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Early F-16A - 1978 ESCI 1/48th


Ghostbase

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Back to 1978 and the new range of ESCI 1/48th scale kits. At this point ESCI had an excellent reputation for producing 1/9th scale motorcycle kits, then a range of scale military vehicles and many of their subsequent 1/72nd aircraft kits are still sought after today. So, what could possibly go wrong?

In the late 70's ESCI released a range of 1/48th scale aircraft kits and these were eagerly purchased by many scale modellers. Some of them were superb - the Henschel HS-129 and the Mirage F-1 come to mind. However others were not quite so good - I have binned two awful F-100D Super Sabres so far - and the brand started to acquire a bad reputation. Some of the company's products were acquired by AMT/ERTL in the late 80's then IIRC they decided to stick to producing car kits and that was the end of much of the ESCI range. However, Italeri do still produce some of the better ESCI kits even today so the product still lives on.

In the mid to late 70's the General Dynamics F-16 (it had no name then) was one of my favourite aircraft - it looked so sleek and cool compared to the aircraft then in service and had I had the money I would most likely have tried to build a 1/48th scale kit of this futuristic jet fighter. I think I had three choices in 'quarter' scale - from Monogram, Tamiya, and ESCI - and I think ESCI would have been my choice. So, for this Obsolete Kit Group Build I bring you the ESCI art 4010 General Dynamics F-16A :thumbsup:

Starting with the box art:

ESCI001_zpsa3ad2437.jpg

The fun thing with these early kits is trying to work out what version of the F-16 this might be. The two prototypes had 1972 fiscal codes, the 'FSD' or Full Scale Development aircraft had 1975 fiscal codes, whilst the first production or service aircraft wore 1978 fiscal codes, the first being 78-0001 which was a Block 1 aircraft which was delivered to the 388th TFW at Hill AFB, where initial pilot training on the type was performed. The artwork is contradictory - an all over grey paint scheme, gloss black radar cone, original 'small' tailplanes and the lower UHF/IF aerial under the air intake. The serial of the aircraft to the left appears to end in '569' which could possibly have been 72-1569 which would have been the next serial after the two YF-16 prototypes - except this was allocated to the rival Northrop YF-17 Cobra. Oh dear! Better move on to the kit:

ESCI002_zpsd97f10bf.jpg

Ahh <sigh> thin shiny lightweight silver plastic, raised surface detail, it's pure back to the 70's nostalgia :wow:

The instructions and the decals:

ESCI003_zpsa07d4f26.jpg

Way back then the ESCI instructions were very detailed and quite cutting edge (well, to me anyway). Now, the decals are very interesting. The USAF option is 75-0747 which was the third FSD aircraft, she was eventually converted into the F-16XL/B and she ever entered active service. The Danish and Norwegian decals have no detail at all, while the Dutch F-16A is J-212 which was serial 78-0212 and the first aircraft delivered to the RNLAF via the 388th TFW at Hill AFB. The Belgian decals are also very interesting:-

ESCI004_zpsa9ea85f0.jpg

A two greens and tan camouflage scheme aka the Belgian F-104 Starfighters and the Mirage V's which the F-16 was to replace! Note the large roundels on the wings only. Don't ever recall seeing this before and this could be a great scheme to finish the model in. The first F-16A FA-01 was delivered to the Belgian Air Force in March 1979 so it seems that ESCI was still very much guessing with this kit's markings.

A last photo of another decal possibility:-

ESCI005_zpsfb0bc1c4.jpg

The part decal sheet to the left is from the AMT/ERTL F-16A 'Falcon' which was issued 2002. This was identical to the ESCI kit but had better plastic and much more accurate decals for a Block 1 F-16A. At this point I am minded to build F-16A 78-0004 as she was when delivered to the 16th TFTS at Hill AFB in Utah on 17th February 1979 (though the Belgian camo scheme is very tempting!).

And to finish off - how much did this kit cost?

Purchased on eBay in 2007 for £0.99 plus £2.95 P&P total £3.94 :speak_cool:

Michael

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My first 1/48 kit! I've always loved the F-16 and when I found this in my local newsagent (I was 14 or 15 at the time) I had to have it. I was shocked at how much bigger it was to my 1/72 kits and that you could open and close the canopy! Ignoring the fact I made a pigs ear of building it :whistle: I cherished this kit and I still love that box art. Just look at it! It's firing it's gun and everything!!! :P

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That box art really was something else! Is there random penguins doing various things in the intruction sheet? Have to say it looks as if the kit is half made for you already, wings are on, pylons on the drop tanks... As for decal options, do the Belgian one, please do the Belgian one, go on, you know you want to.

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I still love that box art. Just look at it! It's firing it's gun and everything!!! :P

I have this kit in The Stash. It's shocking! :lol: So why do I love it so...?

Esci_F16.jpg

Edited by Enzo Matrix
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Hi Michael.

Wow, what a subject!!!!!! Brings back a lot of memories!!!

I don't know if the following photo is going to help you with your build but, while looking in my archives I have found an early F-16A, which I had scanned from the company's brochure back in the mid-80s. Unfortunately, the brochure and some other photos were lost during a flood in my basement :weep: .

Hope it helps. I'll be looking forward to see the next steps of your build.

F-16A_Block_1_zps334a5486.jpg

Cheers

Sernak

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The photo is probably from 1977, that's airframe 75-0474 (same as the decals), the 3rd FSD aircraft wearing the (in my mind) best of the development camo schemes. Underwent conversion in 1980/81 to the 2 seat F-16XL, ended up at NASA and was only retired in 2009. A long career for a F-16! I'm working on a 1/32 "what if" A-16 and doing it in this scheme. I'm sure it was this that inspired the underside markings on the Thunderbirds F-16s.

aau.jpg?m=1371941097

Edited by Speedman
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Must get started on this old gal, opened the box today to detach the major parts from the sprues and start sanding and cutting.

Starting with the two fuselage and wing halves, this is actually a nice kit to put together with little need for filler (I hope):-

ESCI009_zps81e98c8c.jpg

However there may be trouble ahead...

These three parts form the jet intake and the forward undercarriage well:-

ESCI006_zps140690e0.jpg

And this is the problem, the L/H assembly forms the lower part of the jet air intake and it needs quite a lot of work with filler and sanding to make it completely smooth, also the locating pin and hole it goes into needs removing:-

ESCI007_zpsb4459fea.jpg

The cockpit tub is likewise lacking in detail, the back of the seat is just plain plastic and instrument panels are depicted by decals:-

ESCI008_zps72e136f1.jpg

So quite a lot to get sorted out before the main assembly.

Michael

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  • 1 month later...

Has a whole month slipped past? A very stressy time at work plus away from home, should calm down now and is good to have this Group Build to return to.

Have applied filler to the interior of the air intake and sanded it, then put the parts together and attached the air intake assembly to the lower fuselage which looks like this:

IMGP32721024_zps838b05c4.jpg

And closer detail of the air intake area:

IMGP32731024_zpsbdc9b74b.jpg

And you can see the problem with this kit. It only has 50 parts as compared with the Eduard 'Top Falcon' F-16A (my next build!) with 450, problem is that they don't fit too well and she is going to need a bit of filling and sanding. I try to get as many of the pieces together as I can and attack the filling/sanding in one hit.

Looking at the top side:

IMGP32741024_zps612bccea.jpg

I have also added the fin base, in all you are looking here at exactly *eight* parts! And lots of raised panel lines ;) Only 42 parts to go.

Anyway, great to get started again and am looking forward to completing her by 15th December. I think the Belgian Air Force camo scheme is too unusual to ignore so watch this space.

Michael

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Keep it up Michael - not too much to do :popcorn: ...

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Added a few more pieces today - vertical tail fin, runway arrester hook, ventral fins and flaperons.

IMGP32751024_zps09192432.jpg

Then applied a light dusting of Halfords white primer to see which joins need filling and sanding.

IMGP32761024_zps40944fc8.jpg

I am not displaying her with the underwing fuel tanks so the locating holes on the wings need filling as do the trenches where the wings parts meet.

Nice simple build so far with no real problems, once I have gritted my teeth and done the filling/sanding should be able to start the painting.

Michael

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