Chris McG F-86 Sabre Dog build blog

Well then, here we go.

I finally took the plunge and decided to join the PSSA Mass Build 2020.

My building experience is quite limited with only a few models like Peter’s Ballerina, my ChtiCat Racer and lately the ‘revisited’ Svenson Vicomte project. This one is still on the board since ages as my second hobby - acrylic canvas painting - took over during the good part of this year.

My flying is even worse as I’m still on a buddy wire with the Volantex Trainstar. I think my preference goes to sticking wood together as I’ve already been building/flying full size Ultralight & EXP two seat planes in a past life.

A contact was made with Phil C and he quickly (and kindly) convinced me that I would receive all the help I’ll need.

With my learning curve still to be completed a lot - and as I’ve never done it - the planking of the Sabre is probably the main reason for my decision to try to be part of it.

The plan, short kit and canopy arrived just a few days ago from G&M Models together with the additional woodpack from SLEC.

I won’t be taking a ‘dragster’ start on Nov.1^st but will gently be waiting for some threads to emerge offering me the guidance I need.

In the meantime, I’ll be studying the drawings plus the wooden bits and of course look for an appropriate deco scheme. I do hope to find an example of a F-86 somehow related to the Belgian Air Force…

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Decision Control

Glad to have you on board Chris.

Hi Martin,

Thank you but I hope you won't regret those words later on during my build.

I'm afraid I will have a lot of daft questions once I start building the Sabre.

Many thanks to Mod Pete too for posting that header pic for this build thread.

Now I guess I'll have to introduce my assistant Gaston to the forumites...

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Assistant Control

Edited By McG 6969 on 26/10/2019 21:42:46

Chris,

No such thing as a daft question - there are plenty of people building the Sabre, so you will have lots of answers to any query.

The model is not a difficult build but does introduce some methods that you may not have used before - like planking.

When you get to that stage and take your time doung two or three planks and then letting the glue dry before continuing.

You will need quite a few pins!

Martin.

Thanks Martin,

I'm not really worried about the planking itself - I ordered the 48" planking sheets and even duly noted your 6mm width advise - but about all the steps needed before getting there.

I might ask my questions here in my thread or, as per Phil's advice, use your 'Gamma' blog when needed.

It even might help some colleagues-builders as well...

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Questions Control

Hi Chris,

If this is anything like your other builds, it will be a work of art.👍 I look forward to following along.

Cheers

Mark

Yes - I'm looking forward to your build as well Chris.

Hi Mc G,

I will be following this as your builds are always worth a watch.

D.D.

From the previous comments it sounds like you are underestimating your building abilities!

Chris, just in case there is a nomenclature question re: “Sabre”, “Sabre Dog”, and “Dog Sabre”:

The F-86D, known as the Sabre Dog or Dog Sabre, was actually a significantly different airframe than the F-86 Sabre. Most visibly in its radome nose, but also its larger fuselage.  Here is a vintage 1950s photo of each of them together, an F-86 and F-86D, and the F-86D is the bird nearest the camera.  Similar, but different!

Gordon & Martin’s design and kit for our 2020 Mass Build is for the F-86 Sabre, and its many variants, but not the F-86D “Dog” Sabre. Modelling an F-86D would require a redesign, most especially of the fuselage.Hope this info helps!

Edited By John H. Rood on 27/10/2019 16:26:31

Thank you for the kind words of encouragement, Mark, Steven & Dwain.

I’ll try to do my best, but please note that it took me 16 months to finalize my Bella Ballerina and Vicky, my Svenson Vicomte 1916 is still on the backburner.

I do have a ‘deadly’ deadline now with the Sabre as the PSSA MB fly-in is scheduled for mid-June.

@ Martin > they are really very gentle lads. They refer to my ‘experiments’ and conviction to try to push the detailing a bit further, I guess. No ‘heavy Fentonitis’ involved though.

But I still need the right directives as to build my airframe correctly.

EDIT > ... apologies John, I saw your post too late, but I'l  be answering it in my following post...

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Deadline Control

Edited By McG 6969 on 27/10/2019 18:31:16

Thanks for your message, John.

... and yes, I'm aware that the F-86 'Dog' is a bit different than the initial Sabre.

But, as you wrote, the main differences are located in the fuselage. Basically, the 'slatted' wing is standard on the 'D' and 'K', together with the horizontal tailplane. The latter being without dihedral - as optional on Martin's kit - but with exactly the same 'decalage'. That luckily means that aerodynamically the differences are close to nihil.

Now, you also stated that the fuse is "larger". Yep, it is - albeit 'bulkier' would be more precise from the side view of the plane.

The main differences are the radome nose (F1 needs to be modified), the fuse is 20cm longer on the full size due to the updated engine used (at 1:10, enlarged by 20mm behind F7), the canopy is slightly different, the fin fairing as well as the dorsal general shape and the horizontal stab fairings are 'smoother'. I think all that is very do-able...

But no worries, if I come to face some impossibilities, I'm ready to cancel the 'plan' and come back to a standard build.

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR 'Dog' Control

Hello to all,

Time to introduce you to Gaston, my preferred - and only one... - assistant during my builds.

Gaston Lagaffe is a gag-a-day comic strip created in 1957 by Belgian cartoonist André Franquin and published in the Belgian comics magazine Spirou.

The series focuses on the everyday life of Gaston Lagaffe - whose surname means "the blunder" or "the blooper" - a lazy and accident-prone junior office assistant. He has an almost supernatural ability to cause disasters and to create various ‘machines’ all with uniformly catastrophic results.

Maybe not as worldwide renowned as Tintin, Gaston is very popular in large parts of Europe and has been translated in over a dozen languages. Some cartoons were translated in English but there doesn’t seem to be an officially published version.

Originally, he was wearing an old green sweater but I gave him a ‘red’ updated one during my Ballerina build as he then was easier to locate in between the balsa shavings! …

Now let’s hope for the best with him at my side…

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR Blunder Control

Edited By McG 6969 on 29/10/2019 10:49:43

Hello again,

I have done a bit more research regarding the Sabre ‘Dog’ & my ‘possible’ MB project >

The F-86D, K and L Sabres were a development of the successful F-86 family.

Sometimes nicknamed Sabre Dog, it was an all-weather subsonic interceptor, utilizing sophisticated radar equipment for tracking enemy targets, mainly strategic bomber formations. As the sole armament consisted of 24 unguided Mighty Mouse rockets, it was not designed for dogfights.

Pilots had a tough job of flying the aircraft and aiming at the same time using its radar. After depressing the trigger, embedded algorithms determined the final moment for releasing the rockets.

(to be continued...)

(continued)

Here are the different types of Sabre Dogs >

F-86D

Production interceptor originally designated F-95A, 2,504 built.

F-86G

Provisional designation for F-86D variant with uprated engine and equipment changes, 406 built as F-86Ds.

F-86K

NATO version of F-86D; MG-4 fire control system; four 20 mm M24A1 cannon with 132 rounds per gun; APG-37 radar. 120 were built by North American, 221 were assembled by Fiat.

F-86L

Upgrade conversion of F-86D with new electronics, extended wingtips and wing leading edges, revised cockpit layout, and uprated engine; 981 converted.

(source > Wikipedia)

(to be continued...)

(continued)

Hereunder a side view drawing of a F-86A and the ‘Dog’.

As I answered before to John - besides the obvious longer radome nose -, the fuse is 20cm longer at the part behind the wing TE, the fuse is a bit 'fatter' all around starting behind the canopy, the fin fairing is more 'triangular' and the vertical tailplane is taller.

Research is still going on... and the jury is still out.

Hakuna matata

Chris

BRU - BE / CTR ‘Dog’ Control

Rare frosty snow-capped peaks behind Malibu!

Chris, I just returned from my mom's 90th birthday celebration this past weekend. She was a design engineer at NAA Los Angeles Division, working on the F-86D and F-100A programs. Met my dad in the engineering group there in 1955; five weeks later, they married, and in 2019 they are alive and still together! Seven kids, the 1960s, the Beatles, Vietnam, the works. Here's from a few years ago:

Best wishes on your audacious and excellent 2020 Mass Build path!

Hi John,

Thank you for the pix and your kind words.

My best wishes to your Mom and Dad.

Now, only one 'sleep' to go and let the mass 'furia' begin...

Cheers

Chris

Hi Chris, nearly missed this thread as PSSA is not realy my thing . Great to see you back doing some balsa bashing 👍although I don't fly on the slope I am sure that I will pick up some great building tips and have some interesting discussions on your build. I hope that Gaston has been behaving himself and is ready to assist in the build, we are off on hols this weekend but will be able to follow but posting my be a little slow. Bookmark selected so that I do not miss anything , looking forward to the build 👍👍👍

Paul.

Amazing story with your parents' meeting ovee designing legendary aircraft!