Hi All,
Well not so much a 'build' thread as a 'built' and jet experience thread,since my other model flying drug alongside the large scale warbirds is jet flying,I started around 6 years ago with my first jet a Skymaster F-18 ( with hindsight should have gone the boomerang or similar route) since the F-18 bit the dust very quickly and was totalled at a Langar fly-in,a sharp leason and realisation that fast jet flying calls for another set of skills over prop models,however undaunted I moved onto an F-15, again by Skymaster, which is still in one piece and flying today on a Jetcat P-120 - an excellent first jet and one I would reccomend if built lightly.
I then wanted something which was a bit more gutsy and so took delivery of the first all white prototype kit imported into the UK from Skymaster of their F-16 at 1/6th scale ( almost 100 inches long ) - this was something altogether different,full rivet detail and panel lines moulded in,live hinging and a fabulous scale undercarriage hydraulically damped,over a period of 6 months the model was painted and detailed with paint masks and decals from Tailormade and then weathered,the turbine chosen was a Jetcat P-180 and as usual JR servos and Futaba radio gear,the undercarriage,doors and brakes use Jetronic valves and sequencer,all up weight came out at 17 kg dry which meant a greater than 1:1 thrust to weight.
The model is now over 4 years old and has had numerous flights,the performance and soundtrack is unbelievable and the adrenalin rush provided by flying these large powerful model jets never ceases to amaze me,you cannot really compare the feeling to the large warbird experience,it really is something else,I am sure anyone who does both will agree with me.
A few pictures of the F-16 out of interest.
Trevor Wood LMA687
