Airfix 1/48 Canadair Sabre F.4 Plastic Model Kit
The last few months of the Second World War saw the introduction of the worlds first operational jet aircraft and with their appearance, a clear indication as to the future of aviation. Taking a significant lead in jet powered aviation technology, Germany was at least 12 months ahead of their Allied adversaries in this regard and with the end of the conflict, there was a rush to gain access to as much of this information as possible, so it could be applied to British, American and Soviet aviation projects. In the US, the aviation industry had concentrated their efforts on perfecting piston powered aviation during the war, a decision which was vindicated through the success of the P-51 Mustang and the sheer numbers available to Allied air forces. Inevitably, this would have an impact on Americas entry into the jet age and whilst their first operational jet fighter, the Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, was an excellent aircraft, it utilised the straight wing technology synonymous with WWII designs.
With its P-51 Mustang being widely regarded as the best single engined fighter of WWII, it was not long before the designers at North American aviation applied their undoubted talents to producing a new jet powered fighter, one which would incorporate research material obtained from the German jet programme. In their quest for ever greater speed, the new aircraft featured a 35% wing sweep and beautifully streamlined fuselage, whilst retaining the exceptional pilot visibility first introduced on the D variant of the Mustang. With three nose mounted .50 calibre machine guns on either side of the fuselage, the new Sabre shared much with the attributes of its piston engined predecessor, beautiful to look at, but a deadly fighting aeroplane.
The first flight of the XP-86 prototype took place on 1st October 1947, in the hands of famous WWII Pearl Harbor Curtiss P-40 fighter ace George Welsh, who was North Americans chief test pilot at that time. Later in the development programme, an F-86A Sabre would go on to set a new world airspeed record of 670.84 mph, underlining the credentials of this important new fighter.
On entering USAF service in 1949, the North American F-86 Sabre was not only Americas first swept wing fighter, but also the fastest fighter in the world and one of the most important aircraft in the post war jet era. The Korean War would witness the advent of the first jet versus jet combat and pitch Americas new jet fighter against the latest Soviet design, the highly capable Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-15, an aircraft which possessed a great aviation pedigree of its own and one which proved to be quite a shock for Western Powers. With both aircraft possessing advantages over the other, this aerial duel would prove to be quite an even contest, with the more robust training and previous WWII experience of Sabre pilots proving decisive in the end.
Whilst US military planners were quick to publish combat victory ratios of 10:1 in favour of the F-86 Sabre, later research suggested the Sabres dominance was probably nearer 3:1, though still underlining the effectiveness of the aircraft. As one of the worlds first classic jet fighters, the F-86 Sabre was produced in great quantities and went on to serve with around 30 of the worlds air forces, as well as being produced under licence in Canada, Australia, Japan and Italy.
Out of a final total production run which exceeded 9,800 aircraft, the Royal Air Force would operate around 430 Canadian built Sabres from 1953 until 1956, as the introduction of the excellent Soviet MiG-15 continued to have an impact on NATO military strategies. With the indigenously designed Supermarine Swift and Hawker Hunter still in development, the Sabre provided the RAF with a capable jet fighter at a crucial period in world history and whilst they would only see service for a relatively short period, it bought the RAF valuable time until they could introduce their own swept wing fighter designs.
Tech Specs
-
- Item Length - Without Packaging (cm)
- 22.9
- Item Height - Without Packaging (cm)
- 8.88
- Item Width - Without Packaging (cm)
- 22.9
- How many pieces will be found in the box opened by the customer?
- 148
- Item Scale
- 1:48
- License line
- Produced under licensed. (Vehicle/Aeroplane Models) the distinctive logos, product markings, and trade dress are all trademarks of The Boeing Company.
- Contents (what's in the box) sets
- Sprues & decals
- Finish
- Plastic
- Number of Scheme options
- 2
- Skill Level
- 2
- Flying Hours
- 3
- Wingspan (mm)
- 229
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Flat Rate Shipping
Our $9.95 flat rate shipping covers all metropolitan areas and all urban areas within Australia.
Free Freight Offer
Our Free Freight option on goods over a certain value applies to online orders only and may change without notice due to commercial competition so please always check this category. We reserve the right to quote freight separately for any oversize, large, heavy or bulky goods which may be ordered. Free shipping may not apply to some oversize items, or orders containing Dangerous Goods.
Dangerous Goods
Some items such as rocket engines and RC fuel require additional charges due to “Dangerous Goods” category. Due to these items being sent by a courier, someone must be home to receive the item, or a slip may be left instead. These items cannot be shipped to PO boxes. Please note, rocket engines of size 'E' or higher cannot be shipped. They can only be picked up in store.
Oversize Items
Any items that are larger than 1 metre in any dimension are considered an oversize item and are not accepted by Australia post and as such, require additional charges to be sent by courier. Due to these items being sent by a courier, someone must be home to receive the item or a slip may be left instead. These items cannot be shipped to PO boxes.
RETURNS POLICY
Frontline Hobbies is committed to providing customers with the best products and service. We are aware that sometimes returns are required and have detailed in this policy how to return a product to Frontline Hobbies.
Please note that all products are sold with manufacturer’s warranty unless otherwise noted.
14 Day Return Guarantee
Not what you expected? Changed your mind?
We offer a 14-day return policy for any unopened, undamaged product in original condition.
Contact us within 14 days of delivery and we will gladly accept your return. Then package and ship it back to us. Once received, we will arrange a credit or refund.
You must make sure that the returned product is suitably packaged to prevent damage during return shipping. We will not accept responsibility for goods, which are damaged whilst in transit back to us.
A copy of the original invoice or reference number must be included with the returned product. If proof of purchase is not provided, we may not be able to offer a replacement product, credit, or refund.
Please note, for change of mind returns, it is the customers responsibility to pay for return postage.
Incorrectly Shipped Products
If you have received the wrong item, please contact us immediately upon receiving your delivery so we can arrange the correct items to be shipped out, and for return of the item received. We may require a photo of the product so we can verify.
Please keep the products in their original packaging and we will send you a return shipping label. Print it out, attach to the package; and either take to Australia Post, or for larger items we can arrange a courier to collect the items.
You must make sure that the returned product is suitably packaged to prevent damage during return shipping. We will not accept responsibility for goods, which are damaged whilst in transit back to us.
A copy of the original invoice or reference number must be included with the returned product. If proof of purchase is not provided, we may not be able to offer a replacement product, credit, or refund.
If the product is not deemed to be incorrect, we may return the product to you at your cost or we may offer a reduced credit to cover any shipping costs incurred.
Damaged Products
If you have received a damaged item, please contact us immediately upon receiving your delivery so we can arrange replacement items to be shipped out, and for return of the damaged item. We may require a photo of the product so we can verify.
Please keep the products in their original packaging and we will send you a return shipping label. Print it out, attach to the package. We will let you know whether to return it to Australia Post, or if we can arrange a courier to collect the item.
A copy of the original invoice or reference number must be included with the returned product. If proof of purchase is not provided, we may not be able to offer a replacement product, credit, or refund.
You must make sure that the returned product is suitably packaged to prevent further damage during return shipping. We will not accept responsibility for goods, which are damaged whilst in transit back to us.
If the product is not deemed to be damaged, we may return the product to you at your cost or offer a reduced credit to cover any shipping costs incurred.
Faulty products
If you have received a faulty item, please contact us so we can arrange the product to be returned to us for assessment. We may check manufacturer standard warranty to verify the product is still under warranty before we arrange a return label.
Please keep the products in their original packaging and we will send you a return shipping label. Print it out, attach to the package. We will let you know whether to return it to Australia Post, or if we can arrange a courier to collect the item.
A copy of the original invoice or reference number must be included with the returned product. If proof of purchase is not provided, we may not be able to offer a replacement product, credit, or refund.
You must make sure that the returned product is suitably packaged to prevent further damage during return shipping. We will not accept responsibility for goods, which are damaged whilst in transit back to us.
Upon receipt of a faulty product, we will either test the product ourselves or return the product to the manufacturer or supplier for assessment. Goods that require testing may take up to 30 business days.
If a fault is detected, and is not due to wear and tear, or misuse, we will offer you a replacement, credit, or refund.
If the fault does not fit the above criteria and is not covered under the manufacturer’s warranty, then a replacement, credit or refund may not be provided. We may offer to repair the product at your cost. We will provide an estimate of any charges before commencing with any repairs.
Processing Credits & Refunds
We will normally issue a credit note within 10 business days of us receiving the goods returned in accordance with this policy. Goods that require testing may take up to 30 business days. The credit notes which are issued can then be used as a payment against future purchases or converted to a refund.
All refunds will be returned to the payment method used for the original purchase. If for any reason we cannot refund to the original payment method, we may require ID to be sighted to verify identity, or offer store credit in lieu of a refund.
Should you require further information, please feel free to contact us.