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Italeri's 1/48 F-16C (Kit # 840)


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It's a very distant fourth place runner-up after Tamiya, Hasegawa, and even Kinetic kits. Unless you're just bent on spending $5 for a mediocre kit, I'd avoid it. Kinetic makes a much better A, as does Hasegawa.

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It's actually a very nice kit if you are looking for a quick weekend build.

I keep one in my stash just for that purpose.

I've also seen some really nice ones build up at shows.

You can usually get them really cheap at shows, add a seat and done.

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You asked for it!!!

This is a copy of a document drafted buy Mike V. of Sierra Hotel Models, a 25 year U.S. Air Force Crew Chief that has had hands on experience with every type and Nationality of F-16 flown.

Yea he's a bit critical when it comes to the F-16.

Curt

Edit; this was written before the Tamiya Kits appeared on the market.

Italeri F-16 kit Problems

As for the Italeri F-16 kits, they are fairly crude compared to the Hasegawa F-16's, which are by far the best, most accurate 48th Viper kits.

Note that the IAF F-16D isn’t anything close to a real Block 40 Israeli D.

- The spine is totally wrong and misshapen!

- No Bulged MLG doors, Block 40 or 50 wheels, NLG TAXI/LAND light assy, LEF RWR, or a cockpit that is even close to a C/D model

- At best, you can make an ok "B" model from the kit.

Here are some of the main problems I found with the basic kit, which will apply to all:

-General panel lines are close, but not as accurate as Hasegawa. The panel lines (in fact the whole kit) has soft detail and grainy finish.

-Radome is a bit short, and too pointed

-The cockpit is in a generic arrangement and only represents an A &/or B model.

-The glare shield is offset to one side, to the left if memory serves.

-Canopy(ies) is not blown and frame (real bad on the B/D models) base is to large, or tall.

-The intake mouth profile is not correct, but most will not notice it unless next to a Hasegawa kit.

-The upper fuselage plug (which depicts 1 or 2 seater) does not line up well and makes for allot of filling and rescribing to get it right.

- Both Gun muzzles don't look right and the A model type suffers from molding defects.

-Wheel wells are typical Italeri; all guess work and nothing close to the real thing.

-Wheels themselves are bad, being nothing close to anything the F-16 ever used.

-Though the landing gear itself is actually fairly nice in detail and accuracy (in some respects more so than Hasegawa) it has an inherent "fool End" squat when the kit is built up. It looks like the NLG is too tall and the mains were set to low in the design of the kit.

-The P&W nozzle has some weird molded ribs on the doughnut panel, as I have no idea what that is suppose to be or represent, other than it's wrong. Also, it is molded in the "puckered position and the turkey feather ends are way to thick.

-The GE nozzle, or what it was intended to be, is totally wrong. There are 14 turkey feathers on the kit part, as opposed to 12 on the real thing. Hasegawa F-16C & Revell F-16C/F-14D got it right!

-The upper & lower wing root panels (the cover panel where the wing meets the fuselage) are sunken in to which also results in an elongated step on the wing root panel.

-The vertical tail base for the C/D model is too rounded in shape, the LE scoop is poorly done, and the top of the tail is that of an A model.

-Trailing edges of the speed brakes are overly thick, and need to be thinned quite a bit.

-The wingtip rails have a real bad shape and fastener detail way over done, as is the rest of the weapons/stores.

-Don’t use the 370 wing tanks, as they are way off in shape as well, being way to blunt and rounded at the nose.

-Missing is the ECS shroud/exhaust (forward lwr. Lt. Wheel well), correct depiction of the Ammo load door (A-D models), and any of the major or basic lights: Landing, Taxi, and intake lights.

Edited by Netz
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Well it's no Tamiya or Hasegawa but with a replacement pit and engine nozzle it's not that bad of a build. Some of the boxings have interesting decal options and IIRC they are pretty crisp and thin. You get what you pay for....... :)

Here's a flashback for some of you...

http://web.archive.org/web/20080111110102/http://www.habu2.net/vipers/viperkits/48/more48.5.html

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I recently acquired the Italeri 1/48 F-16C "Barak". I understand that it's basically a Kinetic reboxing with a few extra parts thrown in, though.

Italeri's older F-16's have the wings and horizontal stabs molded as part of the fuselage. Any other manufacturers follow that configuration?

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I recently acquired the Italeri 1/48 F-16C "Barak". I understand that it's basically a Kinetic reboxing with a few extra parts thrown in, though.

Italeri reboxed Kinetic plastic in kits #2683 (F-16DJ) and #2686 (Israeli F-16C), as did Academy #12226 (KF-16D). The Italeri reboxes are the same plastic but the Academy rebox includes a weapons sprue from one of their recent F-15E(?) kits.

edit: the Eduard kits are also Kinetic kits with resin & PE bits added.

Italeri's older F-16's have the wings and horizontal stabs molded as part of the fuselage. Any other manufacturers follow that configuration?

Yes. Revell, Monogram and Esci in 1/48. Many 1/72 & 1/144 F-16 kits also share this feature.

Edited by habu2
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It all depends on what your intent is. Are you building it to display at a show, where it WILL be picked apart because of the kit's inaccuracies? Or are you building it to display at your home where it will simply look like a F-16 and you got it for cheap?

I build mine as a NSAWC F-16B, still in ex-Pakistan colors. I corrected the gear stance and replaced the nozzle with a spare from Hasegawa. In my case, it looks like what I intended it to be. Those that see it, have given compliments.

Being 100% correct isnt always the idea, although others will try and tell you it is.

-Jeff

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