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1:1 scale F-16C TBird masking


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Checklist:

2 miles of Tamiya Tape check

Some Bare Metal Foil for the canopy check

1:1 scale Eduard USAF Stencil Masks check

Serious question, if the a/c is being towed, why is there someone in the cockpit? Just in case something goes wrong and they need to slam on the brakes?

Ken

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Serious question, if the a/c is being towed, why is there someone in the cockpit? Just in case something goes wrong and they need to slam on the brakes?

Ken

Hi Ken,

It is SOP to have a brake rider in the cockpit for tows. For the aircraft I have worked on the towbar is fitted with shear pins and they will break if the load on the bar is too great. If the pins break the tow driver will accelerate away from the aircraft and the brake rider will slowly apply the hand brake and bring the aircrfat to a gentle stop (well that is the theory anyway, I have seen some runaway aircraft come to a very sudden halt when the brake rider applied the park break too quickly).

:cheers:

Edited by Aussie747
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Hello all,

It is a Block-32 - no landing/taxi lights at the front wheel and no CCIP.

Greetings,

Henrik.

With all due respect, I don't think you can tell from this photo if it is a 32 or 52. OK, I can't tell... :angry:

The landing light for Block 52 is installed on the nose gear door, which is not installed.

Main gear doors also not installed, so you cannot tell if they are bulged.

Exhaust is covered so you can't tell if it is a -220 or -229.

Reinforcement plates, if there, are covered.

Number of CM buckets not visible.

I'll give you the "no CCIP" but the antenna could have been removed for a Tbird jet. And, IIRC, the antenna housings are not supposed to be painted anyway.

From the photo I can tell it is an NSI inlet and a Pratt engine, but I see no other clues to differentiate between a Block 32/52.

Still looking for conclusive evidence. Can you tell from the main wheel design?

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Well the date in the info field is October of '06. When did the T's start receiving Block 52s? I thought it wasn't until this past December. Perhaps they got one or two in earlier to get a head start on the transition?

Edited by SimFixer
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With all due respect, I don't think you can tell from this photo if it is a 32 or 52. OK, I can't tell... :angry:

Can you tell from the main wheel design?

Yes, Greg, the wheel is a giveaway.

Although a few block 52s have already been sent to Nellis, they are still owned by the parent 57th Wing. To my knowledge, none have yet to be transferred to the team.

This jet is certainly a block 32, and since no new block 32s have been transferred to the team since the crash a few years ago, this is most likely a regular repaint.

Jake

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The photo of this jet still has the old school AIM-9 launchers on the sta 1/9 (LAU-???).

As do all Thunderbird Vipers, as well as the ACC demo jets.

Jake

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Why is that Jake?

I was wondering about this when I saw the ACC East Coast Demo jets a few years ago.

William G

I really have no idea. I couldn't even guess.

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If the LAU's are "old school" (i.e. not fielded as much anymore?), maybe they take the "newer" ones off to keep in the field and replace 'em with the LAU's to maintain the Viper's flutter characteristics? I don't think the jet handles very well with nothin' on the tips. Does it?

Or maybe I'm just readin' too much into it.... :lol:

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