Dave Williams Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Thinking about doing the Kinetic F-16AM kit as a Penguin armed bird, but from what I understand the Norwegian F-16s only carried Penguin pre-MLU, while they were still F-16As. Was wondering how to correctly de-MLU the kit. My first thoughts are: Use the plain upper nose panel instead of the one with the IFF bird slicers Use a standard A IP instead of the C one with the two MFDs No SNIPER pod on the intake No LAU-129 rails or AIM-120. Just the old 16S210 rails and AIM-9L/M No PIDS pylon, just the standard mid-wing pylon No ALQ-131 pod? A/B style wheel hubs Does that sound about right? Am I missing anything? TIA. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 That's pretty much everything, assuming your pre-MLU is a Block 15 (vs 5 or 10). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 Thanks. I believe it would be a Block 15 since it has a 6xx tail number. One thing I think I forgot is to delete the landing lights on the nose gear door and put them back on the MLG legs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Niels Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Your assumptions are correct. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ST0RM Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Smaller stabs? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mawz Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 8 minutes ago, ST0RM said: Smaller stabs? On a Block 5 or 10, yes. On a Block 15, no as they came with the enlarged stabs. The MLU upgrade on the 5/10 included the Block 15+ enlarged stab. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Niels Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 The Norwegian F-16's where ordered in 2 batches; The first comprises serials 78-0272-78-0307, whereby 78-0272 to 78-0299 where block 1/5/10, 78-0300 was a "hybrid" between block 10/15, while the second batch covering serials 80-3658 to 80-3693 were all block 15. Later 2 off attrition replacements - 87-0711 and 87-0712 was bougth, which was block 15 OCU The block 1/5/10 were originally deliverd with tailplanes that was 15% smaller than the later block 15's, however all were changed to the same (large) type in the 90's, and subsequently all surviving aircraft where upgraded to Block 20 MLU, being renamed F-16AM/BM in the process. You can read more on the various blocks over on www.F-16.net Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WouldbeIceman Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 Hi! There seems to be o consensus that the MLU discontinued the provision for the Peguin mk.3. This is in fact incorrect. The reason why the Penguin was gradually phased out (after MLU was initiated) was due to that the political "climate" had changed and thus it was decided that the threat of a seaside invation of Norway was reduced considerably. The other problem was the VERY delicate nature of this incredible missile. Sensor fuzing, missile propellant and other electronical components were causing concern and required plenty of work. This gave us reliability concern and huge expenses. Around 2000 I belive that a Neville Dawson (?) visited Rygge AFB in the winter, to document F-16 MLU training in RNoAF. During the photoshoot "Swede" flew F-16 AM 297 from 332 sqn (with full MLU markings as in Revells 1/72 kit), with "Evil" in the Tiger F-5A from 336 sqn. 297 had dolly config (dual tanks), 2 x Penguin, 2 x AIM-9M and 2 x AIM-120. All "cold"/ inert. There is a picture of 297 from this photoshoot on f-16.net. I belive Dawson wrote for a magazine called Combat Aviation. Lockheeds own magazine Code One was also in "tow" and an article featured there as well. As for LAU-129, they were used for a short time prior to MLU. Mainly during Allied Force tin 1999 the RNoAF from our IRF flew with a mix of AIM-120A and AIM-9M, thus using LAU-129. Check Six! D-Ice Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Niels Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 The Penguin was already nearing the end of the operational life, and following the MLU M3 update the Penguin wasn't supported software wise hence the missile was discontinued. But up until then the Penguin saw some/declining use. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WouldbeIceman Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 That is correct Niels. So an early MLU could in theory carry up to 4 Penguins, together with 4 AIM-120 - quite a punch for a "lightweight fighter". Timeframe 2000 - 2005ish. D-Ice Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Niels Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 M3 was fielded in 2003, so no more Penguins after this. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted January 17, 2022 Author Share Posted January 17, 2022 One other question about the Norwegian MLUs. They only have one flare/chaff dispenser on the underside of each rear fuselage chine, correct? Not the three on one side and one on the other like on later Block C/Ds, right? I’m aware of them carrying PIDS type pylons with additional dispensers. TIA. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Niels Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 This has nothing to do with Norwegian MLU-upgraded F-16's, but rather the F-16A/B which only had one of each beneath the rear fuselage. This is also why the PIDS pylon was introduced, as the PIDS holds 3 chambers each for chaff or flares. The additional chaff/flare buckets beneath the fuselage was only introduced with 87-0218 which was the first FY87 F-16C built. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Williams Posted January 18, 2022 Author Share Posted January 18, 2022 Thanks, that’s what I thought. What about scab plates? Pictures of Norwegian F-16s over Afghanistan don’t show scab plates on the fuselage, but other pictures (I believe taken earlier) show the scab plates. We’re they originally applied as part of the MLU and later deleted? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Niels Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 Scab plates were only installed from ~2003 onwards, progressively throughout the fleet. So not on Penguin equipped F-16's. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jenshb Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 There is a a scab plate immediately behind the single seat canopy hinge. This was added early on - rrom 1985. In 1989 scab plates on the wingroot were added to cure cracks in the wing structure. The fuselage scab plates and "lawnmower blades" were much later as Niels mentions above. When I built my own Penguin-equipped F-16, that would be time-placed in early 90s (the Penguin became operational in 1989), so both reinforcements were required. Finished this model on the 6th June 2006:) It was also published in Model Aircraft Monthly when Neil Robinson was the editor. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Gremlin Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 On 1/12/2022 at 4:28 AM, WouldbeIceman said: Hi! There seems to be o consensus that the MLU discontinued the provision for the Peguin mk.3. This is in fact incorrect. The reason why the Penguin was gradually phased out (after MLU was initiated) was due to that the political "climate" had changed and thus it was decided that the threat of a seaside invation of Norway was reduced considerably. The other problem was the VERY delicate nature of this incredible missile. Sensor fuzing, missile propellant and other electronical components were causing concern and required plenty of work. This gave us reliability concern and huge expenses. Around 2000 I belive that a Neville Dawson (?) visited Rygge AFB in the winter, to document F-16 MLU training in RNoAF. During the photoshoot "Swede" flew F-16 AM 297 from 332 sqn (with full MLU markings as in Revells 1/72 kit), with "Evil" in the Tiger F-5A from 336 sqn. 297 had dolly config (dual tanks), 2 x Penguin, 2 x AIM-9M and 2 x AIM-120. All "cold"/ inert. There is a picture of 297 from this photoshoot on f-16.net. I belive Dawson wrote for a magazine called Combat Aviation. Lockheeds own magazine Code One was also in "tow" and an article featured there as well. As for LAU-129, they were used for a short time prior to MLU. Mainly during Allied Force tin 1999 the RNoAF from our IRF flew with a mix of AIM-120A and AIM-9M, thus using LAU-129. Check Six! D-Ice Thanks for this information, I would like to do a MLU with Penguin as a farewell mission plane/system in a F-16BM regards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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