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Fly Past Rush
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Paper Tiger: 1/48th Academy F-86F Sabre

May 24, 2025 · in Aviation · · 6 · 195

The 1998 1/48th Academy F-86F Sabre kit release was a nice add-on to the Sabre offerings of the time. Some nice features (not found in the other kits, like an engine, with a stand, open gun bays and weapons) were included in this Academy version, offered at a reasonable price.

You can see more in-depth detail of this build with additional photos at: https://www.flypastrush.com/post/photo-post-1-48th-academy-f-86f-sabre

I recently removed this kit from my display because the decals had deteriorated over the years. The aircraft was sent to The Maintenance Hangar where it was deemed recoverable enough to warrant a repaint. The strip-down has now commenced and the surprise news is that it will return to The Hangar at some later point in RCAF livery. - Stay Tuned

Thanks for looking & good luck on your next build.

Reader reactions:
6  Awesome

3 additional images. Click to enlarge.


6 responses

  1. Ah, the Paper Tiger, beautifully built!
    Congratulations!

  2. Do bear in mind that the Canadian Sabre and the US Sabre differ profoundly in all kinds of small yet very important and very visible ways.

    • Thanks Tom (@tcinla) , fortunately the Academy kit is a pretty good starting point for a Mk.5. Had to add the side vents of course and cap off a few other vents etc. This particular aircraft didn't have it's "Sugar Scoops" as yet, so I got around the toughest conversion. Next build does have them, so I have to figure a way to do those

  3. A very nice build, @flypastrush
    I did build this one recently myself in HAF livery with the engine displayed, a nice feature of the Academy kit.
    Looking forward to see it in RCAF livery.

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