Background
Australian
Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-26 was the most radical license-built
variant of the Sabre which mated an F-86F airframe with a 7,500 lbs Rolls Royce
RA 7 Avon Engine. Although the changes looked simple, it required a lot of
changes on the airframe itself. Wider intake, relocated engine mounting and
additional small air intakes on fuselage were some of the differences unique to
this variant. The armament was also changed to a pair of Aden 30mm cannons.
The
production variant was then called CA-27, which the Indonesian version was CA-27
Mk.32. Mk.32 used the new built Mk.26 Avon engine, had ‘6-3’ wing and had
provision for underwing ordnance in addition to a pair of drop tanks. Indonesia
received 18 Avon Sabres from RAAF in February 1973 and another five from
Malaysia in 1976.
The Model
I
used Fujimi F-86F Sabre “USAF MiG Killer” kit and Tasman Models Conversion
Kit which gives a whole fuselage and intake in limited injection plastic, vac-formed
canopy and a decal sheet of 2 RMAF Sabres, 3 RAAF Sabres and one Indonesian AF
options.
The
injection plastic itself is quite good (except the rear part near the fin) and
smooth but the sprue was thick. Very thick in my opinion especially where the
sprue meet the parts. Removing the parts was not quite a problem but the fin was
cropped when I removed it. Also, the airbrakes were in closed position on the
conversion kit. These things made me wonder if I could use the Fujimi
aft-fuselages and mated them to the Tasman’s. I cut the Fujimi & Tasman
fuselage just in front of the airbrake area and frankly speaking, I had prepared
to expect the worst when dry-fitted them, but amazing! They mated nicely!
Constructions went on. I received
a lot of help from the Sabre Master, Duncan Curtis on the Indonesian Sabre
cockpit. I tried to detail the cockpit (and the canopy actuators) as much as I
can, based on the photos supplied. I had to trim the Tasman’s cockpit area to
make the Fujimi’s cockpit parts fitted nicely but the nose landing gear well
needed a lot of filling.
Click on
images below to see larger images
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Tasman
instruction tells to widen the intake trunk a few mm, but with careful handling,
I could join the new intake to the trunk without modification. I also glued the
intake to the trunk securely first, then inserted them when the fuselages were
joined. The result was great. This made the intake didn’t match nicely to the
fuselage, but I didn’t have to handle the interior-side of the trunk. It’s
much easier to fill the exterior of the intake.
Fujimi
wing was the next step. Quite a lot of filling and sanding required here, but
not a big problem. At first, I
wrongly used Japanese-Sabre wings for this project, but before too late, I could
switch the donor kit to USAF Sabre. I had to add a pair of small intakes in
front of the fin. Using a template and chisel, they were easily added.
Painting
and decaling was the next step as usual. I didn’t do the scheme Tasman
suggested, but I chose to do an Indonesian aerobatic team “Spirit 78”
scheme. Besides the scheme was used until the Indonesian Sabre retired, but
personally I remembered that back in 1978, 5 Avon Sabres flied in tight
formation, at very low level in front of me!
I
used Tasman’s Indonesian insignias and flag, and numbers from a friend, Masato
Ota who printed me an Indonesian Sabre sheet with his ALPS printer. I used
Tamiya Spray AS-12 Bare Metal Silver for the silver background color, and
painted the other colors using Tamiya Orange and Pactra Insignia Red for the
main stripes. Masking the stripes was quite painful as there are a lot of curved
lines everywhere….
Final
construction and details were painting and installing landing gears, canopy,
wing pitot, etc. Also taking pictures are now a part of modeling steps…
The real aircraft (Avon Sabre
TS-8603) is now stored in Bandung.
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(Photo by Duncan Curtis) |
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Also
here are some pictures of my Avon Sabre together with another Indonesian
aerobatic team “Spirit 85” Hawk Mk.53
Click on
images below to see larger images
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Article
of Indonesian AF Hawk Mk.53 can be seen here:
http://www.arcair.com/Fea1/301-400/Fea343_Hawks_Sidharta/Fea343.htm
And
history of our AF here:
http://www. arcair.com/Fea1/401-500/Fea440_Indonesian-planes_Sidharta/Fea440.htm
I
would like to thank these gentlemen:
For
their great help.
Alexander
Jakarta,
Indonesia
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