F-16F (block 60) Fighting Falcon

[Mike]

Hasegawa don’t waste cardboard with their kit boxes, and this one is no exception. 19 sprues of various sizes are crammed into the box, only one of which is clear. The rest are in Hasegawa’s usual grey styrene, with a little flash evident on some of the (presumably) older, and more well used parts – especially around the weapons pylons on the wing sprues. Cleary, this isn’t a major problem, as a quick scrape with the edge of a knife blade with see them off.

(I found later that there are actually 2 sprues missing from that pic!)

The kit portrays the 2-seater F model, with decals for the United Arab Emirates, allowing you to make it up as one of four airframes, two of which aren’t mentioned on the instructions, which caused a double-take. The decals are well printed, in register, but with a rather thick looking “Tamiya” style carrier film.

Previous Hasegawa F-16s with Conformal Fuel Tanks (CFTs) have had those parts provided in resin, which has caused some builders problems not only in making the parts conform to the fuselage, but also in that some of the detail appeared to be incorrect. This kit has the CFTs provided on a separate sprue in styrene, which will please a great many modellers who either have no experience of handling resin, or disliked the previous offering. The fit looks to be pretty good from the mock-up I made (see photo), which will please anyone that wrestled with the resin set. However, pay attention to the overhead painting guide when you install them, as they give you a better representation of where to place them fore to aft.

The large spine is also similarly well rendered, and includes inserts on each side to do justice to the finer detail of the countermeasures dispensers.

You get a choice of narrow or wide-mouth intakes, although wide is needed for this model as it has the GE engine, so the narrow intakes can go in the spares box. At the other end, the exhaust is built up from 6 separate petals that affix to the prominent ring, then attach to the exhaust “tube”, terminating a nicely detailed burner ring. The Pratt & Whitney exhaust is also included as parts bin fodder.

The cockpit is typical Hasegawa, providing a modicum of detail, over which you can lay the provided decals. Those that want to go the extra mile can source the appropriate cockpit from the aftermarket providers, however, if you don’t want to spend any extra money on the area, the simple answer is to use the two pilots supplied. You also get an extra head for the original pilot that is in the common sprues, so that they both have matching headgear. Moulding of the pilots is clean, and they are portrayed with their visors down and oxygen masks in place, avoiding the need to practice your face painting techniques. Separate arms give you a little leeway in posing them, and they should busy up the office nicely.

For this incarnation, you get a pair of Sidewinders for the wingtip rails, two AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, and a 300 Gallon belly tank. Spare fixtures and fittings include a pair of 370 gallon wing tanks, two less detailed AIM-120s, and a travel pod, all of which could be used in various combinations detailed on the instructions or consigned to spares.

To finish off the variant, you get a set of lumps, bumps and sensors (including a PIRATE sensor that will be familiar to British Typhoon aficionados) to add to the nose, intakes and underside, which mostly attach to the surface without locating lugs, but as long as you follow the instructions carefully here, paying attention to the greyed out locations for the parts, you shouldn’t go too far wrong.

Conclusion

The injection moulded additions to this kit, already well regarded even after the Tamiya kit hit the shelves, make for easier construction of this purposeful looking (and capable) trainer variant. With care it should build up into an excellent replica of an iconic fighter aircraft, in an unusual livery.

[Troffa]

Looks very nice, what are the decal options Mike? (Is that United Arab Emirates on the box top?)

[Mike]

Looks very nice, what are the decal options Mike? (Is that United Arab Emirates on the box top?)

They are all UAE birds, yes. I'll take a snap of the decals in a leetle while. Forgot earlier

[Gary C]

Those that want to go the extra mile can source the appropriate cockpit from the aftermarket providers, however, if you don’t want to spend any extra money on the area, the simple answer is to use the two pilots supplied.

Mine has been sat on the shelf since I bought it at Telford. The problem? The cockpit... in common with all of Hasegawa's other 2 seaters it's appropriate only for the B model. There are after market cockpits available for the B, D and Sufa but nothing for the block 60's (E/F) which is said to be very different. Nobody knows for sure what it's like though because the USAF and UAE won't allow pictures to be taken. There have been some some mock up/sim type pics of the front pit which shows 3 large MFD's but the backseat is real mystery...

[Mentalguru]

Pics of the Weps please- and pods

[zipper]

Looking forward to this one when does it hit the shelves?

Not sure whether to go with this one or the Sufa

[Stephen]

Pics of the Weps please- and pods

There aren't any weapons apart from the kit supplied AIM-9/AIM-120 which are the same from the Block50 release onwards

Stephen

[Mentalguru]

There aren't any weapons apart from the kit supplied AIM-9/AIM-120 which are the same from the Block50 release onwards

Stephen

Is that a Sniper pod on the boxtop?

[Stephen]

Is that a Sniper pod on the boxtop?

No, it's a targeting pod but it's specific to the UAE F-16E/F and not the same as the AAQ-33 Sniper.Mike Valdez will hopefully chime in with what it's called.

Stephen

[Mike]

No, it's a targeting pod but it's specific to the UAE F-16E/F and not the same as the AAQ-33 Sniper.Mike Valdez will hopefully chime in with what it's called.

Stephen

I think it's an ALQ-119/131, and it's included in the kit, referred to as "camera pod" in the instructions

[Stephen]

I think it's an ALQ-119/131, and it's included in the kit, referred to as "camera pod" in the instructions

Sorry Mike,the ALQ-119/131 are ECM pod designations.

Stephen

[Mike]

Sorry Mike,the ALQ-119/131 are ECM pod designations.

Stephen

Hmmm... that's the only non-bomb item on the centre pylon in the weps table provided with the painting guide.

EDIT: Could it be the AN/ASQ-32 IFTS? Looking at the painting instructions, it's not on the centre pylon, but on a pseudo pylon on the port side of the intake. Not very built in, if that's what it is.

[Sundowner14]

Hmmm... that's the only non-bomb item on the centre pylon in the weps table provided with the painting guide. Mistake in the instructions then?

Oh, you mean this......

http://www.es.northropgrumman.com/solutions/ifts/index.html

It's the AN/AAQ-32 Internal FLIR Targeting System (IFTS).

My work is done.

[Mike]

Oh, you mean this......

http://www.es.northropgrumman.com/solutions/ifts/index.html

It's the AN/AAQ-32 Internal FLIR Targeting System (IFTS).

My work is done.

Beat ya!

I know VERY little about the F-16 other than what I've found out lately doing this review, which was interesting. It's an aircraft that I have more than a mild liking for though, and I might be tempted to build this one soon if a slot opens up in my schedule

[Sundowner14]

Beat ya!

I know VERY little about the F-16 other than what I've found out lately doing this review, which was interesting. It's an aircraft that I have more than a mild liking for though, and I might be tempted to build this one soon if a slot opens up in my schedule

Now, if I'd known it was a competition.......

[Troffa]

How much trouble to backdate this kit to represent one of the Polish Air Force big spine two seaters? (Block 50+ I think...ducks for cover..)

[AnonymousDFB1]

Nice review Mike.

I want one.......

[Antoine]

I got the Sufa boxing, which is quite similar to this one I think.

When you compare this box to tamiya's different boxing of C/D/N F-16s, you just don't know if you must laugh or cry...

And then, your only hope is that tamiya will not wait too long before releasing a twin seat viper.

BTW, Mish is right: thanks for the review, Mike.

[Mike]

Thanks Mish, Antoine

Here are the decals. Apologies for the crappy photo - it was a rush job