Tamiya 1/32 F16

[sheppy]

Here is my contribution to the F16 Build.








I intend to build this kit depicting Aircraft 86-0269, of the 64th Aggressor Squadron. In its colour scheme of May 2012, this Aircraft was flown by Major Sean Neitzke / SrA Daniel Myles.


Nellis Aggressor Squadrons

By Jason Grant|March 18th, 2015|Operational Reports|3 Comments
Aggressor aircraft in their distinctive colour schemes are a common sight at Nellis AFB and over the Nevada Test and Training Range. However, with the recent deactivation the 65th Aggressor Squadron consigning the Russian aircraft marked Eagles to the annals of history, and with the latest generation of aircraft becoming a more familiar sight, Jason Grant and Mark Forest take a look at how the remaining Aggressor Squadron at Nellis AFB – the 64th Aggressor Squadron flying older 4th generation aircraft – remain at the cutting edge as well as the history behind the United States Air Force Aggressor Squadrons at Nellis AFB.
Lineage

Both the 64th and 65th Aggressor Squadrons can trace their lineage back to the Second World War. The squadrons were both established on the 20th November 1940 and followed a very similar path during the war and were initially assigned to providing air defence over the northeast of the United States. Both squadrons were reassigned to the U.S. Army Middle East in Egypt in 1942 as part of IX Fighter Command in support of the British Western Desert Campaign. After one more reassignment during 1943, both squadrons were transferred to the Twelfth Air Force flying interdiction missions over Italy and Corsica. After World War Two ended, both squadrons were inactivated on the 7th November 1945.

With the Cold War looming, both squadrons were reactivated on the 15th August 1946 as part of the Eleventh Air Force, the 64th were assigned to providing air defence over the Northern Pacific Ocean while the 65th fighter Squadron began training new P-51 Mustang pilots as part of the Air Defence Force in the northwest Pacific. Both squadrons became jet squadrons during 1948 flying F-80 Shooting Stars, and shortly afterwards were reassigned to the Alaskan Air Command, part of the 10th Air Division, flying the F-94 Starfire and then the F-89 Scorpion interceptor jet aircraft. Both Squadrons were re-designated the Fighter Interceptor Squadrons, providing fighter aircraft defence as part of the Alaskan Defence Force until the later 1950s. In 1957, the 64th was reassigned to provide air defence to the Pacific Northwest and updated to the F-102 Delta Dagger, the 65th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was once again inactivated on the 8th January 1958.
The 64th carried on air defence duties for the Pacific Northwest until 1966 when the squadron was deployed to Clark Airbase to provide air defence to the northern Philippines. A year earlier, Operation Rolling Thunder had begun over Vietnam and the U.S. troop build up in the area was well underway. The 64th rotated flights from Clark Airbase to South Vietnam and Thailand tasked with providing air defence to the two countries. Following the capture of the USS Pueblo by North Korean forces on 23rd January 1968, the 64th were deployed to South Korea for 6 months during the heightened tension. The crew were held prisoner for 11 months in what was to become a major incident during the Cold War. As a side note, the USS Pueblo is still held by North Korea today, the only US ship held captive anywhere in the world. With the retirement of the F-102 Delta Dagger, the 64th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron was inactivated on the 15th December 1969.

On the 15th October 1969, the 65th was reactivated and re-designated the 65th Fighter Weapons’ Squadron. The squadron took over the 4536th Fighter Weapons’ Squadron based at Nellis AFB, with all personnel, facilities and aircraft coming under the reactivated squadron. The aircraft in use with the squadron was the single seat F-100D Super Sabre and the two seat training version F-100F Super Sabre with the tail code “WB”. Another period of uncertainty followed, becoming non-operational in 1970 and standing up again in 1972, this time with the A-7D Corsair II operating out of Luke AFB and Davis-Monthan AFB. Fighter weapons training continued for three years until June 1975 when the equipped A-7D was reassigned to the Air National Guard.

As a direct result of the dramatic drop in the U.S. Air Forces air-to-air kill ratio during the Vietnam War, “Project Red Baron” began at The USAF Tactical Weapons Centre at Nellis AFB – a series of studies to analyse the Vietnam War air-to-air engagements and the findings of the studies overhauled the training of the aircrews. Tactical Air Command devised an initiative known as “Readiness through Realism” which aimed to make training as realistic and intense as possible in a simulated environment as a mandatory part of a pilot’s mission qualification, this was to be known as Dissimilar Air Combat Training. During 1975, Tactical Air Command also proposed upgrading Air Force ranges to simulate enemy environments to improve air-to-ground training; Red Flag was to be the name of this new exercise.
The 64th and 65th Aggressor Squadrons

On the 15th October 1972, the 64th Fighter Interceptor Squadron was reactivated and re-designated the 64th Fighter Weapons Squadron as part of the 57th Fighter Wing, based at Nellis AFB. The squadron was now flying the T-38A Talon two-seat advanced training aircraft. With the loss of the A-7D Corsair II to the ANG, the 65th was re-equipped in October 1975 with the F-5E Tiger II. The F-5E had become available due to an undelivered order to the South Vietnamese Air Force, the aircraft has similar size and performance characteristics the Soviet built Mig-21 and was an ideal aircraft to train adversary tactics to United States Air Force flying units from bases around the world. During April 1976, the 64th Fighter Weapons Squadron was also upgraded to the F-5E. The F-5 pilots of both squadrons adopted enemy tactics; the aircraft were painted to simulate soviet style marked jet aircraft although they still carried the Nellis AFB yellow and black check tail stripe. Both the 64th and 65th were deployed throughout the United States and overseas to provide DACT training as well as adversary tactics to deployed USAF flying units. Both squadrons were re-designated the 64th and 65th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron on 30th December 1981; 16 months later on the 1st April 1983, both squadrons were once again re-designated and became the 64th and 65th Aggressor Squadrons and 4 years later, the now familiar “WA” code appeared on the tail for the first time.

Towards the end of the decade, structural problems started to become a factor to the worn out airframes and the Soviets had significantly more advanced aircraft than the Migs they were flying 20 years earlier. On the 1st April 1988, the 64th began flying the F-16A Fighting Falcon borrowed from the 474th TFW at Nellis before new build F-16C and D models began to arrive during July 1989 but this was short lived, 4 months later the Berlin Wall came down as the Cold War thawed. Budget cuts followed – first the 65th were inactivated on the 7th April 1989 and then 64th on the 5th October 1990. The new build F-16s were transferred to the 414th Composite Training Squadron (CTS) which also came under the 57th Wing at Nellis AFB and were tasked with Red Flag exercises.

The world changed on September 11th 2001: budget cuts were reversed and funding was available to assist the military with the War on Terror. The 414th CTS was inactivated while the 64th Aggressor Squadron was reactivated on the 3rd October 2003 and the F-16s were transferred back to their original host. Two years later on the 15th September 2005, the 65th Aggressor Squadron was reactivated. The Squadron was allocated F-15C and F-15D models, painted in the now familiar Russian aircraft markings with tail code “WA”. For the next 9 years, the Aggressor Eagles in their distinctive colours would be a common sight over the skies of the Nevada Test and Training Range, working alongside their sister Squadron in their distinctive F-16s, but with operations ceasing overseas as the War on Terror ended, budgets were once again cut and the axe fell on the 65th on the 26th September 2014. Six F-15s and an air spare were transferred to the 64th to complement the twenty F-16s operated by the Squadron, but this was only a temporary measure. The end of March 2015 will see the F-15s reassigned to other units or retired to the Aircraft Boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB.
Today and the future?

With newer and more advanced aircraft designs and cost cutting across the United States military, it’s difficult to know what the future holds for the United States Aggressor Squadrons. The advent of 5th generation stealth aircraft and all available funding now being invested in new aircraft technology, how much longer will the current aggressor aircraft be classed as a realistic threat and what can the pilots who fly the aircraft do to mitigate against the technological advantage the new jets bring to the fight?

Lt Col Kevin “Flash” Gordon, the 64th Aggressor Squadron Commander explained how the pilots from the squadron stay one step ahead of anything that flies against them.

“Most Aggressor pilots are experienced F-16 pilots or instructors with over 500 hours flying the F-16. When a new pilot arrives on the squadron, the pilot goes through an upgrade programme consisting of academics, simulators, and flights”.
“Aggressor pilots know the enemy better than anyone else in the Air Force without exception. Every Aggressor is required to certify as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in a topic relating to our adversary’s air domain. We spend a solid 2 weeks studying, researching, prepping and knowing the topic inside and out. Each SME then gives the brief in front of the squadron and is judged by their peers. After they have been officially certified as an Aggressor SME, they continue their relationship with the Intelligence Community to stay on top of the latest developments and therefore being able to give the most current data to the Combat Air Force. We fly in excess of 200+ missions a month flying against the USAF Weapons School, Test missions and supporting exercises such as Red Flag. We also fly continuation training in order to accomplish upgrades and keep our skills honed”.
The Aggressor Squadron’s Mission Statement is as relevant today as it was at their inception back in 1972: “To prepare the combat air forces’, joint and allied aircrews for tomorrow’s victories with challenging and realistic threat replication, training, academics and feedback”
The recent announcement that Red Flag 15-2 incorporated the virtual world by using simulators at the Distributed Mission Operations Centre at Kirtland AFB, it’s now becoming apparent that the exercise is growing once again. The simulators were used against the “Red Forces” by supporting attack operations and targeting to delay, disrupt and destroy the opposition. The odds are stacking up against the 64th with their current airframes. Will a budget in the future address this? At the recent Red Flag 15-1, eight F-15E Strike Eagles of the 4th FW from Seymour Johnson AFB supported the Red Forces, it remains to be seen if this will become a regular feature in upcoming Red Flag exercises.

AeroResource would like to thank Lt Col Kevin Gordon, Commanding Officer of 64th Aggressor and the Public Affairs Team at Nellis AFB, for taking the time to answer our questions and for giving us a personal insight into the regular duties of the 64th Aggressor Squadron.

[sheppy]

Happy New Year all

Time to get into build mode. so to start off lets have a look at the extras I bought for this kit.



First up Czech Masters armament set.
Was disappointed with this as does not seem to give much more than what is supplied with the kit. The gun barrels are pieces of resin that where warped in my set if I had designed this set brass tubes would have been used for the barrels.



Next up Aires Cockpit Set.
I liked this set plenty of detail and in with such a well glazed cockpit will be very visible. Some minor modification to the cockpit area is required to fit the tub only thing I would probably change is the seat for one with moulded harness as not very good with the pe harness`s.



Next up is Czech Masters Seamless Intake.
Not bad will see how it goes lots of clean up required.



And then there`s Aires Weighted Wheels.
Plenty of detail here and a small amount of clean up.

Well there are my thought`s on these extras hope it helps other people out. Next time some build photos.

[patrickroos]

Wish You lots of stamina and mojo for this maxed out project!
All that resin looks beautiful and the camo likewise.

[sheppy]

Thanks and as I have two large builds with this and Trumpeters 1/32 Su27B plenty of Red Bull required. I dont think I will be using all of the armament set though I might use some bits from it.

[peppie]

Wow, you've made a nice and early start on New Years Day (well, for me it's early.. )
Great looking scheme.

[sheppy]

Oh well here are some parts ready for paint.



Can`t use the resin cockpit as it does not fit. It is to short so would have to use plenty of filler to remodel.







Also can`t use the resin intake as it is to short. In the instructions it askes you to use parts from Sprue P. There is no Sprue P in this kit so what kit is it supposed to be used with on the box it says Tamiya but as no sprue P excists I think they got it wrong.

[sheppy]

Here`s a tip Ive picked up for painting jet intakes.



Seal one end with masking tape.



then fill with white latex paint. Just to let you know guys Dulux Kitchen and Bathroom paint contains Latex.





Leave to sit a little while then tear off the masking tape over a container and with an extra piece of masking tape add a skirt to the end you have just opened. Suspend over a jar to allow excess to drain and once dried no seam lines.

[cougar21]

looking good so far as I bought one yesterday but might paint it as the dutch distplay one that I have seen a few times at leuchars airshow

[MarkVerploeg]

Finally i find a big kit in this sig
it looks like a nice kit but what a pile of after market goodies
have fun building this big bird

[sheppy]

thanks for the support guys. unfortunately am waiting on a replacement sprue as the resin cockpit does not fit . like Paul with his kit you have to cut and modify the fusealage but to fit the resin you would need a bucket full of filler as there are large gaps . the resin intake although on the box it says it is for this kit it is not. so only resin parts actually of any use is the tyres as the resin gun bay has very little to offer over the kit parts, plus all the gun barrels in my set where warped. also waiting on new airbrush that has smaller needle. I will be building this kit as im not going to waste the most expensive pot of paint I have ever bought as could only get from the states and cost me £15

[Lee]

WOW...!!! Have fun

[sheppy]

Hi all sorry for no updates we have had quite a bad time of it for the last couple of weeks. We buried one of my wife`s best friends last week she had a heart attack on new years day another of her friends moved to France, we found out she has been fighting cancer for last couple of years finally spoke to her 2 weeks ago to find she has 2 tumers resting on her spine and one in her nose. the type of lady she is she said " maybe I`ll get a decent nose job out of this ". and they say it comes in threes found out another had her sixth and final bypass just before christmass .

Now ive got that out the way just had a delivery the replacement for the F16 fortunately/unfortunately it was actually more cost effective to buy a complete new kit. as I say unfortunately as of cost and most of kit wont be used, fortunately I will have two engines so can have one permanently on display. would have done some pics but photobucket was down. So on with the build. Build happy all.

[Backfire22]

That's a great tip on using latex paint. will remember that one.

[Avgas]

[sheppy]

sorry nothing for a while bad case of man flu

but here we go only a couple of images

now that ive done the engine internals i can add some detail to the interior before assembly.


gun done but going to add some heat effects to the barrel.

[sheppy]

Sorry no updates for a while .
So here is where I`m upto




This is where I am upto with the cockpit some weathering to do then fit.







So what you guys think of the engine as you can see this is where most of my time has been spent





and the engine bay.

[SMAddict66]

Nice work sheppy. Lovin' that engine, looks awesome.

Looking forward to more

[Smiffy]

Awesome work on the engine

[Avgas]

Nice looking donk.

[sheppy]

thanks for all the great comments. here is where im upto with the cockpit nearly ready to fit

[Avgas]

Oooh, those side panels are the biz.

[sheppy]

a couple more photos plan to have it in paint by this time next week

[keithinflorida]

Looking good

[sheppy]

thanks for all the great comments guys







just a few more things to finish up and then its off to the paint shop for this kit.