1/12 Block 50/52 F-16C Cockpit

by Michael Frazier

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I started almost a year and half ago setting out to build a 1:1 scale F-16 cockpit simulator and knew the 1/12th scale Italeri F-16A cockpit kit was the best place to get started for dimensional data.  A few good reference books, a little scratchbuilding, some meticulous knob relocating, and lots of patience later, here it is transformed into the latest Block 50/52 cockpit version of the F-16C Fighting Falcon.  The most tedious part was scratchbuilding the control stick and inserting tiny scaled down screencaps of actual F-16 cockpit displays for several of the cockpit color displays.  After finishing the model in Model Master colors, I found a perfect display case that's usually used for mini-football helmets.  The last thing that I didn't get to finish, but plan to eventually, is a Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) Helmet based off of the helmet supplied with the original kit.  The kit has proved its worth repeatedly in the 1:1 project; not to mention the fact that seeing a smaller "finished product" in this kit helps keep me motivated.

Michael

Photos and text © by Michael Frazier