1:72 F-16A Falcon J-364 Solo Display 1997-1998 Royal Netherlands A.F

F-16A J-364 decals, the display machine of the 1997 and 1998 seasons

A decal sheet in 1:72 scale for the F-16A with the serial number J-364, which in the 1997 and 1998 seasons flew as the solo display machine of the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Display aircraft get a special finish for one or two seasons and then return to their ordinary colors, so it is a form worth capturing on a model.

The real subject

The F-16 is a single-seat light multirole combat aircraft with the official name Fighting Falcon, known among pilots rather under the nickname Viper. You will recognize it by the teardrop canopy without a forward frame, which gives the pilot a view in all directions, by the smooth transition of the wing into the fuselage and by the air intake under the nose. The A version was the first production single-seat form of the type and the Netherlands was among its first European users.

Advice on application

• Finish the base paint and let it cure, and only then comes the gloss varnish under the decals.
• Trim the carrier film as close to the artwork as possible; on a glossy surface its edge is visible otherwise.
• Apply artwork that passes over edges and transitions in parts and help yourself with a softener.
• Press the water out with a soft brush from the center toward the edges, so that no bubbles are left under the film.
• Clear-coat the finished model so that the decals merge with the surrounding finish and do not peel off.

Who the sheet is for

For collectors of the F-16 and for modelers with a weakness for air days and display finishes. The kit, paints, varnishes and softener are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.