Hasegawa F-4E Phantom II

It's be nice if I could get some feedback on hanging RBF tags.....I don't have a clue.....

That Phantom looks pretty sweet, by the way.

Guess I'll have to get the rivet kit too.

Here we are in white primer

SargeUSMC,

I wouldn't worry about how fine the panel lines are.  Once the paint and weathering goes on, the difference in panel lines won't even be noticeable.

Here are a couple of pix to show you what I'm talking about.  

Here's a Monogram Phantom that I built a couple of years ago.  

This pix shows half of the replaced detail covered by a quick coat of silver to check my progress.  You can see that the difference in the thickness of panel lines and diameter of rivets isn't really obvious.

In this pic, all the detail under the silver paint is Archer's.  You can see that once it's painted, you don't really notice the difference when compared to the kit's original detail (unpainted).

In these next two pix you can see the "before and after."  The resin detail looks convincing without being obvious.

Here are  a couple more before and afters of a Hasegawa Corsair.  The originally molded detail is very fine on this kit, but you can't tell the difference between the replaced resin detail and the original detail once the paint's on.

My point?  I'd say go for it with the Archer's.

Good luck, whatever you decide!

Cheers,

-O

Panel lines are so fine on this kit. even finer than the smallest that came in the archer kit. I think I'm just gonna shoot some primer and get on with it.

Anyone at all care to offer some feedback on RBF tagging this build?

Panel lines have arrived!

Wanna do some work here but I'm not ready to prime the airframe yet. The ordinance is done. I have some RBF tags.......some photo etched from Eduard and some adhesive labels from Verlinden that wind up being double sided when you fold them in half. Can I put them on before I hang the ordinance? Any tips on what size wire to use for 1:48 and 1:72 scales? Where to attach?

all righty then.....I have the paints and rbf tags coming (no 1:48??). I'm assuming it will be easier to hang the tags off the ordinance before hanging the ordinance off the undercarriage. What size wire do u use for clips?

I built a nose pitot. I stretched out a tail pitot. I've got the mlg doors attached.

What metallic colors (what's a metalizer?) would you use for the ass end of this thing?

This thing says to paint the top half of the external fuel tank dark green. It's hanging on the centerline......shouldn't it be all white in the sea camo scheme?

Time to work on the SLUF a bit.

U got a lotta good trix. I'm learning a lot from you Rex, and everyone else around here. Thanks a lot.

I like MegaHobby, plastic is on this page www.megahobby.com/search.aspx

paints are on this one www.megahobby.com/Megahobby-plastic-model-paint-store.aspx  (I was using them a lot lately, because they were one of the places that *had* a large selection of Polly Scale)

I know of three ways to make RBFs, two "real ones" and a "cheat". The cheat is to use Reynold's Wrap (its thicker than the cheap stuff), paint it Insignia Red, and scribble on it with tiny White paint scribbles,,,,,or tiny white lettering scraps. A "real" way is to use the same foil, paint it, and decal it with real "Remove Before Flight" lettering. (starting with the R at the top, near the clip)

The other real way I just started to use is this way www.megahobby.com/removebeforeflighttagspainted172eduard.aspx other options are here www.megahobby.com/search.aspx

I cheat because I am getting older, and just inserting a wire to make a clip, drilling a hole and popping these puppies in place is going to save me a ton of time, lol. And I have a LOT of ordnance to hang on models.

Rex

Sprue bros. make your RBF tags out of tamiya tape or wine bottle foil. Or u can by some bare metal foil.

What do you make remove before flight tags out of?

I have kit 1085, yes... sea camo......typo in the instructions for the gray.

Can you recommend an online source for styrene stock and paints? Can't find any round rod styrene or 36622 enamel locally....

I once made a step like that by accident, I was trying to taper a thin plastic rod. I stayed too long in one place, and it the sandpaper loop cut a step in the rod. I had to do it over and stay focused so I didn't get that step again.

So, you could use the edge of sanding film to create that step on purpose. Another way would be to put something 15 thou into a 30 thou O. D. tube. I will bet that none of your "audience" would see if you put that tapered piece on there and painted it up, especially in our scale. I know that for my "usual" builds, my audience doesn't know if I used 30 thou plastic, 20 thou needles, or if I have the "remove before flight" tags right side up on my Ordnance. (yes, there is a right and wrong for those, lol)

here's some stuff that may or may not be of help to you

Scott's (from MM) old build www.modelingmadness.com/.../standf4.htm

and yep, subtract .200 inch from my tail probe length, I just pulled the kit down, turned on the calipers to remeasure, and somehow they "remembered" to be at a perfect .200 as the "zeroed position",,,,,,,I have no idea how that happened. (LOL, I know guys, a "Rivet Counter" with his calipers out of Zero)

Rex

TarnShip

that is the dimension I gave you, the tail probe. It is a "one diameter probe" as opposed to the stepped dimensions I gave you before for the nose.

There are quite a few patterns for paint schemes for that version of the Phantom, there is the 34079,34102,30219 over 36622 pattern for the USAF SEA Camo (in your instructions?), there is a different camo  pattern and color set for Israel, the Flat Light Gull Gray over White of Japan, the overall ADC gray for USAF interceptors, and more modern versions for standard USAF that used to wear the Greens and Tan over Gray paint.

It all depends on what decals you have ,,,,,,,,,,if you have the boxing with all the spare pylons and weapons and the 5000th Phantom markings (kit # 1085), those Bicentennial markings for BT-245 are "SEA Camo"

If you haven't done one yet, the SEA camo is sort of fun to do, just lightly draw the pattern with a pencil,and mask and spray from lightest to darkest color. If you don't spray, you can still do a great job with a paint brush, just be careful of paint buildup at the color joints.

Rex

Ok, I was confused because .417 seems pretty long. I wanna say the one I broke off wasn't that long. We're talking 1:72, yes?

Got any ideas how to get a .015 step between .030 and .015 for the nose pitot? The one I did winds up being tapered.

I wanted to do a simple paint scheme since this is my 1st build in many moons, and I'm only building US aircraft. I've got my airbrush dusted off. I thought I'd try cammo, but I donno. Lemme see exactly what kit/decals I have when I get home.

that is the dimension I gave you, the tail probe. It is a "one diameter probe" as opposed to the stepped dimensions I gave you before for the nose.

There are quite a few patterns for paint schemes for that version of the Phantom, there is the 34079,34102,30219 over 36622 pattern for the USAF SEA Camo (in your instructions?), there is a different camo  pattern and color set for Israel, the Flat Light Gull Gray over White of Japan, the overall ADC gray for USAF interceptors, and more modern versions for standard USAF that used to wear the Greens and Tan over Gray paint.

It all depends on what decals you have ,,,,,,,,,,if you have the boxing with all the spare pylons and weapons and the 5000th Phantom markings (kit # 1085), those Bicentennial markings for BT-245 are "SEA Camo"

If you haven't done one yet, the SEA camo is sort of fun to do, just lightly draw the pattern with a pencil,and mask and spray from lightest to darkest color. If you don't spray, you can still do a great job with a paint brush, just be careful of paint buildup at the color joints.

Rex

TarnShip

Sure, Sarge

This is the original size from your kit, .4175 or 27/64 inch long (10.6mm),,,,,,,and 23 thou thick. (or around the thickness of a sewing pin)

As for your Gray, that depends on what you are going to use for decals.

16473 is for an overall USAF Gray aircraft, 36440 is for USN/USMC (or Japan for an F-4EJ), and 36622 is for the bottom of USAF in the South East Asia color scheme (35622 is the bottom for Israel's F-4Es)

Do you need some decals for this build, Sarge?

Rex

Thanks.....i have the kit decals......and the kit shows a camo scheme....with the light gray undercarriage

Sure, Sarge

This is the original size from your kit, .4175 or 27/64 inch long (10.6mm),,,,,,,and 23 thou thick. (or around the thickness of a sewing pin)

As for your Gray, that depends on what you are going to use for decals.

16473 is for an overall USAF Gray aircraft, 36440 is for USN/USMC (or Japan for an F-4EJ), and 36622 is for the bottom of USAF in the South East Asia color scheme (35622 is the bottom for Israel's F-4Es)

Do you need some decals for this build, Sarge?

Rex

TarnShip

Sarge, you are looking to make your nose pitot look like part number P-13 at the bottom of this page (it is the newer Hasegawa 1/72 kit)  www.1999.co.jp/.../3

I measured one of mine, and you want it to be .436 inch long, with that thick part at .282 long. 30 thou thick, with 15 thou thick on the thin part.

hope this helps

Rex

Rex...can I get a measurement of the length of the tail pitot tube?

Color scheme........the instructions call out for light gray - FS35622, but that number is a light blue. Does anyone know what shade of light gray I should use......"aircraft grey" FS16473 maybe?

Looking good so far, Leatherneck! Keep up the good work! Semper Fi!!

Anyone ever built this kit that had this prob, or am I doing something wrong?

ya I bought pinstripe tape for the yellow and black bands on the missles....I'll have to check out woodland....

So very true about the ordnance!   I've started using rub-on dry transfers from Woodland Scenics (They have letters and numbers of various fonts and sizes, but also straight strips of varying thickness) for the bands on bombs and missiles, it's so much easier to get a clean result.  Also very forgiving (you have plenty more than you need and if you mess up you can just pull it off and reposition or start over).  They are a bit thick but nothing a toothpick can't solve if needed.  

Groot

More bad parts? The orientation of the door looks as it should according to the instructions, but the notch for attaching it to the main strut is in the wrong place, right?

In the real world, ordinance rains the pain, but in the scale modeling world, building and hanging the ordinance is a pain!

The top is an AIM-4 Falcon, used by the USAF, and they were indeed White on the Front and Red on the rear.

The bottom is supposed to be a M 117 750 Pound bomb, used mostly by the USAF, and occasionally by the USN and USMC, that color is Olive Drab. Those noses are more correct for the front of the blunt nosed style of SUU-30 Cluster dispensers,,,,,,,,,and that is what I save them for. Hasegawa makes better M 117s in their weapons sets.

Save the "little fuel tanks" that came in your kit, they aren't really fuel tanks like the 3 bigger ones, they are the Travel Pods, made in real life by recycling Nape shells and adding a door. If you can save up enough of them, you can cut off the ends and turn them into Mk 77 Napes.

Rex

Anyone know what these are? Instructions say the whole back half of the missle and the nose are red...and the bomb is brown. That doesn't sound right....

Working on the ordinance......gotta get some paint for the fuselage.

Time to start thinking about color scheme. I wanna do a Marine jet (OohRAH)...why in the world would the Navy and the Marines not get the version with the gun?!?! I've never done a cammo paint scheme.....guess I'll give it a go.  What are the different metallic finishes used on the rear of the fuselage and the stabilizers? Silver...steel....titanium....burnt metal....?