Feature article by: Dave Coward
Background info…
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF).
Designed as a lightweight day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976.
Though no longer being purchased by the U.S. Air Force, improved versions are still being built for export customers. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation, which in turn became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta.
The Fighting Falcon is a dogfighter with numerous innovations, including a frameless bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while manoeuvring, a seat reclined 30 degrees to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot, and the first use of a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire flight control system that makes it a highly nimble aircraft.
The F-16 has an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and has 11 hard points for mounting weapons, as well as other mission equipment. Although the F-16’s official name is “Fighting Falcon”, it is known to its pilots as the “Viper” due to it resembling a viper snake and after the Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper starfighter.
In addition to USAF active, reserve and air national guard units, the aircraft is used by the USAF aerial demonstration team, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and as an adversary/aggressor aircraft by the United States Navy and USAF. The F-16 has also been procured to serve in the air forces of 25 other nations.
References used: The ultimate F-16 Reference
Getting Started
I bought this kit at Telford a couple of years ago and, as it was on special offer, I couldn`t resist a bargain.
Unfortunately, I had just built the superb Tamiya 1:32 offering, so I really didn`t have the inkling to build another grey jet, which meant it just sat at the bottom of my stash for several years.
In the intervening period, I picked up a set of decals from Two Bobs for USAF aggressors – based at Nellis – and an Aires ALQ-188 Electronic attack Training Pod (AIRE2047), which is used by these jets.
The thing that really got me to get going on this was a US Navy F-18 ‘Aggressor’, made from the Academy kit by a friend of mine (pictures of the finished model will be in the Photo Reference Library soon).
The Aggressor scheme was so striking, I just thought I had to have a go at one of these so the F-16 was dug out from the bottom of the stash.
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