1:18 F-86F-30 “Sabre”

1:18 F-86F-30 Sabre, a large-scale kit from Hobby Boss

Injection-molded plastic kit of the famous American fighter of the first jet generation in 1:18 scale. For aircraft this is a rare, large scale in which the shapes of the nose with its frontal intake, the breakdown of the surface and the cockpit all show to advantage. The finished piece is more a collector exhibit than one model out of a row. The manufacturer is Hobby Boss.

The real subject

The North American F-86 Sabre was the first American production fighter with a swept wing and the main opponent of the Soviet MiGs over Korea. The F version was powered by the J47 jet engine in a more powerful variant and its armament was six large-caliber machine guns in the nose. The F-30 production block was one of the common ones and is associated with the so-called hard wing with an extended leading edge and no slats, which improved agility at high altitude. The Sabre then served for many years with a number of other users outside the United States.

Building and painting tips

The great majority of Sabres flew in natural metal, and on a large model that is the most demanding part of the work. The surface has to be perfectly smooth: work through sanding sponges and polishing, and only then lay down the base and the metallic paint. Vary the metal shades panel by panel, because that markedly lifts the impression of the finished piece. Always mix metallic paint thoroughly and mask as gently as possible, because it is harder to overspray.

Who the model is for

• Collectors of Korean War aircraft and of the early jet era
• Modelers who want to try a large area in natural metal
• Anyone who would rather have one standout model than a larger number of small ones
• Anyone who enjoys classic swept-wing fighters

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.