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Bentwaters Aggressor


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A couple of years ago I picked up a cheap ESCI F-16 and wondered what to build it as.  I fancied a Europe based USAF one, and had a look at where they were based.  I tried to get some Hahn decals but failed and the only other options was Spangdahlem.   So I ended up building a Dutch version with the kit decals.  Then I found it about the short time that USAF F-16s were not only deployed to Europe but to the UK.  The Bentwaters Aggressors.  Just getting going when the base was closed.  I believe there were only ever 12 of them, but most importantly you can get decals.

 

F16_21.jpg?ssl=1

 

So when an Academy F-16C kit came my way the choice was easy.  And a visit to the Bentwaters Cold War Museum sealed the deal with their nice models & photos on display.

 

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So this is the kit & decals

 

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And this is the plastic

 

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So any advice about the kit will be appreciated.  Looks pretty good.  Did wonder about the blank at the back of the intake, but she will probably have a FOD cover on and way.  And I really don’t know anything about the detail differences between F-16 variants.  

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1 hour ago, Lord Riot said:

 

What decal set is that?

It’s the Xtradecal set xd48005

 

3102_0_XD48005.jpg

 

Plus some nice Spang Weasel decals for my latest eBay buy.  Mind you I haven’t decided on a scheme for that one yet.  Way hoping to do Euro 1.

 

just need to find some time to get started now

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Well I never knew they had aggressors at all after Alconbury. Every day is a learning day.

 

Steve.

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44 minutes ago, Boman said:

If you want good decals you should try these; 

http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/afd48060.htm

 

All you need for all the Bentwater Agressors :)

Indeed. Our museum chairman supplied all the relevant info and photos for this sheet.

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On 5/4/2019 at 11:56 AM, speedy said:

Well I never knew they had aggressors at all after Alconbury. Every day is a learning day.

 

Steve.

Yes, I didn’t realise, even having been to a show at Bentwaters in the 80s and taking an interest.  Did have a go at Alconbury & it’s F-5 aggressors

 

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And I have a WR tailcode A-10, so the F-16 will look at home.

 

Got around to opening the box today.  Plastic looks good & presentation is very Tamiya like.  My first Academy kit so will see how it goes.  The cockpit is compact, so the decals for control panels should look fine.  The seat is pretty prominent and also looks ok, once it has some belts on.

 

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Although a seat like this from Aces is tempting

 

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Bit of a worrying sink mark on the spine, second panel behind the small fin.  There is an injection mark behind it.  Not sure wether to fill & tidy up the panel lines around or live with it.

 

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Seat seems to sit a little high.  Might have to lower it a couple of mm.

 

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F-16_Cockpit_(J-513)_(9685714751).jpg

 

I feel the gun can wring will need drilling out to give a bit more depth.  And a little shim of plasticard on the tub back to close the gap to the body top (or raise the tub base a bit.  Otherwise fit seems ok, not perfect.  But more liquid green stuff to fill rather than auto body filler

 

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Need to check colours & paint the tub, then decals can go on the cockpit panels

 

 

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Bit more done tonight.  Shim on the back of the tub gives a nice snug fit with body top.  About ready to get a base grey paint on the tub.

 

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The kit seat isn’t perfect but with some paint & belts I think it will be ok

 

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And a test fit of the intake & main wheel wells.  The top plate of the intake has a nasty join along it.  Not sure wether to cover it in filler or glue in a thin plasticard sheet & smooth the edges in

 

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Few more bits done.  I can live with decal cockpit panels, the tail looks quite nice and the main wheel bay looks ok

 

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Now the intake.  Not so good.  Three parts

 

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And fitted together with some tape.  

 

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Yep, different  curve on both sides, major lip inside over the front wheel well plate.  No longer acting pins, bad seems.  This is going to slow things down.  The upside is it will have a FOD cover fitted so you won’t see much.  Should have read the thread below before I stated

 

 

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Took a file to the offending plate inside the intake and sanded, bent & otherwise manipulated it to try and get a better fit

 

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The cockpit side side panels are just decals but they look ok

 

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And test fit of the wheel well and the intake

 

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The view of the assembled intake from the front.  You can see the inner lip at this angle.  Giving it some liquid green stuff to smooth it down.  The whole thing will get hidden by the FOD cover eventually

 

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Put the fuselage together today and the wings on.  Poor fit all around & generally disappointing.  But it does look like an F-16

 

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Tail, intake and nose are on with blutac to test fit them.  Have a look at these wing gaps

 

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Not sure whether I should use liquid green or some p38 filler to give it some strength

 

 

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12 minutes ago, bar side said:

Put the fuselage together today and the wings on.  Poor fit all around & generally disappointing.  But it does look like an F-16

 

cm8EYVQEG2X2_FgwJfKuKQ5w1DTVhXx7sTvtlGP4

 

Tail, intake and nose are on with blutac to test fit them.  Have a look at these wing gaps

 

ovjq5SOsrz-ebaxiAQZr4yfaN_dClQC48gPyaRTM

 

Not sure whether I should use liquid green or some p38 filler to give it some strength

 

 

I’ve used Milliput successfully for gaps like that, but recently I tried stretched sprue, laid in with Tamiya green-cap, and have had good success. 

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11 hours ago, billn53 said:

I’ve used Milliput successfully for gaps like that, but recently I tried stretched sprue, laid in with Tamiya green-cap, and have had good success. 

Must try sprue & glue approach.  I always tend to go for a tub of car body filler for bigger jobs.  The liquid green is more of a set clay kind of filler so nice & easy to use & wipes down with water.  Plus I have to use the P38 in the garage due to the smell!

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Used the liquid green in the end & it looks ok

 

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The intake is progressing with more filler

 

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The engine / exhaust fit is going to be a challenge too.  Not quite sure what you call this shape - circular? No  symmetrical? No. Fits on to the body? No

 

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So fitted it anyway with the expectation of a lot of sanding.  Fitted the nose too

 

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So let everything settle for 24 hrs or so & get in to the sanding & fitting the intake

 

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Would look good @Uncle Uncool but I would then have to build a hangar to display it in, rather like another modeller did on ARC forums.  Philippe has built a 1/48 scale version of Spangdahlem, complete with engineering facilities.  This his F-16

 

13110.jpg

 

Mine is just going to sit around a HAS with panels closed up & FOD covers on

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Had to give the exhaust section a little filler to hid the poor fit

 

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And after some sanding I glued on the intake & tail vertical.  Here with blutaced on tail horizontals and with my old ESCI Dutch A version

 

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Looking good! I've got to get one of these if I can find those decals.

 

That green filler looks good, is it easier to apply than that Revell putty stuff?

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The green stuff is Games Workshop Liquid Green Stuff.  I like it - almost a set clay that you brush on with a paint brush.  It’s water soluable so you can wipe excess off  or let it dry and sand it.  I haven’t tried the Revell putty to compare it.

 

61VXqGNoe-L._SX425_.jpg

 

I had a moment of slight panic when I realised that the front end is sealed & I haven’t put in any nose weight.  Now she shouldn’t be a tail sitter, but only one way to check - test fit the undercarriage.  So this is her on her own wheels and with the tail pipe on and tail horizontals, plus canopy to check weight.  Thankfully seems all is ok

 

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Most external bits are together now so I blutaced the wheel well doors on, taped over the cockpit &sealed up the intake ready for a primer coat

 

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Not sure quite what colour the underside should be.  Was going to go Humbrol 64 underneath, 165 around the nose & tail & 27 on the body & wings.  However I could go Tamiya LAG underneath & 64 around the nose.  Decssions, decissions

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There is a photo of a F-16 on eBay at the mo that your modelling, found it last night if you choose to search. Sorry don’t know how to link to eBay on the iPad.

 

Steve.

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There was a clear step between the body and wing surfaces that shouldn’t be there.  I honestly hadn’t realised until I checked the reference pics.  So out with the sandpaper & filler to smooth out that junction

 

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Seems to have sorted the join ok, so I have patched up the primer.  About ready to pre shade and then get the top coat on.  Still got to sort out the seat.  It’s a tight fit in the cockpit & to me sits a bit high.  The canopy won’t close as it is & while I will pose it with the canopy open, I suspect I will have to cut some of the seat base away

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