Jump to content

(2022 F-16 Group Build)F-16XL #1


Recommended Posts

I bought this kit a few months ago from a friend. I am going to do it OOB and in the NASA livery.

51836368414_bdb500e7be_b.jpg

 

Cockpit tub and ejection seat are assembled. I filled the seams with Vallejo Plastic Putty. I've also base coated them with Mr Color Dark Gull Gray, but haven't taken the pictures yet. I like the Kinetic kit includes the throttle.

51836368354_9a38448fe0_b.jpg

 

51836750105_32fcf1217c_b.jpg

 

I assembled the two sections of the intake trunk and filled the seams. I'm going to do the pour method to paint these.

51836368559_6fafa61372_b.jpg

 

One thing I love about Kinetic kits is the amount of extras. I tried to make my load lighter by leaving the extra sprues at home when I went to the CoMMiES in-person build & bull. However, I did outsmart myself and left a sprue for the vertical stabilizer at home O_o. I got it together when I got home. Still need to fill seams and rescribe.

51836128328_1163825050_b.jpg

 

A question for the hive mind... I am not happy with the recommended colors for the P&W exhaust. Any suggestions out there?

 

Vern

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I painted the cockpit tub, but forgot to take a picture. The seat is going well, except... I managed to lose the ejection handle. Freakin' little parts for my sausage fingers. I have the Eduard set on order. Here's the seat.

 

51874359976_3d43e79194_b.jpg

 

51874677534_92b1c3cec1_b.jpg

 

The landing gear wells are base coated, with the main gear well coming along nicely.

51874677629_a56c8d0708_b.jpg

 

51874436613_874f958c42_b.jpg

 

I did the paint pour tonight. Crap, did that make a mess!

51875001580_11bd131b31_b.jpg

 

51875001555_62ec25ff75_b.jpg

 

No building until maybe Sunday. Visiting the daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter this weekend!

 

Vern

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 4 months later...

Finally back to this build after 3 contests (CoMMiESFest, ModelFest at Starfest, and Wonderfest) and one very difficult model.

 

I had to replace the pitot tube assembly on the ejection seat. I broke it during drybrushing. I'm not using any aftermarket on the kit except on the seat.

52155437459_727ed1bfc6_b.jpg

 

I tried something new on the cockpit and used a toothpick to paint the knobs and switches. Not entirely happy with how it turned out, but I learned.

52155687890_6818f67bb9_b.jpg

 

Fuselage has been painted and glossed for the wash. Still need to flat coat and drybrush.

52155437844_b2f585b917_b.jpg

 

I have been working on the exhaust, but haven't taken any pictures. Stay tuned!

 

Vern

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...

I have been working on many parts of the build, just not posting photos. Let's start with the exhaust.

I found a YouTuber who was building a Tamiya F-16 Aggressor and showed how he painted the exhaust and followed his example. I was very pleased with how mine turned out, so I put a coat of AquaGloss on it, let it dry overnight (I think. It may have been longer.), and decaled.

 

52206563097_936ac55024_b.jpg

 

I weathered with a Tamiya Panel Line Wash and sealed it with Alclad Light Sheen. I thought the decals were well protected, so I masked them off and hit the inside with Alclad Flat. Boy, I was mistaken about the decals being protected...

 

52282648226_aeae8306a9_b.jpg

52283136100_41ccb78e74_b.jpg

 

I scanned the decal sheet for a Kinetic F-16AM to get the replacement decals and printed them on decal paper. This was the first time I applied them and it gave acceptable results.

 

I found out I jumped the gun on the undercarriage. It wouldn't fit being fully built up, so I had to pull it apart, install, and put it back together.

 

52207593068_c4e25c0309_b.jpg

 

I am building this in the NASA livery, so I filled all the holes for the pylons and the AMRAAMs with rod. I then glued the fuselage halves together.

 

52281669367_a4c4e85fa5_b.jpg

 

I had to replace the intake de-icer because I broke the kit part and lost half of it 😞 I used strip styrene. I painted the intake lip and assembled the whole intake.

 

52281669787_958411ae5b_b.jpg52283136310_8895cc66de_b.jpg

 

I puttied with Vallejo Plastic Putty and cleaned it up with water.

 

52283136390_781e562623_b.jpg52281670122_b4d47fce53_b.jpg

 

I've primed it and will paint at least the top of it before installing.

 

More to come!

 

Vern

 

 

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 months later...

I took too much time off from this build to finish other projects. I am back at it.

 

I did a stupid thing a while back and decided to cut off the exhaust fairing from the top and bottom halves of the fuselage and use the one piece fairing. Well, the XL has a different contour than the A. So, I have been fixing that mistake. I started by filling the gap with 0.010" strip.

 

52462603022_5fa3cef7d7_b.jpg

 

52463568675_a76154a665_b.jpg

 

Next, I laminated the fairing to the correct diameter.

 

52463650983_ce83285887_b.jpg

 

You can see where I goofed and cut on the wrong side of my scribing tape. Next, sand, sand, sand...

 

52463386229_9c70bc72bc_b.jpg

 

The gaps required extra filling and I fixed my oops. The bottom contour wasn't quite right, either.

 

52463386079_5342a4bf16_b.jpg

 

52463569290_2dfd100e7d_b.jpg

 

I'm also working on the canopy so I can close up the cockpit and prime. I had to remove a nasty seam line. Future and Brasso to the rescue!

 

52478516566_7b8075728f_b.jpg

 

I was hoping to have it done for High Plains Con 31, which is today, but life got in the way.

 

Vern

Link to post
Share on other sites

Nice build of a really interesting aircraft (I wish I'd gotten a kit when they were available!), sorry that you had to re-do the exhaust fairing but it seems well on its way 👍

 

If you'd like to add the spin chute (assembled or only the brackets) they're available here by the way 😉 - I believe at lease the brackets were always on the XL, not sure why Kinetic skipped them.

 

Looking forward to seeing it completed,

 

Arnaud

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...