New tool F-16AM MLU in 1:48 announced by Kinetic

[flanker27]

Just curious Raymond, is the Kineticmodel webpage going to be updated?

[boom175]

Does anyone know if the new Block 30 Texas ANG boxing has the MCID (Big Mouth) intake? in the kit?

[Plastictiger]

The Texas boxing is Block 30 so it will come an extra tree that has the big mouth intake and the F110 engine. Same tree is in the D model kit. Every kit has the NSI intake and F100 so with this boxing and the D you get both.

[longmc]

On 4/30/2023 at 5:03 PM, Raymond Chung said:

The shipment landed in US Last week and send to FedEx/UPS, now it should show you the FedEx/UPS tracking, if not please contact our customer services.

I have yet to receive anything, and just now got a shipping email from lucky models stating the container has shipped? 

[sigtau]

16 hours ago, longmc said:

I have yet to receive anything, and just now got a shipping email from lucky models stating the container has shipped? 

Wow, you actually got an email that the container was shipped?  I've repeatedly asked customer service for actual info for 4 months, all I get is excuses.  I even told CS that Raymond Chung himself told me to ask for assistance on getting my tracking number that should have already shipped to me.

[AnnaElizabeth1]

I just got my parcel from Lucky Model's USA warehouse, it has the 1/48 F-16A MLU NATO Viper and a F-16A/B ROCAF "70th Anniversary Flying Tigers".

 

 I ordered on May 5th, and I got both kits for not much more than I've seen the MLU itself go on ebay, so I'm pleased. The new MLU Viper presents beautifully in-box, I'm looking forwards to starting it. 

 

 I found a Hobby Fan 1/48 female ROCAF pilot figurine running to "Scramble" her jet, so when that arrives, that's the plan for this kit.

[longmc]

My kit arrived today from HK. 

I noticed the site has been updated to show if items are in stock at the US warehouse. that's a nice change.

[Solo]

Nice aftermarket just announced:

[sigtau]

1 hour ago, Solo said:

Nice aftermarket just announced:

 

This looks like a great set for the kit.  The kit cockpit is just a rehash of the original tooling.  I actually used the Quinta F-16A set for old Kinetic kit in my build.  It fit with just a small amount of trimming on the outside edges of the tub.

However, the kit IP coaming is slightly out of proportion to the real thing (unchanged from the original tooling).  This set appears to have fixed that issue, much like the Hypersonic F-16A replacement IP and coaming.

[Brad-M]

I picked up the MLU kit from a private sale, like so many have mentioned, it looks great in the box. No warping of parts at all. So, my next question is, can I build the RNoAF scheme without adding or subtracting details in the kit? Has anyone even done a complete review of this kit, including the decal options? Can each decal option be built within the box?

 

TIA

[jenshb]

In this period, the RNoAF aircraft would with a very high level of certainty have the strengthening plates on top of the wing roots (just ahead of the flaperons) and a small plate just below the  canopy hinge.  The former were added in the mid-late 80s, the latter would be added in the mid-80s.  None of these are included in the kit, although the latter is easy to make from a bit of Evergreen plastic strip.  The short answer to your question is therefore "no".

[WouldbeIceman]

The list of mods to make Kinetic a correct MLU (whatever that means to the builder) would take some serious rescribing and adding multiple aftermarket sets. But if you`re happy with building it straight from the box that can be done. It will not be a block 5/10/15 or MLU. I`ve said it many times - the MLU is the most challenging F-16 versions to get "right/ correct", due to the fact that the airframe was heavily modified over the years. And different nations had the need for different mods, mostly to cracks in the fuselage, but also avionics, pods, RWR, RAM panels +++.

I prefer a small mouth Tamiya as a starting point - but that`s just me. Kasl has a wondeful set for the fuselage mods and Daco has the only correct set for the strenghtening plates and RAM for a MLU. Minicraft makes a fantastic late ACES seat. That is the basic mods. Pitot from Master, pylons from Kopeckys, wheels from Reskit, nozzle from Gloria - there is endless sets for superdetailing this kit. One could easily end up with a "resin pig", requiring metal landing gear and expanding the morgage😜 I am very much looking forward to the Minibase F-16 MLU Block 20. The airframe will have differences from the RNoAF MLU (and other MLU`s), but the pictures look fantastic. Let`s see!

 

Check Six and build something!

 

[habu2]

MLU and Block 20 are two Very Different jets......

[WouldbeIceman]

Yep Habu2 - just like I said. But maybe it will be a better starting point for a "correct" RNoAF MLU - the waiting game is on!

 

[sigtau]

5 hours ago, Brad-M said:

I picked up the MLU kit from a private sale, like so many have mentioned, it looks great in the box. No warping of parts at all. So, my next question is, can I build the RNoAF scheme without adding or subtracting details in the kit? Has anyone even done a complete review of this kit, including the decal options? Can each decal option be built within the box?

 

TIA

The kit is essentially a block 52 viper with some early block parts thrown in the box to make it resemble an early block viper.  I won't rehash the specifics as they are sprinkled throughout this thread already.  But the bottom line is it's going to take a ton of work to make it accurate for anything older than a block 25 airframe.

[Dave Williams]

I’ve got the 2022 MLU kit with the new Quinta cockpit and scab plate set on the way, Eduard IRIS-T, ALQ-131, seat, and SNIPER pod, ResKit exhaust, and plan to build a Norwegian aircraft, even though the kit decals don’t have the correct fin flash for what I’m doing.  But based on this thread, I may was well just bin all it because it’s a horrible piece of poop.  Or not.

[Brad-M]

The great thing about the hobby is that there is room in it for everyone. Those who like accuracy, those who build it as is, and those in between.

 

BTW, I was thinking of grabbing the book F-16A/B/C/D Fighting Falcon by DACO Productions, is this a good book for reference?

 

TIA

[sigtau]

57 minutes ago, Dave Williams said:

I’ve got the 2022 MLU kit with the new Quinta cockpit and scab plate set on the way, Eduard IRIS-T, ALQ-131, seat, and SNIPER pod, ResKit exhaust, and plan to build a Norwegian aircraft, even though the kit decals don’t have the correct fin flash for what I’m doing.  But based on this thread, I may was well just bin all it because it’s a horrible piece of poop.  Or not.

Even if you don't try to go full cray-cray on accuracy, it's still a somewhat miserable experience. 

 

Just basic quality issues like the very large step along the wing roots will leave you frustrated.  The step on mine was around 0.2mm high.  It looked horrible after primer, so I took the time to scribe/sand/scribe/blend it to look correct.  The final product isn't perfect, but I called it good enough and painted the camo.    

 

[Brad-M]

On 9/13/2022 at 7:00 AM, Dave Roof said:

 

 

Do these links represent something?

[bashace]

I'm seriously considering doing a sledge hammer video on yt like that guy who was trying to build the Kinetic Sufa. I am so burned out on the 1 step forward, 2 step back build quality of the previous F-16 line, I will never....I mean NEVER, consider wasting my time on another Kinetic F-16 kit, don't care how new it is, how good it looks in the box, how many weapons it comes with, the price point, or even being in the same sentance with Tamiya, not going to happen! 

[Brad-M]

On 12/2/2022 at 6:00 PM, Niels said:

Here's a link to a MLU updated RNoAF jet however without strengtheners mounted. This photo is from 2002, the strengtheners started appearing on RNoAF jets a couple of years later from what I have seen. They were gradualy introduced, hence took time to go fleet wide. 
aeo.jpg photos | F-16.net

 

#690 taken 3 years later by myself, no strengtheners 

aij.jpg photos | F-16.net

 

Here is a pic of 680 which is one of the decal options - again without strengtheners, taken ~2004ish 
680_001.jpg photos | F-16.net

 

By time of retirement, the entire RNoAF fleet had the strengtheners, so again; depending on the timeframe of the aircraft you want to depict, strengtheners are not necessarily installed. 

Thanks for posting these Niels!

[Brad-M]

On 12/16/2022 at 5:58 PM, Dave Roof said:

The Kinetic kit was boxed as an MLU, and from what I gather, the plates were a standard feature on most of those airframes. Modelers made the assumption the required parts to build most MLU aircraft would be in the box.

Exactly, and this is why I purchased the kit. If you print MLU NATO Viper on the box, it should provide you with everything in the box to build it, except seal belts. My opinion, YMMV.

[Raymond Chung]

5 hours ago, Brad-M said:

Exactly, and this is why I purchased the kit. If you print MLU NATO Viper on the box, it should provide you with everything in the box to build it, except seal belts. My opinion, YMMV.

Well base on your comment is those option included in other kits maker staying the kit is F-16A ? Like Hasegawa Academy Monogram Revell ? Or if Tamiya stay this is block 25 are the plate included ? 

[Brad-M]

On 8/12/2023 at 5:48 PM, Raymond Chung said:

Well base on your comment is those option included in other kits maker staying the kit is F-16A ? Like Hasegawa Academy Monogram Revell ? Or if Tamiya stay this is block 25 are the plate included ? 

I thought we were talking about the Kinetic kit? Anyway, why not add the plates? Saying that Kinetic didn't to make room for the AM companies is a cop out in my opinion. I will endeavour to build the kit, because I want a RoNAF F-16 jet in my collection. I hope I enjoy it.

Edited August 14, 2023 by Brad-M
typo

[Buckmeister]

On 8/14/2023 at 7:13 AM, Brad-M said:

I thought we were talking about the Kinetic kit? Anyway, why not add the plates? Saying that Kinetic didn't to make room for the AM companies is a cop out in my opinion. I will endeavour to build the kit, because I want a RoNAF F-16 jet in my collection. I hope I enjoy it.

 

So when you say “everything” in the box to build it - that should include a full engine, hydraulic lines on the gear struts, brake pads, valve stems, and all of the radar and avionics boxes?  

 

I expect you’re going to be a very disappointed person if you expect every kit to have every single thing “needed” (which is a word you need to define) to be in every box.