Spang Viper

[bar side]

Out with the superglue again tonight.  Needless to say with my brass work at least 2 steps came off the ladder tonight.  They are back on along with the hand rail

 

 

And I started on the anti static tags on the tail.  I used stretched sprue on my last F-16s but they kept getting knocked & snapped off.  So I have gone for wire & superglue this time

 

 

They are too long but once set I will cut them down.  On the rudder too

 

 

 

[bar side]

Test fitting most parts now.  She is sitting on her wheels which are held in place with blutac.  I didn’t add the airbrakes but they are about finished too.  The anti static wires have had the superglue reinforced & that just needs sanding back to remove and lumps.  Slats are on & dry.  The canopy prop is just there to hold it open.  The flaps will go on after the body sides are painted but before the dark grey goes on top.  Just have the chin ariel stump to put on

 

 

 

It was only when I put Dutch Viper next to her i realised that I never fitted her with anti static, despite leaving space for them,  so I now have fitted them.

 

 

And finally for today some green stuff in the gap between the wing & slats.  Just to hide any gaps & make things appear a bit tighter than they are 

 

 

So slats & flaps down, horizontal stabilisers at an angle & airbrakes open.  Tick, tick & tick.  Nearly paint then

 

 

[bar side]

Found an ALQ pod but not a 131.  I am sure I have one somewhere but this one may get fitted until it turns up.

 

 

The anti static tags are are shorted to length & sanded down and the chin antenna has gone on.  The blade antenna fitting point under the intake has been filled as I can’t see any evidence of anything there on the C models.  The tanks and middle pylons fit without fouling the slats, which is good.  Outer pylons need fitting and tip rails still to go on.  And I need to find a good pylon for the ECM pod.  Otherwise I really should get on with some paint

[bar side]

Decided it was primer time. I picked up a couple of tins of grey primer in Poundland the other day.  It’s really not bad stuff.  Not much in a tin but for the price I am happy

 

 

Think that is ok to spot gaps, flat points etc.  Bit more filler, it of tidying up & then can preshade

 

[bar side]

Test fitting the primed airbrakes.  Not looking to bad

 

 

 

And the ladder in primer.  I think it may well stay grey anyway

 

 

Dug out the outer rails to go on the furthest underwing points.  The middle pylons for the Shrikes needs a rail and I thought an out a spare set of tip rails

 

 

But looking at the photos I think they are short square ended rails that don’t extend past the pylon tip.  Probably going to scratch them along with the central pylon for the ECM pod

[bar side]

Nothing new tonight so a quick recap on the cockpit.  I did that a while back when I was building my batch of Vipers.  I like resin cockpits, I do, honest.  But taking a kit pit and checking references means that I have to work out what should be where and I enjoy that bit of research.  So ESCI gives you he left one.  I had some resin seats from a batch I picked up, so a new back plate & rails starts to look better
 

 

And a bit further on

 

 

And another one.  The difference here is that the one on the left is the Monogram pit.  I kept the kit seat there but the rest done the same.

 

 

So that is what is in the Viper.  Interesting to compare the Monogram and ESCI kits.  To me the Monogram one looks like a cheap knock off of the ESCI kit.  Really wasn’t too impressed with it, although I have seen it praised by others.  But many of the parts look as though the came from the same mould.  It was interesting building them side by side

Edited July 14, 2021 by bar side

[bar side]

Hopefully I will get some time on this build now & get it over the line.  Few bits together today.  Some new rails for the Shrikes and the ECM pod and the Aim-9s together.  Outer rails in primer too and the instrument panel together for paining / decalling

 

[bar side]

Quick test fit of the new & modified pylons & rails

 

 

and a quick coat of white on the missiles

 

 

These are the kit Aim-9Ls - they look ok to me

[bar side]

On to the painting.  First the preshade.  Most of this gets lost, but why not

 

 

The nose has already been done & tapes up.  I started underneath

 

 

The intake & flaps still have to be fitted, but the top of the intake know has its darker grey coat.  And the top of the horizontal stabilisers & flaps have the dark grey on

 

 

Mid grey to go on in front of the cockpit and the tail and side flat sections between the back edge of the wing and the exhaust.  Will do these tomorrow although the temperature means paint is very quick drying.

On checking the decals I am short of the stars & bars so have ordered some of those & should have all the bits by the start of next week

[bar side]

The three share of grey are on (well 4 if you count the nose cone)

 

 

The dark grey comes further forward on the F-16Cs than the European As but still I got it an bit too far forward

 

Quick touch up & correction

 

 

Flaps are attached and the exhaust is on.  The horizontals are still just pushed in.  I will fit them once the air brakes are on.  That might wait until the wheels are fitted though.  The whole thing has had a black and a white wash to highlight the panels.

[bar side]

I put on the top half of the airbrakes.  The ventral fins are painted & ready to go but could do with the wheels on.  That would allow the lower airbrake halves to go on too.  So better get on with the undercarriage tomorrow

 

[bar side]

Got a shot of the airbrakes in the daylight today.  Not sure if they need a brush of aluminium over as I dusted them with gunmetal

 

 

Blutac test of the load out

 

 

 

Need to get on to the undercarriage but I think the bays look ok

 

 

 

[bar side]

Undercarriage is now painted - wheels first using the cordless drill method

 

 

And the rest fitted.  Only the doors to go on now & can start to think about decals.  Not looking forward to them as the Xtradecal sets have a nasty tendency to break up.  Oh and need to fix on the horizontal stabilisers- just noticed they are not on!

 

[bar side]

Up on her wheels test fitting remaining parts

 

 

 

And with her ESCI cousin

 

 

Reminds me that I need to make up the probe just behind the nose cone

[stevehnz]

That has gone together very nicely. 👍

Steve

[bar side]

Cheers @stevehnz the basic ESCI kits is a nice easy build.  I just keep making it harder for myself.  Now I was worried about the Spang decals.  I still don’t have the stars & bars and they are coming with a set of walkway lines & refueling markings, so while I would normally start with them I started with the shark mouth!

 

 

Went on well.  Now this should really have a white panel behind it but the decal background is clear.  So not quite right but they went on nicely, as did the tail markings.  I started on the stencils too

 

 

The canopy is only balanced on but the undercarriage doors are glued in place.

 

 

So lots more to do but she has her identity and the decals worked well

 

 

Edited July 25, 2021 by bar side

[bar side]

A quick shot underneath

 

 

Think she might eat the other planes on my shelf!

 

[bar side]

Got the rest of the decals on today, but got some slivering & lifting decals, so leave it over night & see if there is anything to be done.  Anyway, this is where things are at

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tanks still need decals and the canopy is only balanced on.  Weapon load is only held on with blutac, so not done yet

[bar side]

Well the recovery on the decals seems to have gone ok.  Went for some serious decal adhesive over a series of cuts in the decal surface.  Then a load of micro sol to soften it up

 

 

Let it dry & then decorated with Humbrol matt varnish.  Not perfect but a lot better

Did a bit of running repair with the Dutch Viper whose decals were lifting a bit too.  And got the tank details on

 

 

So this is her just about there.  Still needs to look at an intake FOD cover and RBF tags, but here she is

 

 

 

And with the rest of the Vipers nest

 

 

I will set up the HAS on a dry day soon (I hope!) and do an RFI then.  Thanks for watching!

 

[stevehnz]

Looks good, I like how you've handled this build, a good recovery with the decals, probably why I use this method.

Steve.

[bar side]

Cheers Steve.  I have some Klear but don’t often use it.  It has been interesting to see how different decal sets have gone on to different F-16s.  Some of the Xtradecal Viper set have been very frail & prone to breaking up badly, sometime in the sheet before going near water.  Some of the ESCI chunky old decals have settled nicely, some have not.  Some have needed micro set / sol, others not so much.  I do agree that a good glossed coat of klear would give a far more reliable surface to work from though

[Cookenbacher]

Wonderful F-16 collection! I love how you've posed the control surfaces on your two latest.

I'm planning a Spang and Dutch viper build as well. I guess you're very influential!

[bar side]

Cheers @Cookenbacher good luck with your builds!  I have a Spang F-4G to do as well.  Still torn between Euro One and Hill schemes

[bar side]

Got the HAS out today and have put an RFI together.  Thanks for the support along the way

 

 

By the way I was looking at some nieces HASes still in use yesterday

 

[darthspud]

Yay!, another Viper nut. Nice work to refurb those earlier kits.

The air brake is the next mod I'm doing on my next single seater

 The next F16 build will be a Vista Viper.

Just need to battle the A7-E into submission.