Italian 80's F-16A anyone?

[slick cowboy 142]

I was kinda thinking of doing a what-if F-16A Italian Air Force, but not the ones that were leased. More in the vein of AMI getting on the F-16 horse end 70's instead of modernizing the Starfighters...

But I just don't have the time at the moment...

 

If anyone does have the time.... It'd be nice to have some Italian vipers entering service around 82/83.

 

I'm kinda missing the Italians in more modern campaigns. It's a bit odd to still see a zipper flying in a mid-80's campaign along with a Tornado.

 

Anyway, just an idea for whoever would be up for the challenge...

 

ps: if they already exist, then I must see the eye doc, since i couldn't find any in the what-if sections.

pps: 80's Italian Tornado skins are also missing (right?)

[+Gunrunner 313]

Funny, since last week end I had a similar idea for an AMI plane (and because I came to despise the F-104) and started working on a F-118E variant (a what-if plane from Cocas based on Vought submission to the LWF), my Alternate Universe story is that Vought having lost the LWF decided to associate with Hawker and Aeritalia anyway to try to win the European competition (and fulfill Britain's need for a replacement for the oldest Lightnings, the type never really satisfying the RAF, as well as replace Italy's F-104 in both the air and strike roles, later making the AMX never happen).

 

However since I also have some degree of Real-Life and am getting distracted by many things (including TSR2 and Arrow variants), it's nowhere near ready (especially since I've decided to rework most of the panel/rivet lines and am still unsatisfied with the exhaust nozzle) but it's a damn sexy plane.

[SayethWhaaaa 245]

Are those missile rails beneath the cockpit and above the gun (just below the black box texture), similar to the EE Lightning? If is, that's great? A pair of IRs/Amraams strapped to the sides of the fuselage would look uniquely unusual, but pretty awesome!

[+Gunrunner 313]

No, but yes there are rails on the flat surface behind the canopy emergency instructions, ala Crusader/Corsair II (it's a Vought design after all), it's a rework of this plane.

[slick cowboy 142]

i'm kinda working on something...