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ROCAF F-CK-1 "Ching-Kuo" - 1:48 Freedom Model Kits


Julien

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ROCAF F-CK-1 "Ching-Kuo"
1:48 Freedom Model Kits


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The F-CK-1 Ching-Kuo is a multi-role fighter designed by the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation of Taiwan. Originally the Republic of China Air Force were looking to buy a mix of F-16s and F-20s from the US, however at the time this fell foul of politics as the US were at the time trying to improve relations with the Peoples Republic of China, this had the effect of limiting arms sales to the Republic. However the then President of the US Ronald Reagan was persuaded to offer assurances to the Republic and this enabled military assistance in the form technology transfers. This lead to the development of their own indigenous fighter. The Ching-Kuo was named after the late President Chiang Ching-kuo. It first flew in 1989 The initial order of 256 was cut to 130 when deals were done to buy F-16 fighters from the US and Mirage 2000s from the French. 

 

The initial A/B aircraft have been upgraded to the C/D configuration. This has included additional fuel, new avionics, new ECM capabilities, new weapons, and upgraded landing gear to allow for a larger payload. The C/D model was also called Hsiung Ying, or Brave Hawk in English. As well as Sidewinder missiles the fighter carries indigenous weapons; the Sky Sword I Infrared SRAAM, the Sky Sword II radar guided MRAAM, the Wan Chien JSOW, and the Hsiung Feng II ASM


The Kit
This is a new tool from Freedom Models. The kit arrives on three main sprues with another eight holding all the weapons supplied. The sprues pictured are for the single seater, the only difference for the twin seater is a longer nose section (with a double cockpit) and a different canopy. Construction starts with the cockpit. The three parts seats are made up and added in to the tub. Instrument panels and rudder pedals are added. The front wheel well is attached to the underside of the tub. Once the tub(s) are made up then they are installed into the front fuselage section. There is an insert for the front of the canopy which for the single seat aircraft has on it the bird slicer IFF antenna, and the twin seater two pitot probes. This is then made up and added. The front instrument coaming is also added at this stage. The nose cane an then be added to the front fuselage section along with the main pitot probe (though I suspect most modellers will leave this until much later). 

 

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Moving to the main fuselage which is spilt upper/lower and contains the wings (much like and F-16 kit) the long intake trunks are added with a simulated fan front at the ends. Once the intakes are in the upper and lower sections can be joined and the font fuselage section added on. The curved sections behind the intakes are then added. Some additional lower fuselage plates are then added, for the twin seater a much smaller one is added. For the single seater a large panel is then added to the upper fuselage behind the cockpit. Separate flaps and slats can then be added to the model. 

 

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The front main gear is then made up and added along with the front gear doors. The wheel is a single part and added to a single strut. For the mains the wheels are split in two parts and are added to the single main oleos. The retraction struts and suspension links are then added. The main gear doors can then be added. Moving to the rear of the aircraft the three part exhausts are  built up and added, as is the emergency arrestor hook. F-16 style split airbrakes are added at the rear. Moving back to the front the single piece intakes are added. The wing tip missiles must also be added. If needed for the version being built external conformal fuel tanks can be added to the rear fuselane. The canopy can then be added. For the single seater this hinges at the rear, while on the twin seater it hinges to the side. For both a canopy stay can be added for extra stability. If wanted the kit does include a boarding ladder which is a nice touch. 

 

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Weapons:

2 x AIM-9P Sidewinder
4 x Sky Sword I
4 x Sky Sword II
2 x Anti Ship Missiles

2 x JSOW

12 x MK82 Bombs

2 x Twin Stores Carriers (For MK.82s)

2 x 275 Gal Fuel Tanks

 

A table shows which weapons and tanks fit to which pylons, but you'll need to check your references to get an idea of what constituted a realistic carry. The weapons themselves are nicely detailed with slide-moulding used to good effect on the exhausts and launch rails, and separate fins adding to the detail.  It is great that these weapons are included in the kit as the indigenous weapons I suspect ould be hard to source on their own.

 

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Markings
There is one main sheet and a small supplemental one. Both are by Freedom Models and should pose no problems. They seem to be colour dense and in register. For both the single and double seaters there is one aircraft from the 427th TFW and one from the 443rd TFW> In addition there are decals to build an F-CK-1A in High Vis markings, and an F-CK-B in High Vis markings. Lastly the twin seater Prototype No.4 can be built as well.  

 

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Conclusion

This is a good looking kit from Freedom Models of an indigenous fighter from Taiwan. 


Highly recommended.

 

Review samples courtesy of
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2 hours ago, Antoine said:

I'll ask some friends in Taipei, to know what's the consensus over there.

Let us know the answer. From what I have seen you get a few more bits in the AFV club kit, but I like the look of the sprues on the FMK kit more, and not just saying that as I reviewed it,

 

JUlien

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Hi folks,

 

I have both kits. As I've expressed on the Rumourmonger thread, the Freedom does have more details however whatever AFV has seems to be more accurate and/or refined. The AFV kit is also largely, but not always, better molded (cleaner, crisper, better defined and polished).

 

The consensus from Taiwanese modelers is that the AFV kit is easier to put together. However, the Freedom kit is more flexible in the ancillary department including weapons choices and decals. At this time, Freedom also has a two seater out where as AFV does not. However, the windscreen and canopy cross sections of the Freedom kit two seater are not true 'Ω'.

 

It's a toss up. Personally I prefer the AFV kit. But I've seen lovely models built from both and you really can't go wrong either way. 

 

Cheers,

-jc

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22 minutes ago, jcjchung said:

Hi folks,

 

I have both kits. As I've expressed on the Rumourmonger thread, the Freedom does have more details however whatever AFV has seems to be more accurate and/or refined. The AFV kit is also largely, but not always, better molded (cleaner, crisper, better defined and polished).

 

The consensus from Taiwanese modelers is that the AFV kit is easier to put together. However, the Freedom kit is more flexible in the ancillary department including weapons choices and decals. At this time, Freedom also has a two seater out where as AFV does not. However, the windscreen and canopy cross sections of the Freedom kit two seater are not true 'Ω'.

 

It's a toss up. Personally I prefer the AFV kit. But I've seen lovely models built from both and you really can't go wrong either way. 

 

Cheers,

-jc

 

Thanks for your input, very interesting. I have to say that I haven't been able to find any online build of these kits, maybe I should go ahead and post a wip of my AFV Club kit here...

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2 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:

 

Thanks for your input, very interesting. I have to say that I haven't been able to find any online build of these kits, maybe I should go ahead and post a wip of my AFV Club kit here...

 

Please do! There are a number of build threads on the Taiwanese modeling Facebook groups I follow. I haven't seen anything on the English websites/forums as yet.

 

Also just a nitpick for the title of this review, it should be ROCAF, not ROCKF.

 

Cheers,

-jc

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48 minutes ago, jcjchung said:

 

 

 

Also just a nitpick for the title of this review, it should be ROCAF, not ROCKF.

 

Cheers,

-jc

That was a typo, now fixed.

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