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When the F-16 beat out the F-17 in the USAF's lightweight fighter competition, the Navy was instructed to look at a Navalized F-16 to supplement the expensive F-14 Tomcat. GD teamed up with Vought because of the latter's carrier aircraft experience. Three-four separate designs were considered. The main landing gear was beefed up, A-7 landing gear was used for the front gear, a fuselage plug was put in, the wing chord was increased, and a new radar was to be installed so that the AIM-7 Sparrow could be used. A heftier tailhook was put in place and the anhedral on the horizontal stabs was taken out. One last change was a forward-hinged canopy, ala the F-35. While the design never went anywhere (Northrop teamed with McDD to create the F-18), there were still design schematics and some artists' interpretations of what it would have looked like. One day I'll do a "serious" model with all the changes, but just for fun, I had the old Monogram F-16 and Revell/A-7 that had been parted out, so I thought it would be fun to do a "test" build and see how it would look. I had 1/72 decals for VF-21, so I went with those. Here's the result.

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Very cool! I like seeing a lot of the conceptual F-16s being built lately. This one is way down my list if I ever get through all of the operational ones. What brand of gray did you use? It looks "right" to me, as I usually have Gull Gray come out wrong.

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Very cool! I like seeing a lot of the conceptual F-16s being built lately. This one is way down my list if I ever get through all of the operational ones. What brand of gray did you use? It looks "right" to me, as I usually have Gull Gray come out wrong.

Thanks. The Gull Gray is MM Acryl. I really like that series of paints. I know most don't, but I've learned to work with them and I like how they turn out.

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Hey Darren, As you are like Tomcats, so I like Vipers. This is a great way to use the old Monogram F-16. I also like the A-7. We used to see them flying regularly around the Buckeye State, especially the western part of the state. We had 3 ANG units in Ohio that flew the A-7D. I really like how you "Navalized" your Viper. I hate to ask this, but can it be refueled? Just a simple question from a simple mind!!! HA! Great job, Darren.

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Hey Darren, As you are like Tomcats, so I like Vipers. This is a great way to use the old Monogram F-16. I also like the A-7. We used to see them flying regularly around the Buckeye State, especially the western part of the state. We had 3 ANG units in Ohio that flew the A-7D. I really like how you "Navalized" your Viper. I hate to ask this, but can it be refueled? Just a simple question from a simple mind!!! HA! Great job, Darren.

Yup. The refueling door is on the starboard side just under the canopy. I used the tech drawings from GD/Vought to try and get as close to what it would have looked like as possible.

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That's a really cool what if. I was never aware the Navy discussed this. I'm not saying it couldn't, but I don't think the F-16's airframe would take carrier landings well. the 341 bulkhead would really have to be beefed up.

I thought the same thing. I'm not sure what GD was going to do to make sure it could handle the stresses of carrier landings. I haven't come across that in what I've read. With that said, McDD and Northrop strengthened the F-17 airframe to make the -18, so I would assume that GD/Vought had some kind of plan if the design went forward. It still looks wierd in Navy colors, though.

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Hey Darren, As you are like Tomcats, so I like Vipers. This is a great way to use the old Monogram F-16. I also like the A-7. We used to see them flying regularly around the Buckeye State, especially the western part of the state. We had 3 ANG units in Ohio that flew the A-7D. I really like how you "Navalized" your Viper. I hate to ask this, but can it be refueled? Just a simple question from a simple mind!!! HA! Great job, Darren.

Yessir, I stand corrected in my orthopedic shoes! Thanks Darren.

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