Portuguese F-16 AM (MLU)
F-16 MID LIFE UPDATE (MLU) Version
The MLU program emerged in the early 1990’s, following the need to keep the F-16 in operation for another 20 years whilst maintaining the same degree of effectiveness and operational capabilities. The program aims to keep this weapons system up to date for operation in any international theater of operation through the regular improvement of its capabilities, in an effort shared by several European countries and the United States of America.
Having started with just 5 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway and the United States), Portugal would enter the program in 2000, starting the modification of Portuguese aircraft in 2001 and culminating with the first flight of a Portuguese F-16 MLU on June 26, 2003.
(photo from the internet)
BUILDING THE KIT
• Eduard 648033 Nose cone + Radar
• Aires 4411 Cockpit set (+ Ejection seat + AFF antennas)
• Eduard 648237 AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening pod system (starboard)
• Some wheel wells detail (scratch)
• Reskit wheels and rims
• Reskit AMRAAM Missiles
• Aires 4133 Exhaust noozle
• Model Master D48136 Decals
• Speed-brakes (scratch)
• Front wheel headlights (scratch)
• Navigation lights (scratch)
• Anti-collision lights (scratch)
• External fuel tanks (from spare box)
• Port front light (scratch)
• Static dischargers (scratch)
• Eduard Remove Before Flight tags
The build started, as usual, by the cockpit. Although it was a set for the kit I had, it was necessary to work it a lot to fit it in the fuselage. This was, by far, the most laborious, time consuming and unpleasant task of this build.
Before joining the two fuselage halves, I also cut the speed-brakes area in order to rebuild them in an open position and prepare the nose area to receive the open nose and radar set.
The rest of the build went on quite uneventfully, keeping however some separate sets (wells, exhaust, AMRAAM’s, …).
PAINTING
The Portuguese colour scheme follows closely the American one and, as usual, I used my favourite paint combo: Mr. Hobby paints, thinned with Mr. Levelling Thinner through my H&S Infinity airbrush.
After all the painting, the usual (Mr Color GX100 super clear III) gloss clear coat followed as a base for the next steps.
DECALS
For this aircraft I used some Model Maker decals, which went on beautifully with Micro Set and Sol.
WEATHERING
As always, a well-known internet search-engine provided me with many photo references of the aircraft I intended to build, so it was quite easy to decide the weathering level to aim.
After another gloss clearcoat over the decals, I mixed some artist oils with enamel thinner and applied it thoroughly over the entire model. Having it touch-dry, I gently removed the excess with some paper towel in order to have a kind of a unifying filter and keep it in the panel lines. As oils takes a long drying time, I set this aside and proceed with painting other elements, such the wheels, missiles, etc.
After almost a week, I returned to it and kept on with the weathering process, this time focusing more on the panel lines and other details.
I finished this stage with a matt clear coat.
FINAL DETAILS AND ASSEMBLY
Having it almost ready, it was time to focus on the lights (painting the rear in silver and building the bulb with Microscale kristal klear), attaching the wheels, missiles, AQ/AAN system and radar and nose cone as well as the canopy.
The Remove Before Flight tags ended it all.
It was a pleasant build (still I couldn’t get photos to make it justice).
Nevertheless, I hope you like 🙂
Cheers,
M
Having started with just 5 countries (Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway and the United States), Portugal would enter the program in 2000, starting the modification of Portuguese aircraft in 2001 and culminating with the first flight of a Portuguese F-16 MLU on June 26, 2003.
(photo from the internet)
BUILDING THE KIT
• Eduard 648033 Nose cone + Radar
• Aires 4411 Cockpit set (+ Ejection seat + AFF antennas)
• Eduard 648237 AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening pod system (starboard)
• Some wheel wells detail (scratch)
• Reskit wheels and rims
• Reskit AMRAAM Missiles
• Aires 4133 Exhaust noozle
• Model Master D48136 Decals
• Speed-brakes (scratch)
• Front wheel headlights (scratch)
• Navigation lights (scratch)
• Anti-collision lights (scratch)
• External fuel tanks (from spare box)
• Port front light (scratch)
• Static dischargers (scratch)
• Eduard Remove Before Flight tags
The build started, as usual, by the cockpit. Although it was a set for the kit I had, it was necessary to work it a lot to fit it in the fuselage. This was, by far, the most laborious, time consuming and unpleasant task of this build.
Before joining the two fuselage halves, I also cut the speed-brakes area in order to rebuild them in an open position and prepare the nose area to receive the open nose and radar set.
The rest of the build went on quite uneventfully, keeping however some separate sets (wells, exhaust, AMRAAM’s, …).
PAINTING
The Portuguese colour scheme follows closely the American one and, as usual, I used my favourite paint combo: Mr. Hobby paints, thinned with Mr. Levelling Thinner through my H&S Infinity airbrush.
After all the painting, the usual (Mr Color GX100 super clear III) gloss clear coat followed as a base for the next steps.
DECALS
For this aircraft I used some Model Maker decals, which went on beautifully with Micro Set and Sol.
WEATHERING
As always, a well-known internet search-engine provided me with many photo references of the aircraft I intended to build, so it was quite easy to decide the weathering level to aim.
After another gloss clearcoat over the decals, I mixed some artist oils with enamel thinner and applied it thoroughly over the entire model. Having it touch-dry, I gently removed the excess with some paper towel in order to have a kind of a unifying filter and keep it in the panel lines. As oils takes a long drying time, I set this aside and proceed with painting other elements, such the wheels, missiles, etc.
After almost a week, I returned to it and kept on with the weathering process, this time focusing more on the panel lines and other details.
I finished this stage with a matt clear coat.
FINAL DETAILS AND ASSEMBLY
Having it almost ready, it was time to focus on the lights (painting the rear in silver and building the bulb with Microscale kristal klear), attaching the wheels, missiles, AQ/AAN system and radar and nose cone as well as the canopy.
The Remove Before Flight tags ended it all.
It was a pleasant build (still I couldn’t get photos to make it justice).
Nevertheless, I hope you like 🙂
Cheers,
M
Not having a kit to build the Portuguese version out-of-the box, and with an F-16A in my stash, I decided to use what I have, with some add-ons and scratchbuild:
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