Italeri are set to release a 1/48th scale F-16, with some with spectacular markings.


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Thanks!

oooooohhh I do like that F-16 scheme on the box cover, looks absolutely fantastic. Would make a great away kit for a football team as well.
Thanks for posting Andy.
tim

Soooooo nice!
I've read a built review of this kit as soon as I saw the boxart on the Italeri website. It's not bad at all, the only area requiring attention being the spine section aft of the cockpit, but some filler will sort everything out.
Anyway I doubt about its accuracy... looking at the sprues it's not clear if the parts to depict the ADF version, that is the one used by the Italian AF (yet for a couple of years until the F-35 is ready) are included: 4-blade IFF antennas for the nose and the air intake and correct vertical stabilizer base. Check this photo
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Italy---Air/General-Dynamics-F-16A-ADF/1740610/&sid=03c25c6649b93ef3120301f22e260300

As for the rest, it looks great, especially with those decals!

There's a lot more wrong with the Italeri F-16 than the upper fuselage plug:

Italeri F-16D Brakeet:

Note that the "Brakeet" name is not a Hebrew word and a common name misconception Israeli F-16s. The correct Hebrew name for all IAF F-16C/D's is Barak for Block 30s or Barak II's Block 40.

Note that the IAF F-16D isn’t anything close to an F-16D, much less a Block 40 or 30 Israeli D:

- Cockpit represents and B model configuration; not even close to a D cockpit
- The spine is horribly misshapen, yes that bad!
- The parabrake extensions is even worse than the spine; way to small in cross section with nothing but erroneous surface detail.
- Bulged MLG doors & larger retract beam not included
- Proper Block 40 wheels (Block 40) or Block 50 wheels (Block 30) not included,
- Missing NLG TAXI/LAND light assy & LEF RWR for IAF Block 40
- No MCID (Block 40 all/Block 30 “D” Models) intake.
- No NLG door LAND/TAXI light assembly (Block 40 only)
- No LEF RWR Antennas (Block 40 only)
- Missing the EW/RW Plates on the doughnut panel (Block 40 only, but most have since been removed with a base plat left behind).

At best, you can make an ok standard F-16B from the kit, as the spine and parabrake are practically useless and the cockpit is…


Standard issue Italeri F-16A/C kits; which also applies to all Italeri F-16 kits:

-The panel lines are on the soft side and the surface has a grainy finish.
-Radome is a bit short and too pointed
-The cockpit is in a generic arrangement and only represents an A or B model.
-The glare shield is offset to one side; to the left if memory serves.
-Canopy is not blown and frame (real bad on the B/D models) base is too thick in height.
-The NSI intake mouth profile is way off; not to mention the seam clean up (both interior and exterior) is a nightmare.
-The upper fuselage plug (which depicts 1 or 2 seater) does not line up well and makes for allot of filling and rescribing to get it right.
- Both Gun muzzles don't look right and the A model type (8 slotted) suffers from molding defects.
- Wheel wells are typical Italeri; all guess work with “diode like” detailing that’s nothing close to the real thing.
- The main wheels are awful and are nothing close to anything the F-16 ever used!
- Though the landing gear itself is actually fairly nice in detail and accuracy (in some respects more so than Hasegawa) it has an inherent "Ass End" squat when the kit is built up. It looks like the NLG is too tall and the mains were set to low in the design of the kit.
- The P&W nozzle has some strange ribbing or scalloping on the doughnut panel. I have no idea what that is suppose to be or represent, just that it’s completely wrong. Also, it is molded in the "puckered” position (SEC mode) and the turkey feather ends are way too thick.
- The GE nozzle is totally wrong that there are 14 turkey feathers on the kit part, as opposed to the 12 feathers of the real thing. Hasegawa’s F-16Cs & Revell F-16C/F-14D got it right, BTW.
- The upper & lower wing root panels (the cover panel where the wing meets the fuselage) are recessed for some odd reason??? This also results in an elongated step on the wing root panel.
- The vertical tail base for the C/D model is too rounded in shape, the LE scoop is poorly done, and the vertical tail cap is of an A model.
- Trailing edges of the speed brakes are overly thick and need to be thinned down about 75% of the existing thickness.
- The wingtip 210 launchers are totally wrong and the fastener detail is way over done, as are the rest of the weapons/stores.
- Both 370 wing tanks are off in shape; being way to blunt and rounded at the nose.
- Key C/D model details missing are the larger ECS Exhaust shroud (forward lwr. Lt. Wheel well), High profile the Ammo load door, and most of the basic airframe lights and Landing, Taxi, and intake lights lenses

Updates:

Italeri F-16 ADF
Italeri has released an ADF variant, which is the same basic F-16A kit, but with ADF vertical tail base and AIFF antennas. The ADF bulge is poorly done, as the shape and cross section of the bulge is way off. The AIFF antennas are ok, but are on the small side and the base is over scaled. The rest of the kit is as per above.




Wow, spectacular markings indeed! It's just too bad the kit is as poor as the decals are nice.

Mike V