Jump to content

Markings on aggressor F-16s


Recommended Posts

I'm in the decal stage with a Tamiya F-16C block 32 which I'm doing as a Nellis plane in Flanker scheme using a Bullseye sheet. I have a question about the colors of markings/stencils and the presence/absence of wing walk lines:

 

The Bullseye sheet has two sets of markings for the same plane, 87-0267. One is in the Flogger scheme and is dated 1990. The second is in a Flanker scheme and is dated 2001. This is the scheme I'm doing. I say "a" Flanker scheme because there is a photo of the same plane at F-16.net in a different Flanker scheme with Red Flag markings dated 2002. I'm trying to replicate the plane as it appears in a photo from airliners.net, dated 2001, this time with normal AF serial number.

 

Here's the photo of the version airliners.net identifies as 2001:

https://www.airliners.net/photo/USA-Air-Force/General-Dynamics-F-16C-Fighting-Falcon-401/338412/L?qsp=eJwtjEEKwjAQRa8is7ZgFVLpTi%2BgCy8wJF8tVhMmAzaU3r1jcPd4//Nm8vGjmPRWEqinDBb/pC0lFn5n6md6oXyjBGO6N63bHLtmt3edfXIUPRfzgRUn75EU4e8vEiC/CdnX3MPyrQHkWpkOznwYchq5NqA8jLQsK9QhLyA%3D

 

Here's the entire gallery page for the plane at F-16.net. The top photo on the page ("Aircraft Profile") is another view, apparently from ca. 2001:

https://www.f-16.net/aircraft-database/F-16/airframe-profile/2293

 

The 2002 photo:

https://www.f-16.net/g3/f-16-photos/album38/album64/ace

 

As one can see, while the colors are the same, the areas of application are different. Further, the 2001 version has the "WA" in overall black or dark gray, while the 2002 version has it in black with white shadow.

 

Okay, so here are my questions (sorry it's taken so long):

1. In the 2001 photos, are the wing walk lines present? In the airliners.net photo they might be faintly visible, but I can't make them out at all in the F-16.net photo. While the Bullseye instructions call for the lines to be applied both for 1990 and 2001, the only photo at F-16.net clearly showing the lines is the last photo, Blizzard scheme taken in 2012, and the lines are really visible: I'm not counting the photo taken in 1989 with the plane still in standard F-16 camouflage with lighter walk lines. Were the walk lines generally re-applied at some point after repaints?

 

2. Is the WA most likely to be all black or all dark gray, slightly wider since it was painted over the black/white letters? That begs the question, was there any chronological logic for the three different applications of the "WA?" I'm leaning towards black since earlier incarnations of the plane seem to have had that.

 

3. The Bullseye instructions call for "dark gray" (really off-black) for all stencils. Apparently this includes the national insignia. Was there a specific time/date when stencils changed over from black to dark gray or vice-versa?

 

Thanks for wading through all of this!

Pip

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

1. I would say almost certainly no to the lines. TwoBobs did a sheet for this one at that time, and don't show any. Some of the newer schemes have them where older ones don't. 

 

2. Dark Gray, no they wouldn't be any wider. 

 

3. They have tended to go more with black on the newer schemes for the last ten years or so, replacing the gray. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

There are three different Flanker schemes, all using the same colours. The earliest one doesn't follow the (almost) standard pattern of the new Flanker, Flogger and Arctic Flanker schemes. This scheme has only been done by TwoBobs (48-254).

 

The second and third Flanker schemes are similar to each other pattern-wise. However, the second one has pale blue immediately aft of the radome while the third (and current) scheme has the medium blue aft of the radome. That's the easy way to tell those two schemes apart.

 

Now, it's the second Flanker scheme with normal line jet markings, you're looking for. Those markings were dark grey, and I am convinced that '67' didn't have walkway lines while in that scheme, nor did it after being repainted in the third Flanker scheme. '67' is featured on the first Afterburner Aggressor F-16 sheet 48-008, albeit also with the special 414 CTS markings on the tail fin. The instructions state no walkway lines at this point. That said, the walkway text stencils were probably applied, it's just the lines that were missing.

The scheme and markings you are looking for are on the very first TwoBobs sheet (48-001). However, being horribly incorrect the only useful decals for your project would the the bort number and the pilot's name. Serial number is way too small. Best bet is to source the dark grey markings from the Bullseye sheet.

The change-over to black markings and stencils appear to have happened when the third Flanker scheme was introduced.

 

Jens

Link to post
Share on other sites

As Jens stated there have been three versions (you're looking at the second version). To concur with everything he said as I go through all my photos, I would say this:

 

The second Flanker scheme seems to have always been dark gray markings (they often have black outlines). I don't see any walkway lines on versions 1 or 2. When the third (current) version was introduced in 2002, it seems they went to all black markings. Some walkway lines appear to show up between 2005 and 2007, and by 2011 it seems to be standard squadron wide (at least for the Flanker).  So, yeah, I would say Bullseye was right for 2001, dark gray - no lines.

 

Just to add to the party, here's my two versions, 267 done back in 2001 (incorrectly, I know)  The Twobobs sheets did have a lot of problems. I even got the rerelease, which was printed way too light, and both sheets fell apart. But, back in 2001 it was the coolest sheet I'd ever seen.20210210_020230.thumb.jpg.39b52fc3fb4e146b53269f6919ef0e8d.jpg

Edited by Camus272
Link to post
Share on other sites

Thank you Jens and Camus. That's really helpful. Just to confirm, on 87-0267 in the no. 2 Flanker scheme, WA is dark gray without black shadow, and national insignia are also dark gray, yes?

 

Based on what you say, am I right in assuming that this -

https://www.f-16.net/g3/f-16-photos/album38/album64/ace

 

- is the third Flanker scheme?

 

Were all the Nellis aggressors repainted as frequently as 0267 seems to have been?

 

Thanks again,

Pip

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes, all dark markings would be dark grey, including the national insignias.

 

The f-16.net picture shows the third Flanker scheme, yes.

 

I don't knpw whether they were repainted between PDM or only during PDM.

 

Jens

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...