1/72 Revell F-16B TS-1603

Gallery Article by Andri Sanjaya on Apr 9 2019

 

      

Hello all fellows modeler, after I can completely built my F-16C 52ID in November 2017 so I followed with next phase on my own project "Heritage Flight of Skadron Udara 03". The next phase is I should have built F-16A or F-16B with Early Millennium Scheme from 3rd Fighter Squadron on TNI-AU.

Many tail numbers on this squadron so I decided to choose TS-1603 because this tail number so memorable for me especially when this tail number involved in Bawean Incident on mid-2003. The TS-1603 give to F-16B Block 15 OCU so I'll choose F-16B over F-16A and let's build it!

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The kit that I used for this project is Revell F-16B in 72nd scale. Details and fitting quality are good but you need to keep carefully to kit's details especially electric static discharger antennas, I broke it one of them on starboard stabilizer. The drag chute housing that important part for Indonesian F-16B was provided by Revell, meanwhile there are three options that can you make: 1. for ECM housing (Belgian F-16B), 2. normal without extended housing (USAF F-16B) and 3. drag chute housing (Dutch F-16B).

Another information about Indonesian F-16B Block 15OCU is this bird get strengthening plates in front of RHAW dome, wing roots and mid-fuselage (this last plate got when all Indonesian F-16A/B getting structural upgrade on Falcon Up project in late 90s). The strengthening plate that I used from Cross Delta, same type when I used this one on my F-16C 52ID.

Decal of TS-1603 I get from Zotz Decal Vivacious Vipers #2.

Maybe because this decal was too long kept on my storage so there are some decals became brittle when I sticking it on the model but I can still be using it when I give clear gloss coat first before I cut and glued them.

The one of happiest part on this hobby is select the load out for your model. Because this F-16B - dual seater - I choose load out for long range bomber so i choose a pairs of 370 gallon tanks and a single 330 gallon tank for the centerline station. Six Mk-82 bombs on a pairs of Triple Ejector Rack (TER) BRU-42s and a pairs of AIM-9P4s. The Mk-82 come from 1/72 Academy F-15E and TER BRU-42 come from Hasegawa weapons set.

The Sidewinder AIM-9P4 come from Hasegawa weapons set, this P4 actually from AIM-9J that I cut the seeker section and then reduce it for 1 millimeter of length and gluing back.

For final touch I decided for make a small diorama with some figures and ground equipment from Hasegawa ground equipment set (GSE), no need to use all GSE and ground crews on this diorama because the limited space on my display cabinet and I don't like my diorama too looks busy in limited space.

After this my F-16B kit are done may I should make OV-10F or F-35A (what if) for complete my own project. Enjoy it and see you in next article.   :-)

Andri Sanjaya

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Photos and text © by Andri Sanjaya