Most of you former Air Force guys will probably recognize this look. Aviation aficianados will, too. When the F-16 was first sent to service, the first units to accept were at Hill AFB and the new little fighter bore a two-tone grey paint job.

This is a custom of a custom. I repainted this thing back in 1988, mostly out of boredom. I think even then, I still loved GI Joes, but I couldn't let my buddies find out I was buying toys. I was supposed to be a tough little redneck that hauled hay...

So, that's pretty much how I got OUT of collecting. Thank God for little boys, because the minute I found out I was going to be a father to my own son, I knew I had a golden opportunity to start collecting again!

Anyhow, this paint job follows the notion that shortly after the Joe Team was disbanded, a lot of their equipment was returned to the regular services. In this case, this X-30 was returned to the Air Force. It looks like it's been parked out at the AMARC facility at Davis-Monthans, but I think I'll eventually buy some 1/32 scale F-16 decals, I really like the Oklahoma National Guard unit out of Tulsa, with the gigantic American Indian chief's head on their tailsail. The 138th FW, I think it is.

It was a simple job, mostly done with an airbrush. The detail painting with done with brushes. I did the inside with Zinc Chromate and the outside was Testors' plain ol' Light Gray and Medium Gray.





The back tail exhaust louvres were done in Testors Model Masters Steel.