Eurodecals 1/32 F-16C Vipers 176th Fighter Squadron Decal First Look
By Michael Benolkin
| Date of Review | May 2020 | Manufacturer | Eurodecals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject | F-16C Vipers 176th Fighter Squadron | Scale | 1/32 |
| Set Number | 32126 | Pros | Very colorful subjects |
| Cons | Nothing noted | Skill Level | Basic |
| MSRP (GBP) | £28.95 |
First Look
Eurodecals has released another interesting decal set, this time for a 1/32 F-16C Block 30 Fighting Falcon project. This set provides four colorful special schemes carried by four F-16CM Block 50 Vipers of the 176th Fighter Squadron/115th Fighter Wing/Wisconsin Air National Guard based out of Truax Field, WI.
The four aircraft provided in this set include:
- F-16C, 87-0348, 176 FS/WI ANG, 2017, Badger Air Militia logo on tail
- F-16C, 87-0278, 176 FS/WI ANG, 2015, Badger Air Militia logo on tail
- F-16C, 87-0278, 176 FS/WI ANG, 60th Anniversary scheme
- F-16C, 87-0234, 176 FS/WI ANG, 1999, 50th Anniversary scheme
These are some very distinctive schemes presented in this set, but you'll need to make modifications/updates to whatever kit you select as the host for these markings. Out of the box, the Hasegawa kit is the best choice for an early Block 30 (GE F110 engine with narrowmouth inlet), but you'll need to bring the model up to CCIP standards that were applied to the current Block 40/42/50/52 aircraft. These four examples were updated to CUPID standards which (like CCIP and MLU) include relocated landing lights to the nose gear door, targeting pod and mount to the starboard chin, IFF antenna array ahead of the windscreen, larger wingtip missile rails for AIM-9 or AIM-120, AIM-9X capability with the JHMCS helmet in the cockpit, etc. There are aftermarket sets to help you convert other 1/32 F-16s to MLU or CCIP standards and that's what you'll need to bring the host model for these schemes up to CUPID standard/configuration. Note that while the Tamiya kit is a nicer host kit, you'd need both the 1/32 F-16C Block 25/32 and F-16C Block 50 kits to be able to have the requisite parts for this Block 30.
This is a great set of markings for cheesehead (Wisconsin) modelers or anyone wanting to present a nice subject that would be far from 'straight fromt the box'.
My sincere thanks to Fantasy Printshop for this review sample!