Scale  1/72

 Manufacturer

 Caracal Models

 ID

 CD72103

 Title

 F-16 "The Early Years"

 Types Featured

 YF-16, F-16 CCV, F-16A, F-16/101, F-16 AFTI & F-16/79

 

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Caracal Models sheet CD72103 provides markings for twelve F-16 prototypes and early test aircraft. The airframes featured are:

  1. YF-16 70-1567 painted in the prototype scheme comprising overall gloss white FS17875 with red FS11105 wings (both upper and lower surfaces) and upper fin. The cockpit surround and spine, fin base and lower skegs were gloss blue FS15056. ""GENERAL DYNAMICS" and YF-16" were in black on the lower fin with blue "U.S. AIR FORCE" on the mid fuselage. White "01567" serials were carried on the fin base.
  2. YF-16 70-1567 during its' European Flight Demonstration Tour in 1975. It was marked identically to option 1 but carried "53" and flight markings on the intake sides.
  3. YF-16 70-1568 marked identically to option 1 but with "01568" on the fin base.
  4. YF-16 70-1568 marked identically to option 3 but with six flags representing countries visited on the nose.
  5. YF-16 70-1568 marked identically to option 4 but with the Iranian flag replaced by an Israeli flag.
  6. YF-16 70-1568 painted in a two colour "cloud" scheme comprising Ford "Wimbledon White" (similar to FS37855) whith Air Superiority Blue FS15450 patches. It wore black serials on the fin.
  7. F-16 CCV 70-1567 flown by the Air Force Fligh Dynamics Laboratory. It was marked similarly to option 1 but wore white "CCV" markings on the fin with "FIGHTER" in black superimposed. On the intake was red "Research" artwork.
  8. F-16A 75-0745 marked identically to option 1 but with black "F-16" logos on the fin. 
  9. F-16A 75-0745 marked identically to option 8 but with five flags representing countries which had purchased the F-16 on the nose.
  10. F-16/101 75-0745 marked identically to option 8 but with the F-16 logo on the fin replaced by "F-16/101" whith the "/101" in dark grey.
  11. F-16 AFTI 75-0750 wearing a three-tone grey scheme comprising Neutral Grey FS36270 and Gunship Grey FS36118 upper surfaces with Light Compass Ghost Grey FS36375 undersurfaces (note that whilst these are the same colours as the later Hill Grey scheme, the camouflage scheme was irregular. It wore a white lower fin band with AFTI/F-16 artwork in red and blue with black serials.
  12. F-16/79 75-0752 wearing the standard Hill Grey scheme comprising Neutral Grey FS36270 and Gunship Grey FS36118 upper surfaces with Light Compass Ghost Grey FS36375 undersurfaces. It wore white "GENERAL DYNAMICS" and "F-16/79" logos on the lower fin with artwork on the upper in and white "NAVY" markings on the rear fuselage.

Instructions comprise a full-color left side view for each aircraft and a three-view showing camouflage, with separate scrap views showing nose stencilling.

Decals are provided on a single A5 sheet which is in perfect register and sufficiently opaque.

 

Review by Chris St Clair