Jabba Posted July 3, 2021 Share Posted July 3, 2021 For this GB I will be using the Revell 1/72nd F-16A kit along with some Microscale decals to make an aircraft from the 138th TFS of the 174TFW from the New York ANG during Desert Storm. This Sqn was unique in that they were equipped with the GPU-5/A Pave Claw 30mm gun pod. Unfortunately the gun pod use in combat was not that successful in that the bullet would kick up too much sand which hung in the air for quite a while and was only used in the first few days of the war, with the Sqn then using conventional weapons. The aircraft from the Microscale sheet is for the Sqn Flagship, but whether this aircraft carried the pod or not I am not sure, but the model will be fitted with it. I will also have to use the kit decal sheet for stenciling and walkways. The Kit. Kit Decals. Microscale sheet. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted July 3, 2021 Share Posted July 3, 2021 welcome along Jabba with a great sounding build. Amazingly I've never heard of that gun pod before, which is strange as I have a thing for gun pods. There was an Marine F-4B Phantom fitted with 3 SUU-16A's (20mm) fitted, that was used Vietnam (there is a photo also of an ANG F-4 with 5 fitted, then with 15 7.65mm SUU-11/A's fitted!! , someone had a sense of humour!). Anyway I'm off track....good luck with the build, look forward to follow your progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted July 5, 2021 Author Share Posted July 5, 2021 I have made a small start with this one. First I have built up the main U/C bay, mainly because it will be needed to be painted white before it is fitted. I will also paint up the intake parts and nose U/C bays soon. Then I came to a slight quandary it that the kit that I am using only supplies the ECM (I think) and Parachute rear parts for the base of the fin. This is not good for a USAF aircraft. So I decided to have a look in my stash to see what I could find. Thinking that Hasegawa would do their usual thing and pack their later versions with parts from earlier version of a kit, only to find that the "C" kits that I had did not have an earlier "A" fin in them. Strangely recently I bought the newish Revell MLU version of the F-16 kit, why I do not know, but it was a good job that I did because in here was not only the tail versions that I have already mentioned but the parts for a US aircraft. So these have been duly taken from it and added to the fin. No I am not going to be building the MLU kit for this GB. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 Looking forward to seeing this, something unusual & quirky like this is a surefire attention grabber for me. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted July 10, 2021 Author Share Posted July 10, 2021 On 06/07/2021 at 02:56, stevehnz said: Looking forward to seeing this, something unusual & quirky like this is a surefire attention grabber for me. Steve The weapons load out will be slightly unusual as well as the ECM pod will be on one of the wing pylons. A few parts have now been built up, including the main U/C bay and the back half of the intake. There is also a lot of flash plastic on this kit as seen on the intake. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robertone139 Posted July 11, 2021 Share Posted July 11, 2021 (edited) Scratching my head a bit. The decal sheet is misleading as it shows C fins on A blocks. Edited July 11, 2021 by Robertone139 Changed text Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted July 11, 2021 Author Share Posted July 11, 2021 12 hours ago, Robertone139 said: Scratching my head a bit. The decal sheet is misleading as it shows C fins on A blocks. That's Mircoscale for you. I will definitely be fitting an "A" tail as it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted July 13, 2021 Author Share Posted July 13, 2021 Some more parts fitted together. The cockpit to the Fwd Fuselage and the front part of the Intake added to the rear bit, which is not the best of fits. Some filler required before I fit it to the Lower Fuselage. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 that fit doesn't look the best, hopefully it won't get you too many trouble to sort out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted July 17, 2021 Author Share Posted July 17, 2021 Intake now sorted and fitted to the airframe along with some other parts so that it is now a bit more F-16 shaped. Filler applied where required and is not as bad as it looks in the photos. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted July 18, 2021 Share Posted July 18, 2021 there is a bit of filler! Hopefully that'll clean up with out too many issues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted July 23, 2021 Author Share Posted July 23, 2021 Finally got the sanding done. I am having a bit of a problem with rubbing down filler at the moment and I don't know why. For many a year I have used Sqn Green Stuff filler, but of course that is no longer available, so I have been using MIG Classic or Perfect Putty but they do not seem to rub down well when I use my usual method of sanding which is water and wet 'N dry paper. Can anyone please give me some hints as to what to use? Anyhow got a few more parts added, plus some weight in the nose before fitting that. I have also obtained a gun pod from an Italeri F-15E kit which is in the lower and L/H side of the photos also showing the Hasegawa one. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 I was surprised how much filler this kit needs, so feel your pain with this one. With PPP you can use water to smooth it down, I have no idea re the Mig stuff. Bring back Squadron Green Stuff!! 😭 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted July 24, 2021 Share Posted July 24, 2021 I don't know if it'll work with the type of filler you're using, but I have started using nail Polish remover with cotton bud with the Tamiya filler. It gently dissolves the filler as you wipe it off. It won't damage the plastic or detail around it which is nice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted July 27, 2021 Author Share Posted July 27, 2021 Thanks for all your advise with the fillers, still not sure about that not quite so perfect stuff. Now looking a bit more F-16ish now with the fin added. A little more sanding to do before some of the smaller parts are added. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted July 28, 2021 Share Posted July 28, 2021 looking good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted August 1, 2021 Author Share Posted August 1, 2021 Thanks. I have now added the wing pylons and a few other parts so that it is ready for painting. When I fitted the Nav lights that are close to the intake the kit versions had a large plate fitted to them which I could not find on USAF F-16As. So I cut off as much as I could and filed down this a bit more while they were still manageable before gluing them in place. When they were dry I then took a knife to the edges and did a bit more sanding until they looked as they are meant to. They may not be properly correct, but they look a lot better. I have not fitted the very small under fuselage pylon that I am borrowing from a Hasegawa kit as I am not sure whereabouts it fits. Does anyone know where this pylon actually fits? So it is on with painting. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helios16v Posted August 1, 2021 Share Posted August 1, 2021 @Jabba I'm building the Hasegawa ones now. I can install those 2 pieces and get you a pic if that will help. Edit for pic: Edit #2 because it occurred to me there might be another pylon on the sprues that are different from the ADF & MLU variants..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted August 1, 2021 Share Posted August 1, 2021 yeah that centreline pylon does look odd when it's fitted and not how you'd think it would. The stores/tank support arms are at the rear of the pylon when fitted, normally you'd expect them to be at the front of the pylon when fitted. I know this is a different version but the pylon placement is the same on all. It should protrude slightly behind the rear of the main wheel well, plus as you can see those mounts are at the rear of the pylon, almost perfectly centred on the wheel well opening. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted August 2, 2021 Share Posted August 2, 2021 For reference, Perfect Plastic Putty is water based (as it says on the tube). Therefore, it dissolves in water, even when cured. Therefore, using wet and dry paper with water... dissolves the putty while you're sanding it. The fix is to either 'sand' it by using damp cotton buds/q-tips or cotton balls or paper towel or sponge or whatever works, OR dry sanding. Also note that it has no structural strength - it won't support itself, let alone other parts. It's a GREAT filler for wing to fuselage gaps, around canopies, behind small added parts etc, where the water based easy removal properties come in very handy for saving surface detail, but it's not for larger areas where some sticky is required. After you've got it to the shape you need it, a quick over coat with a light layer of paint (enamel preferred, for longevity during further handling) will fix it in place. HTH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted August 2, 2021 Author Share Posted August 2, 2021 Thank you for all your replies, especially @helios16vwith the picture of the very small centre pylon. Shall get that fitted tonight. Also a big thank you to @Rob Gwith the explanation of not so Perfect Plastic Putty. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted August 9, 2021 Author Share Posted August 9, 2021 I have started to apply some paint, with the lower and lighter upper Greys done. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 The darkest Grey has now been applied. A few touch ups, the nose cone and the engine to paint and then some Klear. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 Coming along in leaps & bounds, looking good too. What's the secret? Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted August 15, 2021 Share Posted August 15, 2021 nice!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now