KOREA: THE FORGOTTEN WAR 1/48 Hasegawa F-86F "The Huff"
First Lieutenant Jim Thompson's F-86F "the Huff" is famous for being famously photographed with the most astounding nose art of any USAF fighter in Korea. Thompson, a wingman in the 39th FIS of the 51st FIW, shot down a PLAAF MiG-15 in May 1953 that had a dragon painted on its nose. Returning to Suwon, Thompson convinced his Crew Chief to put a dragon on his Sabre. With the wild painting on its nose, the airplane attracted photographers, and became famous.
This is the Hasegawa limited-release kit. They did their research so well that they even spotted the poorly-painted black checkerboards on the vertical fin and recreated them in the decals.
I used Warbirds Decals F-86F markings decal for the yellow ID stripes, the national insignia and the stencils. The individual aircraft markings came from the kit.
Amazing job, Tom!
Looks really great, Tom @tcinla
The metal finish and the famous scheme do look very nice.
Excellent model Tom - I do like the effort Hasegawa put in to get the chequers right. Were the decals the usual thick Hasegawa style?
They're not thin, but not really thick. It's the new Hasegawa decals with real white, not ivory.
Looks good, Tom. Nice job
You and Hasegawa have really captured the look of this famous plane.
Looks great, love this scheme!
Another winner Tom! I knew about these classic markings...just didn't know the story behind them.
She really is a beauty!
A fine looking Sabre - you nailed it!
Nice work, and an interesting story...makes me wonder what the dragon on the other plane looked like...
Looking great! I love this nose art!
great looking Sabre Tom I am making my first one as we speak but don't really have much to go on doing 4th FW with old 4thFG boxing Eagle on side James Jabbara rare move away from WW2 aircraft for me