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Hi

I posted in the Jet forum that I was working on an Italeri 1/48 F-16B/D kit and converting it to a Singaporean F-16D Blk 52+. I thought since my brother bought a very nice digital camera in Singapore, on a trip to India, I would share some progress shots.

The kit is okay but certainly not as good as Hasegawa as I have found out there are a lot of problems to fix yet.

Kit will have the following items:

Black Box F-16D cockpit

Aires Gear Bays

Cutting Edge Avionics Spine

Cutting Edge Conformal Fuel Tanks

Verlinden Lantirn Pods

Scale Nutz RSAF 145 Sqn Decals

And a lot of model putty and plasticard to modify it to a Blk 52+ (very similar the the Isreali F-16I Sufa)

I got the Aires Gear Bay installed and that was fun... But with a little coersion it fitted.

I cannot get over the detail in the Aires parts! I highly recommend them to anyone making a Viper!

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The Cutting Edge Spine was also a problem as it was too long. But first I had to remove the parabrake housing as these Vipers don't have them. I then grafted the kit F-16C section into the spine. But the problem was the length of the spine as it would really be too long so I cut the spine and used the kit spine front (as it fits perfectly) to then get the right length.

As you can see I still need to clean up the putty (I do use a lot of it) and I am also leaving the flash under the refueling spot light to prevent breakage.

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Other corrections underway are the use of a spare Hasegawa NSI (small mouth) intake. Which grafts in pretty well. I will putty it seamless as well.

Also using a spare PW engine nozzel from Hasegawa.

The wheels from the Hasegawa F-16CJ are what I need as well so these will be copied in resin (will need a few of them for my vipers).

Also modifying the wing tip missile rails to AMRAAM versions.

Waiting on the CE CFTs and the Scale Nutz decals.

Any suggestions from viper experts are very welcome. Especially our Singaporean friends.

Cheers

Jason

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Cool looking! From all the extras you're adding I think when completed it won't be recognisable as Italeri anymore! Good job! Lokking forward to seeing it completed soon! :D

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If i'm not wrong the bumps on the spine are similar to the Israeli vipers. Located infront canopy are 'wedges' which direct the airflow over the canopy. They're placed on a base above the surface. Click the link below, you'll know what i mean.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/686068/L/

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/685289/L/

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/683651/L/

Perhaps you'd like to do the Python 4 along with the DASH helmets. :D Heck, maybe even the Litening pods... As long as you're not in Singapore you should be fine... :)

Cheers...

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Thanks for the positive comments guys! :D

On the subject of the IFF antenae does anyone know if the new RSAF Blk 52+ vipers have the F-16ADF style versions (like they currently use) or if they use the versions like on the European MLU?

Cannot make it out in the photos I have.

I am guessing that since it is so similar to the Sufa that they would be using the MLU style ones.

Anyone know about this at all?

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