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

I have decided to build a tamiya F16 model and I need some advice on not only building it but also as making it as realistic as possible. I know some of you guys are the masters and I was wondering about such items as:
Prime?, Base coat?, Sealer/ top coat for fuselage

What is the best paints for this kit? and colors

What weathering processes should I use and not use?

If I have to brush what paint brushes or techniqes should I use?

What would be the ideal airbrush model for this kit?

Any secrets, or thing to watch out for? Anything I should Know?

I know thats alot of questions but I am just trying to be very thorough as to build a model that is fantastic. I do have alot of modeling experience but to be honest not even close to your guys ability.

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This is the F15 Eagle from Revell 1/48. I built this to practice before I go ahead and build the F16 50 block tamyia 1/48.Still not done with this one yet though.

Best paints are always Model Master Enamels for performance, color match, and most important; durability. MM acrylics are pretty good, as are Aeromaster, if you can find them. Stay away from Gunze acrylics since they really never dry all the way and has the durability of wax.

Weathering, well there’s no one textbook answer to weathering, as there are many ways of doing it. What you want to stay away from is “over animated finishes”, which unfortunately is still a common trend among many modelers. Animated finishes are nothing more that extreme exaggerations of fading and heavy panel line soiling. In most cases, over weathering is laid down in places where it just simply does not accumulate on the real aircraft, like the under wings and avionics panels.

Brush painting, you do mean for the smaller assemblies, like the cockpit and other tid bit parts? I’d highly suggest not to brush paint large areas like the fuselage, especially on such a nice kit that has fine surface detail. Brushing the paint on will not only soften (sometimes burry) most of the surface detail, but leave those unsightly brush strokes. I’ve yet to see a brush job up close that did not leave brush strokes.

An ideal airbrush is going to be different from modeler to modeler. For me, I use about 3 different ones per model, as each is set up differently per job. For more generous coats, I use a Badger 155 Anthem, a Iwata HPB for camo and other finer work, and an Iwata Micron or my Sotar 20/20 for really hair line detailing.

For this and most other kits through, a simple Badger double action 150/155/or 175 will do just fine. Even a single action airbrush can work and would yield much better results than hand brushing. If you don’t have one, invest in a cheap single action airbrush like the Badger 200. Also, when I say cheap, I mean as in price, not in quality such as the Testors Aztec junky airbrush.

There are a few areas to pay attention too when building. The intake go together ok, but not by Tamiya's process. The mid joint seam will be much harder to eliminate if you install the forward intake assembly as per the instructions, later in the construction process. I assembled the entire intake duct first, the clean up all the seams. I will intake it as whole assembly, including the main wheel well, nose wheel well and external intake assembly. Also, note that there will be a significant step in the external intake assembly top section and intake mouth. These just do not fit as well as in the 32nd scale kit.

There are tabs on the inboard LEFs (leading Edge Flaps) which need to be removed. By removing the tabs, the LEFs rise to a near proper 2 degrees nose up position when installing the forward fuselage. Speaking of the upper fuselage joint, be sure to pay close attention to the alignment here, as to prevent any major steps from either side.

One last thing I would suggest is to not use the poly caps for a removable vertical tail. Just glue the tail right onto the fuselage. It’s one of those engineering aspects that were quite unnecessary to have in this scale. If you use the removable tail feature, you’re going to end up with a pretty bad gap at the vertical tail dorsal base.

Mike V

Mike's got this one Wink

If one would like to model the newer Block 50's with Have Glass like the Shaw and Spang Vipers, how can he/she do it? Confused

Oh n0s!

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

starting a Tamiya F-16 CJ 50 block 1/48 model. need advice