ya-gabor

Hi Gwen, Sorry but there is nothing else left to show. : ( : ( Actually I was surprised that here on ARC there was absolutely no news about this planned Phantom kit. This is why I took some information from the manufacturer and shared it here. I would say next time we hear about this kit should be when (assuming that this build was really only a 3D printed version) some real plastic parts are available and the maker will show some test builds and more images of what the kit will be like, sprue photos . . . When will this be? Your guess is as good as mine

Only a personal opinion. Based on previous brick like approach by Co. Best regards Gabor

Here are the two other paint schemes for this kit. As well as some CAD images of the future kit from the company. I did not see any particular month mentioned by the producer, so it could be 1st of June or the very last day of August. : ) : ) : ) Best regards Gabor

Hi Gwen, Its not a secret. The three painting schemes are out and yes one of them is the Omega Sqn version. Best regards Gabor

And yes, based on the official information from the manufacturer there is an: Extended nose undercarriage leg option so there should be at least 2 versions. Introducing the 1:48 scale NEW MOULD McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1! A kit at the top of many modellers wish list, this kit comes with three schemes, all in the Royal Navy dark blue scheme of the period. This newly designed kit includes: • Authentic 1/48 recreation of the formidable Phantom FG.1 as operated by the Royal Navy • Includes over 270 parts • Slide moulded jet intakes to capture detail on

Hi Gwen, Sorry this is all that one can grab from the video above. No head on images. : ( : ( : ( Sure eventually more will be shown. The head on view should be interesting also for that S shape with canopy sides and not only with the bulged intakes. All that is known for the moment is that the “test build” in this video alleged to be ONLY a 3D print of future parts. Not sure about the transparent parts as a 3D print. But who am I to . . . Looking at some joint lines it looks more like classic plastic parts with some glue marks on it and not 3D prints!!!

Staying with the theme of Phantoms. Year starts with an announcement from British Airbrick in 48th scale a F-4 Phantom. The FG.1 version with Spey engines. Cost is 75 GBP. Something Completely Different from traditional Phantoms. Here is a look at some pictures from the video below. There are some interesting solutions which should be very welcome but strange to see that step in the fit of airframe bottom part under the cockpit. Let’s hope it is only a problem with the quick test build of parts. Release is due in the summer of 2026. If alre

Hi Inquisitor, Thanks so much for the information!!! Your previous description of the new panels/switches was clear but the drawings are even better! Thanks! Thing is the 3D printed cockpit is supposed to be a Block 30 version. From the available versions from aftermarket this was the closest that I could get to the 16C that I am planning to build. I would think it is not really possible to reproduce every switch or knob in the way it is in QF-16’s (from original F-16A and F-16C’s). There is a lot of information on Zombie Vipers and it is clear that th

Hi Habu2, Thanks for the photo! So it is from QF-008 which is an F-16C. I don’t think there are any wingtip pods around in this scale. Very few have noticed the difference from all those “standard” ACMI pods. I will have to make it, just as some other things for my kit. Any help is welcome! Best regards Gabor

I will have to start from here. Best regards Gabor

Thanks very much Inquisitor!!! Had a look at the availability of the book, but as Eraucubsfan has mentioned it is out of print and even if it was available is fairly expensive. (Amazon had it for 160 USD) For the sake of few photos . . . Will have to work from what you have written down. Have the 3D printed cockpit and will make corrections on it. Thanks again! Best regards Gabor

Thanks again! Appreciated! Best regards Gabor

My last post here was about New Years wishes. We haven’t had snow of this kind for a long time. Was expecting that it will be gone in few days. The thing is that the snow situation has not changed a bit in the last two weeks. Snow and extreme cold is still around and building up further more. I see the situation is the same in other parts of Europe. The only question remaining: does anyone started preparing for all that snow melting??? Some really serious floodings could be on the way very sooooooon all across Europe! Best regards Gabor

Hi, Thanks for visiting this forum! Why? Does that book have images of the QF-16 cockpit? I have no idea. Don’t have this book. Have dozen of other books on the F-16 from the past decades. I was really after one (or two) pictures of the cockpit to see the changes made in comparison to a standard layout. Was hoping that someone did take a snap of it in the past decade or so and will show it here on ARC. Some QF-16’s have been to different shows in the past years. So there could have been an opportunity somewhere on the way. The very la

I have posted this in Research topic but there was no real answer there, so let’s try here also, maybe there are more people here and some could be of help. A question about the QF-16 Zombie Viper aircraft. They have been around for more than 15 years. Every external change can be followed from photos available on internet. But there seems to be no photo of the cockpit. It has been stated that only minimal changes were made with just one instrument on the main panel and one block on the side console. The earliest airframes converted to drone aircraft are from very

Hi Terry, Still here and trying to contribute new topics which I hope others like. Help where I can. Visit every day to look for opinions of others, news that others have seen somewhere, new kits, build techniques . . . One is never tooooo old to learn new things! And do some research, although some are not happy about this. Oh well. It is important in my opinion to have and “independent” forum like ARC which is not ruled by views (and protectionist demands) of some kit manufacturing companies! Hope ARC stays and serves the modelling community in

Virtually in the last 2 hours of the „old” 2025 year suddenly snow came pouring down in large amounts. So instead of white Xmas it was a white new year around here. : ) : ) : ) Haven’t seen that much snow for some time. It is a perfect opportunity to wish everyone around the world a Happy New 2026 Year! Best regards Gabor

It seems that no images of the QF-16 cockpits have surfaced so far. Be it the A or the C version. Sorry to see this, but there is nothing to do. So I will have to go by what there is (nothing) and start from this 3D printed standard cockpit. : ) : ) Best regards Gabor

To anyone out there following Xmas traditions I would like to wish Merry Christmas. No ejection seats here to add to festivities although few years ago I did make the accompanying photo. But for those more interested in the event and what goes with it here is a bit “something completely different”. There is of course a wealth of all sorts of dishes and lots to drink, but this is very different where ever you go around the world, so no point in filling page after page with this. But here is something special: After the main meals (as “light” snacks) two ve

Hi Habu2, This is exactly why I was asking. Yes, the QF-4 was very different in the cockpit in comparison to the standard operational aircraft. I wanted to see how much change has been made to the QF-16 cockpits. Wasn’t sure if it was a security concern that so far no pictures have been posted. I have seen photos of your visit (and DJack) to Tyndall base from 2015 here on ARC in another topic. But there were no cockpit images unfortunately. : ( : ( : ( Someone in a forum responded that one bigger panel was changed on the left console and one instrument on

A question about the QF-16 Zombie Viper aircraft. They have been around for more than 15 years. Every external change can be followed from photos available on internet. But there seems to be no photo of the cockpit. It has been stated that only minimal changes were made with just one instrument on the main panel and one block on the side console. The earliest airframes converted to drone aircraft are from very late 70’s and early 80’s blocks, so they have been around for quite some time. Some of them were stored even for decades under the sun. Does a change of one panel turn

Hi Mario, I would suspect that the same level of detailing can be expected from the new F-104J Starfighter kit as in previous Fine Molds kits. Simple, this is the way they make kits and the way they like it. I would tend to agree with them. But this is only my opinion. There are modellers who apply hundreds of layers of paint and varnish to the kits they build. Obviously they would want much deeper and wider surface details. But this is a question of taste, some like it one way, others like it differently. The Fine Molds team like the kits they make, the way they

There were a lot of future competition winners on offer at different vendor stands. Still in cardboard boxes of course. Now the only thing the modellers have to do is to build them! You know: add some glue, a splash of paint and . . . : ) : ) : ) And of course all that is needed in building the kits including some excellent literature, cottage industry products, tools . . . were also on offer. At the end of it all, the organizers gave out those by now famous little snowman prizes. This year the snowman had a pilots helmet and Oxygen mask. And of course let’s no

Few more from this years Plastikova Zima show of a week ago. Like the camo on the F-16 and to have a contrast here is a natural metal P-42 which was chasing some records for the new Su-27 family of fighters. It is sad that now the same airframe is rotting away on an airfield. While I did not take any photos of the AFV categories here is something else to show the variety of entries in the competition. Best regards Gabor

The new Fine Molds 72nd scale F-104J has officially been released yesterday Friday 5h of December. Best regards Gabor