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A rare Aggressor - F-16C Block 30, 527th Aggressor Squadron, RAF Bentwaters


Nev

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Very, very happy with how this kit has turned out considering its been sat in the garage swathed in dust and masking tape and at the mercy of the cats the last 5 years, whilst I've been in a modelling funk.  The Tamiya kit is absolutely superb, one of the best kits I've ever built, the quality is really obvious when you place it next to the Kinetic and Hasegawa kits.  There's 4 or 5 little bits on there I'm not happy with, but I'm happy to move on and call it done after all this time.

 

Onto the pics.  F-16C Block 30, 527th Aggressor Squadron, RAF Bentwaters, 1989.

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I used just a little light weathering with a MiG dark wash, these birds weren't around long enough to get that dirty.

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I made the intake cover using a piece of cardboard, covered it tissue paper soaked in white glue and painted yellow.  Red Star came from the decal sheet.

It's also a rare bird in that although it was one of the first Block 30 F-16s, which came equipped with the new GE engine, but the early ones still had the "small mouth" intake, later Block 30s coming equipped with the "big mouth" intake due to their requirement for a larger airflow.

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The decals are from the now defunct Afterburner Decals.

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I used the Tamiya metal detailing set for the pitot probes and ejection seat belts.

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Inspiration for the real thing to finish up with.  Alas the 527th was very short lived with F-16s, lasting less than 2 years before the end of the Cold War brought about their disbandment.
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My collection of F-16s now stands at 5/16.....

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Thanks for looking

Edited by Nev
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This is 1:48, right?

There was an earlier 1:72 set with Alconbury Zweibrucken RF-4C's, Spangdahlem F-4G & F-16 and Bentwaters F-16's, must have been a good 18 years ago.

Same subject, still have the 527th F-16 decals. 

Now look what you've done, you made me go and get an 1:72 early block F-16C again :P

Edited by alt-92
details..
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Wow what a model, that is stunning. absolutely gorgeous!! Yours too Bar Side, Just out of curiosity would you happen to have the dimensions of your HAS to hand? 

Shame the 527th only lasted a couple of years on F-16s but they were allocated to RAF Alconbury on the F-5 of which there is a fibreglass mock up outside the base.

 

Marc

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22 minutes ago, MarcNewitt said:

Just out of curiosity would you happen to have the dimensions of your HAS to hand? 

 

Sorry they are on my old laptop.  Must dig them out again, or get the tape measure out.  Quite big in 1/48 though, but a guy on here is building some wooden laser cut versions that look good.

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Stunning that! I wish I could still get hold of a set of those 527th decals. Maybe xtradcal will release some.

 

Such a pity that unit was only around for 2 years, Bentwaters must have seen some fantastic visitors during that time! 

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Nicely done, my friend - I was lucky enough to sit in that aircraft at the UH show in '89 (may have been '90 ?). Great to have you back and building again... keep in touch now, y'hear 🙂

 

 

Ian.

 

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9 hours ago, Maverick231 said:

I sure wish I could get hold of these decals in 1/72

 

9 hours ago, Lord Riot said:

Stunning that! I wish I could still get hold of a set of those 527th decals. Maybe xtradcal will release some.

 

I would go ARC and the sub forums for Caracal Decals and Reid Air Publications and suggest them in there.  Both guys are very open to suggestions like these, especially if they get lots of support, which being F-16s they would on ARC.  Caracal is probably a better bet in 1/72.  My Afterburner sheet was printed in 2009 so its due someone having another go.

 

3 hours ago, Ian said:

Nicely done, my friend - I was lucky enough to sit in that aircraft at the UH show in '89 (may have been '90 ?). 

 

Lucky man!  I don't think I ever saw one in the flesh.  Lots of low level A-10s and F-111s up my way, and Lightnings on long finals, but never an F-16...

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10 hours ago, Maverick231 said:

Beautiful aircraft.

I sure wish I could get hold of these decals in 1/72!

 

9 hours ago, Lord Riot said:

Stunning that! I wish I could still get hold of a set of those 527th decals. Maybe xtradcal will release some.

Found the instruction sheet.

Old XtraDecal  X008-72. 

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Nicely done Viper! 

13 hours ago, MarcNewitt said:

Wow what a model, that is stunning. absolutely gorgeous!! Yours too Bar Side, Just out of curiosity would you happen to have the dimensions of your HAS to hand? 

Shame the 527th only lasted a couple of years on F-16s but they were allocated to RAF Alconbury on the F-5 of which there is a fibreglass mock up outside the base.

 

Marc

The 527th flew the F-5E from 1976 to around June 1988 when they moved to Bentwaters and reequipped with the F-16C in late 88. Amazingly, I went to Bentwaters over Christmas 88 and the aggressors were flying the day after Boxing day along with F-15s - if my memory serves from Bitburg. Can't imagine much flying going on over "holiday" periods these days.

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

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I did make it to a mid 80s air show at Bentwaters before the F-16s.  In the days of the A-10s roaming the skies in pairs.  It was wet but not sure if it was this show in 85 but the pictures are nice

 

https://www.airshowspast.com/raf-bentwaters-airshow-1985.html

 

I have built an Alconbury RF-4C & a couple of F-5 aggressors that also look good with the HAS.  May do a Euro One scheme RF-4 at some point & have a Spangdahlem Weasel to do as well.  Plus have a TR-1 and a WR tailcode A-10.  Steadily working through the set of East Anglian US jets

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