F4c/d cockpits

Verlinden has an excellent cockpit set for the C/D. Kind of pricy but well worth it. I am using this set in a Thunderbirds F-4E as the the early E cockpits were near identical to the D's. Or at least I hope to use it someday, so much plastic, so little time. Flightpath makes a nice photo-etched set also for many of the exterior details like the gear bays, tail hook, and wheels.

What markings do you plan to do it in? At Seymour-Johnson AFB NC where I was stationed, the Michigan ANG stood ready alert with their D's and I still think those are the sharpest looking F-4's. Even more than our E's.

Later
Wayne

The only detailing set you need with the Tamiya F-4C/D is new seats. The cockpit is almost perfect. The cockpit detail kit from Verlinden has a few errors in it that the kit cockpit doesn't. The AIM-9E missiles are not correct. They have the large wings, they should be the small ones. They are also too short. Look in FSM November 2001 for reference on the Sidewinder missiles. Every thing else in the kit is great.

Hi Berny

What's inaccurate in the Verlinden cockpit? Everything looks right on comparing it to the D model dash 1 flight manual. I'll admit I don't have a tremendous amount of time in the D's but everything looks right for a Vietnam era F-4. I look forward to hearing from you so I can correct the problems.

If you are going to do an early D or "Dumb D" the verlinden update will work. If you are going to make a "Smart D" ( aircraft equiped to deliver smart bombs), it will not work. The early D's had the APQ 109A radar and the late D's had the APQ109V ( V for visual). TCTO 1F-4D-582 changed the following.The Smart D had a square rear radar scope and the radar control panel was different. On the right side console in the rear there was a joy stick for controling PGM"s. The front cockpit inst pnl, side consoles and side wall panels were different. Also, the throttles should be retarded to the off position. The kit will have you put the throttles in the mid range position. Very bad for dumping fuel everywhere if power is applied to the aircraft.

Late model D cockpits and early E model cockpits were very close in looks, with only a few differences.

Try looking for the Detail and Scale for the F-4C/D and RF-4C it has some photos in it of the cockpits and other nice reference shots.