PJ Productions 1/32 F-16 Pilot Kit First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

PJ Productions develops an interesting assortment of quality resin aircrew figures and accessories for scale modelers tired of lifeless models. These figures are beautifully cast in resin and are simple to assemble and paint.

This set depicts a typical F-16 pilot seated in the ACES II ejection seat and wearing standard survival gear. The figure is cast in tan resin and presented in six parts: torso, two arms, choice of two heads, and the oxygen hose. The figure in the box art appears to be hastily painted but the flight suit, G-suit, survival vest, auto-inflate life preserver, and harness should all be different colors which would provide much greater insight into the cast-in details of this figure.

The kit does provide two heads, one with the standard lightweight helmet and earlier oxygen mast, the other with the latest oxygen mask and the JHMCS (Joint Helmet Mounting Cueing System) helmet. You would use the latter head on updated Vipers, Eagles and Hornets armed with the AIM-9X. You can tell the earlier (1980s-2000s) oxygen mask because the hose plugs into the center of the mask whereas the newer oxygen mask has the hose connected to the left side.

With some minor modifications, you can convert the oxygen mask on the lightweight helmet head into the later mask to accurately represent a contemporary pilot/crewman since the lightweight helmet is still widely used when not armed with AIM-9X.

This figure would not only be usable in your favorite 1/32 Viper, but also the 1/32 F-15 and F/A-18 as well.

For more information about this set and the other releases from PJ Productions, visit their website at http://www.pj-production.be/en/.

My sincere thanks to PJ Productions for this review sample!