discussion Hard-to-miss F-16

[Guest]

Here’s the subject of my next model, now that my BAC Lightning has the finish line in sight:

A Dutch F-16 in 2009–13 demonstration colour scheme. I didn’t even know of this until I came across this Revell kit a few weeks ago:

View attachment 330904

Here’s what you get inside the box:

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The sprues look okay, a bit of flash etc. but nothing I wouldn’t expect from a Revell kit. The parts look well-detailed, though, and I’m glad it includes a pilot, as I intend to build this one wheels-up (as well ).

And what seems to be a fairly complete set of decals, that I’m sure will be a little tricky to get on correct …

View attachment 330907

 

[papa 695]

Looks a nice kit Jakko, and at least it isn't one large decal. Looking forward to the build.

 

[Ian M]

I think you can buy a paint mask kit for this.
One nice looking bird that.

 

[Guest]

at least it isn't one large decal.

I don’t think you could get that on The decals look well-designed, though I think I won’t be using the black ones and painting those areas instead.

I think you can buy a paint mask kit for this.

Probably, but I’ll give the decals a try first. The thought did occur to me to paint the whole thing, since it shouldn’t be too hard to make your own paint masks given the decals, but getting those masks on will probably be as difficult as getting the decals on right anyway.

 

[Mr Bowcat]

Those decals look like they will be fun.

 

[Fernando N]

One more follower here Jakko, as I have the same kit and a combo in 1/48 interested to see how yours ends up.:smiling:

 

[stillp]

The thought did occur to me to paint the whole thing, since it shouldn’t be too hard to make your own paint masks given the decals, but getting those masks on will probably be as difficult as getting the decals on right anyway.

Yes, but you can have more than one try with masks.
Pete

 

[Guest]

There is that, of course, but I’ll still give the decals a go. Cartograph’s are usually pretty good, is my experience.

 

[Guest]

I’ve only been progressing slowly. Let’s start with the cockpit. Here it is assembled without glue:

View attachment 331523

Note the length of the pilot’s arm …

After cutting off the hand, removing a bit of the remaining arm and sticking the hand back on, at least the pilot seems to be actually controlling the plane:

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The air intake suffered from more flash than most of the rest of the kit:

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Cleaning it up, the parts fit well enough. I had to paint the insides five times before the white covered almost satisfactorily, though. It’s far too small to spray inside this thing with the sprsying can of white primer I’d normally use, so I had to resort to brush-painting it.

As I’ll build this one in flight, I wanted to glue the wheel well doors shut, but there are no tabs or things for them to go on. Well, Revell says you’re supposed to install the wheel wells themselved, but that’s just a waste of parts if you ask me, so I added two strips of thin plastic card instead:

View attachment 331526

After that, the doors fit with fairly large gaps around their edges so I had to glue more plastic card inside to cover them, else they’ll probably appear as obvious dark gaps on the bright orange.

 

[Dave Ward]

Jakko,
those decals look.........................interesting! Do Revell give you a sequence to put the decals on?, say, start on the centreline & move outwards? I can see the levels in your decal solution bottles dropping rapidly!
Thinking back, I don't remember ever having made a F-16, despite it being one of the most widely kitted aircraft! - I might have to remedy that...................
Dave

 

[Guest]

those decals look.........................interesting!

They’re the biggest reason I bought the kit Even if I wasn’t Dutch myself I’d probably think this is one of the spiffiest-looking demo schemes I’ve ever seen.

Do Revell give you a sequence to put the decals on?, say, start on the centreline & move outwards?

Not as far as I can tell. I think starting in or near the middle is probably best, so decals can be lined up against things like the centreline pylon (which is on the demo plane, even if the drop tank isn’t).

I can see the levels in your decal solution bottles dropping rapidly!

You may be right. Luckily I have a nearly full bottle of Micro Sol

Thinking back, I don't remember ever having made a F-16, despite it being one of the most widely kitted aircraft! - I might have to remedy that...................

I built a Matchbox one in 1/72 something like 35 years ago and a 1/32 Revell kit probably about 30 years ago, and that was it, even though I think the F-16 is one of the best-looking fighter jets ever made. Now I’m remedying this gap in my model collection with a good-looking scheme.

 

[Steven000]

Cool project Jakko,
I wish you goodluck with all those decals! ;D

Cheers
Steven

 

[RM6239]

Jakko

I'll pull up a pew for this love the F-16 and that scheme looks great.

I see it's got 2 heads is that scheme underneath as well? Looking at it I think I would start with the head on the wing and align everything with that.

cheers
Ross

 

[Guest]

I wish you goodluck with all those decals! ;D

Let’s hope I don’t need luck

I see it's got 2 heads is that scheme underneath as well?

Yes, it’s on both top and bottom. The lion is upright when the plane is flying on its left side, so the ones on the left side of the decal sheet are for the upper side and the ones on the right go on the underside.

Looking at it I think I would start with the head on the wing and align everything with that.

I still think starting in the middle is the better way, because if you start at one end and get the angle wrong a bit, it will throw everything else off as well, which means it probably won’t fit right around the tail fin, centreline pylon, etc. and may end up too far on the wing on the other side. Starting in the middle means that if you do get those angled wrong, the effect out on the wing will be only half as big as when you get the head at the same wrong angle.

 

[boatman]

HI Jakko lookin forward to this as im too gonna follow this build

 

[Jim R]

Hi Jakko
That is a stunning paint scheme and will be equally stunning as a model. The decals do look as if they will take a bit of planning and care but as you say Cartograph are usually pretty good. That pilot's arm was odd - not just a bit out but way out!!
Jim

 

[Guest]

The cockpit is now complete:

View attachment 332020

Helmet colours seem to vary, but looking carefully at photos of the real thing, orange helmets were used ca. 2013 (off the top of my head) and that makes the pilot much easier to see in the cockpit once the canopy is on.

And inside the fuselage:

View attachment 332023

With that out of the way, I need to adjust the leading edge slats and the ailerons, as this model will be posed as in flight during an airshow. I used a Tamiya plastic scriber to cut about halfway through the right wing from underneath:

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Then, with the help of my newly acquired, second-hand Etch Mate, I bent it down as far as it would go:

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You can just see it by comparing the wing at the front with the one at the back. However, since taking the photo I’ve cut the slot deeper with a knife and bent it some more, then glued and clamped it in place. The one on the other side will follow later, and the same goes for the ailerons.

 

[Guest]

All four are now done:

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The left wing was done like the right, but with me being right-handed, it proved a bit more difficult because I had to hold it in the wrong way round to be able to cut the groove underneath the wing. The ailerons I first cut from the trailing edge of the wing to the hinge line using a Tiger razorblade saw, then cut a groove along the hinge line with the plastic cutter, on top of the wing on the right and on the underside on the left. Then it was just a matter of bending them up and down a bit.

Before adding the wings to the plane, though, I’ll need to fill the locating holes for the pylons.

I’ve also painted the inside of the exhaust:

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I first painted it yellow, the added thin orange into the rear half of the nozzle (this will be partly painted out with the colour of the nozzle itself later on), and mixed lighter shades of yellow for deeper inside the front part of the exhaust pipe. I think I’ll paint the deepest insides with white to make it brighter still.

 

[Guest]

The cockpit always takes me ages, but once that’sd done, the rest of an aircraft model usually goes together very quickly.

View attachment 332182
View attachment 332183

The canopy is still loose, as is the exhaust, and the nose pitot tube still needs to be fitted, but that’ll only go on when the model is almost finished. Other than that, I just need to paint the exhaust, then mask it and the canopy and glue them both on before I can start painting.

Wait, I also still need to make the smoke pods on the wingtips. Revell says to cut the front fins off the Sidewinders, but that’ll only sort of look like the smoke pods.

 

[RM6239]

Jakko, it always seems to go quick once the cockpit is done, looking good.

cheers
Ross