1/48 Hasegawa F-16C

Gallery Article by Mike Gibson

 

This is my Hasegawa 1/48th scale F-16C. The A/C is depicted as an Israeli F-16. The kit was built out of the box with the following exceptions. The cockpit is a resin set from Black Box. The Sidewinders are from the Hasegawa weapons kit. The LGB-s are from the Italeri kit. The intake cover is scratch built.  The Seeker head covers for the Sidewinders are scratch built utilizing plastic tubing. The static electricity discharge wicks are stretched sprue. The RBF tags are lead foil painted red.  The ladder came with the kit and the clip board map are scratch built.  

 

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This particular kit was built several years ago. As years past I have developed better techniques for painting which resulted in better finishes. I had a desire to do an Israeli F-16.  I decided to strip the F-16 and repaint it as an experiment.  I removed the gear, gear doors, ordnance, and canopy.  Striped the aircraft down to the plastic.  Reprimed and reshot with proper IAF colors based on the Aeromaster decal sheet.  Built and detailed the ordnance.  Reattached all the parts that I removed and finished up all the odds and ends.  

The results are a very realistic F-16 which depicts moderate ware and use, especially for the hot climate in the middle east. 

Mike Gibson

      

Photos and text © by Mike Gibson