Every once in a while you find a kit that was better than expected, case in point for me: the Revell-Monogram 1/48 F-86D. The kit builds into an early F-86D (without the braking parachute) although the version with the parachute housing is available as well. Fit of the parts is very good and the panel line engravings and details are top notch.
Notable Kit Features:
Detailed cockpit and ejection seat
Finely engraved panel lines and external surface details
Optional open or closed canopy
Slats may be positioned open or closed
Flaps may be positioned
Detailed landing gear and wheel wells
Speed brakes may be positioned open or closed
Rocket pod may be shown extended
Build Inspiration:
Originally designated as the F-95, the North American F-86D "Sabre Dog" was an all-weather, night capable extension of the F-86 day fighter. Despite the similarity in the naming convention, there is only 25% commonality with other Sabre variants. The "Dog" sported a larger fuselage, engine, and tail surfaces, with a distinctive radome housing the radar. The D-model also traded its guns for 2.75-inch folding fin aerial rockets, mounted in a retractable launcher under the nose. First prototyped in 1949, over 2500 F-86D's were produced, serving in the air arms of 17 nations.
Heads-Up Report:
Not noted in the instructions - you will need to add nose weight to keep this from being a tail dragger (unless you prefer to use the clear plastic prop-up rod)
Very little filler needed in my example
Kit Additions / Modifications:
Built Out-of-the-box
End Result:
I base-coated this aircraft in aluminum paint, masked the tail and canopy to apply the same blue as the decal stripes and then did the anti-glare panel as well as the note in blackish tones. Kit decals were used. This was a pleasant build with no hassles to get another aircraft type in the collection and looking good on the shelf.
The After-Build Report:
I definitely recommend this kit to model makers of any skill. The kit has relatively few parts, presents no major issues during the build and with some extra effort and weathering should look great on the display shelf. Note: Kit also released by Revell 85-5868 and more recently (in 2020) by Academy as an ROKAF version (12337)
Feel free to comment or ask any questions - Keep on building, gain experience, challenge yourself if you like, but try not to stress yourself out over the build - it is suppose to be an enjoyable hobby after all - Cheers
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