F-16 models in 1/32 scale
F-16C "late Block 50" using the Tamiya kit   

The  F-16C model was now assembled. If you want, you can assemble the engine and its dolly
 

Steps 7-12
GE F110 Engine

The Tamiya kit provides parts for a separate and detailed GE F110 engine. Following the instructions:
Step 7: assemble as shown
Step 8: flameholder part #H23 was used in the exhaust pipe assembly; try to replace (I used spare Hasegawa part #C17). Also, parts #K3 were used in the exhaust assembly, so leave those simply out.
steps 9 + 10: assemble as shown, but again without parts #K3.

Step 11: parts #B20, H9, H10 are not used as these are not needed because of the fuselage improvement work. Also note that part #H7 was used in the exhaust area already. 

As the engine exhaust (with parts # H8 + K8) is used on the model, for the engine spare parts were used from the Hasegawa F-16C. These were the exhaust pedals parts #J2 + the cutt-off ring of 7 mm to create an exhaust to fit on the engine. 

Overall, the GE F110 engine is ready for painting in several metal finishes.

In step 12 it is shown how it fits its dolly

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The kit was to be finished in a "non typical " F-16 scheme. On the Internet pictures were found of the F-16C Block 50 aircraft as delivered to the Chile Air Force. This was a very nice scheme as compared to the standard USAF like F-16 schemes. 

As I had ZOTZ decals that also depicted Chile AF F-16C planes, it looked feasible to make this as a model. (see notes here on the decal sheet).   
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The Chilean air force received F-16 C and D model (Block 50) aircraft from the contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. Included in the purchase are joint direct attack munitions, or JDAMs, AIM-9 heat-seeking missiles, and advanced medium range air-to-air missiles, or AMRAAMs. 

NOTE: Together with the purchase of brand new F-16s, the Chile Air Force has also purchased Fokker refurbished F-16 that were ex-KLU / RNLAF. These aircraft were previously upgraded to F-16MLU standard and have more in common in equipment and capabilities to the F-16C Block 50s than the original F-16A block 5, 10 and 15 stock. The HARM capability was removed however. (for serials, see KLu table on IPMS.NL here...)

The F-16C / D planes can fire the Python IV missile and the JDAM bomb with the Litening II pod below the chin.

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IPMS Chile was contacted to make sure I had the correct colour info and details. An email was send and a quick response obtained. Thank you Oscar Ruf from Chile! The markings are low visibility with grey areas. 

The paint scheme can be seen here...  [ courtesy IPMS Chile ]

The colours are:

upper main grey area  FS 26152 ;  used was LifeColor acrylic paint #108
darker grey pattern  FS 25237 ; used was  Humbrol enamel #145
lower areas: gull grey  FS 26440 ; used was Model Master acrylic # 4763

The Chile AF F-16C block 50 has a couple of features not depicted in the Tamiya block 50 kit:

1. It has a longer parachute housing fairing on the base of the vertical tail with on the right side an ECM stub; I had a correct spare fairing left over from the 1/32 Academy kit (parts B1+B2+B17). The Tamiya fairing was cut off, the replacement part reduced in length fitted and the whole assembly filled and sanded.
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2. This particular F-16C also has the antennas in front of the windscreen (Tamiya provides this part B17); as I used this part on the MLU F-16, I made these from thin card.

The model was airbrushed with the colours indicated.

Some weathering of panels was done, but not overdone as the planes are rather new. 
The model got a gloss coat of Johnson Future first; darker grey thinned acrylic paint was added with a fine brush in the panels and the excess wiped away with a paper tissue. On the right you see this effect, the left is still "untreated". 

The gloss coat aslo is required to get the decals onto the model without problems ("prevent silvering because air bubbles are trapped under a decal"). 

The other parts were not forgotten to get this coat...
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and also the canopy and smaller parts were not forgotten.

Decals were applied, being a mix of the ZOTZ and Tamiya decals. 

The wing walk way lines came from Xtracolour decal set XPS with various stripes ; thin white lines were applied as the Tamiya kit provides no walkway lines (as presumably later USAF planes did not have these?); for the Chile AF plane, actually these stripes should be FS26440, which is gull grey , being also the lower surface colour. I used white lines as the nearest match. 

Checking some pictures, some detail still was needed on the area of the Tamiya cockpit. With stretched sprue and white glue this was added.

 

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