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F-16 model question

Posted: 28 May 2012, 02:43
by travels
Ok so I did a forum search and got nothing so if I missed it forgive me. Has Nick or any other modeler made the Block 60 F-16E/F? If not a block 50/52 F-16C/D with edited flight dynamics would work. I am trying to populate my Persian Gulf a bit more.
Thanks

Re: F-16 model question

Posted: 28 May 2012, 06:05
by swp53
There was someone working on the model with conformal fuel tanks but that was quite a while ago. The pics posted looked promising but it must have been put on the back burner or is a dead project by now.

Re: F-16 model question

Posted: 28 May 2012, 06:18
by travels
rgr that shame to hear if it is dead i would try but have no patience require to do this stuff. also just realized Nick didnt do the F-16s

Re: F-16 model question

Posted: 28 May 2012, 06:35
by Firebird
Whilst we love HT's F-16 models we recognize that we need some new versions but we try not to force modellers into doing what we want. They are far more productive if they choose the models that they want to do.

I think that part of the problem is that HT's model is so good and combine this with the curvy nature of the F-16's form it may very well frighten people off attempting the later versions. We can only hope that somebody does tackle the later versions at some point.

Re: F-16 model question

Posted: 28 May 2012, 06:37
by travels
All I can say now is sit and wait.

Re: F-16 model question

Posted: 28 May 2012, 16:01
by MIKE JG
A couple of us have started on this model but right now, it's #3 on the "to do" list this year. This was started by Kevin Reed and I have done some additional work on it so far but this is as far as we've gotten for now. Other projects have priority right now.
WSAI_F16_001.jpg
Don't ask us when because we don't know. By the end of this year is my hope.

Re: F-16 model question

Posted: 28 May 2012, 16:07
by DaleRFU
That looks a cracking start guys 8) . what is the poly count at the minute compared to the HT model?

:smt006

Re: F-16 model question

Posted: 28 May 2012, 21:24
by MIKE JG
Dunno exactly, FSDS doesn't count polygons correctly so all I can do is multiply the FSDS count by an estimate factor which gives around 3000 polys so far. But none of the gear bays have been cut out which adds a lot of polys to the overall count.

What is really needed is more people take up modeling. It's really not that hard, just takes time.

Re: F-16 model question

Posted: 29 May 2012, 17:08
by DaleRFU
MIKE JG wrote:What is really needed is more people take up modeling. It's really not that hard, just takes time.
I am slowly getting there but its scenery at the min :?

Re: F-16 model question

Posted: 29 May 2012, 17:16
by petebramley
MIKE JG wrote: It's really not that hard, just takes time.

That being the one thing I have so little of.

Maybe if I win a small chunk of tonight's LOTTO

:smt024

Re: F-16 model question

Posted: 30 May 2012, 20:27
by james84
MIKE JG wrote:Dunno exactly, FSDS doesn't count polygons correctly so all I can do is multiply the FSDS count by an estimate factor which gives around 3000 polys so far. But none of the gear bays have been cut out which adds a lot of polys to the overall count.

What is really needed is more people take up modeling. It's really not that hard, just takes time.
Nice job indeed. The F-16 is a beautiful aircraft but it's a very complicated airframe which requires a good study of how it's engineered. Building a plastic one is not an easy task despite the endless amount of reference available, and I think modelling a 3d one will be as difficult.
The HTAI model is good, but it doesn't feature all of the details of the real aircraft and as far as I could read some loadouts are not correct.
Basically, it is an F-16C (you can recognize it by the longer base of the vertical stabilizer), so it's not "suitable" to represent the earlier A and ADF versions, which are still in use with some European air forces (DK, NL, B, N, PT, and Italy until last week), Chile and Jordan (former Dutch aircrafts) and Pakistan.
Also, the F-16F and the most recent export version (Block 50/52+) require some important details such as the dorsal spine and the conformal fuel tanks, besides the several different loadouts, and some aircrafts also have specific features (the most recent Israeli airframes for example).
If one considers that there are two different kind of engine (GE and PW), the loadouts and the specific features which sometime change from country to country (25 users in total including the US forces IIRC), the model count would be huge and some serious planning would be necessary in order to determine what has to be modelled and what hasn't, because some differences are very subtle. That's why we will definitely have to wait, although surprises are never enough.
Wanna know more?? Here is an excellent guide to understand the differences between (some of) the several F-16 versions
http://zone-five.net/showthread.php?t=231