Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 40/50 (52D)
Fighting Falcon
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F-16C "late Block 52D" using the Academy kit
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The Academy kit of the F-16CG/CJ block 40/50 (52D) had been assembled and was ready to get it paint scheme.
The kit's paint
instructions are excellent and well researched. The ROKAF KF-16C colours
are from Federal Standard :
FS36375 (for which Humbrol 127 enamel or Gunze Sangyo Mr Hobby H308 acrylic can be used);
FS36320 (for which Humbrol 128 enamel or Gunze Sangyo Mr.Hobby H307 acrylic can be used).
These colours are similar to the F-15 Eagle "ghost schemes". I applied the LIFECOLOR acrylic paints with the Badger 150 airbrush. The paint was thinned with car wiper fluid. Details were painted with a brush using acrylics paints using the very good kit instructions.
Behind the ejection seat, some additional details were seen on pictures that were "forgotten"; these were added from stretch sprue and rod after studying some more pictures.
- All gear
details including the doors were attached (from steps 11, 13 )
- The nose
pitot was added and the side pitot probe (steps 22, 26 ).
- The rear
canopy screen was added and with some white glue the gaps were closed at the
mating surfaces (Step 24).
- The various
lights got transparent colours added as indicated in the instructions.
The model was now to receive the decals. But before applying the decals, the model got a couple of gloss coats of Johnson Future using the airbrush. Decalling took off course considerable time as you can see there are many decals also on the KF-16. Each back of a decal were slided through an amount of Future to improve adherence. Carefully press each applied decal with a cloth, it will prevent air bubbles to create "silvering" after drying.
Next, some
weathering was applied. Especially around the main maintenance access panels
on the upper fuselage, these can often be clearly seen on real pictures
of ROKAF KF-16 planes. They are now over 10 years in active service
with the ROKAF.
Over the gloss
coat of Future with a fine brush some thinned dark grey acrylic paint
was set into each panel. The excess was wiped off with a piece of paper
tissue. This exercise was repeated at several areas of the model,
focusing on access panels.
The model was
now ready for final decalling. The kit decals are excellent and made by
Cartograf of Italy. This gave no problems.
Here you see
a view with the canopy temporarily put on the model.
No stores are
added yet.
The cockpit
with in front the typical ROKAF KF-16 antenna's. The seat is put into the
cockpit but kept loose so it can be removed.
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Created this page
March 23, 2007