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F-16 Kits/Block questions


PhantomBigStu

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I might have misunderstood you, but there is a great difference between the F-16I and F-16F, and you cannot make one from the other kit. 

 

As for the F-16D Brakeet, you can use this to make a Polish F-16D provided that the PW nozzle and small mouth intake is in the kit. 

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F-16I specific sprues contained inside E-34 boxing

 

Q and V parts respectively intake cheeks fairings and dorsal spine vents

 

F-16F specific sprues contained inside 01930 boxing

 

M and W parts respectively Sniper pod and dorsal spine vents plus a couple of fairings

 

I know that in real life both are very different, but for Hasegawa the only difference contained in those two boxes are them as you can either build a P&W or GE F-16 as long you don't venture into Polish or Greek? territory as you need the longer tail ECM/chute fairing

 

Luigi

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  • 8 months later...
On 1/1/2018 at 4:16 PM, philbrad said:

Having built numerous F-16 kits over the years since the late 70's Matchbox/Airfix offerings to the current(ish) multi version Revell offerings. 

Hi philbrad!!!

I was wondering what can I do with a very old Hasegawa/Minicraft F-16 A, this is an ancient kit from 1976 and I have one from 1980 when was released here in this side of the pond and sold cheaper as was made by Hasegawa/Minicraft Models as the one  depicted here in this link:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/minicraft-hasegawa-1110-general-dynamics-f16a--164411

 

So, Can you advise me what I can do and which parts can modify to get other variant than the Red/White/blue early model F-16??? ... I am planning to do an early Israeli F-16 A with this one and a IAF/DF F-16B with the early Testors/Italeri kit as this one:

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/testors-683-f-16-fighting-falcon--147452

 

Can you help me???...Thank you very much in advance!!!

 

Cheers,

 

Luis Alfonso

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Hi,

 

I have made over 2 dozens of 1/72 F-16 kits of various brands, Blocks and air forces.

Also the older kits and Red/White/blue ones...

https://designer.home.xs4all.nl/models/f16/f16-proto.htm

 

You may find a lot of info about the many F-16's at modelling pages here: 

 

https://designer.home.xs4all.nl/models/f16/f16-1.htm

 

A lot of F-16 schemes and variations are possible.

Still more models to follow...

 

Enjoy modelling!

Meindert

 

 

 

 

 

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On 2/9/2019 at 11:47 PM, Luis Alfonso said:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/minicraft-hasegawa-1110-general-dynamics-f16a--164411

 

So, Can you advise me what I can do and which parts can modify to get other variant than the Red/White/blue early model F-16??? ... I am planning to do an early Israeli F-16 A with this one and a IAF/DF F-16B with the early Testors/Italeri kit as this one:

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/testors-683-f-16-fighting-falcon--147452

Hi Luis -

Meindert's pages have loads of info for you, but to narrow down the options from the kits you have a little:

 

Your Hasegawa/Minicraft kit is of the YF-16A prototype. If you're looking for full accuracy that leaves only the two original demonstrators "from the box," one in the red/white/blue scheme and the other in a "cloud" camouflage of pale blue and white.  One of Meindert's pages shows a later boxing of the "YF-16CCv" which also wore r/w/b scheme and added canard foreplanes under the intake.

 

If you really have your heart set on something else, the changes are pretty extensive from the prototypes to any other versions. Most notable is the size and shape of the nose, but a lot of the details are different. Up to you whether you feel it's worth buying another kit for the version you want.

 

The Testors kit is much closer to your goal out of the box. That kit has the early style "small" tailplanes that were onky used up to Block 10.  Israeli A/B Vipers had the larger tailplanes, identifiable by the 45-degree crop at the outboard corners and the trailing edge extending past the aft end of the speedbrake fairings on either side of the exhaust. 

 

Meindert's pages include a demonstration how to enlarge the tailplanes with sheet plastic and putty. The smaller tailplanes ate relatively rare, so you might also be able to buy or trade for a spare set of the larger type if you don't feel up to the modifications (I don't know of any aftermarket 'big tail' parts).

 

**EDIT:

Apologies for working from memory vs. checking references prior to posting - the initial F-16A/Bs delivered to Israel were Block 5 or 10 so they did have the small tailplanes, which match what's provided in the Testors "Israeli" boxing.  For the record there were some USAF surplus F-16A/Bs from later blocks delivered to Israel post Desert Storm that had the larger tailplanes.

 

As others have noted, the Italeri tooling has been modified several times over its history with changes that include the larger tailplanes in more recent boxings.

 

Source for Israeli F-16 block data:

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_users_article7.html

Edited by CT7567
Retraction of previous misstatement re: Israeli F-16A/B tailplane type.
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17 hours ago, CT7567 said:

The Testors kit is much closer to your goal out of the box. That kit has the early style "small" tailplanes that were onky used up to Block 10.  Israeli A/B Vipers had the larger tailplanes, identifiable by the 45-degree crop at the outboard corners and the trailing edge extending past the aft end of the speedbrake fairings on either side of the exhaust. 

The basic Italeri kit (#130) was updated at least once, and the updates include the big taiplane. I think my first Italeri kit is an updated one, and I bought it in January 1991. IIRC the big tailplanes were added by enlarging the mould cavities, looking somewhat un-neat. Not sure if this incarnation also had the prototype-style "pointy on both Ends" tanks replaced with the blunt-ended ones, in any case that happened with the C/D boxing I think (#188). Not sure if Testors boxed all of the Italeri versions, but given the Long-Standing cooperation between them I'd think so.

Sure about the big taiplanes for the earliest Heyl Ha'Avir machines ? I'd have to look around in my books a bit but could swear the first Batch had the original size.

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On 2/13/2019 at 2:05 PM, tempestfan said:

The basic Italeri kit (#130) was updated at least once, and the updates include the big taiplane. I think my first Italeri kit is an updated one, and I bought it in January 1991. IIRC the big tailplanes were added by enlarging the mould cavities, looking somewhat un-neat. Not sure if this incarnation also had the prototype-style "pointy on both Ends" tanks replaced with the blunt-ended ones, in any case that happened with the C/D boxing I think (#188). Not sure if Testors boxed all of the Italeri versions, but given the Long-Standing cooperation between them I'd think so.

Sure about the big taiplanes for the earliest Heyl Ha'Avir machines ? I'd have to look around in my books a bit but could swear the first Batch had the original size.

 

I have the pre-upgrade #130 boxing, Italeri like Revell crated a small mess regarding whos box comes with what cause (and I'm not 100% sure):

1st Release marketed as Italaerei or Italaeri #130 orange/red band

2nd Release possibly still retaining the orange/red band marketed as Italeri #130

3rd Release marketed as Italeri #130 green band

4th Release Italeri #130 orange/yellow-ish band, new decals (?) no upgraded moulds

5th Release same as above, new decals and upgraded moulds and I think I still have the instructions hiding somewhere

Then Testors:

See pictures on Scalemates

 

From Scalemates timeline ignore anything else that is not Tamiya (rebox of #188, later ones come with Amraam missiles minus the ADF parts), Bilek again it seems a rebox of #188,  not sure about Income box and Flying Kiwis but all the others SHOULD be kept on the LHS shelves

 

Hobbycraft was a Smer kit with, the good things about both kits were just the decals contained inside them, cause one had early IDF markings and the Hobbycraft did come with well printed Venezuelan AF decals, otuside that the kit was a very poor copy of Italeri kit with nothing in common 

Aeroplast at least the earlier one was a mess, ditto for Intech, they were either copies of Smer kit or something guess and shaped like an F-16

Mastercraft was a rebox of Smer with some extra parts  (mid sprue with C tail and drop tanks) added

f16d-04.jpg

 

 

Earlier IDF F-16 used the small stabs, 100% sure about F-16B having them due a couple of old pictures found inside an encyclopedia but not so sure about F-16A, going to check some Koku Fan from that era

 

Luigi

 

 

Edited by Silverkite
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On 2/12/2019 at 8:35 PM, CT7567 said:

For the record there were some USAF surplus F-16A/Bs from later blocks delivered to Israel post Desert Storm that had the larger tailplanes.

 

 

These were FY79 machines and still had the small tailplanes in USAF service, but some may have had these substituted while in Israeli service for the big tailplanes. Most were used as trainers, with few reaching operational squadrons. 

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On 2/13/2019 at 2:05 PM, tempestfan said:

The basic Italeri kit (#130) was updated at least once, and the updates include the big taiplane. I think my first Italeri kit is an updated one, and I bought it in January 1991. IIRC the big tailplanes were added by enlarging the mould cavities, looking somewhat un-neat.

 

Adfditionaly, if you fit the bigger stabs as is, they are too much forward, the trailing edge lining up with the speedbrakes instead of protruding backwards as they are in real life.

 

See: http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal9/8401-8500/gal8462-F-16B-Chong/03.shtm

 

Just snip a bit off the tab and move them backwards. 

 

Quote

Not sure if this incarnation also had the prototype-style "pointy on both Ends" tanks replaced with the blunt-ended ones, in any case that happened with the C/D boxing I think (#188).

 

Even with the tanks updated, the end plates were still incorrect (triangles instead of paralellograms,).

 

The RoG kit is the only correct one in this regard. 

 

Quote

Not sure if Testors boxed all of the Italeri versions, but given the Long-Standing cooperation between them I'd think so.

 

There were several Testors boxings of the Itaelri mold: 

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/testors-683-f-16-fighting-falcon--147452

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

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  • 1 month later...
On 2/12/2019 at 1:35 PM, CT7567 said:

Hi Luis -

Meindert's pages have loads of info for you, but to narrow down the options from the kits you have a little:

 

Your Hasegawa/Minicraft kit is of the YF-16A prototype. If you're looking for full accuracy that leaves only the two original demonstrators "from the box," one in the red/white/blue scheme and the other in a "cloud" camouflage of pale blue and white.  One of Meindert's pages shows a later boxing of the "YF-16CCv" which also wore r/w/b scheme and added canard foreplanes under the intake.

 

If you really have your heart set on something else, the changes are pretty extensive from the prototypes to any other versions. Most notable is the size and shape of the nose, but a lot of the details are different. Up to you whether you feel it's worth buying another kit for the version you want.

 

The Testors kit is much closer to your goal out of the box. That kit has the early style "small" tailplanes that were onky used up to Block 10.  Israeli A/B Vipers had the larger tailplanes, identifiable by the 45-degree crop at the outboard corners and the trailing edge extending past the aft end of the speedbrake fairings on either side of the exhaust. 

 

Meindert's pages include a demonstration how to enlarge the tailplanes with sheet plastic and putty. The smaller tailplanes ate relatively rare, so you might also be able to buy or trade for a spare set of the larger type if you don't feel up to the modifications (I don't know of any aftermarket 'big tail' parts).

 

**EDIT:

Apologies for working from memory vs. checking references prior to posting - the initial F-16A/Bs delivered to Israel were Block 5 or 10 so they did have the small tailplanes, which match what's provided in the Testors "Israeli" boxing.  For the record there were some USAF surplus F-16A/Bs from later blocks delivered to Israel post Desert Storm that had the larger tailplanes.

 

As others have noted, the Italeri tooling has been modified several times over its history with changes that include the larger tailplanes in more recent boxings.

 

Source for Israeli F-16 block data:

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_users_article7.html

Hi Friend CT7567, Meindert, Tempestfan, Luigi,  Silverkite, Boman, Hook and all here!!!

 

Thank you very much for the advice and all that nice guidelines yo have given here, really and sincerely thank you very much for sharing all that knowledge, and thank you very much for sharing!!!

Cheers,

Luis Alfonso

 

 

Cheers

 

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It is either a ECM blister or a plum detector for the Hasegawa F-16D 52 Tigermeet #02214 spine, it is for now and maybe for the next 20 years the only kit that will require it.

On theirs F-16 ADF there are also some extra beer cans that I never seen mounted on any kind of F-16ADF and all the instructions say to not use those pieces, Amaterasu only knows what were their plans for them

 

I think you can use them to upgrade Fujimi Skyhawks cause Argentinian or Brazilian A-4s do have a similar blister mounted at fuselage sides

 

Luigi

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

 

I was checking Hasegawa F-16 AM/BM boxing, sprue Z comes with BAF bumps installed at the end of the extended tail housing and at the bottom of the intake, also by checking some pictures and doing a quick comparison it appears that sprue L comes with a extra aerial installed between bottom fuselage fins but it's sadly missing the left exhaust opening between landing gear bays (Revell comes kit comes with it but they completely ignored those extra antennas except for the one between the fins).

There are still other intakes/exhausts amiss on both kits but it appears Hasegawa had Belgian Air Force F-16 planned but they decided to skip them,.

Pretty much the same thing they did for USAF F-15 with MSIP mods cause the newer aerial sprue included in their updated F-15E box comes with ALQ 135 bumps

 

EDIT

 

Forgot to mention one thing, the only AM/BM kits with the Z sprue are just the F-16 Diana and the AM/BM Tiger Meet 2010 combo, the BM JSF Test Support only comes with fuselage reinforcement stripes and sprue L

 

JULY EDIT

 

Fumbling with Revell F-16 made me notice that BAF F-16 intake blister it's available on every kit with the Aim-120 spure, whereby the other missing bit for the tailhousing is contained on the common sprue

 

Luigi

Edited by Silverkite
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