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Academy 1/32 Sufa- Which Aires engine can I use?

spindrift007

By spindrift007
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spindrift007

spindrift007

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Anyone know if I can use one of the Aires engine detail sets for my Academy F-16I Sufa. I believe from reseach that it is a Block 52. Does that mean I can use:

1: F-16C block 30/40/50/60 exhaust nozzle. OR 2: F-16CG/CJ Block 40/50 exhaust nozzle. OR 3: none of the above!!

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csavaglio

csavaglio

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I'm pretty sure the one marked for all the GE motored blocks (#2095) is for the Tamiya kit. The only one showing available for the Academy kit is the one marked 40/50 (p#2102).

 

Either way, it doesn't matter. As far as I know and can find, F-16I's are block 52 birds, having the upgraded PW engine (along with the small intake and heavy duty landing gear).

 

As said, Aires doesn't have a PW yet. I believe there are subtly diffences between the early and later PW motors as well.

 

Chris

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Smokey

Smokey

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I am also working on my 1/32 scale F-16I and got the two aftermarket kits from Wolfpack. The cockpit and the exterior kit. I also got the Aires wheel bays along with Wheeliant weighted wheels. I did email Aires and asked them about the engine nozzle. It sounded by their email response it would be a while before they did the engine nozzle for the 1/32 F-16I. From all I read to it is Option 3 and you will have to wait for Aires to come out with it. Hope this helps. Dan

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csavaglio

csavaglio

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I think because, at least for US F-16C's, combat a/c typically flew GE's and the PW motored planes were flown by guard units and gradually phased out of front line squadrons. I think it may be because it's simply a more popular configuration.

 

This is going by a very good friend who's a crew chief on F-16's at Ft. Buckley. I dug around for info on the different blocks of F-16's when I was doing a 1/48 Tamiya F-16 recently (and it's big brother is in the mail right now!).

 

For the 1/48, you have plenty of choices for motors.....Aires, CMK, Eduard, Shul-24 (really, really nice, btw, it's what I used on mine) all doing GE exhausts. But even the Pratt gets little....I think just Aires doing one.

 

Look on the bright side, it gives you an excuse to not spend another 30 or 40 bucks...

 

Chris

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csavaglio

csavaglio

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Cutting Edge did a P&W...

 

 

Unfortunately, Cutting Edge cast their parts in unobtainium. Anything that was popular or particularly useful either hardly ever comes up for sale or auction, or ends up getting ridiculous prices.

 

C

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Kagemusha

Kagemusha

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Unfortunately, Cutting Edge cast their parts in unobtainium. Anything that was popular or particularly useful either hardly ever comes up for sale or auction, or ends up getting ridiculous prices.

 

C

 

Funny enough there was one listed on ebay not so long ago for a Buy It Now price of about $20, was on there for about a month before being sold.

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Viper Enforcer

Viper Enforcer

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Anyone know if I can use one of the Aires engine detail sets for my Academy F-16I Sufa. I believe from research that it is a Block 52. Does that mean I can use:

1: F-16C block 30/40/50/60 exhaust nozzle. OR 2: F-16CG/CJ Block 40/50 exhaust nozzle. OR 3: none of the above!!

 

Block 30/40/50/60 are GE Engine configured F-16s, where as Block 25/32/42/52/52+ are Pratt Engine F-16s. The Sufa is a Block 52+, Pratt-229; which means opt 3

Currently, there are no 32nd Pratt-229 (or 220) Exhaust available specifically for the Academy kit. CMK used to have one, but like their GE Exhaust (and most of their F-16 accessories), it's a lame effort and not all that accurate.

 

 

I am also working on my 1/32 scale F-16I and got the two aftermarket kits from Wolfpack. The cockpit and the exterior kit. I also got the Aires wheel bays along with Wheeliant weighted wheels. I did email Aires and asked them about the engine nozzle. It sounded by their email response it would be a while before they did the engine nozzle for the 1/32 F-16I. From all I read to it is Option 3 and you will have to wait for Aires to come out with it. Hope this helps. Dan

 

 

Note that the Wheelaint F-16I wheels (Block 52+) were inaccurately labeled, as the main wheels are actually Block 60 main wheels; as evident from the small fasteners in every other port hole, on the outboard wheel. The wheel hubs are also inaccurately dished, contrary to the real wheel. They also don't include the correct wider NLG fork; a major detail omission by both Aires and Academy.

 

Aires is due to release a 32nd Pratt Exhaust, though there's no offical date yet.

 

 

I think because, at least for US F-16C's, combat a/c typically flew GE's and the PW motored planes were flown by guard units and gradually phased out of front line squadrons. I think it may be because it's simply a more popular configuration.

 

This is going by a very good friend who's a crew chief on F-16's at Ft. Buckley. I dug around for info on the different blocks of F-16's when I was doing a 1/48 Tamiya F-16 recently (and it's big brother is in the mail right now!).

 

For the 1/48, you have plenty of choices for motors.....Aires, CMK, Eduard, Shul-24 (really, really nice, btw, it's what I used on mine) all doing GE exhausts. But even the Pratt gets little....I think just Aires doing one.

 

Look on the bright side, it gives you an excuse to not spend another 30 or 40 bucks...

 

Chris

 

The USAF F-16 program contracted the majority of the F-16C/D production, to be configured with GE Engines, based on better performance and reliability aspects. The AF still has one front line powered F-16C unit though; Mountain Home's Block 52s.

 

For the longest time in 48th, we had nothing for a GE exhaust options, other than Shawn Hulls’ GE exhaust, which was only the nozzle, it wasn’t until he retooled and made a complete GE Exhaust assembly that we really had a good option in 48th; which is even better and more accurate than the Aires GE Exhaust.

 

In 32nd, we had quite a few GE Exhaust to choose from. Most were not all the accurate on the inside detail and none were complete! It wasn't until recently when Aires released their GE Exhaust, that we finally had a decent "complete GE Exhaust assembly. The only problem is that it can only be used with the Tamiya F-16CJ, as they failed to include the GE donut panel, as the nozzle won't fit the Pratt donut panel in the Tamiya T-Bird kit.

 

Mike V

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Barry

Barry

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Although there is no PW-229 Nozzle specifically made for either main stream F-16 kits.

There is a "set" of PW-229 Nozzles in the Wolfpack Design F-15I IDF set.

 

I'm not sure how close they are to the F-16 Nozzles or what it would take to adapt them to the F-16 kit.

Price wise at $45.00 the set is not that much more expensive than a single Aires Nozzle around $34.00.

Perhaps a couple of folks would want to go together and split the cost as opposed to waiting on Aires to produce a PW-229 for the F-16.

 

Just a thought :speak_cool:

 

Barry

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