Forum: Scale Models - F-16, F-35, F/A-22, F-2

Hi,
Since I'm a nugget here, I'll give you all a little introduction about myself. My name is Craig and I live in sunny Southern California. I've been coming to the site for a while now, and I've finally gotten brave enough to post.

I'm an avid model buil. . . I mean collector, and I occasionally build (some of you know what I'm talking about. . . Very Happy

). Anyway, here's my question; it's a detail question: When did F-16 operators start using the "clipped fin" fuel tanks? I ask because the 1/72nd Hasegawa kits come with the full fins, and the new Revell kits have the "clipped" fins. And pictures of the tanks, espicially in flight are hard to determine what kind of fins they have. Thanks.

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Well, according to the DACO book by Danny Coremans, they've always had the clipped tanks. Well as far as operational tanks go. Apparently only the very early tanks had the full, sharp tipped fins. What version and time period do you plan on building? If it's anytime during the mid 80's to the present, clip those suckers! It's a brain dead mod, I mean all I did was sand off point, parallel to the tank taper, done!

Welcome to the group Craig, I also live in Socal, we've probably run into each other at models shows down here...if you get around to them. I know what you mean by builder/collector....like I was always say, we don't start out as collectors, we just end up that way Wink

_________________ LET'S ROLL! SPIRIT OF 9-11-01

What is the diff between clipped and non clipped tanks. Wink

About 4" on the actual tank, and about 3/32" on the model. Smile

I'll get some pics for ya later today....

I need that Daco book. I have the Isra books, they're pretty good. I asked this question because I've never seen this small detail adressed, and for the most part I didn't even know it was an issue until I got the Revell kit. Most of the Vipers I have to build are Desert Storm era (all 1/72nd, I still have my eyesight and next to no space to keep this stuff!), and I really want to do a Netz/Barak but that's going to require some kit bashing (I fear resin), or some patients to see if Revell will kit an Isreali aircraft.

Habu; I don't really go to shows, the only thing I really go to is the Kit Collectors Exposition and Sale in Buena Park. I love that place. . .

Speaking of which, fast, when's the next show in Buena Park? I need to go to one, it's only 15 mins away.

Anyway, yes it's a often overlooked detail, and I myself didn't realize it either until I got the Daco book. But Coremans does make a point to address it and note that it was an often overlooked detail...get the jist? Coremans does refer to the Hasegawa kits almost exclusively in the book, as we all know they are the best out there. I'll scan some pics from the book, so you can see what I mean, but really...you gotta get it, it's outstanding. It's less than $30 from Amazon....

As far as 1/72 kits go though, I'm totally smitten with the Revell F-16C Block 50/52, it's an outstanding kit. It's got all that great ordnance, and it even comes with an ALQ-131 pod! Excellent! I usually build 1/48 but I just had to have this one from Revell.

March 21 is the next show in Buena Park. It's the first one of the year and it's usually huge. Lots of vendors, lots of people (some that need hygene lessons) and lots of plastic! The Revell kit is super cool, but the thing that bums me is the lack of bulged doors. They give you the acuators and gobs of missle rails and instrument panels and other options, but no bulged doors. That irked me when I saw that, cause I fear resin parts and I thought that those were somthing that just should have been in the kit (Lantrin pods too), and the Hasegawa bulged doors look way to short to me, even for the Hase kit. I'm using the Revell USA release to make an MLU for a Dutch friend of mine, so I'm going to try to kitbash the bulged door actuators under the Hase Block 50/52 that I'm in the process of starting so I can at least have that detail right on that plane (I'm going to put the Revell tail on the Hase too cause it has the vents that the Hase one is missing). I'd try to shoe horn the instument panel in the Hase kit too, but I think it would look stupid with the Hase cockpit tub. But, it is nice to have all these extra parts to play with, thanks Revell!. . .

Well we can't have it can we, craig? Wink

But if bulged doors are the only thing that is missing, then Revell still did an outstanding job. My beef with them is that they're inconsistent. They make some real gems, and some real lumps of coal. Thanks for the info on the show, it sounds pretty close to my trip to Mexico for the rally, so I dunno if I'll make it. But if I do, I'll let ya know, and maybe we can meet up or something. Anyway, I'm home now, I'm gonna go grab the Daco book and do some scanning for ya, standby....

Enjoy!

Yeah, yeah, I know. When they say "you can't please everybody" they're usually talking about me. Don't get me started about having a proper 1/72nd scale F-15E, I could go on for weeks. But, yes, Revell did do an excellent job on the F-16 (don't get the european releases though, they come with a crummy yellow tinted canopy! Do what I did, buy the US release and then lie to Revell Germany for the decal sheets and instructions. Or, buy the European releases and lie to Revell USA for a clear canopy. Either way, it worked for me. . .). Rally, Mexico, are you going to the WRC event in Mexico (March 12-14)? If so, I'm going to be seriously envious. Thanks for scanning those pictures for me, so other people on the site don't think I'm crazy. . .

You're quite welcome, always here ot help a fellow modeler.

Yes, I'm going to the WRC Rally Mexico. I've been yearning for it to become a WRC event for 5 years, and I was aghast when it finally came true, no way I would miss it. I'm originally from Mexico City, and it will be a great honor to have my home country host a WRC event. The teams and organizers are all trhilled as they've been to the Corona Rally Mexico before and say that it's the best run event. Now it will be the best run WRC event. Everyone loves Mexico!

Yes, I got the Euro Revell F-16 in 1/72. I saw the tinted canopy, but it's not a big deal, nothing some Tamiya smoke won't take care of.

Fastmover,

I was reading your question about the 370 gal wing tanks on the F-16. As a crewchief that has worked on both the Block 25 and the Block 40 F-16's now for almost 15 years, I can tell you that I have never seen wing tanks with pointy fins on the back of the tank. I now work at Shaw AFB where they have Block 50's and the tanks here are all the same.

Is it possible that the company that built your model just got sloppy with the molds for the wing tanks?

Thanks for the input Block25Crewchief. I think that Hasegawa either molded the full scale developement aircraft's tanks, or like you said, they just got sloppy. Either way, that's why I asked this question cause I've never seen an explanation for why one kit has point fins and the other has fins that are cut off. Thanks again, always good to hear from someone who is hands on with the birds. That's the best reference for any modeler.

Habu; you lucky person. I love the WRC cars, I went over to a friends on New Years to watch the "Rally-a-thon" on Speed Channel (cause I don't have it on my crummy cable!). Go Petter Solberg (and anyone in a Subaru)!! I was considering shooting the yellow tinted canopy with Tamiya or Gunze Smoke too, but I also realized that the landing lights are tinted yellow too (and not every Viper has a tinted front and back canopy glass). And as I have already demonstarted, that just didn't make me happy. So, I weasled some clear pieces from Revell USA.

Dude! I DRIVE a Subaru! It's a GC8 Impreza 2.5RS though, not the new WRX. And I love it love it love it!!! It
s much prettier than the new one, and it's blue, with gold rims of course!
Petter is the man! He's my fave driver.....

That was at Rim Of The World in 2002, we hung out with him the whole day, he drank everyone under the table, but he was still a super nice guy! Very down to earth, and he knows how to celebrate, which is more than I can say for his other Scandanavian brethren.. Wink

Cars are second only to airplanes for me Very Happy

Anyway, back on topic....

as Block25 said, they never had the sharp fins, but I don't think it's the model companies getting lazy, I think at one time, back in the early 80's, or the late 70's they did have those fins, I just haven't found the proof yet.

Forum: Scale Models - F-16, F-35, F/A-22, F-2

Clipped fin fuel tanks