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F-16 Fighting Falcon
Non-US Operators (4 Sheets)

Exact Decals, 1/144 scale

 

Summary

Catalogue Number:

N/A

Scale:

1/144

Contents and Media:

Waterslide decals plus instructions and notes

Price:

Enquire via Exact Decals Website

Review Type:

FirstLook

Advantages:

Comprehensive coverage of the subject

Disadvantages:

Some obvious missed detail, instructions for stenciling only.

Recommendation:

Definitely one for 1/144 Modellers

Reviewed by Ken Bowes


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F i r s t L o o k

 

 

 

I freely admit that I had to do some digging to work out which kit these four new sheets from Charlie Donath at Exact Decals and Details. I first thought Dragon might have an F-16 in their excellent 1/144 scale range, but unfortunately not.

 

The only kits I could find were ones from Academy and Minicraft (probably the same kit) and Revell (also possibly the same kit, which I suspect was originally a Crown tooling). Unfortunately it is an F-16A and many of the options on this sheet are for later models, up to and including UAE F-16E/Fs.

 

Each sheet has grouped users by region, these being Europe, South America, Middle East and Asian Users.

 

If nothing else, these four sheets highlight how widely exported the F-16 has been since inception in the 1970s. Each sheet contains two sets of generic stenciling and then a collection of national markings.

 

Missing are things such as serial numbers etc. Whilst sympathetic to the manufacturer re this issue, considerably smaller stencils are provided (ejector seat warning triangles) whilst things like prominent serials on tail fins are ignored. The modeller who attempts to use these sheets will have to source them from other places. Compounding this is the lack of instructions for colour schemes. Only instructions for the stencils are included along with advice to source references from the Internet.

 

Fortunately the F-16 is well covered with sites such as www.f-16.net and www.airliners.net being a good starting point.

 

The sheet appears to have been ALPS printed on a continuous backing, which must be taken into account when using them.

 

These four sheets gives the dedicated 1/144 scale modeller great options to expand their F-16 collections, but I suspect will be of limited interested to the wider community. That said they provide the basis of some potentially interesting models.

 

Thanks to Exact Decals and Details for the review sample.

Review Text Copyright © 2008 by Ken Bowes
This Page Created on 21 May, 2008
Last updated 21 May, 2008

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