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Converting Fujimi’s F-86F to an F-86A

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Just mention the Korean War to an aircraft enthusiast and visions come to mind of F-86 Sabres tangling with those dreaded MiG-15s. Certainly, the F-86 Sabre has been well served to the modeling community, but almost every kit available is of the late F-86F with its improved wing and tail surfaces. In 1/72 scale, only the old toylike Matchbox kit represents the early F-86A.

So, how do you build an accurate early Sabre? The 1/72 scale Fujimi kit I built started life as an F-86F-30 with the “6-3” wing. Here’s a list of the changes I had to make:

  • Reshape the rear fuselage to eliminate the tailplane actuator fairings

  • Backdate the wing to the early narrow chord style with leading-edge slats

  • Reshape the windscreen to the correct armored “V” shape

    • Sounds straightforward, eh? There are probably several ways to go about each change, but here’s what I did.
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