15,100 m using GM-1 boost (49,540 ft using GM-1 boost)

Rate of climb: 20 m/s to 25.4 m/s (3,937 ft/min at maximum weight of 5,217 kg

to ~5,000+ ft/min at 4,727 kg)

Wing loading: 196.8 kg/m² (41.38 lb/ft²)

Power/mass: 0.276 kW/kg (0.167 hp/lb)

Armament:

2× 20 mm Ho-5 cannons, mounted in the wings outside of the propeller arc.

Two underwing hardpoints for 94 gal. drop tanks or bombs of up to 250 kg caliber,

frequently occupied by two further Ho-5 cannons in external pods

The kit and its assembly:

This project was inspired by a very similar build that I found recently while browsing the WWW. I liked the idea of a Ki-61 with a German Jumo 213 from the Ta 152 high altitude fighter - would make sense, and there was actually a technology exchange between Japan an Germany, so that the combo appears plausible. The engine appears very suitable for a Japanese emergency high altitude fighter, because it was operational in 1945 and did not rely on a huge turbo-supercharger with complex plumbing, rather on a combined injection system for extra performance.

The basis is the vintage Ki-100 I kit from Aoshima from the early 70ies. It's simple, with raised details and a retractable landing gear(!). Anyway, it was cheap, I did not want to slice up a more modern (and much more expensive) kit of this aircraft. The Ki-100 was chosen because it already features the late, lowered spine, and the radial fitted to the streamlined Ki-61 fuselage would hopefully create a wider intersection to take the Jumo 213 more easily and with less body work.

The latter comes from the (also seriously vintage) Ta 152 from FROG, in this case in a recent Revell re-boxing. With its annular radiator, the engine looks almost like a radial, and it is pretty long. So I tried to put the new engine as close as possible to the cockpit. The respective fuselage cut was made at the wings' leading edge. Fitting the new engine to the narrow Ki-100 fuselage still proved to be trickier than expected, though. I had to take out wedges from both of the rather round Ta 152 engine section halves to narrow it down far enough that it would roughly match the oval Ki-100 fuselage. The round annular radiator was kept, though. The nose shape is a bit odd now, but the plausible result of mating things that were not originally intended for each other…

I also found the German propeller to be very massive an the slender Ki-100, so I replaced it with an alternative from an AZ Model Spitfire Mk. IX. The radiator fan (from a BMW 801) was added, because the FROG Ta 152 radiator just features a gaping ring hole. And instead of implanting a structure I rather hid the weak spot behind the fan... Odd arrangement, yes, but it works.

As a high altitude fighter, I increased wingspan and rudder area. The additional wing tips are actually parts from an Airfix B-26 elevator, after LOTS of carving and sculpting... The original fixed part of the fin was retained but a deeper rudder with a more square shape, somewhat matching the new wing tips, was implanted, scratched/carved from a leftover tail of a PM Model Ta 183. The cannon pods under the wings come from a Hobby Boss Bf 109 kit.

In order to compensate for the bigger span and longer nose I finally implanted a 1cm fuselage plug in front of the tail – very similar to the Fw 190 D/Ta 152 arrangement. This was sculpted from massive 2C putty.

Inside, a complete cockpit was implanted, taken from an Italerl Fw 190 D. The landing gear was slightly upgraded, too. The rather massive struts are OOB, but new wheels, from a Hobby Boss Bf 109, were used. A bulkhead was added in the main gear wells, blocking sight into the fuselage. The original fixed tail wheel was replaced by a retractable alternative (also from a Spitfire) with new covers.

Painting and markings:

This went a bit wrong, but I kept the result. I originally wanted to paint the machine all over light green-grey, a bit like Sky "S". But I decided to mix a color instead of taking a stock paint - I mixed Humbrol 28 (FS 36622) with a little Humbrol 155 (FS 34087), and the result was not a pale green but rather a dull beige, almost like British Hemp with an olive hue. The tone looked interesting, though, so I stuck with it.

Anyway, the engine received covers in bare steel and aluminum, and I painted the radiator section as well as an anti-glare panel in front of the cockpit in black, which turned the Ki-100 II into a kind of IJN aircraft, reminiscent of early WWII A6M 'Zero' fighters of the IJN?

That changed after weathering and panel shading, when I applied decals, especially the white home defense bars under the Hinomaru and the yellow ID stripes on the wings (all stripes were cut from generic decal sheet from TL Modellbau). Still, the livery is a little confusing?

All interior surfaces were painted with Chrome Yellow primer (Humbrol 81, mixed with 94).

The squadron markings comes from a vintage MicroScale decal sheet, the blue fuselage stripe is a personal addition that underlines the aircraft’s 4th Sentai affiliation.

After some soot stains around guns and exhaust pipes the kit received a coat of matt acrylic varnish.

An interesting build, and quite a challenge. Even though most of the original Ki-100 was kept, the larger wing span and the different engine change the look considerably. At first glance, this one really reminds of the Ta 152 in Japanese colors, but except for the engine (which was modified, too) nothing actually comes from the German aircraft! On the other side, this conversion shows how ‘natural’ the way from the Fw 190 to the Ta 152 H must have been, since I went through similar modifications in order to get to this high altitude version?

#rainbowllie #windsor #windsorcastle #visitwindsoruk #visitengland #britishnobility @igwindsor #visitwindsoruk #igwindsor #photosofbritain #england #photooftheday #photowall #photosofengland #lovegreatbritain #uk_enthusiasts #ukpotd #ig_worldclub #ig_shutterbugs_member #bts_member #uvmembersclub #visitbritain #loves_britain #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #just_features #icu_britain #london_enthusiast #hq_uk #capturingbritain_urban #royalty #loves_umbrella #umbrellaplanet

🌰 Cuando se echa en falta las puestas de sol español y la oportunidad de ver un espectacular uno cuando visita el casco con un amigo especial del corazón. 😀

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#LDN4ALL_BonVoyage

#LO_RollerCoaster #igerslondon #mylife_mychoice_myfeed #ig_shutterbugs_member #uvmembersclub #bts_member #shotsofresh #loves_britain #just_features #britains_talent #grittyprettylondon #loves_london #visitlondonofficial #capturingbritain_urban #splendid_urban #loves_united_kingdom #loves_united_england #icu_britain #loves_england #london_enthusiast #metropolisldn #photosofbritain #prettylittlelondon #london_masters #ig_hiddenearth #hq_uk #icu_britain #london4all #thelondonlifeinc #wundrouslondon theshard, sunset, timeoutlondon, london, visitlondon, londres, puestodelsol

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The North American F-86D Sabre (sometimes called the "Sabre Dog") was a transonic jet all-weather interceptor conceived for the United States Air Force, but found use in many other air forces, too. Originally designated YF-95, work began in March 1949 and the first, unarmed prototype made its m,aiden flight on 22 December 1949. It was the first U.S. Air Force night fighter design with only a single crewman and a single engine, a J47-GE-17 with afterburner rated at 5,425 lbf (24.1 kN) static thrust. Gun armament was completely eliminated in favor of a retractable under-fuselage tray carrying 24 unguided Mk. 4 HVAR rockets, then considered a more effective weapon against incoming enemy bomber groups at high altitude than a barrage of short-ranged cannon fire. The YF-95 nomenclature was short-lived, though, as the design was subsequently re-designated YF-86D – even though the new aircraft had only a 25% commonality with the F-86 day fighter.

In the all-weather interceptor role, the F-86Ks were replaced by the Swedish state-of-the-art Saab 35BS Draken, while the MiG-21Fs soldiered on until the Eighties and were augmented and replaced by the MiG-21bis, which were also all-weather-capable.

General characteristics:

Crew: one

Length: 40 ft 11 in (12,50 m)

Wingspan: 37 ft 1.5 in (11.31 m)

Height: 15 ft 1 in (4.60 m)

Empty weight: 14,200 lb (6.447 kg)

Gross weight: 20,430 lb (9.276 kg)

Powerplant:

1× General Electric J47-GE-17B turbojet,

delivering 5,425 lbf (24.1 kN) dry thrust and 7,500 lbf (33.4 kN) with afterburner

Performance:

Maximum speed: 691 mph (1,112 km/h)

Maximum speed: Mach .91

Maxium range with internal fuel: 740 ml (1.190 km)

Service ceiling: 49,130 ft (15,000 m)

Rate of climb: 12,150 ft/min (61.7 m/s)

Armament:

4× 20 mm M24A1 cannon with 132 rounds per gun in the forward fuselage

4× underwing hardpoints for two IR-guided K-13/AA-2 ‘Atoll’ (alternatively AIM9B

Sidewinder) AAMs, unguided missile pods, bombs of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg) caliber,

and a pair of drop tanks

The kit and its assembly:

Another entry for the “Old Kit” Group Build at whatifmodelers.com in late 2016. Inspiration for this one actually came from a flight simulator screenshot, posted in the WWW: someone had mated an F-86 daylight fighter with a skin from/for a camouflaged Finnish MiG-21MF – and the classic, green camouflage scheme with the roundels under the cockpit looked interesting, to say the least.

Anyway, I could not find a good historical slot or justification for the daytime Sabre in Finnish service, because this role was filled out through the much more capable MiG-21F. A contemporary all-weather fighter was lacking, though, and so I realized the concept through a Sabre Dog, for which I dug out an 1:72 Airfix F-86D from 1975 from the kit pile.

I could have built the D variant with its missile tray OOB, but, with the non-NATO Ilmavoimat as intended operator, I’d rather deem the simpler K version with guns and a less sophisticated radar a more plausible option. But this would result in some mods to the basic kit…

Adding holes and fairings for the four guns on the air intake flanks was the easiest part (including hollow steel needles as gun muzzles). More complicated was the addition of two fuselage plugs: the F-86K had a slightly longer fuselage than the original D variant, for CG reasons. That difference was just 20cm (8 inches) in real life, which means a mere 3mm in 1:72 scale, added behind the wings.

It’s minimal, yes, but I decided to add this extra length and chose a very simple method: once the fuselage had been finished/closed, I made a Z-shaped vertical/horizontal cut above and behind the wings and added two “bulkhead plugs” of oversized styrene sheet (actually a 2× 1.5mm sandwich) between them. Simple, but effective, and once the fuselage had been put back together again, the sheet be easily trimmed and hidden under relatively little PSR work, since the old Airfix kit comes with raised, relatively delicate surface details.

Integrating the air intake turned out to be a little tricky: Basically the intake duct fits well into the fuselage opening, but the many styrene layers look very thick and massive, so I tried to take away as much material as possible. The intake lip still looks rather round, though, and the tight space does not make thing easy.

The “short” OOB wings of the F-86D were kept; I could have exchanged them for “6-3” wings from an F-86F-40, but early production F-86Ks still had the short D variant wings.

While working on the fuselage, though, I decided to modify the canopy for an open position. OOB, the kit just features a single clear piece; the canopy frame is an integral part of the fuselage, so a closed cockpit is the only option. The latter was cut out and some interior details added; the canopy was cut into two pieces. Inside, a new seat replaces the rather simple OOB part, and I added side consoles that fill the otherwise rather empty cockpit.

Other additions are the inner pylons (from an Academy MiG-23) and the pair of launch rails and K-13 AAMs, taken from a MasterCraft Soviet aircraft weapon set. I also used different (757 l) drop tanks – taken from a Revell G.91. I guess these are actually F-86 drop tanks, but they are slightly bigger than the Airfix OOB parts, have simply a better shape and the fins are more complex, including small end plates. Around the hull, some air scoops, antennae as well as a pitot on the bow side wing were added.

Painting and markings:

As mentioned above, this build was inspired by a CG simulation. The scheme on my Sabre Dog interpretation of the topic was inspired by a Finnish MiG-21U trainer, but, effectively, the pattern is based on an early Finnish Bae Hawk 51 trainer: a vivid olive green and “another murky color”, combined with pale grey undersides and a rather wavy waterline and the grey partly extended upwards on the flanks.

There is much debate concerning the colors to use. While FS 34096 is IMHO a good option for the lighter green (at least for WWII aircraft, even though there seem to be wide variations, too), too, the “murky color” remains obscure – the recommendations range from pure black though dark olive drab or Forest Green (FS 34079) to a chocolate brown. Obviously, light and weathering have a huge impact and the paints and how they appear.

According to a trustful source (fellow modeler Snowtrooper at whatifmodelers.com), here's some additional information: "The "light" green is the (in)famous Kimmo Kenttävihreä (Kim the Field Green) which according to the official standard is roughly FS 34151 or BS381c 222 aka US Interior Green (or British Light Bronze Green) which is just about nonstandard as hues get, and as it gets weathered (which it does very quickly) it gets a more yellowish hue. The official name is very descriptively "Vihreä" (green).

The "dark" green, supposedly about FS34064/BS381c 437 can be approximated with just about anything ranging from Schwartzgrün to Helo Drab - a very dark green that weathers to a brownish hue and gets progressively lighter. The official name calls it "Mustavihreä" (black green).

The light gray (Vaaleanharmaa) is variously approximated either as FS36440 or RAF Aircraft Grey BS381c 627.

A complicate subject, and I relied upon pictures of real world aircraft for guesstimates, and tried to avoid FS tones for a more individual look. As basic upper colors I settled upon simple Light Olive Green (Humbrol 86) and a 1:1:1 mix of Humbrol 173 (Scenic Track Color), 242 (RLM71, Dunkelgrün, a pretty murky and bluish variant, though) and 108 (WWI Green, a very dark olive tone) for an “Extra Dark Braunviolett”, or - how I’d affectionately call it - “Breen”. Simple RAF Aircraft Grey (Humbrol 166) was used for the undersides.

Before the basic enamels were applied, some acrylic Aluminum was also added as a primer under the leading edges and the rear fuselage where the afterburner is located: some chipping is to simulate some wear and tear after almost 10 years of service under harsh climatic conditions. For the same reason I painted some areas in slightly different colors, simulating repairs and replacement parts.

The upper colors were, after a light black ink wash, thoroughly lightened through dry-brushed panel shading with Humbrol 226, 150, 159 and 80 (for a deep, grass green look) as well as 173, 10 and some 251 (in order to preserve the rather brownish hue of the dark tone).

Interior surfaces remained authentic: a grey (Humbrol 140) cockpit interior, interior green (Humbrol 226) landing gear wells, and landing gear struts and covers in dull Aluminum (Humbrol 56). The air intake duct became bright Aluminum (Revell Acrylics 99).

Roundels and squadron markings come from an Italeri 1:72 Bf 109G kit; the “Bat & Moon” emblem belonged to 2./HävLLv 31 when it was a night fighter squadron in the early Fifties, but it disappeared with the Finnish Bf 109s. The fictional all-weather F-86K appeared like an appropriate carrier, and, otherwise, the well-known lynx emblem would have been the alternative.

The individual tactical code was puzzled together from single black letters and digits (TL Modellbau), while most stencils come from the OOB sheet and some other sources. “SD” was chosen (“Sabre Dog”, maybe? ;-)) since “SB” had already been used in WWII and other letter combinations carried some unwanted political connotations. After all, it’s a whif, and the Finnish tactical code system is very flexible, if not creative.

A model with more work involved than visible at first glance. One can argue whether the addition of the two fuselage plugs was actually worthwhile?

+++ DISCLAIMER +++

Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!

Some background:

The North American F-86D Sabre (sometimes called the "Sabre Dog") was a transonic jet all-weather interceptor conceived for the United States Air Force, but found use in many other air forces, too. Originally designated YF-95, work began in March 1949 and the first, unarmed prototype made its m,aiden flight on 22 December 1949. It was the first U.S. Air Force night fighter design with only a single crewman and a single engine, a J47-GE-17 with afterburner rated at 5,425 lbf (24.1 kN) static thrust. Gun armament was completely eliminated in favor of a retractable under-fuselage tray carrying 24 unguided Mk. 4 HVAR rockets, then considered a more effective weapon against incoming enemy bomber groups at high altitude than a barrage of short-ranged cannon fire. The YF-95 nomenclature was short-lived, though, as the design was subsequently re-designated YF-86D – even though the new aircraft had only a 25% commonality with the F-86 day fighter.

In the all-weather interceptor role, the F-86Ks were replaced by the Swedish state-of-the-art Saab 35BS Draken, while the MiG-21Fs soldiered on until the Eighties and were augmented and replaced by the MiG-21bis, which were also all-weather-capable.

General characteristics:

Crew: one

Length: 40 ft 11 in (12,50 m)

Wingspan: 37 ft 1.5 in (11.31 m)

Height: 15 ft 1 in (4.60 m)

Empty weight: 14,200 lb (6.447 kg)

Gross weight: 20,430 lb (9.276 kg)

Powerplant:

1× General Electric J47-GE-17B turbojet,

delivering 5,425 lbf (24.1 kN) dry thrust and 7,500 lbf (33.4 kN) with afterburner

Performance:

Maximum speed: 691 mph (1,112 km/h)

Maximum speed: Mach .91

Maxium range with internal fuel: 740 ml (1.190 km)

Service ceiling: 49,130 ft (15,000 m)

Rate of climb: 12,150 ft/min (61.7 m/s)

Armament:

4× 20 mm M24A1 cannon with 132 rounds per gun in the forward fuselage

4× underwing hardpoints for two IR-guided K-13/AA-2 ‘Atoll’ (alternatively AIM9B

Sidewinder) AAMs, unguided missile pods, bombs of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg) caliber,

and a pair of drop tanks

The kit and its assembly:

Another entry for the “Old Kit” Group Build at whatifmodelers.com in late 2016. Inspiration for this one actually came from a flight simulator screenshot, posted in the WWW: someone had mated an F-86 daylight fighter with a skin from/for a camouflaged Finnish MiG-21MF – and the classic, green camouflage scheme with the roundels under the cockpit looked interesting, to say the least.

Anyway, I could not find a good historical slot or justification for the daytime Sabre in Finnish service, because this role was filled out through the much more capable MiG-21F. A contemporary all-weather fighter was lacking, though, and so I realized the concept through a Sabre Dog, for which I dug out an 1:72 Airfix F-86D from 1975 from the kit pile.

I could have built the D variant with its missile tray OOB, but, with the non-NATO Ilmavoimat as intended operator, I’d rather deem the simpler K version with guns and a less sophisticated radar a more plausible option. But this would result in some mods to the basic kit…

Adding holes and fairings for the four guns on the air intake flanks was the easiest part (including hollow steel needles as gun muzzles). More complicated was the addition of two fuselage plugs: the F-86K had a slightly longer fuselage than the original D variant, for CG reasons. That difference was just 20cm (8 inches) in real life, which means a mere 3mm in 1:72 scale, added behind the wings.

It’s minimal, yes, but I decided to add this extra length and chose a very simple method: once the fuselage had been finished/closed, I made a Z-shaped vertical/horizontal cut above and behind the wings and added two “bulkhead plugs” of oversized styrene sheet (actually a 2× 1.5mm sandwich) between them. Simple, but effective, and once the fuselage had been put back together again, the sheet be easily trimmed and hidden under relatively little PSR work, since the old Airfix kit comes with raised, relatively delicate surface details.

Integrating the air intake turned out to be a little tricky: Basically the intake duct fits well into the fuselage opening, but the many styrene layers look very thick and massive, so I tried to take away as much material as possible. The intake lip still looks rather round, though, and the tight space does not make thing easy.

The “short” OOB wings of the F-86D were kept; I could have exchanged them for “6-3” wings from an F-86F-40, but early production F-86Ks still had the short D variant wings.

While working on the fuselage, though, I decided to modify the canopy for an open position. OOB, the kit just features a single clear piece; the canopy frame is an integral part of the fuselage, so a closed cockpit is the only option. The latter was cut out and some interior details added; the canopy was cut into two pieces. Inside, a new seat replaces the rather simple OOB part, and I added side consoles that fill the otherwise rather empty cockpit.

Other additions are the inner pylons (from an Academy MiG-23) and the pair of launch rails and K-13 AAMs, taken from a MasterCraft Soviet aircraft weapon set. I also used different (757 l) drop tanks – taken from a Revell G.91. I guess these are actually F-86 drop tanks, but they are slightly bigger than the Airfix OOB parts, have simply a better shape and the fins are more complex, including small end plates. Around the hull, some air scoops, antennae as well as a pitot on the bow side wing were added.

Painting and markings:

As mentioned above, this build was inspired by a CG simulation. The scheme on my Sabre Dog interpretation of the topic was inspired by a Finnish MiG-21U trainer, but, effectively, the pattern is based on an early Finnish Bae Hawk 51 trainer: a vivid olive green and “another murky color”, combined with pale grey undersides and a rather wavy waterline and the grey partly extended upwards on the flanks.

There is much debate concerning the colors to use. While FS 34096 is IMHO a good option for the lighter green (at least for WWII aircraft, even though there seem to be wide variations, too), too, the “murky color” remains obscure – the recommendations range from pure black though dark olive drab or Forest Green (FS 34079) to a chocolate brown. Obviously, light and weathering have a huge impact and the paints and how they appear.

According to a trustful source (fellow modeler Snowtrooper at whatifmodelers.com), here's some additional information: "The "light" green is the (in)famous Kimmo Kenttävihreä (Kim the Field Green) which according to the official standard is roughly FS 34151 or BS381c 222 aka US Interior Green (or British Light Bronze Green) which is just about nonstandard as hues get, and as it gets weathered (which it does very quickly) it gets a more yellowish hue. The official name is very descriptively "Vihreä" (green).

The "dark" green, supposedly about FS34064/BS381c 437 can be approximated with just about anything ranging from Schwartzgrün to Helo Drab - a very dark green that weathers to a brownish hue and gets progressively lighter. The official name calls it "Mustavihreä" (black green).

The light gray (Vaaleanharmaa) is variously approximated either as FS36440 or RAF Aircraft Grey BS381c 627.

A complicate subject, and I relied upon pictures of real world aircraft for guesstimates, and tried to avoid FS tones for a more individual look. As basic upper colors I settled upon simple Light Olive Green (Humbrol 86) and a 1:1:1 mix of Humbrol 173 (Scenic Track Color), 242 (RLM71, Dunkelgrün, a pretty murky and bluish variant, though) and 108 (WWI Green, a very dark olive tone) for an “Extra Dark Braunviolett”, or - how I’d affectionately call it - “Breen”. Simple RAF Aircraft Grey (Humbrol 166) was used for the undersides.

Before the basic enamels were applied, some acrylic Aluminum was also added as a primer under the leading edges and the rear fuselage where the afterburner is located: some chipping is to simulate some wear and tear after almost 10 years of service under harsh climatic conditions. For the same reason I painted some areas in slightly different colors, simulating repairs and replacement parts.

The upper colors were, after a light black ink wash, thoroughly lightened through dry-brushed panel shading with Humbrol 226, 150, 159 and 80 (for a deep, grass green look) as well as 173, 10 and some 251 (in order to preserve the rather brownish hue of the dark tone).

Interior surfaces remained authentic: a grey (Humbrol 140) cockpit interior, interior green (Humbrol 226) landing gear wells, and landing gear struts and covers in dull Aluminum (Humbrol 56). The air intake duct became bright Aluminum (Revell Acrylics 99).

Roundels and squadron markings come from an Italeri 1:72 Bf 109G kit; the “Bat & Moon” emblem belonged to 2./HävLLv 31 when it was a night fighter squadron in the early Fifties, but it disappeared with the Finnish Bf 109s. The fictional all-weather F-86K appeared like an appropriate carrier, and, otherwise, the well-known lynx emblem would have been the alternative.

The individual tactical code was puzzled together from single black letters and digits (TL Modellbau), while most stencils come from the OOB sheet and some other sources. “SD” was chosen (“Sabre Dog”, maybe? ;-)) since “SB” had already been used in WWII and other letter combinations carried some unwanted political connotations. After all, it’s a whif, and the Finnish tactical code system is very flexible, if not creative.

A model with more work involved than visible at first glance. One can argue whether the addition of the two fuselage plugs was actually worthwhile?