Test Vipers

1/48 scale

Afterburner Decals

Reviewed by Rodger Kelly

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AD 48-026 is Afterburner Decals second foray into the test and evaluation world.  This time however it is the United States Air Force and the F-16 Viper.

The decals are all for machines that comprise the Air Warfare Center’s 53rd Wing Test and Evaluation Group.

But first some background on each of the three units featured on the sheet!

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The 53rd Wing is based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida and serves as the focal point for the Combat Air Forces in electronic warfare, armament and avionics, chemical defence, reconnaissance, and aircrew training devices.  The wing reports to the Air Warfare Centre at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.  The wing is also responsible for operational testing and evaluation of new equipment and systems proposed for use by these forces.

The 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron is based at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, its role is to improve future United States Air Force combat capability through efficient and effective execution of operational testing, tactics development, and evaluation of F-15C, F-15E, and F-16C systems, weapons, and associated sub systems.

The 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron is based at Nellis Air Force Base, in Nevada, and they are tasked with testing and evaluating state-of-the-art weapons systems, exploiting foreign technologies, and developing leading edge tactics to improve the future combat capability of aerospace forces.

With the background out of the way, the sheet provides markings for eight jets in all and the individual options are:

• 88-0442, F-16CG Common Configuration Implementation Program (CCIP) Block 42 from 2007 ‘belonging’ to the then commander of the United States Air Force Warfare Centre.  The machine is finished in the standard F-16 Tactical Paint Scheme (TPS) of overall Federal Standard (FS) 36270, with FS36118 upper surfaces.  Like most F-16s, it is relatively drab and it’s only distinguishing markings are the Air Combat Command shield on both sides of the fin, a 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron shield on the port intake and a 53rd Wing shield on the starboard intake.  Being a Wing Commander’s aircraft she also wears the dual colours of the squadrons that make up the wing on her fincap – in this case black and yellow chequers of the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron (this marking did my head in as the 85th’s colours are black and white – see postscript) and the green and black chequers of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron.  Further “colour” is provided in the form of white shadowing to her ‘OT’ unit identifier and USAFWC on her vertical stabiliser.

• 88-0442, F-16CG a Block 42 jet of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron from 2005.  Finish is standard TPS with Air Combat Command shield on both sides of her vertical stabiliser, and a 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron shield on the port intake and a 53rd Wing shield on the starboard intake.  She also wears the green and black chequers of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron on her fincap.

• 98-0005, F-16CJ CCIP a Block 50 jet from 2007.  This is the Commanding officer of the 95th Test and Evaluation Squadron’s machine and it is in standard TPS with “Have Glass “finish – (Have Glass is the code name for a series of radar cross section reduction measures for the
  F-16) it is a special radar absorbent material coating as part of the “Have Glass” modifications to the entire F-16 fleet.  In the case of the painted finish, it is rough, textured and collects dirt and grime easily giving a worn and weathered appearance to the airframe.  It has a distinct metallic sheen which resembles metal flake paint.  Colour is provided via Air Combat Command shields on both sides of her vertical stabiliser, a 95th Test and Evaluation Squadron shield on the port intake, a 53rd Wing shield on the starboard intake and black and white chequerboard on her fincap.  Her vertical stabiliser also wears white outlined ‘OT’ unit identifier and
  85 TES.

• 97-0106, F-16CJ CCIP, a Block 50 jet, and the 95th Test and Evaluation Squadron Commanders aircraft from 2006.  This machine too wears the “Have Glass” TPS finish and is marked in the same fashion as the previous option – the only differences being the serial number and the pilot’s and ground crew’s names.

• 97-0109, F-16CJ CCIP, a Block 50 jet as flown by the Commander of the 53rd Wing in 2003.  In standard TPS with Air Combat Command shields on both sides of her vertical stabiliser, a 95th Test and Evaluation Squadron shield on the port intake, a 53rd Wing shield on the starboard intake and black and white chequerboard on her fincap.  Her vertical stabiliser wears black shadowed ‘OT’ unit identifier and 53 WG titles.

• 91-0374, F-16CJ, a Block 52 jet flown by the 53rd Test and Evaluation Group’s Commander in 2003.  The machine is in standard TPS with Air Combat Command shields on both sides of her vertical stabiliser, a 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron shield on the port intake, a 53rd Wing shield on the starboard intake and a black and green chequerboard on her fincap.  Her vertical stabiliser also wears light grey with black highlighted ‘OT’ unit identifier and 53 TEG titles.

• 88-0423, F-16CG CCIP, a Block 42 jet flown by the Commanding Officer of the 422nd Test and Evaluation’s Squadron Commander in 2007.  Standard TPS finish with Air Combat Command shields on both sides of her vertical stabiliser, a 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron shield on the port intake, a 53rd Wing shield on the starboard intake and a black and green chequerboard on her fincap.  Her vertical stabiliser wears black outlined ‘OT’ unit identifier and 422 TES titles.

• The final option is 90-0841, the sole F-16DJ, on the sheet.  A Block 50 jet of the 95th Test and Evaluation Squadron, the markings depict it as it appeared in 2007.  As with the previous option, it is in standard TPS with Air Combat Command shields on both sides of her vertical stabiliser, a 95th Test and Evaluation Squadron shield on the port intake, a 53rd Wing shield on the starboard intake and black and white chequerboard on her fincap.  Her vertical stabiliser also wears light grey ‘OT’ unit identifier and AF90-841 serial.

The decals have been produced (in Italy) by Cartograf and there are two sheets provided.  The larger (but normal sized) sheet carried the vast majority of markings whilst the smaller one carries walkway outline markings only.  Two sets of everything are provided so you can model any two of the options.  Stencil data is very comprehensive but lacks the canopy outlines that Afterburner provides on their F-16 stencil data sheet (rats!).   Everything is in perfect register, even the complex squadron, wing and Air Combat Command shields.

The decals have been sized for the Tamiya kit.

The support material is truly a sight to behold and it consists of four glossy
A-4 sized pages that show left and right profiles of each option as well as a single generic upper and lower plan views.  The modelling notes page provides you information on what ordnance and equipment that can be carried by the squadron’s F-16s and this is in the form of a coloured drawing of each item – so much better than just a name!

The support material and the two decal sheets come packed in a clear plastic zip-lock bag.

Nice decals from the blokes at Afterburner Decals.  It provides you with enough markings to produce two jets from the one sheet backed up with well researched and comprehensive support material.

Recommended.

Postscript

I was concerned that the fincap marking for the first option was wrong seeing that the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron wore a black and white chequer board and the provided marking was black and yellow.  However, the guys at Afterburner are correct in supplying black and yellow as this image I found on Airliners.net shows http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1200867/L/

Thanks to Afterburner Decals for the review sample.

Review Copyright © 2008 by Rodger Kelly
This Page Created on 6 March, 2008
Last updated 7 March, 2008

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