Subject: Re: My Hasagawa Viper
From: "Steve Bamford ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Jake Melampy" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 4 May 2003 10:43:01 -0700

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jake Melampy" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2003 1:16 PM
Subject: My Hasagawa Viper

Gallery Template #06

1/32 Hasagawa F-16C Block 40

by Jake Melampy
--------------------
Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here

Here are some pictures of my 1/32nd Hasagawa F-16C.  This is one of two I
bought about a year ago, and it sat in my closet until last October. The
other kit was modified into a two-seat F-16D (article coming soon).

The Hasagawa kit was obviously engineered a long time before the "modern"
Viper came along.  It provides a kit that, when finished, somewhat
accurately depicts a Block 25 or Block 32 F-16C.  Parts are also included to
make an F-16A.  I wanted to make a Block 40 F-16C assigned to Aviano AB,
Italy, during Operation Allied Force in the spring of 1999.  Several months
later, here is the finished kit.

Click on images below to see larger images

Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 03.jpg
here. Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo
03.jpg

    Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 04.jpg
here. Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo
04.jpg

THE COCKPIT

I used the Black Box cockpit set for the front office during my F-16D
conversion, and honestly wasn't too impressed with it.  Mostly accurate, but
the parts that were inaccurate are very visible.  So to build by Block 40,
I'd have to scratchbuild the parts I needed.  The only kit parts used were
the cockpit tub and instrument panel, although both of those were cut into
about 15 pieces before they were re-used.

First, I had to correct the kit's instrument panel coaming.  It was badly
undersized and shaped incorrectly.  Plastic filler and scrap plastic made an
accurate piece.  The kit's cockpit tub was used, but modified by adding the
proper instrumentation layout, cables, lighting, avionics, oxygen hose,
g-suit hose, air vents, etc.  The kit's front instrument panel was cut into
6 pieces and then re-assembled to make it as wide as my now-accurate
instrument panel coaming.  I also lengthened the HUD control panel so that
it stuck out from beneath the panel coaming as in the real jet.  This is one
part of the Black Box cockpit that is inaccurate.  I did, however, steal the
Black Box Block 40 HUD and rear cockpit deck from my F-16D conversion.  The
HUD glass was added from clear "Thermaform" available from Squadron.  The
throttle, control stick, and sidewalls were scratchbuilt.

The seat is made from Reheat. It has the older style seat cushions.  Most
ACES II seats now have black sheepskin seat cushions.  To change this, I
sprinkled cinnamon over the old cushions (wetted with super glue) and
painted them black.  The belts were made from the supplied material and
buckles.

THE AIRFRAME

The kit had a combination of raised and recessed panel lines. The recessed
lines were all in the correct places so they were left alone.  Most of the
raised lines were also correct, so they were used as a guide when scribing
new lines.  I also scribed many panels that were not present before.

Block 40 F-16s have many structural stiffeners on the sides and top of the
fuselage.  These were added using very thin plastic cut from a "For Sale"
sign, and super-glued in place.

As mentioned before, the kit has parts for a Block 25 or 32 jet.  Since I
wanted to build a Block 40 -which is equipped with the GE engine- I had a
problem.  The intake was the original small-mouth intake.  I saw no way
around this, so I simply made a cover to fit over the intake.  Luckily, this
does a nice job of hiding the incorrect intake. Hasagawa did supply the
correct GE engine exhaust, but with minimal inside detail. It also suffered
from its rear edge being about 7-8 scale inches thick.  Even when sanded,
the edges still were too thick, so again I made a cover to hide the problem.

The RWR antenna on the wing leading edge were not present, so they were
added using plastic sprue and filler.  The static wicks on the wing trailing
edges and radome were plastic from the same "For Sale" sign.  The Block 40
and up have new landing/taxi lights on the nose gear door because LANTIRN
and HTS pods block the older style lights on the main gear.  These were
built from sheet plastic and clear "Thermaform".

The landing gear was also strengthened in Block 40 jets.  The wheels are
wider, and the main gear doors are bulged to accomodate the newer wheels.
These were not included in the kit, and I saw no way to modify them, so I
was forced to use the older, incorrect, kit parts....

The open panel on the left side of the intake was cut out and built using
sheet plastic and wire to build the inside detail.  I wanted this door open
because I had a decal for the art on the inside of the door.

Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 02.jpg here

DECALS

Decals came from Astra Decals, a division of Daco.  The package was very
impressive, as it came with specific decals to make any one of 3 jets, all
from the 510FS, 31FW, with spare serial numbers and unit badges to make any
jet that flew with the 510FS.  The instructions were also printed in color.
Very impressive!  My enthusiasm faded when I noticed that the instruction
sheet had several mistakes on it.  For example, the instruction sheet had
details for a jet that wasn't provided for on the decal sheet, and the decal
sheet had decals for a jet that the instructions didn't even mention!  To
make matters worse, the second sheet of decals, which included the stencil
markings, was printed in a very inaccurate dark gray.  Supplied in the decal
package is an envelope to be mailed to Daco.  Daco then will supply the
purchaser with a new decal sheet printed in the correct shade of gray.  I
sent my sheet in sometime last April and still have not heard back. When I
e-mailed Danny at Daco, he replied that the new sheets have not been printed
yet, as they don't want to do it until they have other sheets to be printed
in the same shade gray so as to cost them as little money as possible. (Not
to mention the modeler, who has already paid a lot of money for an
inaccurate decal sheet!!)  The decals were also very thick.  I had a severe
"silvering" problem, even with my usual method of applying "Future" before
decals.

WEAPONS

I purchased the AIM-120s from Cutting Edge.  These were outstanding.  Very
nice detail.  The missiles also came with correct missile rails to replace
the kit parts. The AIM-9Ms were made from the Sidewinders supplied with the
Tamiya F-4.  The GBU-12s were scratchbuilt.  I used a Tamiya F-4 Mk. 82 as a
basis.  The fuel tanks were supplied in the kit.  These were re-scribed with
the correct detail and their fins were cut off and replaced by accurate fins
made from sheet plastic.  I had purchased an AN/ALQ-131 to go on the
centerline station.  It was made by Flightpath.  It was also outstanding.
It made into a very realistic looking pod.  However, once glued onto the
center pylon, my jet no longer sat on its wheels, because the ALQ-131 was
too big!  The bottom of the ECM pod touched the ground before the kit's
wheels!  The LANTIRN pods were also from Flightpath.  I had to make the
targeting pod's pylon from scratch, as it wasn't included with the pods.

My only complaint with the Cutting Edge and Flightpath weapons is that no
decals were provided.  No stencils, stripes, nothing.  It seems a shame to
build such outstanding detail parts, but not supply the decals to finish