1/72 Hasegawa Lockheed Martin F-16D Barak II

Gallery Article by Jean-Charles Goddet on May 22 2020

 

      

My last built model is an HASEGAWA 1/72 Israeli Air Force F-16D Barak II 615 in 2016 at Hatzor AB. The kit is from the box number 00174 except for the decals because I used aftermarket brand Sky's Decals which cover IDF F-16A/B/C/D/I, and cockpit which I will speak later. This plane is a F-16D Barak II, F-16C/D Barak II because it is a block 40 delivered in 1991 for Peace Marble III program. F-16C/D Barak I are block 30 from a late order delivered in 1987. It shows a particular scheme from 105 squadron Scorpions, at the beginning this squadron used a combination of F-16C and F-16D, now it uses only D version. The external differences between block 30 and 40 are not easy to see. Main differences are for block 40 big engine intake, landing light on front gear door and not on main gears, different wheels shape, different number of chaff dispensers, additional antennas (under air intake, and side lights). I used Isradecal book to help me to built a correct version. The decal sheet from the kit is not good and old, so I used Sky's decals very complete with all service marks. I repainted over decals the tails Scorpions to have the right sand color which matched my camouflage colors.

I follow the instruction regarding color except for Humbrol green 90 FS34424. For upper fuselage I used Gunze brown H310 FS30219 and sand H313 FS33531 and light grey H308 FS36375 for lower fuselage. RWR nose antennas and radome are painted medium grey H307 FS36270. Decals are very accurate and easy to fit except "no step" fine black line. I added slight juice to show panels and a weathering with AMMO products to lighter brown camouflage which it seems to be the color suffering the most the sun burn. I finished with Mat varnish. I opened the canopy to be more dynamic but also to show the work on the cockpit thanks to an aftermarket resin kit from AIRES number 7167. Not easy to fit but the result is worth it (new ejection seats with seat belts and emergency handles, new cockpit resin with molded panels, joysticks and sides, new front cockpits with gauges and screens with a combination of resin parts and photoetched parts for both pilot and WSO).

Click on images below to see larger images

I added external armaments and tanks. Centerline tank, wings tanks, and Sidewinder AIM-9L Air to Air missiles at the wings end are from the kit. Others weapons coming from an aftermarket box from Skunkmodels DF wepons set: two Air to Air missiles Python 4 and two IMI Delilah which are aerial decoy to simulate fake cruise missiles or jets. I also added from a weapons Hasegawa box on the left side the Litening III designation pod (IR/TV camera + laser).

This specific rare plane outside his country was seen in Europe Greece Andravida AB for exercise INIOHOS 2017. I hope your like my model and pictures (one in company of a C model done before and shown via ARC).

Becareful from the scorpion sting!

Jean-Charles Goddet

Click on images below to see larger images

 

Photos and text © by Jean-Charles Goddet