Daywalker Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 After so many troubles my time around with one of these big Vipers (see the first try here!), I decided to have another go with one, this time beginning with their F-16CJ Block 50 kit. On this one, the only AM bits I plan to use are the resin exhaust set from Aires (this thing is amazing!), some ordinance, and (if I opt to backdate it to a Block 40) possibly a LITENING or LANTIRN pod if I can find one. OOB, it is a Block 50 but with a suitable navigation pod, fuselage reinforcement plates, and the WAR HUD of the Block 40 it can easily be made into one of those. I have decal sheets for either one, so I guess I will decide later which to build. If anyone has either of those pods along with a pylon for it for the chin station on an F-16 ( I believe the Academy kit has them), I would love to get it from you! Starting off, I cleaned up the office parts. I had orignally planned to use one of my Quickboost resin seats, but upon comparing it to photos from Jake Melampy's book "The Modern Viper Guide" (best F-16 reference book IMHO!) decided it was way too short. Also, the way they molded some of the details of the seat meant removing them completely to fit the seat into the tracks. So, I decided to use the kit seat, which looks very good when painted up and detailed a bit. I am also planning on putting the pilot in the cockpit, which means I will not have to use intake covers or probe covers and RBF tags. But, that means adding some rudimentary hoses for Oxygen and one for his G-suit as well. To keep the detailing from bogging down the build, I am only adding things that (to me, at least) are noticable in their absence. Besides the hoses from wound wire, I added the switches on the control stick, the emergency canopy jettison T-handle in the recessed left side panel, and the prominent canopy locking mechanism and associated brackets on the left side rail. The canopy lock is a very complex shape to reproduce, so I simply took some styrene strip stock and rod and approximated it. Here's a photo of what I did in the cockpit... Uncarina 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geedubelyer Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Hey Frank, Neat start on your latest Viper Even the little bits you've added will be apparent on the finished model so well done. I agree that Jakes' book is a "must have" for any large scale Viper build but it can be a curse as well as a blessing. It shows so much detail that it's difficult to avoid getting carried away. I'm eager to see more. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csavaglio Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Nice start on it. I'm not sure why there was so much trouble previously....I've built 2 recently, one as a Barak block 40, the other as a HAF 52+ two seater. Both were pretty trouble free. The third will be a block 30 (T-Birds kit, with the GE exhaust and big intake from the 50 kit I turned into a 52), and no major conversion. The Black Box cockpit set has bother HUDs in there and I have it....if you want it instead of scratching it or finding the Wolfpack one. I also have a Litening pod/pylon, in resin, from Isracast, that came with the F-16D Barak conversion. I know for sure the Academy F-16I kit has the LANTIRN pods (nav/targeting), since this is where I got mine for the Greek D. I'm not sure if the single seater has them or not. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daywalker Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 I agree that Jakes' book is a "must have" for any large scale Viper build but it can be a curse as well as a blessing. It shows so much detail that it's difficult to avoid getting carried away. Amen! I have thought the same thing many times while perusing the book. There's so much in there, that it can be daunting. For that reason alone, I have hesitated buying the F-4 book LOL! Chris- I really enjoyed your Viper build, and it was one of the reasons I decided to have another go at one. I REALLY want one in my display case. Admittedly, the troubles I ran into the first time were mostly self-inflicted. I tried some paints and techniques I was familiar with, and the resulting efforts to repair it only seemed to make everything worse. The kit is an amazing achievement! I actually bought a set of the Wolfpack WAR HUDs in case I go with the Block 40, but Sprue Bros has been OOS on the AN/ALQ-28 LANTIRN pod. You mentioned the Isracast one you have, would you be willing to part with it? I would be happy to pay you for that as well as the shipping. Thanks for looking in fellas, glad you like it so far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csavaglio Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 The pod I have is the Isracast Litening pod, an/aaq-28. I wouldn't take much for it....I'm not sure how much demand there is for it and I was going to sell it along with a bunch of other extra Viper stuff when I figure out exactly what I'm doing for the thrid one. Maybe 5 bucks shipped would be fine. I'll check out in their instruction sheet to see if I have any stencils for it. If you go with Lantirn pods, there's actually two. One is a navigation pod, an/aaq-13, the other for targeting, an/aaq-14....check out my HAF build....I used them on it. I can't recall seeing the two used singulary.....I'm sure someone will chime in, but I believe they are used together. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csavaglio Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 (edited) Unfortunately, Isracast's Litening pod when sold seperately comes with a set of stencils, but the pod the F-16D Barak Block 40 kit doesn't mention the pod in the instructions or include stencils for it. I'm not sure if you need the earlier style missile rails for a block 40 or not. If you do, I have a pair, again, that came in the Isracast conversion I used. I'd guess a Block 40 would use the later rails, though. Chris Edited February 6, 2011 by csavaglio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Fleischmann Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Hey Frank- Really nice start on a beautiful kit. The canopy lock latch is a nice touch-Nice job there. FYI, there is a toggle switch on the sidwall underneath the latch that actually raises and lowers the canopy. Once the canopy is down and the latch closed, the "canopy not locked" light goes out. If you go with the block 40, double check the position of the WAR HUD. It sits much closer to the pilot than the small FOV HUD..Pretty much right to the edge of the Up Front Controller. There is, also, frequently a "sushi plate" mounted to the top edge of the UFC, just below the HUD, that is hinged. It keeps the reflections from inside the cockpit from creating glare in the HUD- The early block 40/42 had different style wheel hubs..so check your references for time-frame. The early hubs are available from Isracast in one of their sets, but I can't recall right now which block 40 set- Looking forward to more!I've built 4, including a Polish two-seat conversion, with a UAE two seat block 60F on the bench. I love this kit- Regards, Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daywalker Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 Chris, I would love to buy that from you, and am also interested in your other Viper parts. I have many of these Tamiya kits to build, so extra parts and AM stuff is very interesting to me! How does this sound... When you decide what parts you are going to sell, please let me know and hopefully we can work out a purchase arrangement. In the meantime, I will happily pay for the LANTIRN pod and pylon. Just an FYI on the pods- The AN/AAQ-14 targeting pod was commonly used alone on the F-16's, as the other pod (the AN/AAQ-13 navigation pod) has been replaced by internal GPS navigation systems. More recently, the -14 was replaced by the -28 LITENING pod, and most recently the -33 Sniper XR pod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daywalker Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 Chris- No worries on the missing decals, I have some spares I could scrounge up for them. Pete- Uh-oh... got a real Viper-driver watching, I better get it right this time LOL! Thanks for stopping by, and also for the tips- most helpful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daywalker Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 The Block 40 jet I have in mind is a late AC, so I may stick with the kit wheels. Now that you mention the other wheels, I remember seeing those in the Isracast Block 40C conversion set which I have. Good to know, I shall keep that in mind. Thank you for the info on the toggle switch, I am off to add that now. And the "sushi plate", didn't see anything like that in the Viper book- will most definitely look into that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csavaglio Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 I'll PM you a list of stuff I'm pretty sure I want to get rid of. I'm 99% sure I'll be doing a block 30 aggressor....the question is which one, but I have a pretty good idea of the stuff I won't be using. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daywalker Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 Excellent, PM received and replied to! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daywalker Posted March 18, 2011 Author Share Posted March 18, 2011 Been working on a couple of other projects lately which have kept me from this build. I did manage to sort out the intake after messing up the first one. Somehow, I got WAAAAAY too much glue inside the front portion of the intake and after a few days of filling and sanding, I decided that I would never get the seams out. I called Tamiya America, and they sent me replacement pieces- THANK YOU TAMIYA!!! After getting them sorted out as best as possible, I taped the ends and poured some Tamiya white paint down them and swished it around. After draining most of it out, it leveled out very well and now I have a (mostly) seamless intake. WHEW!!! Whitey 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misha71 Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 very nice build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewer Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Off to a good start, Daywalker! I'll be keeping an eye on this one I've been on a break for a while, and I'm just now getting back to work. Your encouragement was always appreciated back on FSM's forum! Brewer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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