How To Do a 1/32 European F-16A MLU Fighting Falcon ?

[SharkOwl]

How To Do a 1/32 European F-16A MLU Fighting Falcon ?

 

This is an open topic for all to share information on how to do a 1/32 Single Seater European F-16A MLU,

just like the ones equipping now the Air Forces of Belgium, Denmark, Netherland and Norway !

 

Availability of Kits ? Transfers of Kits Parts ? Kits Parts Resin Conversion sets ? Decals ? etc…etc….

 

Thanks in advance for sharing with us all information about that.

SharkOwl 

[jenshb]

Ideally would want to start with the Tamiya F-16C "Thunderbirds" issue that had the P&W engine and the smallmouth intake.  The cockpit is already close enough to an MLU cockpit and the kit should contain the "birdslicers" in front of the canopy.  The main problem is that the kit is currently out of production.  Once you have sourced a kit, you will need to change the base of the tailfin, modify the rear top of the tailfin and the main gear legs, wheels and doors as these are the "heavyweight" version with bulges doors IIRC.

 

Jens

[dsahling1]

How To Do a 1/32 European F-16A MLU Fighting Falcon ?

 

This is an open topic for all to share information on how to do a 1/32 Single Seater European F-16A MLU,

just like the ones equipping now the Air Forces of Belgium, Denmark, Netherland and Norway !

 

Availability of Kits ? Transfers of Kits Parts ? Kits Parts Resin Conversion sets ? Decals ? etc…etc….

 

Thanks in advance for sharing with us all information about that.

SharkOwl 

 

I'm doing a similar project, you can get the NSI (small mouth intake) from GT resin it also comes with the P&W exhaust nozzle and non bulged gear doors, KASL hobby has an F-16A tail as well as another option for the P&W nozzle, True Details 1/32 F-16A cockpit.  I'm using the 1/32 F-16CJ kit, that's easier and less expensive, just requires changing some panel lines that shouldn't be that hard, or depending how OCD you are it probably wouldn't be an issue.  The Thunderbirds kit is hard to come by and pretty expensive, as far as decals or special European mods that I'm not sure about.

[BloorwestSiR]

Ideally would want to start with the Tamiya F-16C "Thunderbirds" issue that had the P&W engine and the smallmouth intake. The cockpit is already close enough to an MLU cockpit and the kit should contain the "birdslicers" in front of the canopy. The main problem is that the kit is currently out of production. Once you have sourced a kit, you will need to change the base of the tailfin, modify the rear top of the tailfin and the main gear legs, wheels and doors as these are the "heavyweight" version with bulges doors IIRC.

 

Jens

If the MLU planned had the heavy weight gear and bulged doors, it might be easier to go with the standard CJ kit and get a resin NSI intake and Pratt burner can. GT Resin makes both for the Tamiya kit.

 

 

For the tailplane, KASL from Taiwan make a complete one and PWMP does the lower fairing with the parabrake housing. Or you could swipe one from an Academy kit. This is the PWMP one:

 

 

Hope that helps.

 

Carl

[Zippo The Zipdrive]

...

For the tailplane, KASL from Taiwan make a complete one and PWMP does the lower fairing with the parabrake housing. Or you could swipe one from an Academy kit. This is the PWMP one:

...

Hope that helps.

 

Carl

 

Hello Carl and LSP.

 

Just to point it out: While it certainly does look like the parabreak-housing the front part is a C-model. SharkOwl you would have to use the saw and mate it with an A base.

 

Oh and another thing I see people miss making the MLU, is that they have the later "double sloted" type of gun cover found in C models.

Here is a link to a norwegian MLU on f-16.net

http://www.f-16.net/g3/var/resizes/f-16-photos/album03/aab.jpg?m=1371910570

The original  NON-MLU gun port is like this:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/F16cannon.JPG

 

\\Dan

[jmel]

MLUs have the early lightweight gear.  There a ton of panel line differences between the Block 50 in the CJ kit (or the Block 50 holdover parts in the Thunderbirds kit) and an MLU Viper.  Depending on how accurate you wish to be, some or all of them will need to be addressed.

 

Everything you ever wanted to know about the MLU can be found here.

[BloorwestSiR]

Dan, I just checked and the pic I posted was the parabrake housing for the Polish F-16, I grabbed the wrong one so I'll try to find the MLU one I have and post it.

 

Jake, thanks for clarifying the landing gear on the MLU.

 

Carl

[timvkampen]

All experts chipped in, so I just add my link to my current project. I know Sierra Hotel is working on conversions for the near future but that may take some time.. All ingredients have been mentioned, but the book of Jake is fantastic. Also consider complementing it with Danny's book from Daco Productions.

 

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=36133&hl=redskins

 

http://www.dacoproducts.com

 

It is too bad no company has put an effort in producing a proper A/B-model (early versions and MLU) as quite a few countries operate the types.

HTH Tim 

[jenshb]

 

Oh and another thing I see people miss making the MLU, is that they have the later "double sloted" type of gun cover found in C models.

Here is a link to a norwegian MLU on f-16.net

http://www.f-16.net/g3/var/resizes/f-16-photos/album03/aab.jpg?m=1371910570

The original  NON-MLU gun port is like this:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/F16cannon.JPG

 

\\Dan

 

The gun panel featuring two slots predates the MLU and was not part of the modifications.  IIRC, they were introduced on late Block 15 airframes in the mid/late-80s.  The strengthening plate above the gun aperture is also not part of the MLU, but all MLU aircraft should feature it.  I believe it was the first external structural reinforcement for the F-16.

 

Jens

[DagR]

On 3/9/2017 at 9:08 PM, jenshb said:

Ideally would want to start with the Tamiya F-16C "Thunderbirds" issue that had the P&W engine and the smallmouth intake.  The cockpit is already close enough to an MLU cockpit and the kit should contain the "birdslicers" in front of the canopy.  The main problem is that the kit is currently out of production.  Once you have sourced a kit, you will need to change the base of the tailfin, modify the rear top of the tailfin and the main gear legs, wheels and doors as these are the "heavyweight" version with bulges doors IIRC.

 

Jens

The Tamiya Thunderbird block 25/32 has the lightweight MLG without bulged doors.

 

Dag

 

[Treehugger]

Unsure if helpful but iirc the older norwegian F-16's have/had a round search light on the left side around the nose area somewhere.

Edited September 15, 2021 by Treehugger

[jenshb]

They still do.  It is on the port side, below the RWR antenna fairing.  The Danish F-16s have the same spot light.  Greek Block 30 airframes have a spotlight on the starboard side  further back and up.

[Zola25]

PWMP have a conversion set for the F-16 ADF version which includes a new panel on the port side with the searchlight. It is designed for the Tamiya kit and fits nicely. I have used that to build an RDAF F-16AM

[DagR]

Re: Interception ID lights. On A/B/AM/BMs the two seaters do not have them. On the HAF Block 30s, both C- and D-models have them.

 

Dag

[Zola25]

Danish and Norwegian F-16A´s are, to my knowledge, the only F-16A´s to ever have the searchlight. They retained the searchlights after updates to AM´s so you can still see them on all those F-16´s still flying today. None of the two-seater B/BM´s had the searchlight.

 

The F-16 ADF Variants also had the searchlight in the same location on the port side below the RWR (USAF, Italian & Portuguese Air Force)

 

/Niels