Looking for decals of operational Vipers

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by alex_f » 05 Nov 2014, 10:29

Good morning,
I just joined the forum, it seems to be a place with a wealth of information! So, hello, my name is Alex, 40 years old, I live in Switzerland, and build models since... well, when I was a small kid.

My idea is to build some aircraft with an operational hisory, which means, live weapons used to hit the bad guys. I ordered the new Tamiya Viper Block 50 and Hasegawa F-16CJ, both in 1:72. So far, if I got it right, the Tamiya kit has no operational models.
  • The Spangdahlem one (91-035s) was used in Libya, but not in this scheme, as it was painted after return to germany, correct?
  • The second, (91-0379), 79th FS, was used in southern watch, but had it still the same special painting as the Tamiya decal sheet?
  • The third version, ##-#884 (Can't read more on the sheet), shows no entries at all, is it in fact 92-3895?
-> So, no operational viper on the Tamiya decal sheet... what are the alternatives?

Astra Decals have some nice Aviano and Spangdahlem sheets, which can be used for Kosovo and Libya missions, but I had troubles finding some good sheets with desert storm aircrafts, any suggestions?

The second problem, beside the decals, are the tanks. Tamiya don't supply any tanks (waht a shame!), so I can use the tanks from the hasegawa kit. But, on most Kosovo and Libya aircrafts, both wing tanks are fitted. Only on the desert storm, I found some layout with the fuselage tank fitted. Which means, I can't do both the Libya and Kosovo versions. My questions: are there any confirmed weapon loads from these two campaigns, with the fuselage tank, but no wing tanks?

so, many questions from a F-16 newbie...

Alex


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by Ruud » 08 Nov 2014, 04:00

Hoi Alex,
That is a lot to chew on.

Tamiya is coming out with a new F-16CJ release with the pylons and tanks, but that does not help you one bit. Here is an option:
http://www.attacksquadron.pl/wp-content ... 30-web.jpg
http://www.attacksquadron.pl/wp-content ... rt-web.jpg

Another option is to pick up a Revell or Academy Viper. That still leaves you with a Viper minus the wings tanks... The Academy kit is a great source for parts to build other Viper variants, but not very accurate in fuselage shape. Most Vipers in war zones tend to carry an ECM pod on the center line pylon, so that does leave you a tank there...

Two Bobs decals has some nice 1/72 Viper sheets of USAF Vipers in combat. Elite Decals (part of Isradecals) has some very nice DS sheets. IIRC they are all from Shaw and thus are block 25 aircraft. The Hasegawa CJ kit does give you the parts to build a B-25. Super Scale Decals has a lot of 1/72 Viper sheets.
https://www.hannants.co.uk/search/?manufacturer_id=7999
http://www.dstorm.eu/pages/en/other/decals.html
Do not get the HiDecal sheet unless you want to wrestle it into shape. I tested one decal from that sheet and i could find nothing that would get it to settle into panel lines.


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by alex_f » 12 Nov 2014, 04:01

Hello Ruud,
thanks for the information! I just learned that Tamiya will release a fully equipped Viper in february, just two days after ordering the Viper without tanks and ordnance... Murphy, anyone? I know the attacksquadron-sets, but honestly, for that price I'd rather try to get another cheap Hasegawa-F-16 (like this, currently not available: http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/HAB02 ) or get a revell-sprue with the tanks & missiles.

After having done some more research, I think I will do one Viper from Aviano during the 1999-Kosovo-campaign (with 4 GBU-12 on TER), and another from Spangdahlem on Odyssey Dawn (with 2 HARM or HARM/GBU-31). This would leave Desert Storm for the F-15 and F/A-18, and the F-16 for the more recent operations.

Alex



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