Which 1/48th F-16 Kit for a C Block 30?

[MikeC]

Question say it all people; I want to build an F-16C block 30 in 1:48th scale, can the resident F-16 experts (Viper virtuosos perhaps?) advise someone who's more used to F-4s and 104s which is the best kit and any to avoid? Choices appear to be many, but I suspect Hasegawa may well feature ...

TIA,

[gb_madcat_sl]

Best kit OOB for a Block 30 would be the Tamiya F-16C/N kit. You can build any F-16C variant from that box.

HTH!

Mark

[MikeC]

Thanks Mark.

[Netz]

What F-16C blk 30 are you wanting to build????

Curt

[David Hingtgen]

Yeah, the Blk 30 has many more variations than the others---early vs late Blk 30 can have a lot of parts that are different.

[strikeeagle801]

But the C/N would still be the best option for any Block 30, as it has both the NSI and MCID intakes in the same box. Any other (tamiya) kit you choose, you are going to have to cross-kit with another boxing. If you start with the Block 25/32 ANG kit, you have to at least source the GE exhaust. If you start with the CJ kit, you need the light-weight gear and possibly the NSI intake. Even if you got the block 32/52 T-birds kit, you still have to get the GE exhaust and possibly an MCID intake.

The good part about the C/N kit is that any way you cut it, you have what you need for any USAF varient from Block 25 on up, and you've got an extra intake and PW exhaust (as well as heavy-weight gear) for the spares box. My extra PW exhausts are going on a Revell/Academy kit-bashed F-15I.

Aaron

[MikeC]

Yeah, the Blk 30 has many more variations than the others---early vs late Blk 30 can have a lot of parts that are different.

Oh dear, I was afraid that might be the case. Specifically it's an aggressor based at RAF Bentwaters as depicted on this decal sheet and which this site advises me is a block 30a.

From the same site, a couple of nice shots of the bird itself: http://www.f-16.net/gallery_item39481.html and http://www.f-16.net/gallery_item308646.html on f-16Net, with due acknowledgement to copyright holders.

Thanks for the help guys, any more input welcome.

[ThePhantomTwo]

It is a small mouth Block 30,given the time period,do not add the beer can mod on the wings and the AIM-120 launch rails,those came later in it's career.Our unit flew small mouth Block 30's for 12+ years.The instructions should give the details for the jet,I don't have the sheet so I couldn't tell you if the info was added

The best kit would be the Tamiya F-16C/N kit,it has the best detail OOB,but the Hasegawa F-16C/CJ kit will get you there as well,just make sure the release has the GE exhaust in the box.

Also,the decals you mentioned might not fit the Tamiya kit given that the sheet is roughly 20+ years old,Afterburner just came out with decals(sized for the Taiya kit) for the jet you are wanting to do plus 5 other Bentwaters Aggressors,their instructions are excellent and will tell you what to have to mod/de-mod on the kit.

Bentwaters Aggressors

[MikeC]

Thanks guys, looks like an F-16 to add to my Woodbridge/Bentwaters collection is a goer.

Now all I need to do is find decals for a 512th FIS Sabre-Dog and it's nearly complete.

Thanks again,