cool! 
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Academy 1/32 F-16I SUFA
- Thread starter Greg Kimsey
- Start date
Greg Kimsey
Well-known member
A lot has happened since the cockpit was finished. There were many extraneous parts on the top portion of the fuselage. I am trying to be extra careful with the seams so that sanding will be minimal. These might be my best seams yet. I have use Gunze Liquified Putty and Mr Surfacer 1000 to build up ever so slightly and make the seam disappear. I have been mostly successful. I redid some panel lines and rivets where needed.
The cockpit is installed and fit perfectly. I cut off the top portion of the canopy prop and made a metal replacement part, but will leave it off until after I paint the plane so I can use one of the canopies as a "mask". The fuselage halves were very "fiddley" to get even, and the extra clothes pins are for areas that needed extra persuasion to stay even. For the slightly angled areas where the wings attach I added some putty to the clothespin because it kept popping off. The putty seems to keep it in place.
That is it for now. I put Tamiya cement along the seam and will let it sit for a long time!
The cockpit is installed and fit perfectly. I cut off the top portion of the canopy prop and made a metal replacement part, but will leave it off until after I paint the plane so I can use one of the canopies as a "mask". The fuselage halves were very "fiddley" to get even, and the extra clothes pins are for areas that needed extra persuasion to stay even. For the slightly angled areas where the wings attach I added some putty to the clothespin because it kept popping off. The putty seems to keep it in place.
That is it for now. I put Tamiya cement along the seam and will let it sit for a long time!
Like what you're doing but man, to do that to those lines of that sexy F16. When I get my grove back on I think I need to do one from her prime days, maybe a F16A in her inaugural scheme.
Greg Kimsey
Well-known member
Wait, what am I doing? I want her to stay sexy!
Speaking of the F16
news.lockheedmartin.com
Lockheed Martin Announces Successful First Flight of F-16 Block 70 Aircraft
Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] today announced the successful first flight of the F-16 Block 70 at its Greenville, South Carolina site. The flight occurred Jan. 24 at 9:17 a.m. ET, with Lockheed...
Greg Kimsey
Well-known member
Are you talking about the seemingly un-needed things on top of the fuselage to the left and right of the cockpit back to the tail? I seriously considered leaving them off, but then it wouldn't be Israeli, right?
yeah all the external bays they have strapped on her. But no, please build on, you got this! This is what she has involved into, kinda like she got married or something....
Greg Kimsey
Well-known member
Well, I had a change in plan and decided to paint around the cockpit in flat black. I removed the seats and I taped off as carefully as I could and sprayed Alclad II Black primer and microfiller.
Next I planned on fixing the landing gear bay doors in place with white glue to paint the undercarriage, so I thought I needed to finish out the front wheel bay so I wouldnt have to do it afterward. I will paint all of the landing gear before final assembly, hopefully to make it easier than the last one was.
I followed the same back and forth black/white procedure I used on the rear bays.
Next I planned on fixing the landing gear bay doors in place with white glue to paint the undercarriage, so I thought I needed to finish out the front wheel bay so I wouldnt have to do it afterward. I will paint all of the landing gear before final assembly, hopefully to make it easier than the last one was.
I followed the same back and forth black/white procedure I used on the rear bays.
Greg Kimsey
Well-known member
Working on the...uhh..nozzles? Where the jet exhaust comes out. For the inside, I am trying to match this reference...
For the inside I am painting white, then Alclad Copper sprayed at a low angle from the bottom so it fades out. For the outside of the inner part I have sprayed it gloss black, then use Alclad Magnesium for the surface. Only a small portion shows. For the outside parts I based in gloss black, then used Alclad Jet Exhaust over the whole surface, then used copper sprayed from the top at an angle, then a very light magnesium sprayed from the bottom. A final blast of transparent blue near the outer edge of both inside and ouside. A black enamel pin wash will finish them up.
for the turbines, the back part is chromed and the front part is chromed then a thin layer of transparent blue. I hope that will look right!
For the inside I am painting white, then Alclad Copper sprayed at a low angle from the bottom so it fades out. For the outside of the inner part I have sprayed it gloss black, then use Alclad Magnesium for the surface. Only a small portion shows. For the outside parts I based in gloss black, then used Alclad Jet Exhaust over the whole surface, then used copper sprayed from the top at an angle, then a very light magnesium sprayed from the bottom. A final blast of transparent blue near the outer edge of both inside and ouside. A black enamel pin wash will finish them up.
for the turbines, the back part is chromed and the front part is chromed then a thin layer of transparent blue. I hope that will look right!
Greg Kimsey
Well-known member
Ok, I have the nozzles in place and am happy with the look.
...and the reference again
...and the inside
I started thinking about the air brakes and was baffled how I was going to hold everything together at the correct angle while I glued it. I decided to drill holes and put a 28gauge pin to hold the piston and brackets (I am assuming that is what they are called). I will paint these pieces and assemble with superglue
Onward and upward I go!
...and the reference again
...and the inside
I started thinking about the air brakes and was baffled how I was going to hold everything together at the correct angle while I glued it. I decided to drill holes and put a 28gauge pin to hold the piston and brackets (I am assuming that is what they are called). I will paint these pieces and assemble with superglue
Onward and upward I go!
This is the advantage of being an artist gives you. Amazing! 
Greg Kimsey
Well-known member
Thanks guys! I noticed in the reference that the area between the orange burnt area is more white so I will drybrush matt white over those ribs since the black wash made them too dark.
Heavens Eagle
Well-known member
Looking good Greg! The solution for the airbrakes is novel and definitely an interesting idea.
Greg Kimsey
Well-known member
Dang! Thank you
Greg Kimsey
Well-known member
Ok, call me nuts now, but I am entertaining the idea of trying to replicate this scenario...
The kit has the parts that are inside the cone, just in front of that white bulkhead. What I am talking about is the area behind that, with the panel raised up and propped open. I will need to open the panel, which has my innards squirming a little. I am having trouble figuring out to to make the hinge at the top. Check the image of the moulded hinge...
It is that zig zag type hinge. Does anyone have a suggestion for that. I think metal sheet to cut out the surface, and maybe tiny sections of metal tube glued on? Or mabe cut the simulated teeth, then glue a continuous rod with notches grooved in to simulate hinge joints. It is 19mm long with 13 teeth in each direction, so we are talking small here. Is there one already made, and if so, where might I find it? If not, I may try to make the hinge before cutting the plane to see if I can even do it. Yeah, I will start there. Thanks! Good talk.
The kit has the parts that are inside the cone, just in front of that white bulkhead. What I am talking about is the area behind that, with the panel raised up and propped open. I will need to open the panel, which has my innards squirming a little. I am having trouble figuring out to to make the hinge at the top. Check the image of the moulded hinge...
It is that zig zag type hinge. Does anyone have a suggestion for that. I think metal sheet to cut out the surface, and maybe tiny sections of metal tube glued on? Or mabe cut the simulated teeth, then glue a continuous rod with notches grooved in to simulate hinge joints. It is 19mm long with 13 teeth in each direction, so we are talking small here. Is there one already made, and if so, where might I find it? If not, I may try to make the hinge before cutting the plane to see if I can even do it. Yeah, I will start there. Thanks! Good talk.
Wonder what that hinge line look like in photos, do you really see the piano hinge like that or is this overstated for the model? also remember you're looking at two different blocks of F16 here. even the components inside that bay are different. With this Israeli aircraft you could have another system completely different. Sure the electronics bay would be there but what's stuffed inside.
Greg Kimsey
Well-known member
Good points. I thought the second photo was Israeli but will look further. Also, I found some photoetched hinges by Eduard from one of my suppliers.