One of my last
projects was to build a Israeli Air Force Lockheed Martin F16I Sufa. For
the base kit I used the Hasegawa 1/72 F16D and I transformed it with Isracast resin add ons
(ref 72002) and Isradecals (ref IAF-55). The Isracast resin kit
includes a
lot of beautiful parts to enhance my model (CFT's, main gear wheels, gear's
doors, dorsal specific F16I spin, various antennas...). The kit is designed for
the Revell model, but it works with little effort on the Hasegawa model, I didn't use a
lot of mastic. I chose to represent F16I number 421 from the Negev
squadron in May 2006. The tail art was designed by Isradecal studio and after
painted on real planes, not common isn't it!!! The decals are proposed with a
CDRom with a beautifull walkaround of details pictures, desktop wallpaper and
instructions, very useful to achieve an accurate model.
The 3 colors Israeli upper
camouflage is standard for the F-16I :
FS30219 Gunze
acrylic Brown H310, FS33531 Gunze acrylic Desert H313, FS34424 Humbrol
Green 90+31 (90%/10%)
The lower camouflage
is FS36375 Grey MrColor H308.
I don't have an
airbrush so I tried to do my best with a classical brush.
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I wanted to build a 'ready
to fight' plane so I added 3 tanks from the kit (one centerline, 2 underwings), 2x 2000lb GBU-10 laser guided bombs under
the wings from the Hasegawa
aircraft weapons part IV box, 2x AIM120B AMRAAM air-air missiles at
the end of wings and standard LANTIRN pods (AN/AAQ-13 navigation at right and
AN/AAQ-14 targeting at left). In fact I want to add 2x IR air-air
missiles Python IV on free pylons to achieve the armament (in resin from
Paragon design if I find them).
The F-16I Soufa ("Storm") is a modified variant of the F-16D Block
50 and 52 fighter and ground attack aircraft, with the avionics and weapons
systems capability modified to meet the requirements of the Israeli Air Force.
Israel ordered 50 F-16I aircraft in 2001 and signed the agreement for an
optional additional 52 aircraft in September 2001. The Israeli Air Force has
selected the F16I in a two-seat configuration only. Nowdays 3 squadrons use this
plane the Neguev, the Bats, and the Knights of the Orange Tail.
Jean-Charles
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