Flying Razorbacks

F-100D Super Sabre, 188th Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard about 1972

Okay, let’s start with “I’m not a jet guy.” This kit was started back in the early ’90s, with construction and painting completed quite quickly. Then a move, followed by sea duty (minimal modeling) followed by another move. If not for a theme build of “Century Series” jets, it might still be on my shelf of doom.

The Subject

When I purchased this kit I was in a bit of a jet phase. I’d completed a F-105, Kfir, and Mirage 2000; plus was attempting a F-86 and F-84F natural metal finish. I wanted to do the F-100 in the Viet Nam era camouflage and was enjoying Esci kits as easy build and high on details (for the time).

This particular subject happens to be from the Arkansas Air National Guard; I grew up in Arkansas so this is a natural set of markings for me, however I don’t remember if that was my initial draw to the kit. Anyway, not being a jet guy, I know little about the Arkansas ANG and less about the F-100.

The Model

This is the Esci kit, built straight out of the box with the kit decals. My skills were maturing (as they still are!) and while I airbrushed this kit I can see seams and the transition from one color to the next is not tight at all. At the time aftermarket was mostly just decals, and I never had any aftermarket F-100 decals.

I do remember the kit being a very easy build. It likely went together over a weekend, possibly two. Interestingly, while I used the kit decals, they went on 20 years AFTER the kit was completed. They settled down just fine on the coat of Future and the only setting solution I used was Daco soft. I followed that with a light brush on of Future over the decals as they acted like they didn’t want to stick, once dry.

Summary

After my move to my current home, about 15 years ago, I unpacked this kit and found it had survived a second move quite well. Two landing gear doors were all that were missing. It did need some clean up of the finish, as the packing material sort of “stuck” to the paint. I’ve since determined that enamels and foam peanuts don’t mix well, even if the enamel is fully cured. However…put a coat of Future (clear acrylic) on it and it seems to fare pretty well.

Anyway, digging around in my spares bin, I actually found the two missing bits. Glued them on and after decaling I had a finished model. It’s over on my “jet shelf” with a few other relatively modern (post 1955) subjects; okay it’s a sparse shelf.

Thanks for looking…