Breaking Bags - Episode 2: RVHP T-39 Saberliner 1:72

[kenacosta]

Great review of a nice kit. I spent 3.5 years as an NFO instructor in these jets after a fleet tour in S-3B Vikings. A couple of points:
1. Both marking options are VT-86 jets out of Pensacola. The tail code “F” is the giveaway. We flew cross country training flights all over the continental US, so it’s highly likely that someone happened to snap a photo of the jet while it was sitting on the Pt. Mugu transient line one weekend, but it wasn’t stationed at Pt. Mugu.
2. You’re correct about the LE slats being the gravity type as on its legacy F-86. They were actuated aerodynamically, so while they were down while parked (although you could push them up on preflight walkaround), they raised on your takeoff run and were fully retracted by the time you rotated. Any time you pulled a few Gs in a tight turn, they would pop out. Often the asymmetry would cause one to pop out a fraction of a second before the other, which was noticeable in the cockpit.

A fun jet! I’ve got one of these RVHP kits and one from Sword in my stash. Thanks for the review!

[natalebabbo-gunplaanddioramas]

Interesting model. Surely not for the beginners. I personally do not dig resin kits too much. Parts are so fragile.