1/72 Hasegawa Lockheed F-16B NAWDC

Gallery Article by Jean-Charles Goddet on Jan 29 2020

 

      

My model is an Hasegawa 1/72 F-16B (I used a F-16D kit with some modifactions) splinter 04 from US NAVY NAWDC in March 2017 at Fallon NAS Nevada NV a Navy base far from oceans in the middle of the desert. This plane has been ordered by Pakistan in the early nineties. Never delivered because of a weapons embargo they were stored at AMARC in the Arizona desert without flying hours. 14 airplanes (10 F-16A and 4 F-16B two seats) were taken from the desert stock for adversary role for US Navy to replicate 4th generation potential enemies threats, the only type plane for the entire US Navy and they are not navalized, impossible to use on carriers. For years I'm a great fan of Navy adversary planes and camouflages discovered thanks to the famous movie in 1986. At the begining of their US Navy career they flew under two tone grey pakistani colors after the fleet was repainted for some of them in 3 tones desert and for the others in 3 tones blue and grey and two of F-16B (04 and 07) are in a 3 tones splinter blue/grey camo to mimic last Russian flanker plane. The blue scheme represents the Viper block 15 serial number 920458 built in 1994. I used decals sheet from TWOBOBS 72069. I followed decal manufacturers instructions regarding colors.

  • upper dark blue FS35109 Hataka A156, clear blue FS35190 Gunze H323, grey FS36320 Gunze H307 for lower fuselage and wings + camo spots.

I added black juice for weatherings panels (from AMMO) plus flat varnish AMMO after fixing decals I added sun weathering by lightering the 3 tones with faded spots (clearest blue on blues, and white on grey).

The camouflaged is very faded and with a lot of paint correction. I changed a little bit the markings TWOBOBS decals are for NSAWC era and now the ex TOPGUN school is named NAWDC, I corrected the name with a fin brush on lower fins.

NSAWC (Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center)
NAWDC (Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center) consists of ten departments (Strike combination of F/A-18C/E/F, Command and control E2-C, Electronic attack EA-18G,rotary wing MH-60S ... and the famous N7 department the TOP GUN legacy with F-16A/B and F/A-18C/E/F and soon 5th generation F-35C for air/air task)

I finished by adding dust and flaps hydraulic fluids leaking with AMMO products. Nose, fin top, inner engine exhaust and air enter engine are flat white.

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I added only external centerline tank and add training inert weapon missile CATM AIM-9M on right wing and a scratchbuild ACMI (Air Combat Manoeuvring Instrumentation) pod on left wing other pylons are empty. It is the exact configuration that I had the great opportunity to see this bird and photography it at FALLON in March 2017 during a special day when I was allowed to visit with an european spotters group this platform. I think it was the greatest day of my military aviation fan life!!!

I hope your like my model and pictures, the last ones are my personnal pics taken at Fallon NAS.

Thak you guys never forget this time, Top Gun spirit never died!

Jean-Charles Goddet

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Photos and text © by Jean-Charles Goddet