SkyPainter303's 1/72 MPC F-86D Sabre Dog

[SkyPainter303]

The Revell Me-410 has frustrated me so much, I've put it aside. I needed to build something simpler and of higher quality. So, I pulled out this recent stash addition - a vintage MPC F-86D! Ha ha!


P1050034 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



I bought this off eBay for $8.99 US delivered.

The MPC kit is a re-box of an Airfix model. Molded in silver plastic, it has raised panel lines and simple details. This is typical of most kits of the era. Some of the key features or optional position landing gear (retracted or extended) and optional position rocket bay (up or down). This aircraft, being an all weather interceptor, the main armament are 2.75" Mighty Mouse Rockets fired from a tray under the fuselage.

The kit arrived sealed in the original plastic. Even the decals are in decent shape, but I have ordered an aftermarket sheet.


P1050037 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr


P1050038 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr


P1050039 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr




The kit instructions highlight how simple the build will be. I am pretty much always an out-of-box builder and this will be no exception.


P1050035 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr


P1050036 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



Who remembers "Fun Dimensions?" This kit was released by that company as a Golden Opportunity Kit. The idea was the builder would collect points to use toward a free kit. This brings back a lot of memories.


P1050050 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr


P1050051 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



I PROMISE THIS KIT WILL BE FINISHED.

[SkyPainter303]

sabre_in-action_p15 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr


33-sabre_in-action_Page_1 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr


33-sabre_in-action_Page_2 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr

[SkyPainter303]

The pilot figure is excellently molded. This is one of the reasons I buy original vintage kits and not the re-pops.

He was primed in gray Stynylrez and painted with a combination of Model Master and Vallejo acrylics. By looking at the color of the uniform, I am not sure what air force he flies with. I painted him according to the kit instruction's color call outs. After the base colors were applied, I brushed on some Testors Acrylic Clear gloss, washed on thin Testors Black Enamel Stain, and finally sprayed some rattle can Testors Dullcote.


P1050040 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



Construction begins with the simple cockpit. One of the rear cockpit pieces was broken when I removed it from the tree. I was able to glue it on with super glue. The cockpit consists of a floor, control stick, seat, pilot, rear bulkhead and instrument panel. I primed it in black Stynylrez and airbrushed on some Vallejo Model Air Dark Gull Grey.


P1050045 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr


P1050047 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr




Here is the painted and assembled cockpit. I also filled the nose with white tacky and lead fishing weights. I am quite pleased with the fit of this old kit. There is also next to no flash.


P1050049 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr

[MarkB15]

Loving this build, just the way i do them OOB, 72 scale. Looking good so far.

[SkyPainter303]

I have made a lot of progress on this build.

I glued the fuselage halves together. I noticed something about working with silver plastic. The glue seams turn out dark and look like gaps that need to be filled. There was some gaps to fill, but not bad.


P1050052 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr


P1050053 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



Next up was to glue the wing halves together.


P1050054 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



I also made time to mask the canopy.


P1050056 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



The wings and horizontal stabilizers were attached.


P1050057 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



For this build I decided to make the aircraft to appear in flight on a stand. The smaller gear doors needed some support to hold them flush. For this, I used white tacky.


P1050059 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



The rocket bay will be in the down position.


P1050060 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



Here are a couple of shots of the underside with all doors and speed brakes closed, but with the rocket bay down. I am close to the primer stage now.


P1050061 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr


P1050062 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr

[ElCapitan]

That's going together nicely - looks like a great old kit!

[SkyPainter303]

Getting ready for paint, I masked off the cockpit for priming. Then I sprayed it Vallejo Dark Gull Gray


P1050066 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr


P1050067 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



I am making my own, simple stand. The model will be mounted on a dowel with a toothpick pin.

P1050064 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr

P1050065 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr




Here is the model primed in gray Stynylrez. I sprayed two coats sanding between and after. I also had to do a little more puttying to fix some rough areas.


P1050068 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr

[Tomcat64]

That came together quickly!

Nice work so far

[twotterdriver]

Looks good so far!

I have this kit in my stash, too! Will get around to it some day...

Gord

[SkyPainter303]

I did have some updates to show, but i had some problems with Model Master Metalizer. To start over, I put the kit in paint stripper. The Model Master Metalizer Sealer didn't seal well, so I gloss coated it, but that didn't work out too good either. I'm going to stick with the standard acrylics. According the the bottle, Metalizer requires bare plastic to work.

[TommyKillander]

Excellent work with this vintage kit!

Love the paintjob of the pilot, well done

Keep up the good work, and hope you can solve the paint problem - acrylics are always a safe bet


Tommy

[SkyPainter303]

Here is the model stripped down to the primer coat.


P1050074 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



Re-primed in black on its way to becoming a mounted gate guard.


P1050075 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr

[SkyPainter303]

Yesterday I put some paint on the Sabre Dog. First I sprayed on some Tamiya Chrome Silver, but I wasn't happy with the result. So, I sprayed on some Tamiya Flat Aluminum which I like much more.


P1050076 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr


P1050077 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr

[SkyPainter303]

I fixed my paint problem well enough for a desktop model. I also painted the radome and the antiglare shield.


P1050081 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



I painted the rocket tips red and the exhaust outlets black.


P1050079 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



I assembled the drop tanks, primed them, then filled the seams. Next, they'll be primed, painted aluminum, and glosscoated.


P1050082 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



The end is in sight. I sprayed on a coat of Testors Clear One Coat Gloss Lacquer and applied the basic decals in the SuperScale set. The markings represent an aircraft of the 513 squadron based at Phalsbourg Airbase, France, 1958-59


P1020091 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



I still need to do some touch up painting and finish the canopy.

Here is the start of the base.


P1050078 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr

[alextheblue]

Great work with the pilot and the aluminium colour looks really nice!

[SkyPainter303]

Great work with the pilot and the aluminium colour looks really nice!

Thanks, but the pilot as ejected. This aircraft has been relegated to gate guard duty. It is to be mounted on a pole. The wood base will be a mini-diorama.

[Tomcat64]

Nice job on the paintwork - well worth persevering with.

[SkyPainter303]

Here are some shots of the base before I post my final reveal.

I bought a plaque from Hobby Lobby and stained it then put on some polyurethane.

I had a vision of making my model a gate guard on the lawn with a simple chain barrier. I bought the chain in the bead department of Michael's. For fence posts I used eye pins. I drilled 1/32" holes in the plaque using my rotary tool.


P1020115 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr


I trimmed the eye pins before inserting them.


P1020116 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



I make the mounting post out of balsa wood painted with sandable primer from Harbor Freight Tools. The grass is from Woodland Scenics glued on with a homebrew scenic glue made from diluted Mod Podge Matte.


P1020121 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



On the underside of the base, I put on self-adhesive, black felt.


P1020120 by Michael Keogh, on Flickr



See my final reveal thread to see the finished base.