The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a
compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and
has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It
provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the
United States and allied nations like South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and
Singapore.
This new 1/72 decal sheet from
Scale Nutz Productions focuses on the F-16's used by the RSAF in
Singapore. The decals themselves are beautiful quality and very
clearly printed on the 1/72 sample I have before me (scan at right does
not show the the sharpness of these decals). Colours look solid
(most of the decals are black on this sheet) and will cover very well and
the decal appear wonderfully thin. There are enough stencils
provided for 1 complete aircraft......with more stencils, you could make
more of the 13 different planes featured on this decal sheet. Clear
film is minimal and tapers down nicely to the edge of the decal.
The 13
aircraft featured on this sheet are with 140 Squadron, which is the
first fighter squadron in the RSAF. Their main role is to provide
ground support to the ground forces with their Hawker Hunters. In
1988, RSAF upgraded the squadron with 8 F-16A/B. From 1997
onwards, the squadron has operated the F-16A/B/C/Ds.
Some
interesting facts about the RSAF F-16's. The RSAF is a small air
force, so all of it's aircraft are shared among the squadrons.
Therefore photos of the RSAF F-16's with the same serial #'s but with
different squadron markings are not uncommon. Also.....due
to the small size of the RSAF, pilots tend to share aircraft, so their
names aren't painted on the aircraft. For public appearances such
as VIP or parade events a name might be paint on the aircraft, but this
name is not for an actual pilot and are instead purely fictional to
protect the pilots identity.
The first
F-16 selection is
for 7 different F-16C's. These all belong to 140 Squadron and are
aircraft #608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 614 and 615. The F-16C is of
course a single seater version of the F-16 and the RSAF versions have a
standard low viz grey paint scheme that is similar to the USAF F-16 paint
schemes. Paint scheme colours are FS 36118 for the dark areas on top
and FS 36270 for the light areas on top and FS 36320 for the nose cone and
FS 36375 for the underside. Markings include a red and black checker
board band along the top of the tail. A black checker board band is
also included, but no mention of it is made in the instructions, so I'm
not sure if this black checker board band is for an earlier low-viz scheme
or ? On the tail there is a black emblem of a hunting bird's feet
with talons extended over a map of Singapore. On the rear part of
the each side of the fuselage is a light grey animal's head with what
appears to be a flowing mane. The rest of the markings appear
to be standard F-16 markings. One nice touch is the addition of drop
tank and travel pod(?) markings.
The second F-16 selection
is for 6 different F-16D's. These all belong to 140 Squadron and are
aircraft #623, 625, 626, 639, 640 and 691. The F-16D is of course a
two seater version of the F-16 and the RSAF versions have a standard low
viz grey paint scheme that is similar to the USAF F-16 paint
schemes. Paint scheme colours are FS 36118 for the dark areas on top
and FS 36270 for the light areas on top and FS 36320 for the nose cone and
FS 36375 for the underside. Markings include a red and black checker
board band along the top of the tail. A black checker board band is
also included, but no mention of it is made in the instructions, so I'm
not sure if this black checker board band is for an earlier low-viz scheme
or if it is to permit the modeller to paint the red band and apply the
decal over top to get the red and black checker board band. On the tail there is a black emblem of a hunting bird's feet
with talons extended over a map of Singapore. On the rear part of
the each side of the fuselage is a black animal's head with what appears
to be a flowing mane. The rest of the markings appear to be
standard F-16 markings. One nice touch is the addition of drop tank
and travel pod(?) markings.
|