Hobby Master HA2715 1:72 Japan F-2A "Air Combat Meet 2013"

Hobby Master HA2715 1:72 Japan F-2A "Air Combat Meet 2013" 13-8557, 3rd SQ, 3rd AW, JASDF, Misawa AB.

During the 1980s the U.S. military wasn’t interested in an updated version of the F-16 so they passed on the opportunity. Japan was replacing some of their aging fleet and decided to develop the new F-16 Agile Falcon in cooperation with Mitsubishi and Lockheed Martin. Production began in 1996 with the first aircraft being delivered in 2000. The new aircraft was named the F-2 and soon earned the nickname “Viper Zero”. Although the F-2 looks similar to the original F-16 it is larger in almost every aspect.

In June 2010 Mitsubishi F-2A 03-8557 c/n M1057 was delivered to the JASDF and in March 2011 was re-registered as 13-8557. In 2013 13-8557 was one of three aircraft representing the 3rd TFS at the TAC Meet at the Misawa AB. They were painted as “Samurai Spirits” and on the tail is a stylized 3 with a silhouette of a jet behind it and a Samurai Helmet squadron logo below the serial. On October 5, 2014 13-8557 transferred to the 8th Wing/8th TFS based at Tsuiki AB.