Academy 1:48 F-16C Block 25

[HistoryRider]

I'm submitting an F-16 as a second entry into the Homeland Group Build. This one is a cheap kit from Academy that should be no problem to piece together fairly quickly, while waiting on stuff to arrive for my previous entry of the F-106.

A little about the F-16. It was designed as a multirole fighter to take over Air Superiority from the aging F-105s and F-4s of the Air Force. It was designed and started front line service in the late 1970's. From the F-16A there have been many many variants built. Each variant denotes either interior changes to avionics or some form of structural or engine enhancement. It was the first fly-by-wire fighter adopted into service and it was actually designed to be aerodynamically unstable. This was done to maintain the jet's ultimate maneuverability.

I could go on and on and on, but lets get to the actual build shall we?

Here is my review and opening of the kit:


The Box Art

Upper Fuselage Sprue

Lower Fuselage Sprue

Control Surfaces Sprue

Munitions Sprue

External Stores Sprue

Clear Parts

Decals


Stay tuned!! More to follow!!

[HistoryRider]

Right out of the gate I noticed some major issues. The box stated detailed cockpit. That turned out to be FALSE

Also the color callout portion of the instructions has only decal placements and no specific colors for the paint scheme. F-16s were a 3Tone scheme coming from the factory and would sometimes be converted to a Two tone scheme at its respective unit. Does it show you where to paint at least two separate grays? NO! Does it tell you what grays to even use? NO!

EPIC FAIL

Look at the amazing and fine detailing of the instrument panel

Here is the amazing level of detail of the cockpit tub


I have never seen such high quality detail in my life.

Look at the paint scheme diagram for the Two or Three tone Gray



What color am I supposed to paint it? or maybe it's detailing the "Emperors New Paints"


EPIC FAIL Academy...


More Later!

[HistoryRider]

Hey guys! Here is the most recent update to the F-16! The kit supplied ejection seat turned out to be fairly decent compared to the rest of the cockpit detail so I was able to get it looking alight. I painted the cockpit tub in the standard FS36231, slapped the lousy decals on (they were too big for the sides of the cockpit so I trimmed them up a bit) so what you see is what I got. This whole mess means a nasty letter to The Times for sure...

Ejection Seat


Cockpit Tub with decals next to it, I was wondering if they forgot what scale they were working with...

Placing the decals and figuring how to trim them to size


Completed Pilot's Office



More Later!

[mperegrinefalcon]

Man, that is some half assed work from academy. I expect better from them . Nice work on this terrabad kit. Hope the fit is alright and u don't end up using an entire bottle of putty to make it look reasonable.

Great work so far though! Keep it up, just remember, it doesn't help to throw the model across the room !

[HistoryRider]

Man, that is some half assed work from academy. I expect better from them . Nice work on this terrabad kit. Hope the fit is alright and u don't end up using an entire bottle of putty to make it look reasonable.

Great work so far though! Keep it up, just remember, it doesn't help to throw the model across the room !

It sure is!!! Wait until you see this next update!!! I thought it was bad, but it's getting worse!

Thanks for the support and encouragement!!!


-Nolan

[HistoryRider]

Hey Gang!!

Here is the first of a couple quick updates! I got the landing gear bay and cockpit assembly put together on the lower half of the fuselage. When I attached the upper fuselage to the lower half,you get to see that the fit went sour and I had gaps and seam lines appear. Funny how that didn't show up in the dry fitting So I got out my sanding supplies and elbow grease and did my best to fix them.

OH AND ANOTHER GOOF in the instructions. The Box Art is an F-16C, the instructions use the "A" Variant tail "to Look like kit on Box" Way to go Academy!!!!

Lower fuselage with cockpit attached and gear bay ready

Gear Bay


Seam Lines and Gaps (rear fuselage is an easy fix)



Sanding tools

Final Result (I'm pleased, and it can be fixed further during priming)


Instruction Goof





So moral of the story is this; Academy really mucked this one up. Don't get the kit unless you want something to slap together and practice techniques on.

[HistoryRider]

Update Part 2: Wings attached


A whole lot of YUCK 'nuff said......

[TonyCnyc]

One of my favorite aircrafts. Built a couple of these. It's one of the older Academy kits dating from 1990. Moulds are old and I found variations between an original boxing and more recent boxings. I didn't bother with the box decals; as you noted they suck, as do the instructions. But with TLC (aka filler, sanding), found it a decent value kit for $20. A Tamiya or Hasegawa it is not. GLWB, it's coming along.

[HistoryRider]

One of my favorite aircrafts. Built a couple of these. It's one of the older Academy kits dating from 1990. Moulds are old and I found variations between an original boxing and more recent boxings. I didn't bother with the box decals; as you noted they suck, as do the instructions. But with TLC (aka filler, sanding), found it a decent value kit for $20. A Tamiya or Hasegawa it is not. GLWB, it's coming along.

Thanks Tony!! I can't complain too much, as it WAS less than $20.THis may just become a test bed for techniques instead of a build entry. I can't wait to get into a Hasegawa or Tamiya F-16 soon! I may need to just to regain my faith!

[HistoryRider]

Alright Boys and Girls! Here is another update!

I am being plagued by fit issues. I am almost to the point of tossing this one aside. I expect this from a 1960's monogram reboxing, but not a 1990's Academy kit!!!!

The intake is poorly designed with three parts that make up the nose-gear wheel well and the intake. Although sanding during the dry fit that showed no steps and minimal gaps, when all was attached, steps and nasty gaps appeared One the intake was assembled, the intake did not want to fit properly to the rest of the fuselage.

What I have is Mr. Surfacer 500 and maybe some Squadron White putty laying around. Any recommendations for those gaps? They seem a bit big for the application of CA. Thoughts?

Intake cross section. Notice the lousy design where the wheel well joins the front of the intake, causing a step regardless.


A step and gaps around the intake joining the fuselage


UGLY Fit issues. General Dynamics would be so ashamed of this


It looks like absolute crap I think my cat has a better chance at piloting the space shuttle than I do resurrecting this mess...


Well guys and gals, that is it for this update. Hopefully, I can keep going at it and stay strong

[TonyCnyc]

One of my favorite aircrafts. Built a couple of these. It's one of the older Academy kits dating from 1990. Moulds are old and I found variations between an original boxing and more recent boxings. I didn't bother with the box decals; as you noted they suck, as do the instructions. But with TLC (aka filler, sanding), found it a decent value kit for $20. A Tamiya or Hasegawa it is not. GLWB, it's coming along.

Thanks Tony!! I can't complain too much, as it WAS less than $20.THis may just become a test bed for techniques instead of a build entry. I can't wait to get into a Hasegawa or Tamiya F-16 soon! I may need to just to regain my faith!

The Hasegawa ones are definitely better although they are older than the Academy ones AFAIK. The early Academy kits can be hit or miss as far as the plastic is concerned. The Tamiya ones are the ones to have. Hang in there - modeling challenges make us better modelers!

[rwsmith14]

I've built that kit before. it is a lousy kit fit issues galore !!

[OliveDrab]

Looks like you've got your hands full with this one, but hopfully you'll be able to turn this into one bada@@ F16

[HistoryRider]

Hey Guys!

New update for the F-16. It's absolutely junk and I am relegating it to the shelf of doom. Almost tossed it, but I didn't want to lose the work already done to it. For the amount of time I don't have left, it's not worth the stress.

Sorry

[Avgas]

If it was cheap I don't think there's anything to be lost from trying to fill it and make it as best you can. Doesn't really matter if it turns out a pile of crap, use it for practicing on. You never know it might turn out to be a looker as well.

We just cross posted there...