Scale Nutz

1/48 RSAF F-16C/D Night Phoenix decal sheet

Product # A48018 (also available in 1/72)

Product Article by Steve Bamford Aug 9 2004

 

 

 

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft.  It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack.  It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and allied nations like South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia and Singapore. 

This new 1/48 decal sheet from Scale Nutz Productions focuses on the F-16's used by the RSAF in Singapore.  

The decals themselves are beautiful quality and very clearly printed on the 1/48 sample I have before me (scan at right does not show the the sharpness of these decals).  Colours look solid (most of the decals are black on this sheet) and will cover very well and the decal appear wonderfully thin.  There are enough stencils provided for 1 complete aircraft......with more stencils, you could make more of the 13 different planes featured on this decal sheet.  Clear film is minimal and tapers down nicely to the edge of the decal.

The 13 aircraft featured on this sheet are with 143 Squadron.  143 Squadron has operated the A-4S Skyhawk since 1975.  It was disbanded in 1997.  In the year 2000, like a mythical phoenix, it was reincarnated.  Since then, the squadron has operated the f-16C/D  out of Tengah Airbase.   

Some interesting facts about the RSAF F-16's.  The RSAF is a small air force, so all of it's aircraft are shared among the squadrons.  Therefore photos of the RSAF F-16's with the same serial #'s but with different  squadron markings are not uncommon.  Also.....due to the small size of the RSAF, pilots tend to share aircraft, so their names aren't painted on the aircraft.  For public appearances such as VIP or parade events a name might be paint on the aircraft, but this name is not for an actual pilot and are instead purely fictional to protect the pilots identity.

The first F-16 selection is for 5 different F-16C's.  These all belong to 140 Squadron and are aircraft #608, 609, 610, 611, 612 and 613.  The F-16C is of course a single seater version of the F-16 and the RSAF versions have a standard low viz grey paint scheme that is similar to the USAF F-16 paint schemes.  Paint scheme colours are FS 36118 for the dark areas on top and FS 36270 for the light areas on top and FS 36320 for the nose cone and FS 36375 for the underside.  Markings include a yellow and black checker board band along the top of the tail.  A black checker board band is also included, but no mention of it is made in the instructions, so I'm not sure if this black checker board band is for an earlier low-viz scheme or if it is to permit modellers to paint the yellow band and apply the black checker board band on top of the yellow paint.  On the tail there is a black Phoenix with a sword clutched in it's talons.  On the rear part of the each side of the fuselage is a black animal's head with what appears to be  a flowing mane.  The rest of the markings appear to be standard F-16 markings.  One nice touch is the addition of drop tank and travel pod(?) markings.   

The second F-16 selection is for 8 different F-16D's.  These all belong to 143 Squadron and are aircraft #623, 624, 626, 627, 638, 640, 691, 692 and 695.  The F-16D is of course a two seater version of the F-16 and the RSAF versions have a standard low viz grey paint scheme that is similar to the USAF F-16 paint schemes.  Paint scheme colours are FS 36118 for the dark areas on top and FS 36270 for the light areas on top and FS 36320 for the nose cone and FS 36375 for the underside.  Markings include a yellow and black checker board band along the top of the tail.  A black checker board band is also included, but no mention of it is made in the instructions, so I'm not sure if this black checker board band is for an earlier low-viz scheme or if it is to permit modellers to paint the yellow band and apply the black checker board band on top of the yellow paint.    On the tail there is a black Phoenix with a sword clutched in it's talons.  On the rear part of the each side of the fuselage is a black animal's head with what appears to be  a flowing mane.  The rest of the markings appear to be standard F-16 markings.  One nice touch is the addition of drop tank and travel pod(?) markings.  

The instruction sheets include 4 view black and white drawings of the F-16 C as well as the F-16D in RSAF markings.  All necessary information about painting is included as well as FS#'s and very detailed and easy to understand decal placement instructions.  

Scale Nutz deserves special mention for providing us with markings for some of the smaller air forces in the far east. 

 

Click on images below to see larger images

Recommended kits are in 1/48 Academy/Hasegawa/Italeri F-16C/D or the highly recommended 1/48 Hasegawa F-16C-J.  These decals are very well done and are sure to be popular with folks that want to add a RSAF to their display case

Special thanks to Scale Nutz  for sending me this review sample.  You can purchase these decals direct from Scale Nutz .

Steve

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford