Hi everybody,
For one year, this model is being in progress... The North American F-100A Super Sabre in the very early version with the short fin (shorter than the one of the prototypes) and, also, the short wingspan of the prototypes YF-100A.
Occurence of many inexplicable accidents (one of which cost the life of NA test pilot George Welch) resulted in the grounding of some 70 Super Sabres already delivered to the USAF. After deep investigation, it was discovered that the accidents were due to the short fin... The remedy involved the fitment of a new taller fin ressembling that of the YF-100A and a slight increase in the wing span (11,15 m to 11,82 m). Series and all surviving F-100As were immediatlely modified.
As (to my knoledge) there no kit of this version, I decided to modify the "pseudo F-100D" of
Lindberg. This model is the very old YF-100 with some improvements but the modification is not complete : wing span (short), tail end, canopy, air intake, etc. I was lucky enough to collect some parts of a "wrecked" Monogram F-100D which was not useable for the modification... So, the scale is naturally 1/48.
At first, the "F-100D" by
Lindberg :
The canopy (not modified by Linberg) to be changed against the
Monogram one :
One photo on the box shows a nosewheel wells, but it's in realty not the case !
The exhaust pipe (modified by Lindberg) will be used :
The beginning is the separation of the fin from the fuselage :
Equipping the fuselage interior (The Lindberg pilot seat is temporary cemented in place) The main wheel wells and covers are new parts of the
Lindberg kit :
Elevons clearance is to be limited to fit the realty :
The wingroots of the elevons must be thickened :
A view of the air duct :
The nosewheel wells and fixing of the wind screen. I later replaced it by the Monogram's one :
The Monogram canopy (which was to be sanded because of some damage) and the pilot seat (far better than that of Lindberg's) :
The new fin :
The canopy base of Monogram's is not very good and must be largely improved :
Separation of the wing leading edge slats :
The tail end has been built with putty :
The air intake is shaped to fit the realty :
The air brake bay comes from Monogram as the complete u/c :
The cannons troughs were made with
Evergreen tubes :
The too short
Lindberg nose has been lengthened :
The flying lights were made into transparent colored plastic. It's to be remarked the rounded trailing edge of the wing tip :
The kit today :
There are always some details to be improved but the built is near to the end...
Jicehem
