G.W.H F-16I Sufa first of a family

[Dave Williams]

The Minibase kit that doesn’t exist?

[potez]

Minibase ones looks like it’s not possible to be made in injection technology. They will add it as 3D print or have to be modified to be made in polistyrene.

Edited October 18, 2025 by potez

[Solo]

Sprue E:

[ya-gabor]

On 10/17/2025 at 8:05 AM, Niels said:

@Hoosfoos In case you're not aware, this thread is about the GWH kit. There is a paralell thread on the upcoming Israeli F-16's to be released by Kinetic.
But agree this looks promissing, 2 F-16I's in new molds - Xmas is comming early this year for sure!

 

As for the Minibase

I can only repeat the above comment.

 

Best regards

Gabor

 

Edited October 18, 2025 by ya-gabor

[Niels]

@ya-gabor Nice shots of the sprues, thanks. Did you also get or find photos of the spine, given that the upper fueselage has grooves for it? 
A bit of shame that it does, as it wouldn't be as easy to convert to a regular dual seater🤔

[ya-gabor]

42 minutes ago, Niels said:

@ya-gabor Nice shots of the sprues, thanks. Did you also get or find photos of the spine, given that the upper fueselage has grooves for it? 
A bit of shame that it does, as it wouldn't be as easy to convert to a regular dual seater🤔

 

Hi Niels,

 

They were internet photos (unfortunately). It would be fun to visit in person the All Japan Model & Hobby Show, just as dozens of other events. Unfortunately it is tooooooooooo  far away.

Next time will go to something near to me, the Plastikova Zima show in Bratislava in the neighbouring Slovakia on 29th of November. Far from the size of other big shows but it is an excellent one day event and some manufacturers do bring with them some new sprues of interest.

 

Yes, I have seen the grove immediately after the cockpit for the Sufa spine piece. Exactly the same thoughts as you. But I am sure they had it worked out for possible future versions. If one looks at the break down of parts it is obvious that G.W.H here doing a very similar approach to Fine Molds and provides vital parts on separate small sprues so you can easily replace them for a different version. This way you can play around with different mix of sprues to supply any version required, be it GE or Pratt & Whitney, big or small intake, intake side walls, engine exhaust, cockpit details, spine details, vertical fin parts, break shoot . . . 

 

Fine Molds (on the new F-104J kit) even did a tiny sprue separately for a gun panel where the Vulcan gun opening is covered.

 

One other thing is that basically nothing is wasted, there are no or as minimal as possible surplus parts in the set you buy! No waste of plastic, extra tooling . . . you get exactly what is needed for a given kit.

 

It could be that they make a new fuselage section or there is a chance for an insert steel piece to replace the immediate area after the cockpit. We will see eventually.

 

Best regards

Gabor

[ya-gabor]

For anyone who missed what we are talking about here are two views of the notch in the spine behind the cockpit.

 

Best regards

Gabor

[Solo]

That kit looks dramatically simplified, as for GWH manufacturing level.

[Niels]

Thanks @ya-gabor

[ya-gabor]

Some like one thing, while others like something else. Fortunately we are all different and have different taste. This is what makes everything so colourful!

It is not compulsory to do either this or that! One can go and look for something else which he will like more.

 

Let’s wait and see the real plastic in hand.

 

Best regards

Gabor

[Solo]

Hope so these ones are not the final sprues, otherwise that kit would be really disappointing one. 

[boom175]

That Notch is probably for the Spine.

[potez]

2 hours ago, Solo said:

Hope so these ones are not the final sprues, otherwise that kit would be really disappointing one. 

IMHO it looks like slightly improved version of a new Kinetic. A little work around cockpit, improving cover for wings main spars which are attached to fuselage like in TAMIYA kit (with step) and all mistakes from Kinetic on top panels are still present as 1:1 Kinetic copy. It's not Sufa or Block 52 and newer fusalege paneling. 

Edited October 18, 2025 by potez

[Niels]

Anyone seen more photos of the GWH F-16I?

[signals]

Does this have the Rampage missile?

[gb_madcat_sl]

11 hours ago, signals said:

Does this have the Rampage missile?

What are Rampage missiles?

[Dave Williams]

1 hour ago, gb_madcat_sl said:

What are Rampage missiles?

It’s a relatively new standoff missile developed by Israel.

[Niels]

14 hours ago, signals said:

Does this have the Rampage missile?

No. If you look at the sprue shots, there is no rampage missile in there. 

[Bozothenutter]

Read a rather damning anslysis on FB by SierraHotel models.

This kit is not what we expected of GWH. It's not as good the the Kinetic kit.

No bulged doors?  What were they thinking!

https://www.facebook.com/share/17o6C63kNB/

 

 

[stalal]

I m wondering why will they drop their standards? 

 

I recently built their A-10A. It was a little expensive but it was damn good kit. The fit, molding quality, design and options present in the box were incredible. 

 

GWH does not make a lot of kits. And their acclaim is the quality of their kits is very premium. Has anyone yet seen this kit physically? 

[Falcon053]

I am in the middle of building the kit now. It is kind of a tale of two engineers, there are somethings that are good design and engineering and other things its like WTF!

 

SHMs write-up goes over most of the issues, I'll keep building it but it is a bit of a let down the more inaccuracies are found. The fit so far is good, some filler going here and there, but I'm not along far enough to tell you all its a perfect fitting kit.

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 02:30 AM by Falcon053

[Niels]

Link to buildt kit over on Facebook GWH fanclub page.  Finished result looks good, even if there are some things to fix. 

 

Anyone know if the main wheel well doors on the Tamiya kit fist the GWH kit? I have some surplus and this seems a good place to use them? 

[ya-gabor]

Was reading with interest the views on the “new tool 2022” version of the Kinetic F-16 kits. Last week purely by chance noticed one European E shop advertising the Kinetic kit basically for half price. The boxing and the decal was not so much of interest for me since the plastic parts inside are the same in all kits (OK, apart from weapons sprue and some small ones). The Belgian decal will end up in the rubbish bin anyway.  Modellers were saying all sorts of things about the Kinetic kit, mostly that this is the norm of today. Is it?

 

I dont have the Tamiya kit, did build a couple of Hasegawa F-16’s about 30 or more years ago and don’t have the new G.W.H. Together with Pali we ordered several kits amongst this particular Kinetic set. Shipping was free due to the size of the order so got a look at the Kinetic kit for 34 Euros, I would say a good deal.  The kit arrived and on the weekend had a closer look.

 

When the fist images of the G.W.H kit were shared here one of the negative comments was immediately that “it hasn’t even have the canopy seal” around the cockpit. Well the Kinetic kit has it but is it worth it??? Not really, it just looks like a scratch on the surface of the plastic. On the kit there are some nice surface details in places like the wings. But for example some of the vents look extremely “soft”! Nothing like the sharp and very distinct edges on for example the ancient Hasegawa kit.

 

Straight from sprues there are some let’s say “interesting” details which I don’t think are state of art in 2026 or 2022 when this kit was made. Have a look at the afterburner ring (Part E6). It looks as if only raw milling of metal was made for this part and detailed EDM etching with a brass anode was skipped. The same is visible on the radar front bulk head (Part D79). But of bigger problem are all the ejection pin marks in many places (like intake inside) and not only on the inside face of the undercarriage bay doors but also on “live” surface of for example fuel tank pylons right side (Part F7) or sway braces (Part F23) for pylons on station 3&7. The list is long and the required correction work will be time consuming and difficult.

 

So, is the Kinetic F-16 kit is the ultimate kit of the Viper in 2026? I am not convinced! It is a real hybrid kit covering everything from the early A version to latest Block numbers.

 

Best regards

Gabor

[Solo]

First very good in-box. And I am really suprised, it looks very nice, much better than there was it on the pictures. Very nice details in the cocpit and wheel bays, I think it is quite better then Kinetic one.

GWH 1:48 F-16I SUFA this one is the best... (Long Video Review)

[jonbryon]

The only error I really care about is the gear doors, and I'm assuming Quickboost or someone will fix that in time.

 

Jon