2022 F-16 Group Build: IDF/AF F-16D Barak

[kurnass77]

Hello gents,

this is my proposal for the group build, the Academy 1/72 F-16CG kit converted to a F-16D Block 30 Barak using the CMK set. I know that the Academy kit have some issue, but hope to rectify them with the help of CMK resins and /or other alternative solutions. I've many Revell and a Tamiya kit in the stash, so I maybe can cast some bits frome these kits to improve the incrimined areas of the Academy's.

 

Now some mandatory shots of the kit and the various AM sets.

 

 

 

 

 

Some decals sheets to use, still not sure the Squadron to rapresent, if the Scorpions or the #074 of the Valley squadron ( with the Ababil drone kill mark)

 

 

 

 

And the ref books ( I've also the other two Melampy books and the DACO one)

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know honestly if the CMK air intake is a large mouth that I need, so if someone know an AM to use plese let me know, as for any help/tips.

Hope to start soon guys, for now thanks to stop by!

 

 

Gianni

Edited March 3, 2022 by kurnass77

[Thadeus]

Nice project! I did something similar when I restarted building models. Or actually buthered. AFAIK, the CMK had both the small mouth and large mouth resin pieces - they were in F-16I and Polish/Greek conversions. I simply can't wait for first cuts 😉

[kurnass77]

On 3/3/2022 at 10:47 PM, Thadeus said:

Nice project! I did something similar when I restarted building models. Or actually buthered. AFAIK, the CMK had both the small mouth and large mouth resin pieces - they were in F-16I and Polish/Greek conversions. I simply can't wait for first cuts 😉

 

Thanks Thad.

Today I'd some spare time and decided to check what to do and removed the resin casting block of the forward fuselage and ... well CMK set is CRAP.

The fuselage part is shorter of at least 2,5-3mm, the way is casted is very strange and there haren't even something you can call fit.

The resin intake and wheel bay the same, the latter is shorter of about 1,5 mm and the large mouth intake is impossible to be fitted as isn't even close at how Academy designed the kit part to fit.

I'm relly furious and don't reccomand to buy the conversion, the best thing is that someone produce a dorsal spine to be fitted maybe to a RoG F-16 as this brand have the two seater in his catalogue ( bought another one past week).

I don't take pics as I was really pissed today but in the next days I'll show what I mean.

For now I started reorganize the ideas; one is to use the conversion as best is possible, try tu fit yhe two upper fuse halves at the best I can and cast acopy of the RoG nose cone to use in place of the Academy/CMK onen as also the intake if possible, using the internal trunk from the box and the external large mouth of RoG, fortunately my RoG C will be and IDF F-16C Block 30, and all these Block in Israeli use are equipped with the original small mouth.

As last resort, I'll save the CMK spine and use the RoG F-16B/D instead of the Academy.

Sorry for this long post by I'm really angry actually. Unfortunately the other option, the Wolfpack Design conversion for the Revell kit is almost impossible to find or have price that in my current situation I can't afford.

Anyway stay tuned for any progress.

 

Gianni

 

[Thadeus]

I remember there was some issue in the nosecone area being different. I resolved it by cutting off either the nosecone, or just aft of the front instrument panel. But there was a lot of fuss to get it right. Check the panel lines on the models to see which ones align. As i bought two or three of conversions I kind of figured the better way was to use the spine on the Hasegawa D kit and use the cockpit parts to detail up the pit.

I suspect the CMK part is "influenced" by the Hasegawa kit. Besides, If You flunk it up, I have a spare CMK resin front fuselage 😉

 

[kurnass77]

Thanks my friend.

I think that the best solution will be to made the cuts on the kit fuselage and glue the CMK part. At thi point if I align correctly the two fuse halves, there are no wy the the radome join correctely, so also because the nose have some issue, the best thing to do is cut away the whole radome and glue in place a copy of the RoG or Tamiya one.

The air intake is also disappointing, but there I'm confident to solve more easily, if you remember my Fujimi Netz I used the CMK intake to replace the kit original.

But I'll wait some days before can work on the model.

I used other resin part from CMK in the past but no one presented such issue... Started to think if buy a Eagle Design conversion for the Barak to use on one of the RoG kits in the stash, but these will left anyway a bitter taste as I hate waste models/money this way!

 

Gianni

[HOLMES]

Super duper choice. 

looking ahead to see more.

Following with much enthusiasm. 

[kurnass77]

On 3/7/2022 at 7:28 PM, HOLMES said:

Super duper choice. 

 

 

 

I hope mate...

Thanks to stop by, always a pleasure have you on board!

 

 

Gianni

[Kurt H.]

Nice project, with that AM, and references you will have a great F-16. Thanks for joining the Group Build, and I apologize for missing your entry until now.

[kurnass77]

Thanks Kurt and no need to apologize at all!!!

 

 

Gianni

[kurnass77]

Good night people,

last time I left a bitter review of the CMK conversion, so now want show you why.

This is the forward upper fuselage of CMK compared with the kit fuselage for which was designed

Desèite not clearly visible from this angle, the resin part is put on the same line of the panel that will be cut away to make room for the resin; is evident how much short is

 

 

These explain better...

 

 

 

The problem isn't only in this area.

This is the air intake, again designed for the Academy kit

 

 

 

 

Totally impossible to fit without  a good quantity of elbow' grease.

And the MLG bays...

 

 

 

Fortunately, the wheel bay of the unlucky defunt Attack Squadron designed for the Tamiya kit fit almost like a glove with the benefit of a better detailed part. I searched on the net for another one, but all I found was one example n Ebay for something like 50+ Euros, Definitively ano-no for me, so I decided to cast a copy in the next days

 

 

 

So, after reading this thread of the fellow ARCer Jannissary I decided that this is the way I will try, also thank to the offer of the firend Thadeus that kindly offer me the forward upper fuselage of a RoG kit ( with a bonus of a Hasegawa dorsal spine for a seconf Barak...).

So today thanks also to the DACO drawings, I prepared the kit fuselage for the necessary cut

 

 

 

So for now that's all, in the next days I'll proceed to cut and maybe start work to adapt the air intake and ,with a usable  copy, to the MLG bay.

Waiting for the parts by Thadeus, probably I can start also the work on the loadout.

 

For now thanks to stop by and hope to show some juicy progres ASAP

 

Gianni

[kurnass77]

This morning I'd some free time so decided to cut away the kit pit, tried to be as cleanest as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

Also, before start eventually to fight with the resin intake of CMK, I decided to give a chance to kitbashing the inner trunk and the upper portion ( red arrow) of the Academy's with a slightly modified part from the RoG box. Think can be a potential solution, what do you think?

 

 

 

 

Workinf with plastic parts is way easy, cleanest and healty, so before reverting to the resin air intake will try work with part donated from the various kit in the stash.

Also, I've a Aires resin pit taht will try to use in this model

 

 

Thanks for watching,

 

Gianni

[kurnass77]

Hello guys,

I made very few progress as I haven't too much time to spare for the build, anyway.

Last time I left the thread waiting the arrival of the prts sent me by Thadeus and kitbashing the air intake, well I'll see what I obtained. Starting with the intake , I was able more or less to obtain a decent result. The Academy and Revell parts don't match well and required first some plasticard to fill the canyons between the parts, followed by some Tamiya Epoxy putty followed by Gunza Mr Dissolved putty to smooth all. This is true also for the internal trunk, that received also a coat of Mr Surfacer 1200

Note that I placed a pair of plasticard spacer between the air trunk and the external part of the intake to best fit with the kit lower fuselage contours

 

 

The intake with all the filling job done. Obviously, the extensive putty and sanding of the parts required pratically an almost total rescribing of the panel lines

 

 

The air trunk was airbrushed with Mr Surfacer that revealed only a small seam on the upper part, as visible in the photo. Some sanding followed by a second layer of Mr Surfacer solved the issue, and now I've a seamless "big mouth" intake!

 

 

Again with Mr Surfacer I take the opportunity and used to replicate the stiffener situated at the base of the  nav light/ECM blisters...

 

 

But after checking again the ref pics, I noted that the fontal part of the stiffener will end more forward, overlapping the lips panel line, so i'd to respray the Gunze putty

 

 

 

Finally, the last week I received the parts that Thadeus had sent me, so I cut away the two-seat canopy fairing and added on my model.

The insert show the cut of the Revell donor fuselage

On the right side of the fuselage, I filled and sanded some panels that are tipical of the single seater version and rescribed the squared one present only in the two seater planes  and added the small grill present on him. Not particularly happy with this grill, I'll see if can improve this detail in some way...

 

 

In the meantime I started to look at the CMK spine. Immediately noted the the panel above the chaff & flare buckets are reproduced as raised parts, but in reality these're normal panel lines, so need to be removed and rescribed.

 

 

I started also to adapt the Aires pit to the fuselage, hope to show you more substantial progress ASAP, for now thanks allfor watching

 

Gianni

Edited April 11, 2022 by kurnass77

[Thadeus]

My god. I'd probably show my wife, had I build a grille like that... Lovelly work Buddy!