The United Arab
Emirates Air Force are the only users of the very advanced Lockheed Martin
single seat F-16E and twin seat F-16F Block 60 version, referred to here
in the Emirates as the "Desert Falcon".
This was my first attempt with a resin conversion. I had hoped to
use the impressive Isracast F-16I Sufa conversion, but the Block 60 was
just too different. So I went down the path of adding parts meant
for other F-16D's. The F-16F used by the UAE is not exactly the same
as the various F-16D parts I used, so additional modification and scratch
building was needed as well.
Click on
images below to see larger images
I started with
the very nice Hasegawa F-16D kit. From Cutting
Edge I added the
"big mouth" intake for the GE engine, conformal saddle tanks,
and their Peace Marble spine. I used as much of the Eduard photo
etch set as I could and added their ladder as well. I installed the
Aires wheel bays and cockpit set, which had to be additionally modified
for the Block 60. Flying photos of F-16F's from many sources taken
in Ft. Worth where the planes are built and Tucson where the Emirati
pilots are trained helped in adding additional scoops built from sheet
styrene in the right places. I finished it off by including six
Mavericks and two sidewinders from a Hasegawa weapons set. I used
Revell paints, the only type readily available here in Dubai, and
lightened the colors for scale effect to match the photos. The
decals are from the Zotz
Decals 'Vivacious Vipers Set 2.
Corbett
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