Tamiya F-16C/N ‘Aggressor/Adversary’ 1:48 – build review

Special Feature Article with Dave Coward

Background

Sometimes you read an article that inspires you to build a model and the article below was one of those for me. I’ve always had an interest in “TOP GUN” or the Navy Fighter Weapons School as it was officially known and when I read the below article I decided that I wanted to build one of the school’s less well-known aircraft, the F-16N.

Fortunately Tamiya produces a series of 3 F-16 kits, the last of which covers both the later Aggressor F-16C but more importantly for me it also covers the F-16N. The plan was to use only what aftermarket parts that I considered to be enhancing to the kit without going over the top when the kit parts would do, oh and it had to be a quick and enjoyable build, I didn’t want to get bogged down in a complex build that I could lose interest in.

What it’s Like to Fly the F-16N Viper, Topgun’s Legendary Hotrod

Paul Nickell And Tyler Rogoway
The Drive 9 May 2016
In the late 1980s, F-14 Tomcat pilot and Topgun instructor Paul Nickell found himself strapping into the cockpit of a brand-new Navy jet that would never land on an aircraft carrier. Instead, it was built specifically to challenge the skills of the best fighter crews the Navy had to offer. It was a stripped down, up-engined, exotically painted variant of the already nimble F-16. General Dynamics built only 26 of them, and the fleet served less than a decade before being controversially retired, but the impression the jet made was legendary….
For the rest of this article just click here!

Such was the life of an Adversary pilot and Topgun Instructor…

Photo: NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFPN) — An F-16 Fighting Falcon heads out to a range Jan. 31 during Red Flag 06-1 being held here Jan. 21 through Feb. 18. Red Flag tests aircrews’ war-fighting skills in realistic combat situations. Aircraft fly missions day and night at the nearby Nevada Test and Training Range simulating an air war. Along with the Air Force, units from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, United Kingdom and Australia are participating. The F-16 is with the 64th Aggressor Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald) – Source: Wikipedia

Back to this build article…

---

A note from Geoff C…
I don’t hide the fact that I love the F-16 as much as Dave does and so do check out other areas of SMN for the other builds we have (and will have – more on the way!). The Aggressor scheme that Dave has chosen for his Viper is stunning and I thought that you’d like to see how it turned out right up front here – wow!

Over to you Dave…

---

References used:
F-16.Net

Aftermarket Extras:
Master Pitot Tube
Master F-16 Static Dischargers
Eduard Interior Colour PE

Construction…