US decal designer Two Bobs has released a selection of 1/48 F-16 notable production run airframe liveries.
Call it by its later colloquial moniker of Viper, or its official name of Fighting Falcon. Either way, F-16 fans should be interested in this decidedly non-standard collection of schemes representing ‘big number’ production airframes. Many manufacturers have applied special artwork to just-built aircraft, highlighting their particular milestone place in the construction run. Arguably the most famous jet fighter to be celebrated in this way was the F-4 Phantom.
Now, though, Two Bobs has pinpointed the more modern F-16 for this treatment, in 1/48 scale; those with suitable kits - Kinetic, Hasegawa, Tamiya - can portray five different machines courtesy of F-16 Long Live the Viper! (48-280). All F-16s represented wear basic low-visibility paint but then sport the appropriate milestone legend on the upper fuselage. Just one of the group has a base tailcode (plus a blue/white chequered band on the vertical tail), while the others have just a tail number or plain vertical stabiliser. Two of the airframes, however, have bespoke motifs comprising the appropriate user-nation flags. The schemes are as follows:
• F-16A Block 15, 82-0926/HL, Production #1,000, July 1983
• F-16C Block 25, 83-1118, First Production F-16C, July 1984
• F-16C Block 25, 84-1298, Production #1,500
• F-16 Block 15 (two-seat), 87-0401, Production #2,000, February 1988
• F-16C Block 40, 96-0103, Production #4,000, June 2000
Learn more about Two Bobs' 1/48 Lakenheath F-15C 'Grim Reaper End of an Era Eagle' decals
Useful information
Two Bobs’ colour instructions are as user-friendly and informative as usual. Here, they show the airframes’ different camouflage demarcation lines, offer full stencil placement and quote all Federal Standard camouflage shades, with codes for AK Interactive, Hataka, Mr. Color and Mr. Paint brands. This is a neatly printed and useful sheet if you are dotty about the F-16 – and wish to model notable production airframes. The decal quality is first rate, the markings being printed on thin, gloss carrier film. Retail price is $16 direct from Two Bobs, but the sheet is also available from Hannants in the UK for £15.99.
