F-16C Block 52 RSAF

Kinetic Gold Series, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force. Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. More than 4,600 F-16s have been built since production was approved in 1976. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation, which in turn became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta.

Although no longer being purchased by the U.S. Air Force, improved versions are being built for export customers.

The Fighting Falcon's key features include a frameless bubble canopy for good visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while manoeuvring, an ejection seat reclined 30 degrees from vertical to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot, and the first use of a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire flight control system.

The F-16 has an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and 11 locations for mounting weapons and other mission equipment.

In addition to active duty in the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, and Air National Guard units, the aircraft is also used by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team, and as an adversary/aggressor aircraft by the United States Navy. The F-16 has also been procured to serve in the air forces of 25 other nations. As of 2015, it was the world's most numerous fixed-wing aircraft in military service.

The F-16C (single seat) and F-16D (two seat) variants entered production in 1984. The first C/D version was the Block 25 with improved cockpit avionics and radar which added all-weather capability with beyond-visual-range (BVR) AIM-7 and AIM-120 air-air missiles. Block 30/32, 40/42, and 50/52 were later C/D versions.

The F-16C/D had a unit cost of US$18.8 million in 1998. Operational cost per flight hour has been estimated at $7,000 to $22,470 or $24,000, depending on calculation method.

Background text courtesy of Wikipedia

Kinetic launched an all-new 1:48 scale F-16C and F-16A kits in its Gold Series in late 2022. These kits have no common parts with the earlier Kinetic F-16 kits at all and have addressed all of the issues noted from the original family.

The latest in the family is F-16C Block 52 in Royal Singapore Air Force service.

This all-new kit comprises more than 500 parts in grey plastic, 26 parts in clear and markings for three aircraft.

As far as I can tell the main differences between the initial 2022 Gold Series F-16C and this kit are the decals and revised clear parts, which now include single and two-seater canopies plus the option of smoked clear parts.

Although the parts count looks high, many of these are spares and options - around 250 parts are dedicated to ordnance alone - so you will only be using a relatively modest number of parts. Your spares box will thank you though!

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Thumbnail panels:

Surface textures are world-class - very fine and crisp panel lines supplemented with appropriate recessed rivets.

The cockpit is nicely fitted out with a detailed tub, integral side consoles and an instrument panel with raised screens, bezels and switches.

Optional overlay decals are offered for the panels and consoles.

The pilot's ACES II ejection seat looks great, although you'll have to BYO harness straps.

The nose may be posed swung to the side to display the radar bay.

Undercarriage bay detail is also well done with separate forward and aft bulkheads plus raised hydraulic lines and cables.

The rear engine pipe includes separate fan and flame holder parts as well as a crisp five-piece nozzle, detailed inside and out.

Undercarriage legs are well done. The wheels are not bulged or flattened, so you can choose whether to take to the bottom of the tyres with a sanding stick. Undercarriage parts are different for the Block 25 and Block 42, so take care to make sure you use the correct parts for your option. Both styles of main undercarriage doors have nicely rendered interior detail. There are a couple of faint ejector pin marks on the inside of the Block 42 undercarriage doors.

Alternative tabs are provided for dropped or raised flaps. You'll need to cut two tabs from each flap. The instructions are quite clear about this.

The elevators may be posed to taste and the rudder is a separate part.

Trailing surfaces are moulded with anti-static wicks. You might prefer to cut these off and replace them with fine wire or stretched sprue after the model is mostly complete (I can see myself knocking some of these off during assembly and painting).

Clear parts are thin and free from distortion. The canopy may be posed open or closed.

Parts for single and dual seater canopies are included.

Two sets of canopy sprues are supplied too - one clear and one smoked.

A vast selection of underwing ordnance is on the sprues. These include:

• TER

• Middle Pylon

• Centreline Pylon

• Wing Tank Pylons

• LAU 129

• AAQ-13

• AAQ-14

• AAQ-28

• AIM-9M

• AIM-9X

• AIM-120

• AGM-88

• ALQ-184

• GBU-12-49

• GBU-24

• GBU-31

• 300 Gallon Wing Tanks

• 300 Gallon Centreline Tank

• Sniper XR

and more!

Markings

Three Republic of Singapore Air Force decal options are offered:

• F-16C Block 52, RSAF Black Knights Aerobatic Team 2014, finihsed in red and white,.

• F-16C Block 52, RSAF 143 Sqn, finished in two-tone grey.

• F-16C Block 52, RSAF 140 Sqn, finished in two-tone grey.

The decals are designed by Fightertown Decals in co-operation with Bullseye Decals and printed perfectly by Cartograf.

An extra decal sheet supplies the big white markings for the Black Knights' scheme. These two decal sheets are designed by Miliverse. No mention is made of who printed these decal sheets.

A separate decal sheet for ordnance data is also included. This decal sheet was designed by Crossdelta and printed by Cartograf.

Instructions are supplied in a 24 page booklet across 27 steps plus weapons assembly and placement guides. Four-view illustrations of each marking scheme is included.

In common with their new-tool F-16A, F-16C and F-16D releases over the last 12 months, Kinetic's 1/48 scale F-16C RSAF is a gorgeous kit.

The model scores big in every category - its restrained surface textures, high level of detail, useful options, full ordnance fitout and striking markings on its three decal sheets.

At just USD$39.99 it represents truly outstanding value for money too.

Kudos to Kinetic for comprehensively revisting this important modern fighter.

Thanks to Lucky Model for the samples

Review Text and Images Copyright © 2023 by Brett Green
Page Created 7 December, 2023
Last updated 8 December, 2023

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