1/18 scale Lockheed Martin F-16CJ Fighting Falcon Blk 52 HAF

[Nick_Karatzides]

As I personally believe that following simple techniques and sometimes unconventional methods, result in superior effects, I usually do not use enamel or acrylic paint to wash, because I feel risky when applying the paint mixture and let it run. I prefer an easier technique that can be undone if the results are poor - that makes it the perfect technique. I use hard chalk pastels to wash (NOT oil pastels). The hard chalk pastels, look like a teacher would use on the blackboard in school. Do not use the soft oil pastels that artist use to draw on paper. The hard chalk pastels are easy to find in a variety of colors into your local art store or maybe Wal-Mart if in US or ASDA if in UK.

To do the wash, I use an X-acto knife, a small metal or plastic container, an old brush, dish washing soap and a bit of water. Begin by scraping some chalk powder from the side of the chalk pastel stick, carefully put this chalk powder into the small container and add a tiny amount of water and stir. It is important to add a tiny amount of water in order to make the mixture look like mud - not like soup! For this reason, I use a syringe to add just few drops on the hard chalk pastel powder and I stir using the old brush. Because the chalk powder doesn't mix well with the water, a drop of dish washing soap is needed to break the surface tension of the water and also acts as a "glue" to help the chalk powder stick to the model.

[Nick_Karatzides]

Once the chalk is fully dissolved into the water/soap mixture it is time to "paint" this mixture on the inner embossed detail on the afterburner's area. "Painting" the mixture is simple - just apply it anywhere it is needed to darken recessed detail. The mixture can be applied carelessly, because any mistakes can be completely removed and redone.

[Nick_Karatzides]

When the chalk wash dried, I rubbed off the high spots with a slightly damp dry (not wet) Q-Tip cotton swab (Kleenex papers can be also used) and I wiped the dark color from the areas should be light colored. The high spots were cleaned to the basic finish and the low spots were left black. I did the chalk wash on the inner embossed detail on the afterburner's area in about 15 minutes which makes it a very quick and effective technique. You can also read about this into Steve Bamford's article, by clicking HERE.

Some of the wash mixture is re-applied and the wash being wiped completely out of the narrow points. If you follow this method, it is adviced to not rinse out the wash container till you are finished this job. You will probably be touching up certain spots a few times, so it helps if you're not mixing up a new chalk mixture each time because you kept cleaning out your container of the chalk wash mixture. I repeated the the wash process with lighter colors where needed. Using micro cotton batons found into cosmetic shop for less than 1Ł, I applied some lighter colors such as yellow, white, sand, brown, burned iron etc & also black chalk pastel powder on the inner embossed detail on the afterburner's area, to make it look weathered and extensively used. I repeated the weathering process until it satisfied me and finally I sprayed a clear coat to seal the chalk powder in place.

[Nick_Karatzides]

The F-16's hot air exhaust of the ECS (Environment Condition System) comes in two different shapes. The old A/B types come with small cover. Here is the way it is covered nowdays on newest Block 52s F-16C/D. The basic shape of the ECS cover made by plastic card and the air exhaust detail will be added later.

[Nick_Karatzides]

CHAPTER IV - Main landing gear bay construction

The main landing gear bay is one of the most complex areas on this 1/18 scale model. I did the dimension calculations, sand the outer surface of the air intake tube carefully, cut pieces of plastic card as required and placed them to start building the bay.

[Nick_Karatzides]

Using 0.75mm drill, a single hole opened on the air intake tube, to later host a pitot sensor which is normally can be found just before the engine's intake fan. This drilling should be done now, before connecting the main landing gear bay construction with lower part of F-16's surface and the pitot sensor will be placed later.

[Nick_Karatzides]

The air intake case, connected with the lower surface with ZAP cyanoacrylate super glue and the huge (approximately 2mm wide) gaps were filled with epoxy cream. I prefer to use epoxy putty (or polyester filler with fiberglass grains for special purposes) instead of normal scale modeling putty, to close gaps or build new items, because:

• It becomes solid rock within only few minutes or seconds,
  
• it does not shrink and does not crack after months or years,
  
• you can pour to any shape that you want but you need to work fast because as soon as you mix it with catalyst cream approx 5%, you have limited time before becoming solid rock,
  
• you can also put additional layers of epoxy or polyester filler to build up,
  
• you can sand it, you can drill it, you can use any type of scale modeling glue, any type of primer or enamel / acrylic paint on it with no problem,
  
• can be purchased at any good crafts store into 250ml, 500ml, 1lt (comes with a tube of catalyst hardener) or bigger canisters and if you can't find it, fear not and try your local decent hardware store and finally...
  
• it is cheaper than dirt - estimated prices are Ł3 to Ł10 depending the canister size, the quality, if contains fiberglass grains for maximum strength etc.

Keep in mind that the chemical reaction after mixing the filler with the catalyst hardener, produces some heat that possibly effect on thin plastic parts, so test it first before try it on your scale model. I don’t think that the produced heat is more than Fahrenheit 110, but better watchout.

Remember that epoxy materials are dangerous when breath or shallow and could result skin, eyes or lungs problems or even cancer when used for long period with no precaution measures. Always keep in mind, that a powerful vacuum system to suck away the epoxy dust should be used all time to keep the workbench area clean while sanding or milling epoxy or resin materials. Using an issued breathing mask and a pair of surgery latex gloves to prevent dust contact with lungs and fingers while sanding or milling epoxy, is also an important matter that you should seriously take care of! My recommendation is to also wear an overall working suit (as I do) to keep your clothes dust free while sanding epoxy. Some people might find it too much, but I wouldn't like to bring epoxy dust & grains from my work bench into living room and my beloved.

[Nick_Karatzides]

The main landing gear possessors basic lines were copied from the T.O manual, lined out with green ink marker and later cut 'n' drilled from white plastic card. Blueprint copies enlarged to 1/18 scale, were used to cut the possessors on exact shape & size and later set into place.

[Nick_Karatzides]

Starting to place cables, actuators, fractional DC motors, hydraulic lines, securing hooks & stuff into the model's main landing gear bay. It may look quite empty now, but everything will be in place and look realistic as the project continues.





I used hair thin copper wire cut off from a simple electric cable to bond plastic spue together, to simulate the cable braids found into an F-16's main landing gear bay. The cables and hydraulic lines are placed carefully according closeup pictures of the real gear bay.

[Nick_Karatzides]

Found into my old sparebox, a cracked & damaged 1/48 scale fire extinguisher could be also be upgraded to become the metal oval shaped tank found into the main landing gear bay, known as the Halon 1301 (also known as Bromotrifluoromethane CBrF3, which is a an organic halide to provide fuel cell inerting to protect the fuel system from explosions due to combat threats) reservoir. Filling the gap with epoxy cream, sticking it on a nail and spin it with the Dremel tool against different types of sandpapers was enough to make it look like the real one.

[Frosty]

This simply is one of the most amazing things I've EVER seen in My entire life...



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"It's better to be dead than look uncool" - Fighter pilots credo

[artoor_k]

I completely agree with Frosty.Amazing work.I have an F-18 from BBI in the same scale and I going to upgrade it in nearest future but It's impossible for me to achieve so good results. Anyway ,I'm waiting for more:D

Zgadzam się całkowicie z Frosty'm.Niesamowita robota.Mam F-18 z firmy BBI w tej samej skali i mam zamiar ulepszyć go w najbliższej przyszłości ale nie uda mi się uzyskać aż tak dobrych rezultatów. W każdym razie, czekam na więcej



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Warsztat:
ORP Dzień Sądu 1:250,F-22 1:48,A-7 1:48,TYPE61 1:35,dioramka "Heinrich...to coś nas zaraz kopnie" 1:72,P-11 i P-7 1:72,YF-19 1:48,A-10 1:48,Lim-5 1:48,mini dioramka z Aichi Jake 2x 1:250

[Paweł Czarnocki]

I've been struck dumb... Excellent work!



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[Maletak]

Firstly welcome to our forum! . Your build is... omg... awesome.. just so real . Please carry it on and give us more! Best regards.



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Fairlady Z Nismo
F-22 Raptor

[pilex7]

Hi Nick,
I need to say that I am very impressed with your marvelous job and I would like to say thank you very much for sharing with us your experience.
Strong attention to details and very precise work makes this project very interesting as well as great step by step description of the building progress. But personally for me the most valuable part of your adventure is showing us that using raw, freely available components on the market for good modeler is pretty enough to create a great model comparing to dedicated modeler-hobby shops offer with double or triple prices.
I also think that talented person like you with some additional technical background is able to create beautiful miniature with perfect shape almost from nothing.
I am only curious if you are making shots of your work by yourself or you have someone for help?
Wish you good luck.



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Zamiast „w dniu dzisiejszym nabyłem drogą kupna” pisz „dziś kupiłem” – oszczędzasz czas i energię