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Israeli IDFAF F-16C Block 30B #360 query


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Hello All,

 

The particular aircraft stated on the title is of my interest for the last couple of days. One of my friends, Ufuk Aydıner in Turkey, wants to build a 115Th Squadron aircraft as the tail art appears very attractive. When we were chatting about the subject I reminded him that the squadron started to use the C models of F-16. Then we decided to check the web again to make sure which aircraft he can concentrate on. Looking at the pictures we came up with the picture of #360 (87-1671) that has MCID inlet '(big mouth).

According to the well known F-16.net the aircraft is a Block 30B version. We can almost confirm this also by the decal set published by Isradecal IAF-67 (they do not state the full version but state simply #360, dated 1986, as Block 30)

As far as I can remember the first MCID started to appear with F-16C/D Block 30D subversions.

But, as written above, the headshot of the same aircraft in 2017 definitely shows a MCID although according to the information we can reach dictates that it should be a NSI.

The only possibility of this difference could be that in its lifetime this #360's engine intake had been damaged and had had to be changed by the IAI.

It might be a very interesting subject if someone could confirm that #360 at first had the NSI and later had a change on its intake.

This information is also kind of vital to build the choice on the decal sheet mentioned above.

 

Thank You very much in advance.

 

Happy modelling,

Arkut Yüksel

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I have a copy of the F-16 Delivery Schedule from my time at GD.  Israel never received any Block 30B airframes from GD under Peace Marble II (PM II).  All  PM II C-model deliveries were Blocks 30, 30C, 30D and 30E.  All PM II D-model deliveries were Blocks 30A, 30D and 30F.  87-1671 was built as a Block 30 F-16C, and that is the full designation.  Also, the 87-xxxx prefix is the fiscal year in which the jet was contractually ordered.  87-1671 was delivered to the customer on 17 March 1987, so it could not have existed as #360 in 1986.

 

Regarding the inlet on #360, all PM II C-models had GE engines and NSI small mouth inlets as delivered from GD.  All PM II D-models were GE / MCID large mouth inlets.  At some point Israel had a plan to retrofit all the PM II C-models with MCID inlets.  #360 was modified with the large mouth inlet as a test but the program was canceled and all remaining C-models kept their small mouth inlets.  I assume #360 kept the MCID inlet but cannot confirm.  Since #360 may have been photographed with either inlet over it's lifetime, pictures could be confusing.

 

.

 

Edited by habu2
typo
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Thanks for the information.

You are actually right about the fiscal year and the delivery date. I skipped it somehow. nevertheless it was the second part of your reply that I needed for a confirmation. 

At last point it is now clear that the F-16Cs at first delivered with NSI so #360 should have that at its early times. Hence I suppose the decal's (IAF-67) version might be done with NSI.

As I said in 2017 #360 was still maintaining the MCID.

Thanks again.

Arkut

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