Tamiya 1/32 F16 CJ bloc 50 Fighting Falcon.

[BarryW]

A quick picture of the tail and stores.

There is still some masking on the ASRAAMS nose cone and a little touching up to do. I will be applying a semi gloss coat next and will then do some washes.



The decals went on OK but are a mix the the kit and the Two Bobs.

[BarryW]

Still some washes and dry brushing to do on the outer areas of the cockpit but here is a shot of how it now looks

[Steven000]

Nice progress Barry :thumb2:

[BarryW]

The beauty of taking a photo like that is how it shows up the odd flaw to deal with that you would not otherwise notice. I have to say that the Eduard detailing set is a big success and I may use more of them in future.

[stillp]

The beauty of taking a photo like that is how it shows up the odd flaw to deal with

Well, I can't see any.
Pete

[boatman]

Well, I can't see any.
Pete

SAME here Pete nor can I Barrys done a great job on the f16 pity about the decals letdown
chris

[BarryW]

It is slow going at the moment in the limited time I have.

I have been working on pin washes over the gloss varnish using Mig enamel washes.

I am using also the Mig weathering brushes (from John). I love the long thin brush for applying wash into the panel lines. It is much more precise than the normal brushes previously used so there is a lot less wash for the clean up. Even where there are also a lot of rivets I am able to keep the excess down, I am much too impatient to try applying a drop individually to each rivet but you could do that with the brush.

I am working the model in sections and here is a pic of a section done before removing the surplus.


there being less surplus removing it is a lot quicker and easier of course.

once I am happy with the wash I will matt coat the model ready for the next weathering stage.

[BarryW]

I applied the final matt coat, did a little more detailing, dry brushing and touching up and then i removed the masking from the engine.

The cockpit






More weathering/dry brushing to do tonight.

[Steven000]

Looks amazing Barry, nice model :thumb2:

[BarryW]

I cannot find where I posted this but in this build I have been trying out a few new tools purchased at Telford and here is a swift summary:

Most expensive was my new pistol grip Topnotch Models airbrush. It is a development of the Grex with a feew refinements. It has a 0.3 needle. I got this at Telford because I am finding my finger cramping up when I do a lot of airbrushing and with 1/32 aircraft it can mean a lot more time airbrushing and tryint to maintain a steady pattern.

Well the airbrush is excellent, I like the control I get from the pistol grip and I had less cramping issues. A real success. I still love my Harder and Steinbeck airbrushes and they still will be used, indeed I used my 0.4 H&S for the varnish coats on this F16. The one advantage the H&S has over the Topnotch is an easy breakdown for cleaning without having to use a tool. That is not to say that the Topnotch is difficult, it just takes a little longer and you use a tool the release the nozzle. The H&S also seem a little more robust.

One other thing, a small thing perhaps, but I find the aibrush cup lid on the Topnotch a lot easier to pop off than on the H&S..... The H&S does seem to sometimes stick in place making me struggle to remove it...

To summarise, a success. If you want a pistol grip airbrush but prefer to stick with H&S then they do the Colani but I have not used that one.

Next I got my Zoukei Mura scraper that looks a bit like a samurai sword. An excellent tool and it is now my favourite scraper as it can reach areas the other scrapers cannot. Expensive for what it is but worth it.

Also from Zoukei Mura I got some sprue cutters. I loved these as I was able to get right close up to a part reducing the amount of residual sprue that needed sanding off. Very sharp, small and pointed I used my old cutters to get the part off the sprue and then went in with these to trim the part.

All in all good finds, all of them.

Here is a link to my 'Telford haul' thread with pictures of the tools in question.

https://https/www.scale-models.co.uk/threads/my-telford-haul.34015/#post-467774

I will get a session on the F16 tonight but I am in The City for a couple of days at a conference but still hope to finish this model off this weekend....

[Guest]

Thanks for the airbrush review Barry, I remember asking for your thoughts when you posted your haul. (the link to that thread appears broken to me by the way)

I bought a much cheaper trigger style brush to try and it does suit my hand better, but I'm slightly disappointed by the action. Whilst you can vary the paint flow with it (more trigger = more paint) it doesn't have that initial "just air" output that I'm used to with spray guns. Even the slightest trigger pressure releases a small amount of paint. Not a deal breaker but I would have much preferred to be able to just blow air when I needed to. How does the Topnotch fair in that regard?

Oh, and I also have the same issue with my H&S cup cap, but only on the larger 5ml size. Maybe one part is slightly out of round so can stick at certain orientations.

[BarryW]

Thanks for the airbrush review Barry, I remember asking for your thoughts when you posted your haul. (the link to that thread appears broken to me by the way)

I bought a much cheaper trigger style brush to try and it does suit my hand better, but I'm slightly disappointed by the action. Whilst you can vary the paint flow with it (more trigger = more paint) it doesn't have that initial "just air" output that I'm used to with spray guns. Even the slightest trigger pressure releases a small amount of paint. Not a deal breaker but I would have much preferred to be able to just blow air when I needed to. How does the Topnotch fair in that regard?

Oh, and I also have the same issue with my H&S cup cap, but only on the larger 5ml size. Maybe one part is slightly out of round so can stick at certain orientations.

The Topnotch does provide airflow before paint so that is just what you need.

[Guest]

Thanks Barry.

[BarryW]

Final fittings done....

I will post a completed thread when I get a chance to do so but here is one quick pic of the completed model.


This is a great kit and well up to the standard of Tamiya’s best. You cannot fault the engineering and the fit. If something does not fit then you know that it is you who have done something g wrong.

The only real issue, the decals, the one thing that Tamiya cannot do.