The F-16CJ Block 50
kit was a highly anticipated release for me. I completed this build about a year
ago. But the first thing I wanted to build when I did get the kit, was a Block
40. Strange, but I just wanted to do a jet with a WAR HUD and scab plates!
So the build was
very straight forward, and needed little modification to convert it to a Block
40. The WAR (wide angle raster) HUD came from a my Black Box spares bin. The
scab plates were designed by me in AutoCAD, and printed in scale, then cut out
of .01 plastic card. The wheels are Block 40 wheels that came from a Hasegawa
F-2 kit. They popped right on with no modification whatsoever. The Block 40s
have recently been re-wheeled with Block 50 wheel rims. For this particular jet,
of this particular time frame however, my references suggest that they still had
the Block 40 wheel rims installed. So they stay.
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images below to see larger images
The loadout used was one
suggested in the Afterburner decal sheet for this jet from OIF 1. The
missiles were built out of the box. The GBU-12s came from the Hasegawa
weapons set, and the JDAM with BLU-103 warhead from a Revell F-18E kit.
The LANTIRN pod also came from a Hasegawa weapons set.
Paint is Testors MM
enamels, as usual for me. In total, about 25 hrs. of work well worth it.
The
Tamiya kit is as good as has been touted and more. I thoroughly enjoyed this
build. Two more are on the way soon ;-)
Daniel
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images below to see larger images
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