Pavla Models have released detail sets for the Airfix 1/72 F-86F Sabre. There is a complete resin and cockpit to replace the less detailed Airfix office, and the set includes a vac formed canopy. Pavla have also released replacement wheels. As normal with Pavla releases they offer the canopy and ejection seat separately.

Cockpit Set.
Pavla have included fine looking components to make up the cockpit replacing the Airfix parts. There are seven resin parts cast with blocks and one vac formed canopy and windscreen.
Contents.
1 x Ejection seat.
1 x Rear cockpit wall incorporating ejector seat rails
1 x Cockpit floor with side consoles and rudder pedals.
1 x Instrument panel with hood.
1 x Control stick.
1 x Rear canopy shelf.
1 x Rear cockpit shelf incorporating canopy rails.
2 x Small sheets of instructions.
Some surgery is required to the Airfix kit to fit the cockpit. The kits instrument hood and the area behind the seat need removing from the fuselage halves. The distinctive looking ejection seat is a fine representation of the first generation bang seat fitted to the Sabre. The seat has harnesses cast onto it as well as the feet and head rests. The seat slides into the rails cast onto the rear cockpit wall. The cockpit floor includes side consoles and rudder pedals. The side consoles have low relief details as well as the more prominent throttle lever. The instrument panels has low relief details and the instrument faces are slightly recessed. There is a little flash where the legs of the pilot go, easy enough to remove with a sharp Knife. You will need to fabricate the glass display for the HUD, utilise the clear plastic from the clear plastic blister packaging. The decking that fits into the rear of the canopy has some nice detailing on it. This then fits onto the decking just behind the pilots seat. This part has canopy rails cast onto it, which will presumably be showing if you decide to have the canopy displayed open. Finally there is the control stick that fits between the footrests of the seat. There are full painting details for all the components, but no FS numbers or suggested brands of paint.
The vac formed canopy is beautifully clear and thin replacing the kits two part canopy. The Pavla canopy needs to be separated from the windscreen, but there is ample spare plastic between the two.
Ref no: C 72099
Price: £11.99.

Wheels.
Three lovely cast wheels contained in a resealable transparent plastic bag. Two main and one nose wheel. The detail includes the distinctive over sized hubs of the main wheels. The spoke detail on all the wheels is nicely executed as are the treads on the tyres. All the wheels will need to be separated from resin blocks, but separation should be very easy. These are a huge improvement on the Airfix parts, which are a bit simplistic, although they do feature weighted tyres. There is no painting guide with this release.
Ref no: U72126
Price: £2.25.

Canopy.
Beautifully clear and thin replacement for the kits two part canopy contained in a resealable transparent plastic bag. The Pavla canopy needs to be separated from the windscreen, but there is ample spare plastic between the two.
Ref no: V72082.
Price: £1.65

Ejector seat.
The distinctive looking ejection seat is a fine representation of the first generation bang seat fitted to the Sabre. The seat has harnesses cast onto it as well as the feet and head rests. The seat slides into the rails cast onto the rear cockpit wall. The seat comes in a resealable plastic bag.
Ref no: S72066
Price: £2.25.

Conclusions.

Another number of excellent releases from Pavla who have a knack of producing good quality resin and vac formed parts for some of the less detailed kits. The Airfix F-86 is a good kit, but with the addition of these resin parts from Pavla they will make it even better. If you are thinking about trying resin detailing parts for the first time, these releases would be a good introduction as the kit and the parts from Pavla are inexpensive and the the procedure for fitting is relatively straightforward. Nice one Pavla.