1:18 Electronic Warfare and Targeting Pods - F-16C

Spudkopf · Post by **Spudkopf** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 7:31 pm

MIG29K

Enspiring work as usual, just got the news that I have an F16 on the way down to me very soon.

My decal partner John has organised one for me through Bad Cat, He used to work on F16s and F4s of the 52nd TFW (now FW) UASFE based at Spangdahlem in Germany. He wants to get one for himself (although he realy wants a Phantom like so many others) and do it up in his old squadron colours.

So as some prep work for a full blown F16 decal sheet that will be dedicated to 52nd, I have knocked up the following test shot of some of the tails from the eraly 90's to present, I will also be doing artwok for the same unit from the mid 80's which is when John was there.

The project is just at the templating stage so far as you can see i have also created the falcon artwork and this was drwan from a photo that I took at an airshow back ibn 2004.

So I can progress the project along some could you help me out with some dimensions from your f16s tail as follows:

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 7:48 pm

Spudkopf wrote:MIG29K

Enspiring work as usual, just got the news that I have an F16 on the way down to me very soon.

My decal partner John has organised one for me through Bad Cat, He used to work on F16s and F4s of the 52nd TFW (now FW) UASFE based at Spangdahlem in Germany. He wants to get one for himself (although he realy wants a Phantom like so many others) and do it up in his old squadron colours.

So as some prep work for a full blown F16 decal sheet that will be dedicated to 52nd, I have knocked up the following test shot of some of the tails from the eraly 90's to present, I will also be doing artwok for the same unit from the mid 80's which is when John was there.

The project is just at the templating stage so far as you can see i have also created the falcon artwork and this was drwan from a photo that I took at an airshow back ibn 2004.

So I can progress the project along some could you help me out with some dimensions from your f16s tail as follows:

I measured my F-16 and here's what I came up with:

A- 4 1/2"

B- 3/8"

C-1 1/4"

D- 2 14/16"

E- 3 1/2"

F- 2 1/2"

G- 6 1/4"

Hope this helps.

Spudkopf · Post by **Spudkopf** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 11:46 pm

Birddog

Thank you for your very fast response to my request.

I will try and give your measurements a go, however seeing I live in a metric country (been that way since the 70’s), I find the imperial side of my ruler far to daunting when it comes to anything other than a 1/4 of inch and I only use feet when talking distances with my Dad.

Granted I can type in imperial measurements into Illustrator but I have to convert them to a decimal first, I just feel more comfortable working in millimetres (mm) from the get go.

Thanks again

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:02 am

Spudkopf wrote:Birddog

Thank you for your very fast response to my request.

I will try and give your measurements a go, however seeing I live in a metric country (been that way since the 70’s), I find the imperial side of my ruler far to daunting when it comes to anything other than a 1/4 of inch and I only use feet when talking distances with my Dad.

Granted I can type in imperial measurements into Illustrator but I have to convert them to a decimal first, I just feel more comfortable working in millimetres (mm) from the get go.

Thanks again

Sorry about that Spukopf. I forgot about the metric side of things. Hope this helps:

A- 114.3 mm

B- 9.525 mm

C- 31.75 mm

D- 73.025 mm

E- 88.9 mm

F- 63.5 mm

G- 158.75 mm

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:05 am

I would love to turn my Wolf pack F-16 into this SD version

check out the cool nose art for the f-16
http://www.sharpshooter-maj.com/html/unit02_175fs.htm

Spudkopf · Post by **Spudkopf** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:05 am

Your fast..............

Thank you very much yet again for your help it is much appreciated.

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:09 am

Not a problem. Hope I helped.

Spudkopf · Post by **Spudkopf** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:29 am

G'day VMF115

Had a long talk with John on the phone this morning (well it was morning here anyway) and he is interested you doing other Viper unit decal sets.

So once I get the 52nd template sorted out it sould be possible to then create sets for other units, time and clear refernce material (preferably shot from side) are about all I need. I have a little hunt around tonight and see what I can come up with for you.

...........and Birddog you have indeed helped!!!!

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:41 am

Spudkopf wrote:G'day VMF115

Had a long talk with John on the phone this morning (well it was morning here anyway) and he is interested you doing other Viper unit decal sets.

So once I get the 52nd template sorted out it sould be possible to then create sets for other units, time and clear refernce material (preferably shot from side) are about all I need. I have a little hunt around tonight and see what I can come up with for you.

...........and Birddog you have indeed helped!!!!

thanks and G'day right back at you!

Birddog · Post by **Birddog** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:45 am

Glad to have helped Spudkopf.

Spudkopf · Post by **Spudkopf** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 5:28 pm

G'day VMF115

I have been Googling for about 6 hours last night and another 4 this morning, but I have so far failed to find a sufficiently Hi-Res enough image of the 175th FS tail Coyote to be able to confidently created a large scale decal. A simular situation (but not as critical) is also the case for the 'SOUTH DAKOTA' script but I can probably do a best guess on this and get away with it as all fonts have some basic rules they work to.

So what I need to do this LOBOS tail justice is an image of at least twice the resolution of that which you have posted and with enough contrast to see all the details especially around the mouth, face and paws.

For example here is the part of the image I used to create the falcon motif on the artwork above, this image is 100% crop from the original image and is as you can see a little fury but this is just to show you about the minimum that I prefer to work with.

The server is down on my main source of images so I still have not given up on finding an appropriate image.

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:35 pm

G'day Spudkopf if The high res pictures are going to be a problem I might have to contact the SD Air national guard for some glossy high res pictures and then send them to you.

If that’s the case, I know I have been looking for a long time my self.

Spudkopf · Post by **Spudkopf** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:51 am

G'day VMF115

I have written to the site (http://www.sharpshooter-maj.com) re the photos that you posted and hopefully the photographer Tim Hunter will get back to me.

But if you can get suitable photos direct from the unit itself that would be indeed great, and possibly a better option, does anyone on the board come from South Dakota?????

I have also sent an email to David Ilott who has a shot of 85-1466 up at airliners.net to see if he has a higher resolution shot of this image or any other images.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0880186/L/

However the general practice at this site is that you are required to purchase the images, which could make the whole project just a little too expensive.

I have to admit this ones beginning (an understatement) to become a tad frustrating now, even though I have come to expect at that least 2/3rds of any decal work is research, I’ve usually had far more success before now.

The most annoying thing is that while I was researching images of the 52nd's aircraft I recall coming across an image of a 175th aircraft in a hanger at some sort of hand over ceremony or in a military news letter, the shot was nearly all tail, and if I recall correctly a quite clear image as well, unfortunately I think I was on my work PC at the time, and I’ll have to trawl though a lot of history to find it, maybe I’ll be lucky and Monday will bare some fruit.

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:09 am

G'day Spudkopf

I am from South Dakota or at least I live here now....LOL
Are we Really any where???? LOL

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 2:26 am

Spudkopf · Post by **Spudkopf** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 3:19 am

G'day VMF115

Can't seem to see that image that you linked to, or get onto that sight (it asks me for my IP address).

As you live in South Dakota I have two questions for you.

1.Do you have a digital camera? and 2. what's stopping you?

So how far are you from the airbase anyway? I think I noticed somewhere on the 175th web site something about base tours. Maybe worth a look, then you’d be able to get all the pictures you want of the coyote and banner.

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sun Nov 19, 2006 3:49 am

Spudkopf wrote:G'day VMF115

Can't seem to see that image that you linked to, or get onto that sight (it asks me for my IP address).

As you live in South Dakota I have two questions for you.

1.Do you have a digital camera? and 2. what's stopping you?

So how far are you from the airbase anyway? I think I noticed somewhere on the 175th web site something about base tours. Maybe worth a look, then you’d be able to get all the pictures you want of the coyote and banner.

I am about two hours away from Sioux Falls and the 175th Fighter Squadron Just left for a deployment in South West Asia