Author Topic: United Nations Sabres Over Korea - An UN-likely Tale in 1/72 Scale  (Read 3272 times)

Offline Brian da Basher

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By 1954 the First Korean War had ended even though things remained tense on the DMZ.



However, after almost a year of perceived provocations, one event would prove too much for North Korea.



The North launched a ferocious invasion across the DMZ in response.



This started the Second Korean War and very quickly, United Nations forces realized they needed to increase their air defense.



The North had some success with nuisance raids and interceptor squadrons were badly needed. Manned by personnel from all participating allied countries, an interceptor unit was formed to fly under the U.N. banner.



It was decided to equip the unit with the F-86 Sabre. While no longer the cutting-edge aircraft it had been at the start of the First Korean War, Sabres were plentiful in allied inventories and armed with AAM-A-2A missiles, they'd be a capable platform for the mission.



The Sabres of the First U.N. Interceptor Wing wore dual markings of their own country and the U.N. flag in perhaps one of the best displays of international brotherhood ever seen in the skies above Korea.



The unit logged innumerable sorties and countless hours in the air. Flying patrols was often a seemingly endless boredom trying to stay alert for the enemy. Fortunately for some of these pilots, a familiar voice of home would help make the duty more bearable.



What began as a practical joke soon became the hit of U.S. Armed Forces Radio Network programming. With his fine ear for contemporary dance music and homespun nature, Radar O'Reilly's radio show was the precursor to a more famous broadcast from another war fifteen years in the future.



The U.N. pilots found the folksy banter of the program a real morale boost as they kept Uijeongbu safe at 35,000 feet.



The North Koreans, listening in, felt quite a bit differently and after two years of Ottumwa, Iowa farm reports, just couldn't take it anymore and sued for peace.



As the guns went silent on the peninsula, the U.N. interceptor unit was soon relieved by the R.O.K. Air Force. Those AAM-A-2A armed Sabres flying under the United Nations banner would soon be forgotten.



To this day, due to a lack of documentary evidence, many so-called "experts" refuse to believe there ever were United Nations Sabres armed with AAM-A-2As and think the whole thing must be the ravings of an UN-hinged mind.



Brian da Basher

Offline Brian da Basher

  • He has an unnatural attraction to Spats...and a growing fascination with airships!
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Re: United Nations Sabres Over Korea - An UN-likely Tale in 1/72 Scale
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2018, 07:40:03 AM »
This all started with a venerable 1/72 Matchbox F-86 Sabre a good friend sent me a while back (thanks a million, Hamsterman!). Mine was bagged, so I don't have any box art, but it probably looked like this as all the rest matched up.



I was having a tough week and I thought a bit of a nostalgia build might help. It was very relaxing to just build it OOB and give the razor saw a rest.







While the kit was built stock with no modifications, I did make one addition. I found these in my spares box and while they may not be the famous AIM-4 Falcon, they look close enough to me.



I mounted them on spare Skyraider pylons after getting the model built.





The model was painted with the old hairy stick and lot of Polly Scale Gravel Gray. The missiles were done in Insignia Red with Semi-Gloss Black tips.



The canopy was tinted on the inside with Insignia Blue and Cockpit Interior Black was used on the anti-glare panel.



I kept the nose intake in kit plastic as it complimented the UN markings and also as a nod to simpler times.



Decals were mostly from the kit (1976 vintage) but the UN markings came from a Roundels of the World sheet courtesy of Mr Fontaine many years ago (thanks again, Jeff!).



Before I forget, here's a couple of shots with a U.S. penny for scale.



I had a lot of fun building this model which I did so at a leisurely pace over the last week.



I'd like to thank Mr Wombat for bravely moderating this GB, Bill for the kit, Jeff for the decals and the rest of you who are playing along or just stopping by to look.



I hope you enjoyed the United Nations Sabre and reading a little more forgotten aircraft history even if it does seem UN-believable.



Brian da Basher


Offline elmayerle

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Re: United Nations Sabres Over Korea - An UN-likely Tale in 1/72 Scale
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2018, 11:15:06 AM »
Brian, that is a simply UN-credible piece of history and beautiful model.

BRAVO!!