REVELL 1:72 G.D. F-16A FIGHTING FALCON
'INBOX Review'

 

Reviewer: Paulo Ivo Teixeira (rec.models.scale)   
- A Built up review of this kit exists on this site - see the respective fully built kit review index to locate review

Kit details

Revell F-16A Fighting Falcon 1/72 scale, kit # 04363, from 2006. Flimsy end-opening blue box. Review copy purchased at Hamley's of London, courtesy of M. Eloy.

Aircraft history

The F-16 started rather inauspiciously as a technology demonstrator to see to what degree it would be possible to build a useful fighter that was significantly smaller and cheaper than the F-15 Eagle. The US Air Force (USAF) termed this the lightweight fighter programme and it was not originally intended to lead to a production aircraft, although this was overtaken by the existence of a large export market, initially in Europe. General Dynamics, Boeing, LTV, Lockheed and Northrop all submitted proposals, with General Dynamics and Northrop being awarded contracts for two prototypes each. After extensive fly-offs, General Dynamics' YF-16 was chosen over Northrop's YF-17 (which would later become the US Navy's F-18).

The single-seat F-16A first flew in December 1976 and became operational with the USAF in January 1979. The F-16B, a two-seat model, has tandem cockpits with a bubble canopy extended to cover the second cockpit. Subsequent improvements have led to the F-16C and F-16D, which are the single- and two-seat equivalents of the F-16A and F-16B. All active USAF units and many Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units have converted to the F-16C/D. Other variants include the F-16N and TF-16N Night Falcon flown by the US Navy as adversary trainers, and the F-16XL, a company-funded project with a 'cranked-arrow' wing and lengthened fuselage, which never entered production.

The F-16 was also licence-built in Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Turkey, where it replaced the F-104 Starfighter. Other operators include Bahrain, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Israel, Pakistan, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Venezuela. It is a remarkable export success with more than 4000 built.

The F-16 has its shock-inlet air intake located under the forward fuselage under the cockpit. The aircraft's unusual shape features wing/body blending and large leading-edge root extensions to enhance lift at high angles of attack. It is statically unstable with a fly-by-wire system for controllability, a zeo/zero ejection seat angled back by 30 degrees (rather than the usual 13 degrees) for increased pilot comfort and gravity force tolerance, and a limited-movement side-stick controller in place of a conventional control column, for more precise control of the aircraft through slight amounts of hand pressure. The cockpit has HUD and multi-function displays as well as a one-piece frameless canopy with no windscreen, which gives the pilot an incomparable all-round view. The F-16 has excellent combat radius and manoeuvrability, combined with true multi-role capability, all at a relatively low cost.

Kit parts

About 80 injection-moulded parts on 3 sprues of light-grey plastic, plus one clear sprue (bagged spearately) containing two-piece canopy, HUD, fuselage lights, plus one I haven't been able to identify yet. Note that sprue diagram only lists about 70 injection-moulded parts as pairs of identical parts (e.g., a pair of Sidewinders) are counted as a single part. Only tiny amounts of flash visible, no sink marks or ejector pin marks. Finely recessed panel lines, raised detail on underwing stores, cockpit and undercarriage bays. Clear parts have a yellowish tint, probably realistic. Main fuselage split horizontally, separate front (cockpit) section, and one-piece nose radome. Tailplanes have delicate static wicks one must be careful not to snap. Parts breakdown looks remarkably similar to that of Revell's F-16 MLu also reviewed on this site.

Instructions

One 12-page, roughly A4-sized booklet, featuring: b/w photo of completed model and history of aircraft in German and English. General modelling tips in 18 languages. Explanation of symbols, including colour callouts (references are to the Revell paint range, but FS numbers are also given for the main camouflage colours). Safety notice on a separate sheet. Sprue diagram. 35 construction steps, plus painting and decalling guides for 3 options showing 4-views of aircraft. Separate diagram covering painting and decalling of underwing stores. Some construction steps are not very easy to follow: for example in step 19 you are instructed to start building something that only later becomes clear is part of the main undercarriage. Also a lot of info is provided in each step, careful reading is essential.

Colour options

3 aircraft in celebratory schemes: Belgian Air Force 349 Squadron's 50th anniversary (Beauvechain, 1992); Dutch Air Force 323 Squadron's 50th anniversary (Leeuwarden, 1998); and Dutch Air Force 314 Squadron's 40th anniversary (Gilzen-Rijnen, 1992). The Belgian plane wears a 2-tone grey scheme of FS36270 (Hu 126) over FS36375 (Hu 127), whereas the Dutch planes are both in the same 3-tone grey scheme of FS36118 (Hu 125) and FS36270 (Hu 126) over FS36375 (Hu 127). In all cases the nose radome is Revell 47 mouse grey, which maps to FS36187 (Hu 106). As I said above, colour callouts are to the Revell paint range only, but are easily converted using IPMS tables or equivalent.

Decals

A roughly A5-sized sheet printed by DACO, carrying LOTS of stencilling, instrument panels etc (besides national and squadron insignias of course). The Belgian aircraft is decorated with a Sptifire on its back and a mace on its belly, whereas the Dutch planes have fancy tailart showing, respectively, the godess Diana and a Native American wearing feather headgear. Decals are provided for all of this, though I'm not sure the Spitfire in particular will be easy to apply, as it's supposed to go over the spine (plus you're supposed to trim it to fit). Decals are very matt and perfectly in register, with a minimum of carrier film.

Having found a 1/72 ESCI Belgian F-16A wearing exactly the same livery on the Aircraft Resource Centre website, I wondered whether the two kits might be somehow related, especially since decals for the ESCI kit are also printed by DACO. On closer inspection, however, they appear to be different toolings.

Cockpit/wheel bay detail

Highly detailed cockpit consisting of floor (with moulded pedals), rear bulkhead and side consoles. Three-piece ejection seat. Joysticks (the F-16 has no control column) and instrument panel with HUD. Decals are provided for the instrument panel and side consoles, although these also have raised detail. Fairly complex, multi-part undercarriage legs. Lots of detail on inside of undercarriage bays and bay doors.

Options

Undercarriage up or down, two-part canopy can be displayed open. Choice of underwing stores including fuel tanks and Sidewinder missiles, the latter can be carried either on wingtip rails or under the wings. Whichever combination you choose (and there are three to choose from), there will always be 2 pairs of holes to fill in on the undersides of wings. The Belgian and Dutch aircraft differ in tiny details such as the blisters on either side of the air intake and the brake parachute housing just above the exhaust.

Accuracy

Looks great to me, especially since I normally build much older kits with nowhere near this level of detail.

Conclusion

I'm certainly looking forward to sinking my teeth, as it were, into this very modern tooling of a classic aircraft. It does look marvellously engineered, but is perhaps not one for beginners, given the number of tiny, potentially fiddly, bits and the complexity of construction/decalling.

References

 

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