Subject: Re: First Submission
From: "Submissions for ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Mark Chen" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 28 Jul 2008 18:50:45 -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: Mark Chen 
  To: [email-masked] 
  Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 6:38 PM
  Subject: First Submission

  "1/48 Tamiya F-16C Block 30 "Arctic Bandit"" 

  by "Mark Chen"
  --------------------

        Steve Bamford will insert full sized version of photo 01.jpg here 

  When the photos of the 18th Aggressors started appearing on the internet, I knew that I just had to do one on them in the 3-tone "Arctic Flanker" scheme. Luckily, 2 decal companies came to the rescue with their recent issuing of decals for this squadron. 

  I used the recently issued 1/48 Tamiya F-16C Block 25/32 kit as a base. I swapped out the NSI/P&W intake/exhaust combo and replaced them with the MCID/GE combo from the F-16CJ box. Since there was little difference between a Block 30 and Block 50 cockpit, I decided to use the Eduard photo-etched cockpit for this build. The seatbelts came from there too. The scab-plates, RAM plates, pitot tube and AoA sensors came from the Tamiya Detail-up set for the F-16.

  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 
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       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 06.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 06.jpg 

  Construction was the usual Tamiya standard. Very little in terms of fitting problems but it was a little difficult getting the Eduard PE set to sit under the instrument coaming. 

  The model was airbrushed with Gunze paints. The black and white were custom-mixed while the grey was FS36231 straight from the bottle. 

  After a gloss coat, the Afterburner Decals Arctic Aggressors sheet was used. I chose to model the Wing Commander's bird, Red 14. 

  Another gloss coat was applied and a light black oil wash using was applied to the panel lines and rivets. It was then sealed with a matt coat.

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

  For the armament, I did not want to chop up a perfectly good Tamiya AIM-9M so I took a Hasegawa one from the spares box and modified it to a CATM-9. The ACMI pod was from a Hasegawa weapon set and I replaced its tip with a pin to give it some strength. The kit's centreline fuel tank was used as a temporary measure until I can get an ALQ-118 pod from Cobra Company. 

  Static discharge wicks were done using the bristles of an old toothbrush and painted black with a white end.

  Many thanks to the ARC Forumers for the help rendered to this project. The insights that they gave were invaluable.

  Happy Modelling,

  Mark

  Singapore

  Click on images below to see larger images

        Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 07.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 07.jpg 
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 08.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 08.jpg 
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       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 10.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 10.jpg 

       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 11.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 11.jpg
       Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller version of photo 12.jpg here.  Clicking on that photo will bring up the full sized version of photo 12.jpg

   

  Photos and text © by "Mark Chen"