Tamiya 1/48 F-16CJ

[MESHER]

Tamiya 1/48 F-16CJ kit instructions advise to use the clear canopy for the rear and the smoke canopy for the front main canopy, is this correct? Also the black trim around the canopies...how is this masked as the front is black lined with fuselage color on main outline and the rear canopy is black lined...would you use semi gloss black to paint this?

The paint scheme indicates Light Ghost Gray, Medium Gray and Gunship Gray, but for the nose cone they indicate RAF Dark Gray, I use Model Master paints, can someone advise what color the nose cone is?

[Najk]

Tamiya 1/48 F-16CJ kit instructions advise to use the clear canopy for the rear and the smoke canopy for the front main canopy, is this correct? Also the black trim around the canopies...how is this masked as the front is black lined with fuselage color on main outline and the rear canopy is black lined...would you use semi gloss black to paint this?

The paint scheme indicates Light Ghost Gray, Medium Gray and Gunship Gray, but for the nose cone they indicate RAF Dark Gray, I use Model Master paints, can someone advise what color the nose cone is?

If you do a search for F-16 radome, or similar, you'll find the answer to that question.

In short you could say there is no correct color, and all colors are correct, since this

varies a lot due to airborne dirt, and so on.

Regarding the clear or smoke canopy, the answer would be: Look at photos of the

particular aircraft, and the date that photo was taken, since this varies a lot from plane

to plane. One plane can also have different set-ups (clear/smoke, smoke/smoke,

smoke/clear, clear/clear) from time to time. So as always, check your refs.

I guess for the black lines I would try Tamiya tape to mask them off and airbrush them.

[Stefan buysse]

The paint scheme indicates Light Ghost Gray, Medium Gray and Gunship Gray, but for the nose cone they indicate RAF Dark Gray, I use Model Master paints, can someone advise what color the nose cone is?

Hi,

These instructions are for the tri-color scheme that is no longer on USAF F-16's. I gather this scheme was discontinued by the USAF in the late 1990's. European F-16's still have it.

For a modern USAF F-16, leave out the Light Ghost Gray and paint that area Medium Gray.

Like Najk said, any grey is OK for the radome.

Cheers, Stefan.

[MESHER]

Thanks Stefan. So you are saying this is the new scheme that started in 1997 where the Light Ghost Grey FS3375 was replaced by Medium Grey FS36270 also known as The Hill Scheme? So now the current F-16's are 2 tone grey FS36270 and FS36118 with a Dark Gull Grey nose cone, is this correct? If Tamiya did their research with Lockheed Martin why would they have the 3 tone paint scheme in their kits that were made after this new paint scheme was introduced? I am just trying to get an accurate F-16 paint scheme as all kits I have seen in various scales and released after 1997 show the 3 tone paints scheme.

[Stefan buysse]

Thanks Stefan. So you are saying this is the new scheme that started in 1997 where the Light Ghost Grey FS3375 was replaced by Medium Grey FS36270 also known as The Hill Scheme? So now the current F-16's are 2 tone grey FS36270 and FS36118 with a Dark Gull Grey nose cone, is this correct? If Tamiya did their research with Lockheed Martin why would they have the 3 tone paint scheme in their kits that were made after this new paint scheme was introduced? I am just trying to get an accurate F-16 paint scheme as all kits I have seen in various scales and released after 1997 show the 3 tone paints scheme.

Hi,

Yes, FS36270 and FS36118 are the current scheme. I did not know that that was called the "Hill scheme", I associated the words "Hill Scheme" with Phantoms.

I also have no idea how Tamiya decided to go for the tri-color scheme in the instructions.

Cheers, Stefan.

[MESHER]

I found this in digging around on the net.

U. S. Air Force

F-16

"Hill" Scheme

1990´s

Overall

FS 36270

Medium Grey

Topsides

FS 36118

Medium

Gunship Grey

From the mid 90`s the Hill Scheme is the Standard for USAF F-16

This article did not mention anything about the radome. I am interested to know would this mean that all hard points and fuel drop tanks are also Medium Gray. Would the missle bodies still remain light ghost grey?

[boom175]

Ok ALL USAF F-16's are delivered from the factory in the 3 color scheme. When they go through a depot level maint and get repainte dthey ar e repainted in the 2 color scheme of 36270 and 36118. The radome is not painted at all. It is covered with a grey rubberized coating which will change color as t is exposed to the elements. Radomes are hardly ever painted and if they are it is with a special paint as regular paint interferes with the radar.

Edited March 5, 2009 by boom175

[B-ONE27]

Ok ALL USAF F-16's are delivered from the factory in the 3 color scheme. When they go through a depot level maint and get repainte dthey ar e repainted in the 2 color scheme of 36270 and 36118. The radome is not painted at all. It is covered with a grey rubberized coating which will change color as t is exposed to the elements. Radomes are hardly ever painted and if they are it is with a special paint as regular paint interferes with the radar.

Just as Boom said....all new build USAF F-16's(Block 50) were/are delievered in the older style 3-tone greys...so Tamiya has it correct it just depends on your picture references but its a sure thing that if its currently in active service it has the two-grey scheme.

[MESHER]

Thanks guys, that makes sense to me now. I really appreciate the information.

[Viper Ace]

So taking into consideration the information in this thread that all current F-16 paint schemes dropped the Light Ghost Grey and now have 2 gray scheme of FS36270 and FS36118 here is my question:

Would the hard points be painted FS36270 to match the underneath of the plane? What about the drop tanks and missles would they still be Light Ghost Gray?

[David Walker]

I believe the missiles would still be light ghost gray. The drop tanks are a bit more interesting in that they can be in couple different combinations of FS36270 and FS36375, even on the same tank. Some photos:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k204/pil...1/IMG_9116a.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k204/pil...1/IMG_9655a.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k204/pil...ankcolors-1.jpg

So tank-wise you've got a lot of leeway.

Edited March 13, 2009 by David Walker

[adamitri]

okay i have another question.......

do i need the block 30 update set from wolfpack designs (the ones with the new pylons) for the F-16C/N kit?