Airfix 1/72 General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon, ”Desert Storm”, 1991

Started by Spiros Pendedekas · 74 · 3 years ago · 1/72, Airfix, Desert Storm, F-16
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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 2 months ago:

    Hi everyone!

    First, big thanks to our Admin Chuck @uscusn, for the conception and running of this great GB!

    (and for the fact that he is very patient with my 1/32 Tornado entry, which is stalled for a while... 🙂 )

    Here is my entry of the Airfix 1/72 F-16A, that I intend to finish as ANG's #79404 bird, based at Al Kharj Air Base in Saudi Arabia, during Operation "Desert Storm", 1991.

    The kit is part of the Airfix 100 Years of Flight collection set (1903-2003)

    It is a very simple, old, a basic kit, might I add. But in 1982, when it was introduced, it might have been a dream kit for some of us.

    This will be a gift for my 8yo beloved godson, as he asked for "an F-16"!

    Here's a look at the sprues:

    And the instructions, all nice and clear

    Decal sheet looks good:

    Started it an hour ago, here is the progress so far...

    And the inevitable QC evaluation/test flight...

    Haven't decided if I will build it wheels up or down yet...

    Thanks for stopping by!

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    After Initial coarse sanding, a treatment with liquefied styrene took care of the gaps, especially around the intake. Then, another coarse sanding took place. Here she is...


    Putty to follow.
    Thanks for stopping by!

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    Pedro L. Rocha said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    From the huge Sukhoi to the tiny Falcon, you’re going full spectrum here Spiros 😉
    Seems the QC is satisfied, so let’s see what comes ahead for your Falcon. A wheels up iwould be a fantastic option

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    Jordyn Collier said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    Looking forward to seeing this F-16 take shape!

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    Then wheels-up shall it be! my friend @holzhamer!
    Yep, what a nice change from the big, complex 1/32 Sukhoi, to the simple, petite 1/72 Falcon!
    Thanks my friend @1corsair64!
    Meanwhile the Falcon was puttied and sanded, next is doors' installation!

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    Moving on...


    Doors attached closed, wing tanks, mavericks and their TERs assembled, wing pylons attached. Here they are...
    Thanks for stopping by!

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    John vd Biggelaar said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    Seems to become a fast build, Spiros @fiveten
    It must feel tiny compared to your Sukhoi.
    Always good to have a personal QC engineer nearby.
    Looking forward to all the equipment applied to the wings.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    Thanks my friend @johnb!
    Yep, a quick build, just to "relax" after the Sukhoi!

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    Chuck A. Villanueva said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    That is a great change of pace Spiros as mentioned by our friends. i believe I have this same kit from Airfix but in a different promotional boxing that comes with a paint set. Still have it in the stash. Looks like it builds up rather quickly. I would still probably find a way to prolong the assembly myself. And it looks like it survived the initial inspection.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    Thanks my friend @uscusn!

    Yes, the kit builds quickly enough, as to be considered a "change of pace" and a "mojo booster", after some previous longer builds. In fact, I start to kind of love such quick builds, sneaking in between the more complex ones, keeping the mojo at positive levels!

    For some reason, whenever I thought of Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the F-16 did not spring immediately into my mind. But the F-16 played a vital role there, so this simple, quick and otherwise humble build serves as a corrected info restorer, regarding this amazing aircraft and the most important role it played during those Operations.

    Again, thanks my friend for running this great GB; I promise to come up with my "MIG EATER" Tornado very soon!

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    The Mavericks had totally bland exhausts, so I hollowed them just a tad, in order to make them look unbland (the real exhausts have a very distinctive look, far beyond the scope of this build...). Then the Mavericks were attached onto the TERs.
    The basic model underwent another filling, ready for the final sanding:


    Thanks for stopping by!

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    John vd Biggelaar said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    The Mavericks do look much more realistic now, Spiros @fiveten
    Personally I also prefer the A-version, maybe because I grew up with those.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    Thanks my friend @johnb!

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    Erik Gjørup said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    I have to admit I really thought they looked ugly when they first arrived, but having had the pelasure of seeing the A/B's up close and personal, I have come to like them. Now the Hellenic F-16 at Aalborg some years back with all its grime and messy paint and the dorsal tanks - looked awesome!
    Nice detailing in this build my friend, even if its is "just" a relatively plain build.

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    Spiros Pendedekas said 3 years, 1 month ago:

    Thanks my friend @airbum!

    You must have seen a Block -52 at Aalborg: their paint was of the "stealthy" type, which roughly very quickly became dirty and ended a homogeneous, unidentifiable "gray"...

    Block -52 "Advance" feature an evolved paint, that looks more like "normal" paint and is more dirt and fade resistant, still"stealthy", though.

    I haven't touched this model for a week, as I gave priority to the Otter, which I just finished.