Under Peace Marble IV, America delivered surplus F-16A and F-16B Block 10 models to Israel. These aircraft are unusual in that they initially retained their USAF style camouflage, but received a stylised falcon on the tail denoting their incorporation into the Phoenix Squadron. It was a photo of one of these aircraft that I stumbled across on the net that inspired this build.

At the time this kit was built, the beautiful rendition from Revell was not available, and neither were the Isradecal F-16 sheets, so the Hasegawa kit was the best option available. The kit was built according to the kit instructions with a few necessary changes. The kit consoles were widened using sheet styrene and the over-simplified kit ACES ejection seat was replaced with a True Details resin one. The kit cockpit was painted and decalled as per kit instructions and the HUD glass sanded and polished smooth before attaching. The cockpit was installed in the fuselage halves and the rest of the kit assembled as per instructions.

Modifications were necessary to backdate the kit to a Block 10 aircraft representative of a Peace Marble IV F-16A.

• The two small IFF blade antennae were removed from under the nose (just behind the radome)

• The UHF blade antenna between the rear underfuselage strakes was reshaped and moved to the front underside of the intake

• The small avionics bump for the TACAN, just in front of the nose wheel well, was built from styrene

• The size and shape of the late model tailplanes was changed to the smaller ones of the Block 10 aircraft, by cutting and reshaping the kit ones

• The refuelling light fairing on the leading edge of the tail fin was removed.

• Mounting plates behind the intake nav lights were removed.

• Small temperature sensor added on the port side of the intake next to the nose gear well.