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Bob Torres
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ESCI 1/48 F-86F Sabre

July 2, 2021 · in Aviation · · 19 · 2.3K

A build I made many years ago of the F-86F Sabre. The wings in this kit represents the E or early F of the sabre jets. This was a quick build, my log shows only 4 days (that is very quick for me). Built straight out of the box. Any details in the cockpit came with the kit, the panels on the side and instrument panels are decals. The silver paint from Tester's spray can, final finish was airbrushed Future floor wax.

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9  Awesome

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19 responses

  1. Great job on this Sabre ! I never knew ESCI had a kit of an F-86. Are those yellow bands decals ?

    • Jay thanks! The yellow bands are painted, outlined with black thin strips of decals.

      • You did a great job on that fuselage yellow band. It not easy getting that curve at the top just right, being a draftsman might help.

        • This was my 4th Sabre in a 5 year span...two had the black/yellow bands while one had the earlier black/white bands...I had some practice...on my first yellow/black bands it was all decals...I was not happy with the results...with the Esci using the black strips was actually easier...I first masked for the yellow band then air brushed them on...I used black electrical tape for the masking, easy to follow curves...after the masks were removed then the decals went on after a quick coat of future...I lucked out on this one...

          • I’ll have to try the electrical tape. I have some nice decals for F-86s and have been waiting for a Sabre (or two) to come to me .

  2. Very nice results for such a quick build, Bob!

    • Thanks Andrew, It was an easy build with no real drama so I lucked out. I remembered this kit going together really nice, very little filling was needed.

  3. Great result from this old basic kit.

  4. Love your build, Bob! You for sure took this venerable, solid kit to excellent levels!
    Kudos to your yellow bands painting: they look great, as well as your final Future coat. Thanks for sharing this beauty of a build with us.

  5. Great build, Bob.
    Beautiful paintwork.
    Four days only, I usualy require that amount of time to read the manual.

    • Thank you John, this was a last minute build for our club’s group build back then. This is why it was finished with one shade of silver. The previous week before starting on the F-86 I finished the Hawk P-51D that was posted back in May.

  6. Excellent model. Four days? For a NMF model? Wow. It takes me 4 weeks.

    • Thank you Dan, the kit’s good build quality with nice fitting parts allow me to get away with 4 day. Plus it was a last minute build for our club’s group build. This will probably not happen again for me…..currently I am working on a Valom 1/72 Ablemarle Mk.V, this kit might take me 6 to 8 weeks….?

  7. Wow Bob, excellent work for 4 days, looks fantastic, the silver and yellow wings looks so good.

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