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1/48 - General Dynamics F-16A/B block 20 Fighting Falcon by Minibase - 3D renders+test parts


Homebee

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Something like a joke after yesterday's Kinetic announcement. After its Sukhoi "Flanker" family (link) Minibase Hobby Corporation (link) could also be working on a 1/48th General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon kit with ref. 06 ! Waiting for info confirmation.

Sources: 

https://www.facebook.com/sinch.tw/posts/pfbid0XpqMKp7j9k3ijGqgPtQR6Do7Ez1PsLLY9a3T2jRS6GWXUpkiwT7F4zYotmirbAqcl

https://tieba.baidu.com/p/7858375503

 

285483052-791665751798064-32968908926953

 

UPDATE: Please note that we blurred a little part from the above image as we received an email from the owner of Cartograf decal printing company stating that they are not involved with this project and that any use of their name or logo in Minibase marketing documents is unauthorized.

 

V.P.

 

Matt-Memory2.jpg

Edited by Homebee
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Interesting. We shall see if it's a joke. Personally I would have liked them to do another Russian subject. Su-15, Su-24, etc.
Sticking with the F-16. The photo appears to be a late model Falcon. I really want a YF-16 though.

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26 minutes ago, sinistervampire319 said:

Interesting. We shall see if it's a joke. Personally I would have liked them to do another Russian subject. Su-15...

 

Yes, definitely a Flagon. I wonder if recent events are fuelling an interest in Russian-built jets or turning people away. 

I bought the Kinetic Sea Flanker when it came out and am not in the market for another, unless they do the two-seater.

As for F-16, nothing's going to beat the 1/32 Tamiya kits, although I eagerly await reviews of the Kinetic Gold F-16A MLU.

 

Tony

 

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  • Homebee changed the title to 1/48 - General Dynamics F-16A/B block 20 Fighting Falcon by Minibase - in project
11 hours ago, Homebee said:

NT.png

???

I hope the people they're employing to do the tooling for the kit are better at their jobs than the people doing their English translation work! 😀

It'll be interesting to see how the two new F-16 kits compare. I'm sure the Minibase one will have far more parts, but that's not necessarily always a good thing.....

Edited by hopkp
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I think this will sell and be a money maker for them and that is great for the hobby!  Yes it will have lots of parts and be super detailed but there should be no need to even think of after market stuff (other than a special decal scheme).  I initially thought Zoukei-Mura kits were over the top but I love them and I think this is just going down the same path of well researched and super detailed kits.  Not for everybody but it should do well. 

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On 01/06/2022 at 09:52, Homebee said:

Rumour confirmed... In design with the help from some famous taiwanese modellers.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/sinch.tw/posts/pfbid02HQW6LZTUGPrwdT2eqqctwpLiNC7WiwpPicAhPPpE1DM27xTVrh1HKQYoyer87oFjl

 

NT.png

 

285483052-791665751798064-32968908926953

 

285042715-791668368464469-73244492557810

 

285428764-791668411797798-76933950664811

 

V.P.

 

The actual Chinese text is way ruder than the robot translation LOL

 

It's actually pretty nasty to trash-talk about another company that way, but presumably that's their culture e.g. the feud between two Chinese tank model companies!

 

Disregarding the rude bites, it says it is going to be a limited version specific to the Taiwanese version (both single and double seat), which has a unique spine. No corrections required to make an ROCAF bird at all.

 

"Do you think Kinetic would be kind enough to make a new mould just for our nation's spine?" 

 

I find it a bit funny that Chinese company is working with a Taiwanese person on an American subject. Oh well.

Edited by ERICrafts
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On 6/5/2022 at 8:27 PM, ERICrafts said:

 

I find it a bit funny that Chinese company is working with a Taiwanese person on an American subject. Oh well.

Yes..  but then when did an American company last came up with a state of the art aircraft model kit?

 

On 6/5/2022 at 8:27 PM, ERICrafts said:

it says it is going to be a limited version specific to the Taiwanese version (both single and double seat), which has a unique spine

What is so unique about the block 20 spine?

I thought those were basically C models in an A airframe... ( in order to not to upset the Chinese..... 😞 )

A and C model have different sized fine base, and accordingly slightly different panel shapes in that area....

 

I'd expect pure A/ B models.... but stand to be corrected of course! :)

 

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4 hours ago, exdraken said:

Yes..  but then when did an American company last came up with a state of the art aircraft model kit?

 

What is so unique about the block 20 spine?

I thought those were basically C models in an A airframe... ( in order to not to upset the Chinese..... 😞 )

A and C model have different sized fine base, and accordingly slightly different panel shapes in that area....

 

I'd expect pure A/ B models.... but stand to be corrected of course! :)

 

I thought the same. The Block 20 and Block 15 MLU should be identical with the possible exception of the contents of the extended tail fairing.

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On 6/8/2022 at 12:43 PM, PattheCat said:

Quite useful info here

Definitely so for the European  A/B models! ( which are basically Block 1 to Block 15)

But for the above mentioned Block 20 I would like to know any external differences  but markings of course!

 

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15 hours ago, exdraken said:

Definitely so for the European  A/B models! ( which are basically Block 1 to Block 15)

But for the above mentioned Block 20 I would like to know any external differences  but markings of course!

 

 

Sorry Werner. My interest lies in the Belgian planes so I didn't file info about block 20 and up.

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  • 1 month later...
  • Homebee changed the title to 1/48 - General Dynamics F-16A/B block 20 Fighting Falcon by Minibase - in design
  • 1 month later...

Looks to represent a ROCAF F-16A MLU Block 20. Lacks the strengthener on the parahousing (the zig-zag pattern) seen on EPAF Vipers? 
Otherwise seems to be a mix of Hasegawa and Tamiya F-16? 🤔

Edited by Boman
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47 minutes ago, Boman said:

Looks to represent a ROCAF F-16A MLU Block 20. Lacks the strengthener on the parahousing (the zig-zag pattern) seen on EPAF Vipers? 
Otherwise seems to be a mix of Hasegawa and Tamiya F-16? 🤔

 

The rear part of the fin tip looks more like the C/D version, doesn't it? I mean, it's not rounded enough.

 

Jens

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On 9/12/2022 at 8:34 PM, Jens said:

 

The rear part of the fin tip looks more like the C/D version, doesn't it? I mean, it's not rounded enough.

 

Jens

ROCAF F-16's top of the fin is the same as on the F-16C/D's, so that's correct. 

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On 6/10/2022 at 11:43 AM, exdraken said:

Definitely so for the European  A/B models! ( which are basically Block 1 to Block 15)

But for the above mentioned Block 20 I would like to know any external differences  but markings of course!

 


Are you suggesting this kit can’t be used for any European nation F-16s?

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On 9/17/2022 at 3:08 AM, Scooby said:


Are you suggesting this kit can’t be used for any European nation F-16s?

Actually I am not....  because I am not sure if there eoukd be differences between a block 15 and A block 20 from a modelling point of view.... 

AFAIK, block 20 was a C model spec aircraft in an A model airframe especially for Taiwan in order not to p.... o.. China too much back then. (With hindsight....)

But as e.g. the bigger fin base electronics / ECM gear would need to go somewhere in the airframe, I am not so sure about the above definition 🤔 

So I am curious what exactly makes a block 20 a block 20 :)

( by the way, those jets are upgraded to F-16V, block 72 spec now., and keep the A/B models spec short fin base and related panels on the spine ...)

 

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9 hours ago, exdraken said:

So I am curious what exactly makes a block 20 a block 20 :)

I've seen Block 20 refer to 2 different groups of F-16s.  EPAF F-16A/Bs got there by upgrade, Taiwan bought them new.  Each path results in configuration differences.

 

The F-16A/B MLU is sometimes referred to as a Block 20, but F-16 MLU seems to be more common.  These were all conversion of earlier Block 1/5/10/15. After conversion these aircraft were equivalent to Block 50/52 aircraft from an avionics standpoint, but were still old airframes with age and design related structural issues. Most of these issues were dealt with by separate programs and you should see scab plates on aircraft still in service.  Block 50/52 airframes are structurally beefed up compared to earlier versions to deal with the problems they were running into.

 

The Block 20s as built for Taiwan were new build aircraft and are really Block 52 airframes with a F-16A tail. So, structurally they are on par with Block 50/52 aircraft and do not require the scab plates earlier planes got. If you look at photos of the Block 72 planes upgrades they still do not have these scab plates. At least I haven't been able to find any. It was also capable of using pods from initial delivery where the earlier F-16As required structural modifications to the inlet to add this capability.  From an avionics standpoint Taiwan F-16s were equivalent to the F-16 MLU or Block 50/52.

 

Taiwan received the downgraded Sharpshooter and Pathfinder pods instead of the full up LANTRIN system. Taiwan was also refused AIM-120 initially, so they are one of the F-16 users that used AIM-7 with its unique pylon. They have AIM-120 now. They also have the 4 chaff/flare buckets like a Block 50/52 where the MLU planes only have 2.

 

Taiwan Block 20 with AIM-7 and Pathfinder/Sharpshooter pods.

aaf.jpg?m=1371931061

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