F-16D Block 40 LööK 1/48

The real subject

The F-16D is the two-seat version of the American F-16 Fighting Falcon light fighter. The second seat sits behind the pilot under shared glazing, so the cockpit is visible along its whole length and there is effectively a second instrument panel. The Block 40 version brought equipment for flying and attacking at night and at low altitude by means of the podded LANTIRN system, strengthened landing gear and revised avionics; it is on account of those night tasks that machines of this block came to be known as the night version.

What the set solves

The instrument panel is the first thing anybody looking closely at a finished model notices. The injection-molded part from the box has the instruments only suggested, and painting them in with a fine brush is thankless work in 1:48 scale, and twice over in a two-seat cockpit. A set from the LööK range deals with exactly this part of the cockpit and brings finer artwork on the dials and a more legible division of the panel. What the package holds exactly, and which kit the set is cut for, is given in the enclosed manufacturer's instructions.

Building tips

Go through the instructions first and compare the parts with the kit. Cut the original panel away with a sharp blade and sand the area flat, so that the replacement beds down without a gap. The material of the parts and the way they are fixed are not stated here, so keep to the instructions; when gluing, a small amount of glue applied to the edges is enough, so that the surplus is not squeezed out onto the visible side. Settle the panel before you glue the fuselage halves together, as once the cockpit is closed you will not reach it. Cover the colored surface during later varnishing and do not touch it with your fingers, as a fingerprint is hard to remove from the fine artwork.

Terms of supply

The kit, paints and glue are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.