This is a Japanese F-Toys pre-painted F-16C Block 50 kit. I contemplated building it as a OOB as I felt that the dark ghost gray tone was somewhat a tad too bluish. I pondered on ideas to build the kit. I the decided to to do a What-if built featuring a solo demo bird from RSAF's F-16C to commemorate Singapore's Bicentennial this year.

I had to embody some modifications to the kit to make it resemble the F-16C Block 52 that RSAF operates. These mods were mainly the IFF bird slicer antennas and the various external probes and sensors were added using scratch-built parts. Enhanced the look of the pilot figure that came with the kit and added seatbelts and HUD to improve the cockpit area using scratch-built parts.

The challenging part is creating the special commemorative livery for the solo demo bird. I created a large low visibility rampant lion motif to signify Singapore's colonial past under the British when Singapore was colonised by Sir Stamford Raffles in the name of the British Crown in 1819. Over it I added a shield bearing a modern looking lion head in the colours of the RSAF today. On the starboard side of the tail fin a portrait of Sir Stamford Raffles was featured while on the portside carried a portrait of Major-General William Farquhar, the first British Resident and Commandant of colonial Singapore. William Farquhar was instrumental for the development of Singapore into a trading port. Created additional special livery stencils on the drop tank body. 

I printed the markings for af F-16C from RSAF 140 SQN "Osprey" with tail number 641. I thought it befitting as 140 SQN was the first fighter squadron formed in 1970 with the impending withdrawal of British forces in the mid 70s following Singapore's independence in 1965. 

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I scratch-built the wingtip smokewinders and used cotton wool for the smoke trails. As the under carriage were pretty well molded, I decided to retain them and have them positioned for a take-off retraction pose. I had to extend the nose landing gear strut for some realism and added hydraulic cylinders on the main landing gear doors.

I used my own mix of Mr Hobby and Tamiya acrylic basic colours for the 2 tone gray of FS36118 and FS36270 for the upper surfaces and FS36375 for the underside. I handbrushed them on. This was followed by two thinned coats of Future prior to decal application and another two thinned coats thereafter. Minimal weathering was applied as this was a demo bird. Two thinned coats of flat was finally airbrushed on. Built a display base to mount the finished built.

I was pretty happy that it turned out well. Enjoy the photos.

Happy Bicentennial and 54th National Day!!!

S K Loh

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