1/48th Hasegawa F-16DM, 89-2178, Blk 40, 510th FS, circa 2022

[A-10 LOADER]

1 hour ago, Niels said:

I have actually found photos from March 2022 with HG5 and even the tailband. Believe it was the first 510FS jet in HG5 and tailband. Some still don't have it (89-2046) 

Oh, even earlier, thanks Niels appreciate the info.

Steve

[Niels]

March 28, 2022 to be precise: 

General Dynamics F-16DM Fighting Falcon (401) - USA - Air Force | Aviation Photo #6839273 | Airliners.net

[strikeeagle801]

10 hours ago, A-10 LOADER said:

Thanks Chris. They really are quite amazing, my fear is that I won't do them justice.

Red Dog posted an article, in my thread over in the Research Corner, about the 510th deployed to Bagram AB from October 2018 - April 2019. It talked about them carrying GBU-54's as well as GBU-39's during that deployment. Nothing mentioned GBU-12's "slant loaded" on TER's but, she's capable of carrying them. My time frame is based around the period of when the jet received her HG5 paint scheme, sometime @ November of 2022 and forward, that's the earliest I could find. Weather she still carried GBU-12's on TER's, who knows but, the fact that she is capable of that load, it gives me some options.

As for the fuel tanks I'll be using the Kopecky Scale Model 600 gallon tanks, which is pretty much standard nowadays for Vipers.

Steve

US Vipers don't use the 600 gallon tanks. They only use the 370's. I can't find confirmation of this (I thought it said something in the Modern Viper Guide, but I checked the second edition, and it doesn't talk about the 600's at all). I think that they were tested at one point, but got less than stellar reviews because of weight/drag penalties and the fact that they used the "normal" bomb pylon that could not be jettisoned, whereas the 370 pylon jettisons with the tank, if it comes to that during combat. Kopecky produces the 370 tanks as does ResKit.

 

As far as the loadout goes, it is your model, but I personally prefer the two GBU-38's and two GBU-12's. That is my loadout for my Block 50 CJ when I get to it.

 

Aaron

 

ps. Those are 370's in the photo posted above.

Edited December 17, 2024 by strikeeagle801

[A-10 LOADER]

Thanks for the correction Aaron, seems I read incorrect info off another modeling site about the tanks.

Steve

[A-10 LOADER]

7 hours ago, Niels said:

March 28, 2022 to be precise: 

General Dynamics F-16DM Fighting Falcon (401) - USA - Air Force | Aviation Photo #6839273 | Airliners.net

Thanks Niels.

Steve

[habu2]

600 gal wing tanks were initially developed specifically for the Israeli Air Force.  Not sure if they were ever operational with any other user (including USAF/ANG etc)

[Niels]

55 minutes ago, habu2 said:

600 gal wing tanks were initially developed specifically for the Israeli Air Force.  Not sure if they were ever operational with any other user (including USAF/ANG etc)

They have been observed on Portugeese F-16A/B's but not on US F-16's beyond potentially testing. Might be Singapore have some, but can't remember right now. Hence mostly exclusive to Israel. 

[Thadeus]

I'll join the wagon on the mixed load of TER-9A slant loaded bombs (be it GBU-12's) and BRU-57 loaded 500 pounders. If You want something interesting, 77th FS was flying a GBU-54 and LAU-10 (i guess?) mixed load in 2015.

https://www.f-16.net/g3/f-16-photos/album38/album64/91-0345-1130259785

 

However the SDB load seems fun as well. I wanted it for my Viper, but the timeframe for me is off. 

 

 

[A-10 LOADER]

4 hours ago, Thadeus said:

I'll join the wagon on the mixed load of TER-9A slant loaded bombs (be it GBU-12's) and BRU-57 loaded 500 pounders. If You want something interesting, 77th FS was flying a GBU-54 and LAU-10 (i guess?) mixed load in 2015.

https://www.f-16.net/g3/f-16-photos/album38/album64/91-0345-1130259785

 

However the SDB load seems fun as well. I wanted it for my Viper, but the timeframe for me is off. 

 

 

That's a LAU-131 rocket launcher with AGR-20A, Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS), laser guided rockets.

Steve

Edited December 17, 2024 by A-10 LOADER

[strikeeagle801]

10 hours ago, A-10 LOADER said:

Thanks for the correction Aaron, seems I read incorrect info off another modeling site about the tanks.

Steve

Not a problem. You've helped me several times. Glad I could return the favor. Good luck with the rest of the build...I'll be following along. 

 

Aaron 

[A-10 LOADER]

On 12/17/2024 at 6:48 PM, strikeeagle801 said:

Not a problem. You've helped me several times. Glad I could return the favor. Good luck with the rest of the build...I'll be following along. 

 

Aaron 

Thanks Aaron.

 

I didn't get as much accomplished this week as I wanted but, some progress is still better than nothing.

Steve

 

The aircrew received their base color for their flight suits.

 

 

The seats were painted Light Ghost gray.

 

Added the anti-collision strobe light, made from a piece of clear rod and, a static discharger made from a piece of wire to the top of the tail.

 

Added flanges to the UHF antenna using .010" sheet plastic.

 

Removed the mold seam on the canopy and polished it up.

[ST0RM]

Steve,

 

Here's a Eglin test F-16C, I photographed back in 2006. It's carrying the 600gal tanks, in addition to the CFTs. The tank size is very noticeable. 
Great progress! 
-Jeff

[A-10 LOADER]

Thanks Jeff, yeah there's a big difference.

Steve

[habu2]

A USAF Block 40 with CFTs. interesting.  Yes I know it's a test sqn.

[A-10 LOADER]

Some recently arrived items for the build.

Steve

 

 

 

Still deciding if these will go on Station # 7 or, a TER with GBU-12's "slant loaded". If I don't use these for this build I'll use them on one of my Academy A-10C builds down the road.

 

 

 

https://hosting.photobucket.com/82bbffef-f34a-4318-a6ca-f9f6698b4185/3b99e93f-2c36-4e53-aaf1-ea22baf44e41.png

 

A dab of CA gel glue secured the  MV lens ( LS-22 ) for the seeker head on the Flightline Resin AIM-9X.

Edited December 20, 2024 by A-10 LOADER

[Gator52]

Do the Reedoak figures need any special cleaning/prep?

Chris

[A-10 LOADER]

5 minutes ago, Gator52 said:

Do the Reedoak figures need any special cleaning/prep?

Chris

No, I went straight to primer.

Steve

[Gator52]

Ok thanks.  I'll place my first Reedoak order soon, and learn from watching your painting techniques!

 

Chris

[A-10 LOADER]

22 hours ago, Gator52 said:

Ok thanks.  I'll place my first Reedoak order soon, and learn from watching your painting techniques!

 

Chris

😆 Don't watch me brother, I am not a figure painter. I'm just praying I don't screw them up. 🤞

Merry Christmas 🎄 🎅 ⛄

Steve

Edited December 24, 2024 by A-10 LOADER

[Thadeus]

Very nice bunch of resin stuff. Wonder how You will find these BRU-57's.

[A-10 LOADER]

11 minutes ago, Thadeus said:

Very nice bunch of resin stuff. Wonder how You will find these BRU-57's.

They look extremely nice upon initial inspection of the box when they arrived but, I'll know more once I get to them. I can say this, they're packaging is top notch ! Way better than anything else I've ever received and, this is from a war torn country.

Steve

[Gator52]

On 12/24/2024 at 8:01 AM, A-10 LOADER said:

😆 Don't watch me brother, I am not a figure painter. I'm just praying I don't screw them up. 🤞

Merry Christmas 🎄 🎅 ⛄

Steve

 

Right on, Merry Christmas to you too!

Chris

[A-10 LOADER]

Updates for the Viper Part #1,

A lot of tedious tasks were accomplished this past week.

I got all the missiles "pinned" to their respective pylons using .020" brass rod.

 

The Kopecky Scale Models center line pylon pinned to the fuselage using .032" brass pins. The bomb rack is a separate piece which will make painting easier.

 

Since I'm adding the Kopecky Scale Models ALE-50 wing pylons to my jet, I needed to modify the Hasegawa missile rails to fit the pylon. They were cut to fit the slot in the pylon, then I added a piece of .010" plastic to each side.  This whole assembly gives the missile rail a nice snug fit without using any glue. I'll add my usual pins to the ALE-50 pylons so I can paint things separately and, attach them to the wings during final assembly.

 

 

 

Thanks for looking,

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 26, 2024 by A-10 LOADER

[A-10 LOADER]

Part #2,

I punched out a disk of this to use as the seeker head for the Sniper pod, which is from the Hasegawa Weapons Set E. I painted the seeker head interior black, attached the disk and, glued the glass in place.

 

 

The KA Models resin exhaust nozzle was attached to the kit part using two-part epoxy.

 

 

Finally, a few decals were added to the Eduard seats and, the paint work was finished. I didn't paint the center sections of the seat or back to allow for attaching the aircrew with two-part epoxy. I'm also waiting to add the center ejection handles until after the aircrew are in the seats to see if there is any interference with anything.

Thanks again for looking,

Steve

[Mr.Happy]

Fantastic work.

 

‘’MR. HAPPY’’