1/48 F-16C #84-1261 "Bloodstorm" - Desert Storm 1991

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

I've finished a model. It's been a couple of years I think since I've managed that. Needless to say I started with high aspirations and became increasingly dissatisfied as time went on. This wasn't helped by cats which have always been around our house and normally cause no trouble like this whatsoever, but this model has been badly damaged twice now. The first time was when almost completed but before I'd added the seatbelts to the ejector seat. I placed it on a shelf where models have been fine for ten years at night before going to bed, and kicked it across the floor in the morning. It was in such a state that it almost went in the bin but my wife persuaded me to sweep up the large number of broken parts and put them upstairs. Even the counter measures pod was broken in half. After a few weeks I put it back together as best I could, but despite my best efforts the tailerons no longer move. About a fortnight ago, after I'd done some oil weathering but still hadn't done those seatbelts, another cat jumped in through an open Velux window and landed on the model sat on my bench and smashed it a second time. Now, well, it goes without saying that I'm dissatisfied with the turnout but given it's been wrecked twice before it was even finished I suppose it's about as good as I can expect.

 

Anyway, it's the Tamiya F-16C kit. The cockpit and engine are Aires resin. Whilst the engine fit fine, the cockpit needed a lot of work to fit and if I built another I wouldn't bother. The GBU-87 cluster bombs are from Eduard Brassin and the AN/ALQ-119 counter measures pod is from ResKit. Paints are obviously my own. Decals are by Elite Decals. I think it has the wrong Heads Up Display for the aircraft I've tried to model but I know very little about jets and if the correct HUD is available out there I don't know what I'm looking for...

 

I copied the load out and took some guidance for subtle weathering from the photograph on this page:

https://www.f-16.net/g3/f-16-photos/album38/album87/album85/aas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 1, 2024 by Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies
Atrocious English

[Stew Dapple]

Good job mate, I can't see any signs of damage repair (even though it might seem glaringly obvious to you)  

 

Maybe get a dog?  

 

Cheers,

 

Stew

[Parabat]

Looks brilliant, I've always liked the multi-grey camo of the F-16 and this captures that look perfectly. Nicely done.

[John Laidlaw]

That's turned out to be a fine model - the weathering's very nice and in-scale, too. Can't see any signs of repair either, so you must have done it right. Excellent!

[Wlad]

Great recovery. It's one good looking model of an F-16, and I'm glad I had dogs all along.

[Vultures1]

That's a really great Viper, with lovely subtle weathering on the camo scheme. Well done!

[keefr22]

Despite the cat attacks I can't see any problems, just a very nicely done Viper - really nice smoth finish, your paints tempt me to go back to enamels and wish I hadn't spent so much on acrylics and laquers! Your weathering looks really good too!

 

All round tidy work!

 

Keith

[russ c]

Great looking F-16 there Jamie, really nice work

[Fred piket]

Great recovery Jamie.. I think you made a beautiful F-16 with a great paintjob..

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

Thanks to each of you for your kind comments. Best wishes to all!

[Duncan B]

I can't see any signs of cat damage either so you've done a great job on the repairs. I like the paintwork and weathering which is very subtle. 

 

Duncan B

[exdraken]

Very nice!!

Nozzles are a treat, as is the oil weathering !

 

No damage seen here...... 😀

[Keeff]

Despite all the troubles, you've done a fantastic job 👏 

 

Keith 😁