Lockheed Martin F-16W - FINISHED - PAG.13

[DogfighterZen]

Just to gather the existing photos with a few new ones because i haven't had time to write the story and set up the lights for decent shots. Hopefully that will happen sometime soon during the coming week...

[Old Wombat]

Photo's might not be perfect but the build is!    

[Tophe]

Uh, why is the code F-16W? Ahem, it is obvious on the zwilling (twin) version: the final goal was W-shaped fins:  

Thanks once more, DogfighterZen, to help completing the F-16 family...

[DogfighterZen]

Photo's might not be perfect but the build is!    

Thanks, Guy! Glad you like the beast! 

Uh, why is the code F-16W? Ahem, it is obvious on the zwilling (twin) version: the final goal was W-shaped fins:  

Thanks once more, DogfighterZen, to help completing the F-16 family...

[NARSES2]

Terrific build   

[Dizzyfugu]

That's looking VERY good! 

[kerick]

Wow! That should be a kit! I know I would buy one!
Perfect! 

[Tophe]

Wow! That should be a kit! I know I would buy one!

  +1 for me, 1/144 in ly dreams

[Vulcan7]

Beautiful looking build         

[DogfighterZen]

So, i finally had time to set up some lights and get some better pics so let's make this completion official...
















That's it! It took a few weeks over 3 years but i got it done and i even happier that i'm really satisfied with how it came out.
Hope you guys like the new pics and the F-16W,

EDIT: Here's the backstory...

"The sudden halting of the JSF project soon after the choice of the competition's winner, Lockheed Martin's X-35, was announced due to unforeseen complications discovered by the Pentagon in the subcontractor chain plans, which had too many possible security issues regarding illegal transfer of classified data of the aircraft's systems to possible adversary or unfriendly nations
In the end, this would not be a very serious issue to the company but the initiation of the full scale development process was put on hold until the whole issue was taken care of...
The whole affair dragged for yeara, having too many security checks to be made in all the subcontracting companies in a long list.
This would ultimately lead the USAF to start a modernization program for the legacy platforms in service like the A-10, F-15 and F-16.
The Viper had been the testbed airframe for the X-35's design so this would make the path clearer for integration of these new design features into the assembly line.
This program gave Lockheed engineers the chance to revisit the original General Dynamics LWF design development and by having access to all the early development data gathered by the original design team, the modern engineer team was sure they could overcome the issues that weren't solved in the initial development stages.
With the knowledge gained by Lockheed on the X-35 prototypes and in the development of the Mitsubishi F-2A/B, the new construction methods and materials would allow for these new design features to come in at a lower weights than originally estimated so the whole concept started gaining real support inside Lockheed.
Still, in order to guarantee the Pentagon's support, the idea would have to be more seducing than just having a new variant of an old design so, to be able to make the most of the whole concept, the design changes would have to be totally able to be retrofitted to older airframes down to F-16C Block 40/42, with only a few items of the of the whole pack for older airframes down to Block 15 F-16A airframes.
The idea of the "Choose your options" type of deal gave potential buyers and current users a wide range of possible configurations, each being oriented for better performance on a more specific type of mission but still upgrading the basic multirole standards of the currently existing jets in almost every aspect of flight performance and mission execution.
Lockheed ran several tests with all the possible wingfoils and different layouts for the flight surfaces, going as far as testing a Delta-cannard design. In the end, one was chosen to be tested on a real size airframe.
The design chosen was the one heavily inspired on the original LWF program's configuration 401F, but these changes would also come with some influence of Lockheed's F-22 experience. With the previously tested and approved DSI air intake, new wings and tailplanes, and twin vertical tails canted at a 15 degree angle, the new design would have a very different look compared to a legacy Viper.
To further enhance performance, here was also a new engine available, the P&W F135, the engine designed for the future JSF fighter. This engine is a direct development of the F-22 Raptor's P&W F119 so Lockheed designers figured that, although all the modern upgrades would never make the Viper a true stealth fighter, it could always use a smaller radar cross section and infrared signature so Lockheed gambled a bit on their own and went the extra mile to integrate the new engine, with a flat, 2D thrust vectoring exhaust nozzle, similar to the F-22's. This required the creation of a completely new aft fuselage with the twin tails, stabilators and nozzle.
These changes would not only help lower the IR signature and RCS but also give the Viper even more agility in close range air to air engagements and, although the new engine and nozzle combo was slightly heavier than the normal P&W F100-229, the extra thrust of the new engine and the combined lighter weight of the new inlet, wings and tails would more than compensate for that weight increase caused by the new nozzle.
There was also a lot of new technology to make enhance situational awareness for the pilot for a bigger probability of mission success and survivability. Lockheed also used the F-16 modernization program to quietly keep working on the JSF's future systems until the full permission was given to go ahead with the F-35.
The electronic systems and related software that was being developed for the F-35 found it's way into the upgrade packs with an early, less complex Distributed Aperture System consisting of several sensors spread around the aircarft's fuselage, wings and tails, that would be fused with the rest of the aircraft's sensors, including the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-80 AESA radar, coupled with the AN/ASQ-28 Internal FLIR Targeting System to allow the pilot the access to the most updated and complete information. This information would be prsented to the pilot through a new helmet mounted display.
New "glass" dysplays in the cockpit.
All these new technologies came with costs but the range of choices would allowed the buyers to have as much capability as their budget allowed.
With the Pentagon's approval, LM began assembly of the first modernized airframe in August of 2003. Unoficially named F-16W by the LM design team because of the shape created by the F-22 type exhaust nozzle combine with the new stabilators, the aircraft took flight for the first time on March 29, 2004.
This first airframe was almost considered a prototype because it was so different from the original Viper and this aircraft was to meet an unexpected demise a couple of weeks later when, during a flight test, the flight control computer had a malfunction and caused the thrust vectoring nozzle to lock in position, facing down while on final approach to land after an otherwise, uneventful flight. The pilot was forced to eject at less than 15 feet after the aircraft violently nosed down at a height of around 50 feet and did not respond to his control inputs. The pilot suffered minor injuries but the airframe was totally destroyed when it impacted the ground nose first and turned into a ball of fire...
This caused the program to also be halted until the reason of the crash could be determined and fixed. Meanwhile, the JSF program was finally given the green light for the beginning of the SDD(Systems Development and Demonstration) phase to begin in September, 2004.
This would ultimately put the program on hold as the priority shifted and funds began being redirected to the JSF program and would be on hold until further notice.
That notice came in early 2005 when the program was officially cancelled and all the info and data would be locked away.
In 2010, seeing too many foreign F-16 users asking for upgrades to keep their Vipers relevant int the modern era, LM used the upgrade packs idea and began an aggressive sales campaign directly aimed at foreign users with a refined design of the earlier F-16W with smaller wings, tails and stabs but keeping the DSI and flat 2D TVC nozzle.
To be able to effectively demonstrate the capabilities of the modernization, a new Block 72 airframe was chosen and a few months later, the new and improved F-16W became a reality..."

[Old Wombat]

Now it's completely & officially AWESOME!    

[Tophe]

wow wow!

[Wardukw]

Rui that is a absolute gem of a build ..stunning in every aspect of the word .😊

[zenrat]

Lovely paintjob.
It would look like a B&W photoset if it wasn't for the coloured transfers on the load out.
 

[NARSES2]

Now it's completely & officially AWESOME!    

Absolutely