Subject: Re: SEAD F-16CJ
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Keith Money" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 15:40:06 -0700

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know your article went on ARC today.  Thanks again for sending it in.

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com

Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Keith Money 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2007 8:51 AM
  Subject: SEAD F-16CJ

  "Academy 1/32nd F-16CJ" 

  by "Keith Money"
  --------------------

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  After giving up modelling for a couple of years I decided to take it up again and build Academy's F-16CG/CJ kit in 1/32nd scale.  This kit has a few faults, but then so does the Tamiya offering which is much more expensive.   It is however a good foundation for a super-detailing project.  Using DACO's excellent 'Uncovering the F-16' book, my other F-16 books, the Internet, lots of plastic card, and a good deal of patience mixed with super-glue.

  NEW PAINTS

  I went to Hannants with Ted Taylor and Peter Quinn recently and Ted recommended the Xtraacrylic range of paints.  Previous to this I had never really used acrylic paints - only Humbrol enamels.  However Ted gave the paints a 'big thumbs up' so I bought the colours required.  It took me over 2 hours to spray the base coat of grey!  I went round to Ted's (The modelling Guru), it proved fruitfull - my new double action airbrush had a fine needle and head assembly, Doh!  No wonder I needed to really thin the paint.  Even so, the results with the Xtraacrylic paints were so good - I am now a convert to them.  All my enamels are now in a box under the workbench.  I also used the range of acrylic paints by Games Workshop (Warhammer figures).  These are great for brush painting and dry within minutes.  Come to think of it I do not know how I managed with enamels having to wait so long for them to dry.  

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  During the building of the kit things kept breaking off, on one occasion I was just about to glue in the throttle all nicely painted when it pinged out of the tweezers and hit my box of wires and tapes.  This was the last that I ever saw of it.  I scoured the loft room for it, on my hands and knees like some crazed bloohound for days.  Do these parts that modelers lose end up in the same place where elephants go to die?  The new throttle is made from a carved piece of black sprue and plastic rod buttons.  The open panels and hatches are all scratchbuilt,  with new panels and doors being made from plastic card and secured with blue-tac.  This acted as a mask for the already painted equipment as well as providing a uniform coat of paint across the outer skin of the aircraft.

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  THE FIRST OF MANY 

  From now on 1/32nd is the only scale that I will build in.  After selling all of my models my aim is to now create a collection just for me and for use by the Hornchurch Model Club and US Naval Aircraft SIG.  A range of simple models (No dioramas) with identical wooden bases and descriptive text.  Blue card bases for USAF and Beige coloured card for US Navy/Marine subjects.  

  This particular F-16CJ block 50 is in the markings of the first 20th FW flagship flown by General Chuck Horner before the 20th FW went down to three squadrons.  Chuck Horner is a former Vietnam Wild Weasel pilot (over 70 missions in the F-105 over North Vietnam!).  He has flown F-4's, F-100's, F-105's, F-15's and F-16's with a total of 5,300 combat hours!   He gained his wings in 1959 and retired in 1994, oh yes... he also commanded all US aerial forces during Desert Shield and Deset Storm.  Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguish Service Medal and so many oak-leaf clusters that he could be a tree...Kind of humbling eh!

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  The decals (AVI Print) were very good and thoroughly recommended; don't use Micro Set or Sol with them though, they are so thin that pure water is all they need.  It was also my first ever use of a canopy paint mask by Eduard... I am now a convert.  As for the Academy kit - I would definately build another one, I have even bought the decals ready for it from Twobobs.  The fit is pretty good, engraved panel lines, nice cockpit, lots of weapon choices and at the end of the day... it looks like an F-16.  The Academy decal sheet is also good, allowing for five different aircraft to be made.  Some of the kit options include the IFF antennas, small of big mouth intake, Pratt & Whitney or GE engine, CG or CJ HUD, LANTIRN or HTS pods.

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  The the next project is for the US Naval Aircraft SIG to keep Bill Allen happy, the Trumpeter A-7E Corsair.  It's already started but there are just so many parts; a far cry from some 30 years ago when I thought that an Airfix series 4 kit had too many parts.  

  Photos and text © by "Keith Money IPMS Hornchurch, UK"