Tamiya F-16 California ANG

[Daywalker]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, MUCH appreciated! This kit is the most fun I have had modeling in some time. It almost builds itself!

 

TomcatFanatic123- I recently build the 1/48 version (almost, as it is not quite done!) and they are quite similar. Cockpit has a slightly different parts breakdown, and the bigger one has separate leading edge slats. There are probably a couple of other things too, but I can't remember at the moment!

 

This kit (the Thunderbirds boxing) doesn't come with an engine, but it does come with two different apertures for the exhaust and a stand to pose it in flight. One exhaust configuration is fully open, and the other is at cruise. Great thing is, you can switch between them in seconds if you wish!

[Daywalker]

Small update tonight on this one...

 

I have installed the cockpit into the fuselage, and did some painting/weathering on the deck behind the office. Some pre/post shading, dirty washes, and a little detail painting and it is done. Installed the gun (still painting it) into her to see how it looked. I also took some foam blocks and made a custom stand for it, as she is becoming increasingly nose heavy with the weight installed under the cockpit.

 

 

More to come!

[Daywalker]

Thank you very much Harv for stopping by and having a look, I appreciate that!

[Mikester]

Other than the lack of propellers and non-RLM paint it's looking pretty darn good, Frank!

[dragonfly]

Lookin' sweet Frank! Can't wait to see more.

 

Jerry

[Youngtiger1]

Frank, That cockpit looks nice. Love how all those tiny switches look. I just did same thing with A-10 pit. Tedious work but well worth it in the end. Also, is that an other Nikon photograph I see?

 

Mike

[Daywalker]

Thanks for looking guys, glad to have you watching! I have spent a lot of time on this one in the past few weeks, and have enjoyed it very much. The tail is complete, as are the leading edge slats, pylons, and fuselage assembly. While working on the slats, I made the mistake of cutting off the wrong mounting tabs! Tamiya has two sets, one set for lowered and another for raised- which is how they are posed on the ground. I accidentally cut off the tabs for the raised position, so lowered it is. Oh, well...

In the photos, you can see some of the mods I did to backdate this aircraft. The "beer can" RHAW antennas have been removed from the leading edges of the slats, the scoop on the base of the vertical fin as well as the two vents on the sides of the lower fin have been removed, and the "nowhere duct" (ASPJ system vent, never installed) on the bottom of the fuselage to the left of the forward intake was left off and the mounting plate removed. Aside from these mods, I just need to leave off the small vent on the forward top fuselage just below and behind the cockpit on the right side. More to come!

[blackbetty]

very clean build, want to see more!

[Daywalker]

Thank you, glad you like the build!

I have been doing lots of seam filling, sanding, etc so not many photos to share. Rather boring stuff really. The pylons are all finished, and I have spent some time with the exhaust. Here's how it is looking so far:

[Pete Fleischmann]

Aside from these mods, I just need to leave off the small vent on the forward top fuselage just below and behind the cockpit on the right side. More to come!

 

Looks great Frank! If you didn't already, don't forget to remove the bumps at the wing root top and bottom. Those are for the heavyweight gear jets-

 

HTH

 

Pete

[Daywalker]

Thank you for chiming in Pete, much appreciated!

I did remove those bumps as you mentioned, and have also procured a pair of Tamiya AIM-9M's from a friend with the CJ kit who didn't need them, as well as a pair of bomb racks for the 2000lb bombs. I have managed to finish the tailpipe, and am in the process of fitting minor bits and pieces around the airframe. I have also removed the seam on the main canopy, just have to do the smaller one yet. More to come!

[Shawn M]

cant believe Im going to say this

your tail pipe looks amazing

[Daywalker]

LOL, thanks Shawn- sorry I missed this reply earlier!

 

This model is my tribute to Russ, who showed a lot of interest in the project and who helped keep my interest up! This one is for you my friend.

 

I have been working on this build a little here and a little there over the past few months. It is now front and center on the workbench!

 

After completing the painting of the pilot in his green flightsuit, it occurred to me that in the desert he would have worn a desert tan colored suit. So, into the paint stripper he went. Now, he is appropriately dressed for the sand!

I have also finished the weapons loadout, with a pair of wing tanks, AIM-9's on the wingtips, and AGM-65 Mavericks under the wings. I have procured numerous ECM pods for this plane, but in the end I am going to go ahead and hang the AN/ALQ-184 furnished in the kit under the belly. I found a AN/ALQ-119 pod from a friend with a Trumpeter 1/32 A-10a, but the accuracy of that one was questionable. Two of the period-correct AN/ALQ-131 pods I bought were of the deep configuration, and after realizing that neither of those would work, I bought a shallow pod (which the F-16 carries) from Skyraider Model Designs. The surface of the resin was quite rough, and after a few hours of trying to clean it up, and realizing that I would have to scratch-build a pylon for it, I decided that since the AN/ALQ-184 was introduced into service in 1989, two years before ODS, that it was POSSIBLE to see one in theater. It makes me feel better about it!

 

Tamiya gives you most of the parts for the pod, including the body and end cap. They do not provide the hanger for it to attach it to the belly pylon however. I was lucky enough to receive one from a friend.

 

Also, since the Thunderbirds boxing does not intend for you to include the pod, they do not give you decals for it. I was able to get some radiation warning decals from my friend with the -119, and I made my decals for the pod name and serial number.

 

And, here is a couple of photos showing how it will look with the ordnance.

 

This bird will be in the markings of the 363TFW, AC number 85-0420. During ODS, it carried the nose art "Code One Candy", which I found on an Elite Decals sheet #32002.

[geedubelyer]

Oh my........nice choice of nose art Frank

 

Your pilot dude looks the biz.

 

Eager to see more.

 

 

[Daywalker]

Thanks for staying tuned in fellas! I have been working quite a bit on this one, but sadly nothing really photo-worthy. My glacier pace usually means WIP pics rarely turn up. Right now, I am in the process of getting everything masked up, hoping to start painting within the next two weeks. I am still trying to decide exactly how to mask the front gear bay, with the nose gear hanging out of it already. Really do wish Tamiya could have found a way to mount the nose gear after painting, instead of putting it in somewhere in the first few steps.