Hasegawa kit conversions: F-16C "late Block 30" and F-16A MLU conversion made by Meindert de Vreeze
For an historical introduction to the real F-16: look here.... Hasegawa released the 1/32 scale kits of the F-16 years ago and in several boxes and kits. The basic model remained the same and although very good at its days, it is nowadays inferior to the newest Tamiya and Academy kits.The Hasegawa
kits have mostly raised panel lines and represent the older types of the
F-16 with the "small engine intake" for the Pratt Whitney F100 engine, thin wheels
for normal weight and older style cockpit.
I got a long time ago several 1/32 scale kits of Hasegawa way before the Tamiya and Academy kits appeared:
Hasegawa kit # S27 for an earlier style F-16C Hasegawa kit for F-16A : [H1]: using kit # S25: Conversion into an F-16A "block 15" but updated to MLU (mid life update) as flown by many European NATO air forces including the Royal Netherlands Air Force (KLu) . It would require some updates in the black cockpit area capable of nigh operations with night vision goggles, slightly changed cockpit instruments , and various added antenna and ECM bumps. To add interest even further, it was decided to open up some airframe panels and to display an open engine bay area. (For many walk around pictures with opened airframe hatches, look on the "real" F-16 page here....) [H2]:
using kit # S27, only an early "c" with small intake can be made. In order
to make a F-16C "late block 30" with large intake, thick finbase.
higher weight capability with thicker main wheels and thicker bulged main
door, the Cutting Edge # CEC32-114 Big Mouth conversion set was used. It
has both a new intake and the required thicker wheels and main gear doors.
For added detail
also the Eduard etched metal set #32-052 for the F-16A will be
used.
Step-by-step Approach First, as these kit have some raised panel lines in areas, these were inscribed with an Olfa scriber on the main parts like wings and tails and the raised panels sanded off. Doing it now will be much easier as the parts are still not assembled.
Next, the required
major surgery to main parts is to be done:
[H2] F-16C :
no major surgery needed here.
F-16 MLU Hasegawa kits quickly came with a metal ejection seat (although the older style seat is still in the parts' sprues). The metal seat is basically good but needs some extra details of strip, rod and tape for the belts for example. The real F-16 seat however remains a "clean" type. The MLU seat
does not require part # MB312. [ NOTE: I will replace the seats later on
]
The "instrument cover" below the HUD is not entirely correct. It should have a slightly different shape, see pictures of the real plane. The cockpit area of both kits got scratch side walls with added detail. This was made from thin card, stretched sprue and wire. The MLU cockpit is black, the F-16C cockpit medium grey. If you want to use a pilot, find another one than in the kit! The kit ladder/step access is not often used. KIT STEPS 3-6
[H2]: For the
F-16C do not use the intake parts #C40, C23 and C39, but the Cutting Edge
set. The intake of the Cutting Edge set needed a lot of preparation time.
Please first measure twice where to cut and saw. I made an error here and
needed a lot of filling and sanding later on.
KIT STEP 7
KIT STEP 8
KIT STEP 9
STEPS 10-12
STEPS 13-15
The [H2] F-16C will use the Cutting Edge doors and main wheels so parts C1 + C2 + D64 + D65 not needed: STEP 16
STEP 17
For the [H2]
F-16C, the other F110 exhaust parts were used [parts # I1, J2, J3 etc.]
The conversion
was made using card and filler. (note: if you have the Academy kit, these
parts are supplied). Also, some side fairings and bumps are added from
card.
[H2] F-16C requires the thick base vertical tail and it is supplied in the Hasegawa kit as parts #J14+J15. STEPS 19 etc
VARIOUS
[H2] MLU kit
will be given detailed scratch avionics bays etc. A picture is seen here
of the lower fuselage.
EXTRA's
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ALSO
CHECK OUT
THE JAPANESE JASDF F-2 FIGHTER, the F-16 LookAlike HERE... |
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Created this page July 1, 2005
Updated Sept 2013 |