1:48 F-16A/AM/B/BM in Portuquese service - generic set

The real subject

Portugal is one of the European operators of the F-16. It has both single-seat and two-seat machines in its inventory, and some of them went through an upgrade after which the letter M is added to the version designation: version A thus becomes AM and version B becomes BM. The upgraded machines differ from the original ones mainly in equipment, so on a model you will tell them apart above all by their markings rather than by the shape of the airframe.

What the sheet contains

This is a generic sheet, a so-called generic set. It is therefore not tied to one particular machine but carries the elements that repeat across the fleet: national insignia, numbers, codes and other markings of the Portuguese F-16 in the A, AM, B and BM versions. That lets you build more than one machine from a single sheet, or fill in markings where a kit does not have them. The exact layout and the assignment of the elements is given by the enclosed instructions.

Building and painting tips

The base must be smooth and sealed with gloss varnish; otherwise a matte mark from the backing is left around the print. Cut the element out close to the print, soak it for a few seconds in lukewarm water and let it rest until it will slide off. Transfer it onto a drop of water, align it and blot the water away with the edge of a paper tissue. With a generic sheet it pays to decide in advance, from photographs or the instructions, which machine you are building and to sort the elements out beforehand. A decal softener will settle the decal into the engraved lines; seal the whole model at the end.

Who it is for

For builders of current fighters who want Portuguese markings and like to pick the machine themselves. The model, paints and glue are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.