Second Strike: Viper GBII June 2012-Dec 2012

Thanks guys. The intake plug is from Steel Beach. You can get all thier stuff from Spure Bros. I use a lot of Steel Beach's stuff.

No offense taken at all. The star was painted freehand by my wife. I don't have steady enough hands to do that. I hadn't though about those glittery things as masks. Thanks for the tip though. I think it looks good enough. It's the paint job on the aircraft that's gotta be perfect.

Picked up my Tammy F-16C/J in 1/32 from my LHS today. This is a big kit and a lot of crazy looking parts. A whole box of goodies including magnets, tools, rubber tyres, and some other odd unidentifiable things.

A couple of kits to finish but I'm hoping to start this September sometime.

Cheers

Casper the Chihuahua

Picked up my Tammy F-16C/J in 1/32 from my LHS today. This is a big kit and a lot of crazy looking parts. A whole box of goodies including magnets, tools, rubber tyres, and some other odd unidentifiable things.

A couple of kits to finish but I'm hoping to start this September sometime.

Cheers

I wonder if it builds like it's 48 scale cousin. That would be nice to build if it does.

Hey Medic, from what I've seen of the instructions it's just as good and is more than double the detail and construction. I love these Tamiya birds that have no seam on the fuselage running down the middle.

I'm adding very little AM to this kit. Just doing the Eduard interior and exterior sets. This kit also contains masking tape seat-belts so I'm interested to see how these turn out.

Cheers

Can't wait to see it Casper!!

Hey F-16 gurus, I need your help.  I'm planning on starting my build soon, but I need some help.  Let me start by saying I know less than nothing about F-16s and all the block-big-mouth-small-mouth-GE-Pratt & Whitney stuff. I'm hoping someone might be able to confirm what I think are my correct observations. Specifically, I'm looking for info on the engines.

I'd like to build  this jet for the GB, but I need to confirm that it has the P&W engine. Am I right?

Eventually I'd like to build this one too. I'm guessing this one has the GE motor?

I'm not worried about the big mouth vs. small mouth thing. I'm more concerned about the engines. If someone could confirm or correct me, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks in advance!
-O

Never mind everyone.  I got my answers.  The first jet does in fact have a P&W motor, and the other has the GE.  Something I did learn that might be useful to others is that the second with the GE motor also had the "big mouth" intake.

The first jet looks sensational O, I'm looking forward to seeing it built.

Cheers

Tony

oortiz10

Never mind everyone.  I got my answers.  The first jet does in fact have a P&W motor, and the other has the GE.  Something I did learn that might be useful to others is that the second with the GE motor also had the "big mouth" intake.

This site may be useful to you: http://www.clubhyper.com/reference/f16blockssb_1.htm 

This might help as well.

zone-five.net/showthread.php

All F-16s with GE engines have the wide mouth.  The GEs suck more air than the PWs.

Fly-n-hi,

I don't mean to challenge your statement, but the article you posted and link that Medicman posted seems to contradict what you said.  If you look at the diagram of the Block  30 -C posted in Medicman's link, you can see that it could have either the small or big mouth.  Further, if you read the paragraph that starts with "Now, here's where it gets fun" in the article you posted, it says basically the same thing.  I know absolutely nothing about the F-16, but to me it seems possible that a GE jet could have either.  

Flyn-n-hi, I'm not calling you wrong, I'm just trying to get my ducks in a row.  Maybe I'm wrong and all GE jets with the small mouth have been converted to big mouths?  Thoughts?

Cheers,

-O

It's ok.  I don't have a problem admitting when I'm wrong.  Assuming the article is correct the first 173 GE F-16's have the NSI.  All of those , according tho the article again, are Block 30's (this is a very small percentage...and I'll bet most of those aren't flying anymore).

Here's what you want to know, though.  The F-16 in the first pic you gave is a block 15 jet and the second is a block 30 with the large mouth inlet (according to the serial number).

Fly-n-hi

...The F-16 in the first pic you gave is a block 15 jet and the second is a block 30 with the large mouth inlet (according to the serial number)...

It's really all confusing as far as the Blocks go. Here's a link to a book that is a must have for Viper building.

www.reidairpublishing.com/.../RAP02.html

Tail test fit. Gotta leave all the parts separate for painting.

oortiz10

That's exactly the kind of beta this empty head needs.  Especially since I can't tell a big mouth vs. a small mouth intake, even when they're sitting next to each other.  Thanks!  

Hmm...now all I gotta do is track down a big mouth intake that no one's using.

Cheers!

-O

Hi all!

Glad to see this still going strong! for me it has been a hectic month! Lots of OT and family stuff, not so much for building time!

The wife and kids go back to school in August, so I should get some good buildiing time fit back into the schedule. Keep up the good work!

My first US is almost at an end but I did get visit an air museum in Santa Rosa California. They had a F-16N there and I got a tour with Jim who used to load weapons on Phantoms and F-106s. I couldn't unfortunately look in the F-16 but got some shots anyways. Thanks for the tour, Jim!

Nice shot next to a F-86

Cheers

Cool pictures Caspar!

I hope your visit here in the US has been a good one. 

I haven't made much progress on my F-16.  I am need some time to paint.  I may change my F-16's intended markings.  I just don't think my Italeri D is right for the "lonestar gunfighters".  I think Italeri basically boxed a A/B with a different tail and called it a C/D.  Still a cool plane, just not the one I wanted.

Cheers,

Greg

Ok, time to start on the big Viper.

This instruction book is quite thick so this project may be taking some time.

Some large sprues so they need a large tub to wash them in;

Some interesting bits and pieces in the box. Rubber tyres, metal landing gear and ballast, some PE. Also waiting on my Eduard interior and exterior sets.

Cheers

Ok, got some prep work done on the Viper this week. A lot of parts, I'm not sure whether to build the engine dolly at the moment so I am building the engine first and then deciding.

Got the interior of the exhaust done;

Exterior of the engine without the greeblies;

The greeblies including the intake fan;

...and the engine bay. This should all look ok when fitted together and sufficiently weathered.

Cheers

Some good progress on the Viper this week. I've completed the engine and the engine bay. I have painted the exhaust in titanium sliver and waiting for that to dry.

I'm now as far as I can go at the moment until my Eduard sets arrive in the post for the wheelbays and extra detail. Gotta say, great kit so far.

Cheers

The shape of the Viper is starting to emerge now. The thing I really like about this kit is it is a bit like a puzzle rather than a straightforward build. Bit's have to go in first and be detailed then other bits click in and over it. Great engineering from Tamiya as always.

Wheelbays;

Engine complete with paneling;

and the inside of the engine housing;

Cheers

Slow progress on the Falcon but it's going well. Fuselage top and bottom fitted so it's starting to look like a plane now.

Canopy all painted and seat fitted into the rail as well.

Cheers

I finished the IP today;

Also finished and fitted the HUD assembly.

Cheers

OK everyone,

I finished my last project, and I decided to go ahead and start my Viper(s) while glue and stuff dries on the project I currently have underway.  

I figured since I'd be building the one-seater I'd go ahead and build the two-seater alongside.  I'm using some parts from Hasegawa's -B to build an Edwards AF Base chase plane out of Hasegawa’s –C boxing, and I’m using some –C parts to build a –D out of the –B.  The only thing I’m missing is the big mouth intake for the –D, but I went ahead and got started on the intakes without it.  Not many people are gonna notice that the intake/engine combo is wrong, so I went ahead and left it as is, using the parts I had.

Anyway, the –A’s gonna have an intake cover so I didn’t bother with cleaning up the intake seams.  The –D will have the intake uncovered, so I spent a little time cleaning up the seams.  I didn’t end up with a true “seamless” intake, but it looks better. 

I also sprayed a little paint on the top of the intakes and under the cockpit.  I did this to avoid any painting problems after the parts have been assembled. 

These show the assemblies dryfitted together.

That’s all I got so far.  I’ll be working on these as time permits.  I’ll post more progress pix when there are some to show.  In the meantime, feel free to share your two cents.

Cheers,

-O

Looking great guys. I hope to get some work done in my Viper this week.

Casper that engine looks incredible!!!

Omar- Two at the same time? Impressive.  

These are some great looking builds guys.

What are the odds that I can get in on this GB?  I have a 1/48 Tamiya F-16C Block 32 that I started on about a year ago but I've really only gotten to the point of finishing the cockpit tub and wrapping the fuselage around it.  Plus some of the small stuff is complete...like the GBU-24s.

My goal is to complete it before Nov.

STFD637 or Medicman71...are you guys still around?

Much Viper work done this weekend,

The tail is painted and decaled;

Ordinance now painted;

This is the box of finished parts;

...and the first of the three greys for the fuselage;

Cheers