Building the Tamiya 1/48th Scale F-16C Falcon Fighter Jet with “Blizzard” Camouflage
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- This video documents my build of a Tamiya 1/48th scale F-16C Fighting Falcon Fighter Jet-- Kit #61101. I use the pre-shading technique, apply washes, and custom airbrush and apply after market decals to this model.
I challenge myself by painting this F-16 in the “Blizzard” Camouflage pattern used the by the 64th Aggressor Squadron based at Nellis AFB, Nevada.
Concurrently, I tell stories of my experiences working with F-16s during my USAF/ANG years. I’ve included pictures and present some salvaged parts I collected over the span of my career.
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Intro Background and cloud backgrounds: Pixabay.com
After Market Decal sheet -- Two Bobs Aviation graphics: www.twobobs.net
F-16 pictures are DOD and Public Domain released images or my own personal pictures unless otherwise credited within the video.
Sound Effects and stock video & images are all designated as Creative Commons (CC0) requiring no specific attribution.
See also my video: “Building the Hasegawa 1/48th scale F-22 Raptor Fighter Jet”
• Building the Hasegawa ...
ERROR(s) for this video: The HUD is on backwards in this video. It was corrected after the upload to YT.
the added stories make this video that much better
Hi tanitatt, thanks for your comment, I'm glad you enjoyed the stories! I guess I'll have to build another F-16 model sometime and tell some more tales. :-)
Max_Afterburner my uncle was the person that got me into model building and he flew with the navy during ww2 and would tell me all,sorts of stories while building models ....
I cannot thank you enough for your service, stories and talent. You have inspired me to build the Phantom, of which I was an MMS crewmember at Osan AB.
Thanks mgpetruby! I'm thrilled to hear that you're going to build a Phantom and I hope you have a lot of fun and that it brings back great memories :-)
Your airbrushing skills in all of your videos are outright amazing. Keep up the great model building. And thank you for your service to our country.
Thank you very much, Brian!
Another beautiful jet.
Thanks, Johnny
IFOF was hi tech when I worked on F-14 motors. And hand 'safetying' 4 set screws on the bottom of the throttle quadrant was damn near impossible without stripping the plastic holes on the quadrant. (Speaking for a friend of course ;)
Great video and I enjoyed the tales about you working on the Falcon. Subbed.
Thanks Mark and welcome aboard! 😊
Looks great my friend. It is nice to meet a fellow rap rat. I worked as a "Crew Chief" on F-15E's of the 335th FS out of Seymour Johnson AFB, NC. I knew my fair share of avionics and load toads in my time in the AF. Right out of tech school I got assigned to the Wing Kings bird and as such had the dubious added job of making sure it was "perfectly" clean (not an easy task). Take care brother and look forward to more builds. BTW, you think the F-16 is a challenging build, try the Strike Eagle.
Hi, did you happen to know Libby Jones and/or Jason Olheiser?
@@MaxAfterburner Off hand, neither name is familiar, but it is possible. I was there from 2000 - 2003.
Nicely done and some good info also...
Thanks for the comments Fitri!
Dang! That's a good looking Viper! I really love your builds, especially the commentary on your experience on top of a great, clean, and realistic build! Well done!
Hey Jefferson, thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it and some of my many tales!
Great video, combining first hand stories that are seldom heard with a good model build.
I'm just about to embark on the very same build but not brave enough to make my own masks as you did!
Only one tip to help you;- instead of using a scalpel/knife (Xacto) to position the decals, at some point (no pun intended) it WILL either scratch the paint surface or damage the decal.
Use a small micro-brush instead, the nylon bristles have enough rigidity to move the decal without damage and the decal won't wrap around them like other brushes as there is little capillary action.
Great work
David.
Hi David, thanks for the compliments! I do usually use a brush for setting my decals, but I was having trouble despite having plenty of fluid to float them. The only way I could get them to move was to use a knife some of the time, it was worrisome!
@14:31 That's an old production F-16B, probably ordered in 1977 or 1978, delivered 1979 (79 I think is the delivery date). Block 5 is the next production batch of the A/B model. If it got retired after just 17 years service, it was surplus or there was a structural issue they didn't want to spend the money to repair. Some of the early F-16s retired in the 1990s ended up in the Boneyard as a result of budget cuts or structural issues (cracks in bulkheads or wings) -- the earlier planes weren't quite built "tough enough" and developed cracks. (Top Gun just overstressed their Falcons by flying those planes CONSTANTLY to the 9-G limit and wore them out faster; they could have repaired them but chose to retire them with less than 10years service!)
Some of those planes were refurbished and later sold to places like Pakistan or Jordan second-hand for very favorable pricing. Around 100-120 of the retired planes are getting rebuilt as drones for missile development. It was about time they got a 9-G plane to develop better IR missiles. The F-4 just wasn't that agile and I'm amazed they used it for as long as they did as s missile target.
I remember having to spend a lot of time on the F-16's when they were doing a structural repair program to the 357 bulkhead that were showing cracks in the fleet. Fuel shop had to drain the jet, then we in avionics had to remove all our fuel system lines and probes and move flight control harnesses to make way for the structure guys to strengthen and repair the areas as well as add exterior beef-up plating.
@@MaxAfterburner
Yeah, from what I understand, General Dynamics cut it close on the manufacturing spec of the F-16 and had to redesign and reinforce the aircraft partially every time they added more ground attack capability to the plane and hanged things off parts of the plane (like under the inlet) where they hadn't intended to hang things like targeting pods!
They "guaranteed" the plane for 8,000 flight hours (fatigue) and 9-G's (periodically, NOT all the time like the US Navy found out!) but I think I read the American record for the A-model was around 7300 hours. Most of the A-models in US service were retired well before that. (I totally believe some of the European air forces WILL max out their A-models. Ironically, two of the poorest Euro-nations, Greece and Turkey, have the newest F-16s on the continent!) The US fleet has a few C-models easily over 8,000 hours. There's a test plane, a Block 52(?) in an ANG unit that I think that probably has over 10,000hours that was commissioned around 1992 -- at least according to the article I read online.
The "Fighter Mafia" were really naive about the original YF-16 design. It was basically good for one thing and one thing only -- "jousting like knights" (fair weather, close-in dogfight) but not much else. They HAD to put in a better radar and adapt the plane for multi-role whether Boyd, Sprey, and the GD "godfathers" liked it or not or I doubt the plane would have stayed in production past the 1980s OR been as attractive to as many countries. Let's face it, as good a close-in dogfighter as it is, the F-16 has mainly been used as a Bomber...
Never change the way you present your videos...I watch certain builders on YT who I respect and admire for their builds and videos, but yours have that little bit extra about them. Your personal experiences combined with information you share is worth so much more than what other builders share from books....outstanding.
Thanks again, Steve! I'm glad you enjoyed the extras from an F-16 technician's point of view in this one 😃
"I'll just let the clip run, maybe you'll find it relaxing just watching..."
Yeah... it's like watching paint dry. lol
Btw I just subscribed. I’d rather hear your stories than see model. Lol. Btw my brother retired chief master Sargent. He’d like this
Thanks Lewis 😀
Great video and nice to include the stories from your unit. Great paint job. Just have a look and fix the HUD. You have installed it the wrong way around.
Thanks for the comments! The HUD glass error was caught previously and has already been corrected. ;-)
What was your AFSC bro? I was 2A351A F-15/A-10/U-2 Attack Control Systems Journeyman. I was F-15 Avionics Troop at Tyndall AFB with the 325 AMXS/2 AMU. We had F-15 C/D models cause at the time there was 3 F-15 Squadrons and 1 F-22 squadron there that trained pilots. AETC base. They closed the 1st FS/AMU down when I was still there but now there isn’t anymore F-15s at Tyndall. Just two F-22 squadrons. The 43rd and I think they turned the 2 FS/AMU into an F-22 unit. Obviously I was a flight line dude as well. We are the backbone of the Air Force. Also I won SrA BTZ and got Airman of the Quarter for the 325 AMXS and almost got it for the whole Fighter Wing but I got all that with no volunteer bullets. All maintenance bullets. I was really good at my job and I really loved working on those planes. I had all my 623 tasks for 7 level signed off for F-15 C/D models as a 5 level that only signed for 4 years so you know how big of a deal that is. Also made Staff but my line number was so low I got out before I sewed it on. Also I got an incentive flight in the F-15 which was the best 90 mins of my AF career. Pulled 8.9 Gs went Mach 1.2. Dopest shit ever. I got mine when I was TDY to Cold Lake Canada for Maple Flag. You ever get one in an F-16? I also went aTDY to Luke AFB and Key West. TDYs were always fun. If you didn’t work on the flight line then you ain’t shit. Haha. Am I right or am I right? And just a little FYI an F-15 would dust an F-16 easily. ;)
Very cool
Thanks Jesse!
Nice awesome build
Thanks Ian!
Love the F-16. Have you heard about the F-16-XL? Is there a model for it?
Hi Jennifer, there are a couple of model kits of the F-16XL still in production. I've been requested a few times to build one for the channel 😉
@@MaxAfterburner cool. That would be great. And if you do build one please paint it in the Thunderbird colors.
Del uno muy buena scala
outstanding!
Thanks Jason!
From one Air Force vet to another, thank you for your service! I've just found your videos, and am having a great time watching your craftsmanship!
Thanks Michael, and I salute you Brother Airman! I hope you enjoy them all :-)
This is the kind of video I have been looking for! Great narration, personal stories and high end modeling. Instant subscription, and I’m looking forward to seeing more.
Cheers!
Hi Bret, I'm so glad you enjoyed the video, thanks! If you like the background stories, check out my YT video "Crash of AZANG Tail 80-0486". The model came out poorly but you might like the narratives.
What a pleasure to watch this video! Smart and clever, a true professional builder is talking to us! Simply astounding... You win a new subscriber (from France)... I apologize about my poor english langage... :))))
Hi Stephane, Your English is perfect :-) Thanks for your generous and kind comments!
Stéphane DAVID Your English is as good as many Americans. And they don't apologize or there bad English.
ah ah ah!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks :)))
I love that you included the static dischargers. In fact, I hope to be a fighter pilot in the USAF one day flying F-35’s. I’m so obsessed with fighters that I draw them a lot, and last year at my local air show the F-16 Viper Demo Team loved my drawing of their jet so much they took me out to the flight line where I got to do a walk around of the jet, take some pictures, and meet the pilot, Toro. They then gave me a broken static wick from the jet! I have since framed the signed drawing and the pictures with my F-16 static wick sitting right next to them.
Hi Dubbs71, I wish you success in your quest! Probably one of the greatest jobs in the world is to be a pilot. That was great of the Demo team to give you a personal tour. The static dischargers scared me. I always thought one day I'd be doing maintenance on the viper and would poke my eye or something!
You POINTY HEAD! I doubt you'll see this but I gotta say, I enjoy your jabs at the crew chiefs! I'm a crew chief who's about to retire and it just cracks me up how we'll always jab at each other! Been a follower of your channel for years and I'm diving into your back catalogue. I always enoy your stories about your time in the AF brother.
Hi curtjurgens5538, Congratulations on your upcoming retirement Knuckle Dragger! Thanks for your service and "Aim High. Air Force!" 😉
Great video. I LOVE the stories and information you provide. Plus, the kit building is very enjoyable.
Thanks herojh! Life on a flight line can sure be interesting ;-)
Agreed. Real life anecdotes mixed with model making is the perfect combination.
Totally agree with this. Educational and enjoyable. Love this channel
That is some crazy modeling skills you have. Awesome work. I've been sitting here watching your videos for 4 hrs.
Wow, glad you're enjoying them JC's Hobbies and Recreation, thanks! 🤩
Guy knows what he’s talking about
I enjoy again you build nice incl informatie is. Nice. I build start when I was 10.. Stil I do and this f16 is nice I build the Dutch versions..
Good ol XB3 items. When I worked life support I was amazed at the things that were XB3.
Just watched this one after watching a few of your more recent efforts in the last few days. I tend to come and go with my own efforts - having not touched a TBM that I was working on in more than 8 months! I'm a Pro-crastinator! I was a BUFF and Spirit Crew Chief for most of my 9 year USAF career, and my little brother was an F-16 Crew Chief at Luke AFB during his 4-year stint from 93-96. The Indiana ANG unit in Ft. Wayne, IN once flew F-4E II's before transitioning to the F-16's, and then A-10's last I knew. I've got an F-4E II in my stash with custom decals for the Ft. Wayne ANG. I guess I'll need to add an F-16 as well. I can see much improvement in your skills, both building and filming up to now. Great work! Peace and love.
A lot of growth and a long learning curve. If you compare my very first model video to my latest ones, there's quite a noticeable difference in many respects. Thanks, TJ 😉
this is the first build video I have watched where the builder has personal experience with the actual aircraft. Great comments and insight! Thanks!
Hi Teddy, Thanks, and I'm glad you enjoyed the video presentation! After years working the F-16, I'm afraid I took it for granted and forgot about the unique position I was in. I surely miss it now that I've retired from the military and fighter jets!
Great build. Really like the commentary and personal stories and experiences.
Subscribed.
Thanks!
Thanks, welcome aboard 🚂!
Absolutely amazing videos. From one -16 maintainer (Sheet metal ) to another thanks for bringing back many memories. I was at Cannon for 7+ years 27th FW assigned to 524th FS during deployments before becoming 27th SOW. Gotta say as one of the many that painted the Jets it's always fun to hear line maintainers talk about the paint and stuck screws...lol. If curious about the -16 paint colors it's 118 on top and 270 on the bottom. Also I have to say amazing job on tail flashes, lining up the insignias with the seam of the leading edge cap is spot on per T.O. feel free to crank out more 16's. Love my vipers! Sad story about 524th FS and Luke AFB...while deployed in 2006/2007 we lost our 524 lead jet piloted by a Luke AFB pilot, I'll never forget taking part in laying out what was left of the jet and prepping for transport state side. Keep up the great work!!
Thanks to you and your service brother Airman. 🙂
G’day Max, I throughly enjoyed watching the building of this VIPER!
Great scheme and I loved the back stories as well. Keep on building👍🏻
Hi Ray, much appreciated, thanks for writing these kind comments! 😊
I just found your channel and I must say that is not a model. That is a work of art. Very well done. And from an Army Vet (11B-13 yrs, 6 combat tours) who owes his life to two F-16 pilots, thanks for your service brother.
Hi Joe, thanks very much, I appreciate that! Most pilots say the best missions are those that support the "boots on the ground". Thanks for being in the thick of it for your bros and for our country. I salute your service! 😃
What an absolutely incredible job you did here. Thank you for your service good sir. I retire from the Navy next May after what will be 20 years. I have worked on aircraft avionics systems, but never got to work on fighter jets. I'm sorry to hear you lost three jets during your time. I can't imagine the feeling you got every time you heard a plane went down. I would be so scared and worried, thinking about all the maintenance I performed prior to that and wondering if something I had done, caused it.
Keep doing the awesome work on these models.
Hi Paul, Congratulations on 20 years and thank you also for your service as well! 😎
My father is a retired F-16 pilot. I am planning to build this kit for him as a Christmas gift and using decal set from one of the fighter squadrons he flew with (512th TFS at Ramstein AFB). Thanks so much for putting this video together. It will serve as a fantastic resource on my build!
That's great Jackal858! I'm sure your father will be proud and pleased with your work!
I like the fact that u took time to explain some of the parts and actual functions and uses for it. I hope this is not a dying hobby. Kids these days are more fascinated with iPads and computer games.. unlike my time..
I guess it's easier to just tap buttons..
Respect for the fallen.
I gotta love the f16, it screams class everywhere 😃
Your stories about the real F16 are great! Helps us modelers to make models ore real.
Thanks meneerjansen00, I'm glad you enjoyed the stories from the flight line!
This is so cool! I love your modeling model video on the Tamiyas 1/48 scale F-16! I love it! Outstanding video!
Hi Hugo, glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
I really enjoyed hearing about the intracacies and details of an F-16 as you built the model, it made it so much more personal and real... we all love model Jets or else we wouldn't be here but to have real world details of the actual jet made this video sublime.
Thanks again Timothy, I miss my jets!
why anyone dislikes this video???!!!
Because Haters.
Have been asking the same... maybe uber technicals.
Because they can’t do it
Loved this. I have the same model, and have not started it yet. I wanted to make sure I knew true aspects of weathering, and having someone that was hands-on with the jet in question goes a long way to reassuring me.
Thanks Pat, hope you have a lot of fun with your kit!
I grew up outside of Tucson, about an hour south. I frequented Tucson and drove right by the boneyard and DM AFB. I loved it. Seeing all the 16's & 10's made the trip worth it.
I now live in Phoenix a few miles from Luke AFB. Home of the F16 training. Now, F35's. It so awesome.
Hi Jenson, we tried to get the F-35 at the Tucson AZANG 162FW, but we lost out to Luke. At least it will be quiet for people living in the Old Pueblo. 🤫
Buncha buzzkills, man... I live in Phoenix now, and I get to see the F35's from time to time if I'm on the west side. Pretty awesome.
"No stories about flaperons!"
For some reason, that made me laugh!
The trailing edge on those surfaces was almost like a knife edge. I was sure I was going to walk into one and leave a long cut across my forehead one day. But, it never happened!
Building the same kit right now of the AR ANG 188th FW. It is invaluable to have a former CC that is also a scale modeler. Very informative and I love the aggressor scheme. I think you did an excellent job. Thank you for the build and your service! Sierra Hotel!
Hi Gary, thanks, and all the best for your Viper build!
I wasn't a CC knuckle dragger, I was a F-16 flightline avionics pointyhead. 😉😇😃
@@MaxAfterburner I do stand corrected! There most certainly is a difference, lol
Don’t know a better way to say this: you are a kickass model builder!!!
Gosh, thanks! 😄
Enjoyed watching! Thank you for your service. Liked how you included your experiences working on the actual plane.
Thanks Erik, I'm glad you liked the build as well as the stories!
Glad I found your channel. Love the viper. Love your attention to detail.
I'm already missing the planes that have left Luke AFB. The F35 is cool and loud(I can hear it very well nearly 10 miles away) but it's no F16.
Thanks HighFlyer, glad you enjoyed it 😀
Beautiful model. Thank you for your service.
Thanks for your comments FivePoints Vids!
Very nice build and the anecdotes were an excellent extra
A great video such detail and patience it should be displayed in an art gallery
Why thank you, Sean!
A perspex dome rapier guard type floating shield on your stick would prevent switch damage. I could build it in a day. I'm not Russian.
Two more things 1. I don’t think your supposed to take that shit. No matter if they chuck it or not. And 2. I only know 1 legit thing about an F16. Don’t stand down wind if a Hydrazine leak.
Worked on F16 block 30s as a weapons technician
👍👍
I worked on this jet as a Crew Chief from 2007-2008 while it was with my unit at Ellington Field "EF" a Texas AIr National Guard unit before it went to Nellis and the Aggressor Squadron. www.f-16.net/aircraft-database/F-16/airframe-profile/1631/
Looks like it's been around!
Fantastic video! Your explanations are great. What is the mix ratio of your Tamiya colors and thinner (what type)?
Hello XFIGHT3R, Thanks for the comments! In this case, I did not make my custom paint colors with precise ratios -- I did it more by eye. Here are the paints I used: “Arctic Grey” (XF-2 Flat White + a little XF-19 Sky Grey); “Light Grey” (XF-19 Sky Grey + a little XF-2 Flat White); “Aggressor Blue” (X-14 Sky Blue + XF-50 Field Blue). I pre-thin all my paints for airbrushing when I first obtain them (~ 80% paint + 20% X-20A Thinner). [An “Andy’s Hobby Headquarters” tip is to fill thinner up to the inside line visible just below the top of any new Tamiya paint bottle.] I hope this all helps!
your insight and stories about the real aircraft definitely make this video from a normal model building video to something much better
Thanks SmokingSpitfire, I'm glad you enjoyed that facet! I've gotten a lot of positive feedback on my stories and "insider" views. I plan to do a similar video in the future.
The F-16 blizzard camouflage model looks pretty slick. Did you ever think about doing a U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds
F-16 model? I had my picture taken with the number 5 leading solo pilot and, the
Public Affairs officer when I was at the Dayton air show last month. Keep up the great work.
Hi Kacy, the T-Bird Viper may be too "clean" for me to do, I like them dirty 😉. Maybe one day? I should note that I have video of #6 Maj. Alex "Tuna" Turner meeting with air show attendees and also his max takeoff at Cannon AFB, NM in 2016. He remembered me recording him with the crowd and looked directly at me, pointed, and waved during his return taxi. Five days later, he was forced to eject from that very F-16 in Colorado. You can see him, his takeoff, and return in my video: ua-cam.com/video/TuLSPVB_iao/v-deo.html at the 3:35 , 4:21 , 13:48 marks, respectively. They're great pilots and ambassadors for the USAF. 😃
This is such an awesome idea. I loved it and subscribed! Thank you for your service!
Thanks Charlie!
Excelente video desde Chile abrazo me encanta los aviones el aeromodelismo gran trabajo 🇨🇱👍👍😂
Thanks again, Max Afterburner, for sharing your modelling expertise, tips and how-to's. You are an excellent teacher in your dialogue and experience sharing videos. Keep up the great work!
Thanks Bill, I'm so glad you're enjoying the videos!
Speaking of the Thunderbirds...I'd like to see a Thunderbird and Blue Angel build.
Amazing. Love the way you talk about your personal experience with the fighter. Please consider doing more of these videos. Best regards.
Hi Marcio, Thanks for the kind and thoughtful comments! I'll have to start jotting down more of my stories to present in future videos. :-)
HI, I noticed at or near the end of the video when you are applying the decals, did you, or do you wet the surface of the model with water where the decal will be placed first? I know you dipped the decal in water first, but do you also wet the area on the model? Great presentation on your work, Thanks for your Service, Cheers
Hi drail80s, yes, I lay down a little bit of water so I can float the decal into position. I then wick up most of the moisture with the cotton swab leaving just a little to fine tune alignment before the final pressing in and removal of the last bit of water, then onto the decal setting solution. 🧐
Fantastic build and commentary, I am ex Royal Air Force Ground Crew, spending my career first on the Buccaneer and Hunter T7 in the UK and Germany. After re-training as an Aircraft Electrician, I moved onto the VC10 and Finally the Tri-Star Tanker. Unfortunately I missed out on the 1979/80 Red Flag detachments on the Buccaneer (I just did not get chosen) and on 1987 on the Tri-Star, I got as far as Lincoln Nebraska (which is no Las Vegas) due to Aircraft Unserviceably. Keep up the good work, hope to see and hear more!
Hi Chris, glad you enjoyed the video. Great to hear from a fellow military aviation maintainer and thanks for the background story! 😃
What is the point of painting all those black lines before actually painting it the exact color? I’m sorry I’m new to this hobby and plan on building my first f16, it’s my favorite jet.
Also, the black paint you brush on then wipe with a cotton swab to add texture, it just watered down black paint? Can’t you just do that instead of my first question that I ask? Thanks so much.
Hi evan.zecchino, the initial lines used on this particular build are "pre-shading". You are not covering them up at 100% with subsequent layers of paint. You'll be leaving a hint of the original black lines (or other color). The effect can be subtle or left heavier depending on your taste and the appearance you're trying to achieve. These leave the impression of natural shading, wear, or even fluid stains on a relatively broader area rather than minute sections. The diluted paint used later on is a "wash". This highlights fine details such as the panel lines and rivets creating shadows in these crevices that would normally show up if the model was at true life size scale. The wash to be done last over any other paint layers you've added otherwise you'd cover up the detailing you're trying to present.
G'Day Mate, Wow nice build I'm about to build a 72 scale Tamiya F-16C (Decals from Two Bobs Alaskan Splinters) and the stories you tell keep it up great stuff. Oh and also started a Fujimi A-4K building it as one of Draken's jets with decals from oldmodelsdecals from New Zealand and they do a set in 48th scale too. Seen a number of them when they where still flying with Kiwi Air Force (RNZAF) here in Australia some years ago. Funny thing is we well the Royal Australian Navy sold all our A-4's to the Kiwi's just to hire them back for fleet support and ACM with our F/A-18's.
Hi Richard, thanks! Keep having fun with those kits!
Great work!
Nice to read your comentary about working on F-16’s.
I’m a former avionics spec and was with the netherlands airforce for almost 8 years.
Loved working on F-16’s!
The jobs that sucked most were replacing fire/ overheat leads, boresighting and working on the pitot manifold in the tip of the radome; but that is my opinion😉
Thanks for the great vid!
Thanks Philip, glad it brought back good and (bad) memories of working on the F-16.
I like the detailled explanation of the throttle grip
Hi Hangar4, glad you liked the grip tour 😄
Strange....canopy is not in the right place, going 5°/10° to the left.... is it correct ?
Very nice builds! I’m planning on building a 1/48 AZ ANG F-16 but can’t find decals of the vertical fin color band at the top. Are you aware of any on the market? What’s the newest block that AZ ANG operates today? Keep posting these build videos! Thanks.
Hi Andy, the decals for the AZANG seem to come and go which surprises me since the 162nd FW has been the largest Guard base in the country for many, many, years. You'd think Arizona decals would be frequently in supply. I guess you'll have to get lucky or try making custom decals. I visited the base and met with some of my former colleagues just this past May 2021. The newest block F-16s they're flying are still the Block 42s (152nd squadron). My old squadrons (148th and 195th) are flying the Block 20 MLUs and Block 25s, respectively. Thanks for watching!
I’m working on a Tamiya 1/48 F16 CJ block 50. When you opened your kit the parts look the same. I’m sure there are small differences in certain parts which designate various versions of the F16’s. Your work is exceptional.
Hi Teddy, thanks for the comments. Yes, there are certain subtleties between the versions and there are things to look for in identification. However, it's much easier to spot between the A/B models and the C/D models when I was in the "game".
This is a great work for this kit that you have right here... i would l like to ask what is your first coat (gloss or matte) before the wash and decals and what is your final coat for this kit? (gloss or matte)... Thanks... =)
The first coat will be gloss for the weathering and decal stages, then this is followed by the application of a flat finish.
I know you built this a while back but I just finished the 1/32 scale CJ block 50 F-16 kit. It was very fun to build. I learned a lot of patients because I painted all the knobs and switches by hand. I think I'll get the eduard cockpit etch for my next plane. Enjoy your channel and keep up the good work.
Thanks Georg! 1/32 scale is much work, but the detail as you know becomes much more enriched! Good luck on all your projects 😃
Quick question, I noticed with your F-22 you put the designation I think it is as Alpha Kilo, were you by chance ever based in Elmendorf? (Excuse my spelling, haven’t lived in Alaska in 6 years)
Hi SOVC Leviathan, I have never been to Alaska as of yet.
Is there a reason the canopy is not straight while open in the final 360 views? Does the canopy open like that?
Not only are you an awesome model aircraft builder, thank you for your service in the Air Force. The stories you told during this build were very entertaining and educational. Thank you also for the videos, build on my friend.
Thanks so much Doug! I appreciate the comments and I'm glad you enjoyed this video and the stories included. This kind of feedback really helps fuel my efforts for this channel. 😃
Awesome build btw. I’ve subbed to your channel.
Will you pls make a video on how to properly mix paints? Mine almost always turn out wrong or, I’m using the wrong airbrush. Which is a brush master I think.
I bought it as a kit with compressor and accessories included.
Hi, which paints do you generally use?
thats cool you worked on the f16s, i used to work on the kc135 r/t
Was that F16 lost due to a bird strike? Because I distinctly remember a guncam video of a training flight where they hit a bird and couldn't get the engine to restart. That poor bird... poor jet...
These model maknig videos have been great.
Thanks DFX2KX, we had a few bird strikes at my unit, but we never lost a jet to one.
awsome video, Thank you for the throttle walk through... that was very interesting
:-)
Nice job dude. I'm using those video as a guide I'm currently working the tamiya F-16 C/N kit and will have a similar paint job.
Thanks Chris, have fun and enjoy 😃
My dad is retired Air Force National Guard. He worked on F16’s as well. He was with the 147th Fighter Wing in Houston at Ellington Air Force Base.
👍🏻
Well done great result ...in the process of building 1/32 Tamiya version may take a bit longer than your effort ... Cheers from Oz
Hi Steve, thanks! Good luck with the super build! 😎
U rchd Germanic Levels of precision in creating this ultra realistic model of one of the all time greatest combat jets - The F-16 Fighting Falcon...... kudos to that
Thanks again Ramnath!
Now I'm buying kits based on your builds;) I'm new to model building but I may have an addiction, at least my Wife thinks so. Thanks for the awesome videos and the lessons.
That's great Matthew, enjoy! 🙂
Great Job.👍👍💯💯💯..I remember seeing the F-16 Long TIME Ago at the Plattsburgh AFB..
Thanks Krugmeister 🙂
Could you tell us where the internal fuel tanks are located. Can't seem to find them anywhere , oh of course it runs on AIR!
The F-16 carries its internal fuel in the wings and in compartments within the long upper fuselage hump you see aft of the cockpit.
Nice video and really interesting info about life working on F-16's. "I don't have any stories about flaperons" LOL
Thanks Simon, I would say though that the trailing border of the flaperons were practically like a knife's edge!
Do any of you encounter when applying micro sol onto the decals some of the paints surrounding the decal will dissolve and become a lighter shade? I notice it happens to Vellajo paints and Tamiya Nato Black.
Hi, not really. I do see some lightening around the edges until it dries.
I usually watch model builds with the sound off. I enjoyed your presentation and background stories on the aircraft. I think even if you never worked on models you're building, you should add odds and ends facts about the aircraft.
Thanks Ott! I try to add some interesting facts on all by builds and any personal insight if I have any for a particular model subject.
I like your presentation and model work. Served at Nellis from 1985-1989 554 SP Squadron.
Hi Alex, thanks for your comment and your service!
Hey man I just recently got into airbrushing for models (As in yesterday) what ratios do you use for your tamiya paints of paint to thinner? And Is it the same for when you're priming a model?
Hi Austin, I use a thicker paint to thinner ratio than most modelers. My Tamiya acrylics are at about a 75% paint to 25% thinner mixture for airbrushing the model's priming and main coats. 🙂
When i paint mine in Blizzard camo do i have to paint it as it is in real life or can i do my own Blizzard camo
Excellent model. As a C-17 Avionics troop it was interesting to hear how we have the same stories. I also loathe changing out fuel probes.
Thanks Matt! I bet you had much more room to work the avionics on a C-17 than I had on the F-16!
Great video ,,& apart from making things easy to learn ,,you made it a pleasure to watch ,,best wishes & warm regards
Thanks 350TopGun, your comments were uplifting to read especially after a long day at work!
There are a lot of 'good' model channels. Some are VERY good. There a few that are excellent. This one is a LEGEND!
Wow, gosh, thanks Owen! 😄