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86 TFW Ramstein F-16


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So I’m looking into doing one of their block 30 jets from around 92 into 93.  Specifically either 85-1455 or 85-1458.  I’m using the 1/72 Tamiya F-16 and I know most of the tweets that I need to do like add the lights to the main gear and delete them off of the nose gear, make a small mouth intake (hardest part) and swap out the later bulged MLG doors for the earlier one’s. but one thing I cant really find out is if those jet were fitted with the beer can RWR on the wing leading edge.  I can’t remember if the block 30 had those standard from the factory or if they were a retro fit later on.  Does any body know if they had them around this point?  

 

One more thing too, did the 86 TFW use the shallow or deep ALQ-131?

 

Also so here’s a full list of tweaks that I have made is there anything else I should add?

-Fill two chaff and flare buckets on port side (not the ones right across from each other)

-Add lights to the main gear and delete them off NLG door

-Make a small mouth intake

-Use older style block 30 wheels 

-Battery is blue 

-Add actuator to NLG door

-Tail top beacon needs to be square?

-Early style main gear doors and actuators 

-Smaller center line pylon off a Revell kit.

 

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Block 30/32 did not originally have the beer cans on the LEFs.  They were part of the ALR-56 mod (replacing ALR-69) that rolled out in 1993 and was fitted to the fleet over a period of years.  So in ‘92 your jet would not yet have the beer cans, and maybe / maybe not in ‘93 or ‘94 or ???. You will have to check dated photos to confirm. 

 

Here is a pic of 85-1455 dated June 1993 and the beer cans do not appear to be present. 

 

https://www.jetphotos.com/photo/65242

 

The AirDoc book on USAFE Vipers covers the 86th during this time period. Pics of 1412, 1456, 1466, 1469, 1474 do not show the -56 antennas. It’s probably safe to say these jets didn’t get modded until they rotated back to the States and went to various ANG / Reserve units. 

 

.

 

Edited by habu2
added pic link
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I wonder if you'd be better off starting from the Revell "A" and adding the "C" tail and GE engine? Much easier than backdating the Tamiya.

 

I also needed an early "C" for my Vermont ANG Viper and although it's a Block 25, most of the rest might apply to your planning.  Yours would be simpler with this approach from mine since you'd retain the Sidewinder wingtip rails, and it's already a small-mouth; wheels and landing lights are already what you need.  An Aries GE exhaust for the Hasegawa F-16 would fit perfectly (my build has the Aires PW exhaust for the Hasegawa, and it fit like a glove).

 

Here's the build with more details and how it worked:

https://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal16/15201-16300/gal15241-F-16-Desautels/00.shtm

Edited by Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy
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2 hours ago, Andrew D. the Jolly Rogers guy said:

I wonder if you'd be better off starting from the Revell "A" and adding the "C" tail and GE engine?

 

I also needed an early "C" for my Vermont ANG Viper and although it's a Block 25, most of the rest might apply to your planning.  Yours would be simpler with this approach from mine since you'd retain the Sidewinder wingtip rails, and it's already a small-mouth; wheels and landing lights are already what you need.  An Aries GE exhaust for the Hasegawa F-16 would fit perfectly (my build has the Aires PW exhaust for the Hasegawa, and it fit like a glove).

 

Here's the build with more details and how it worked:

https://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal16/15201-16300/gal15241-F-16-Desautels/00.shtm

Thats a great build Andrew!  

 

I thought about doing that as I have a Revell c in the stash but the Tamiya kit has more detail then the Revell and I wanted to try and make a conversion anyways for the small mouth intake so I can make other C versions. The Aires PW exhaust will work on the kit too and I wanted to make more versions that have the small mouth intake so I figured I would make a conversion. 

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  • 1 month later...
On 8/25/2019 at 9:56 AM, Quixote74 said:

This photo from Wikipedia clearly shows the "shallow" ALQ-131:

.......

But this shot from F-16.net *seems* to show the deep pod:

.......

 

Note the first photo is of an early Block 30 and the second photo is of a Block 25. This indicates the photos are from different time periods as the 86th would not have a wing of jets with different engines (PW & GE) at the same time. 

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The 86TFW started conversion from the F-4E to the F-16C block 25 during 1986, but the transition was extended into 1987 as they switched to F-16C block 30 with GE engines. So the 2 lower ones are from 1986. 

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