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F-16 from Minibase


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This could very much be the benchmark kit for the F-16 in 1/48. The reason for this view is the fact the the F-16 is nearing it`s operational end (although Lockheed Martin will have us belive otherwise) and that there are so many decent/ good/ excellent kits out there. It seems that the F-16B family model has the front fuselage/ cockpit 3D printed - wow! I hope that the kit will include the RWR antennas on the parabrake housing and provision to drill a hole for the ID light (called Russian light in RNoAF) on the port side. Also hoping for tinted canopy - not just a clear one. Butl Minibase looks truly spectacular - could be this years winner. Let`s see how it builds🤨.

 

I will have to start saving.....

 

Check Six and build something (an F-16 of course!)

 

Edited by WouldbeIceman
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The L shaped panel and the negative fuel pressure relief valve is the wrong shape/orientation for the F-16 A/B. This is the upper panel on the starboard side immediately aft of the upper fuselage join line. 

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1 hour ago, habu2 said:

The L shaped panel and the negative fuel pressure relief valve is the wrong shape/orientation for the F-16 A/B. This is the upper panel on the starboard side immediately aft of the upper fuselage join line. 

But it is correct for Taiwan's A/B which is what Minibase is modeling.

 

f-16v.jpg

 

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49 minutes ago, Crash Test Dummy said:

But it is correct for Taiwan's A/B which is what Minibase is modeling.

 

f-16v.jpg

 

 

Did not know this was supposed to be specifically a Block 20 kit.

 

FWIW Taiwan's Block 20 jets are essentially Block 52 airframes with MLU/CCIP cockpits and the smaller vertical tail base from the A/B design. 

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I'm interested to see how Minibase will treat the landing gear and bays; their design approach seems to be high parts count to get a level of detail similar to resin sets.

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Anyone know if it’ll come with the light weight gear or the heavy weight gear? The block 20 had the light weight ones originally then when they all got upgraded to F-16V standards they were uprgraded with the heavy weight gear found on F-16 block 40 and above. They are the only F-16A/B original airframes to have it.  Only other oddity is Greek F-16 block 30’s. They have the heavy weight gear too. 

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On 5/14/2023 at 8:25 AM, achterkirch said:

Anyone know if it’ll come with the light weight gear or the heavy weight gear? 

 

I don’t think anyone here knows any more about this release than anyone else.  I’m still confused if this is even going to be an injection molded kit or a 3D printed kit. 

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On 5/12/2023 at 10:09 PM, Buckmeister said:

I’m confused. Aren’t Minibase kits injection molded?  What we’re seeing here is 3D printed.  Are these just mockups off the CAD for an injection molded kit?

These are just mockups, it's very common to prototype with 3D printed parts to debug the CAD before committing to making molds. Molds are expensive, 3D printed parts are dirt cheap in comparison. From my experience with 3D printed parts, I wouldn't use the photos we've seen as a indication of the final fit and finish what the injected kit will turn out like.

 

Britmodeller has a thread on this kit that is more informative and still has working images.

 

All information to date has been that this is a Taiwanese F-16A/B Block 20. No mention of other variants or the F-16V upgrade has been mentioned. The Taiwan Block 20 is a unique configuration that has differences from every other F-16 user in existence, so this kit might present some challenges to adapt to other variants. At a minimum some of the panel lines will probably be off for other A/B models.

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