This model is a Hasegawa 1/72 F-16F block 60 from limited box 01930. The United
Arab Emirates is the first customer of this advanced version of the F-16, in
fact the most modern viper on paper. Based on block 50/52+ with conformal fuel
tanks + AN/ASQ-28 IFTS internal FLIR
and targeting system on the nose + AESA radar AN/APG-80 + specific ALQ-165
electronic countermeasures system in the spin, improved cockpit and armament.
The monoplace version is the F-16E, the UAEAF bought 80 jets from both version
55 F-16E and 25 F-16F two seaters. I decided to show 1st squadron UAEAF
plane with USAF serial number 00-3008 because UAE pilots were trained with
Arizona 162FW Air National Guard at Tucson. This special scheme was seen in 2005
but also in August 2009 at Nellis AFB for Red Flag exercise. The kit is
from the box with no add-ons. I followed HASEGAWA instructions regarding colors,
the upper and lower camouflage is clear grey FS36495 Gunze acrylic H338, and
grey FS36320 Gunze acrylic H307. I added a light weathering on paint scheme
due to sunny use condition.
Click on
images below to see larger images
|
|
To enhance the model I decided to show the model with an opened canopy. I added
armament from the box : two exercice AIM-120B AMRAAM air-air missiles, two
exercice AIM-9M Sidewinder air-air missiles, and two exercise GBU-31
JDAM GPS (bombs from aircraft weapons VII HASEGAWA). To show the maximal load I
also added 3 external tanks + the conformal tanks CFTs.
To finish I hope
you like my model and for history this kind of plane made operational combat
start in Italy to help enforce the no fly-zone over Lybia during operation
Odyssey Dawn/Unified protector in March 2011. The only F-16F number
3004 (the five other jets sent were F-16E) missed the runway in Sardaignia and
was badly damaged.
Jean-Charles GODDET
Click on
images below to see larger images
|
|
|