Double Monogram Phantom WIP - Finally Completed

Got the back IPs wired up

I also scratched out the rear pit right sides which is covered up with no instruments. I used thin plastic sheet to make the cover and then scribed the pattern. Some are just plain but I scribed mine out.

Panels were scribed and some plastic parts added for interest

The completed panels, painted and washed

I also deleted the USAF refueling door on the spine

Also deleted the diamond plates on the elevators, Navy Phantoms did not have these, only USAF ones. The corrected one is on the right.

The wired rear IP looks a little better than left plain and naked

Both models with the wings attached and time to let them cure.

The darker Monogram Phantom had a slightly better fit that the lighter one. The darker one has no filler while the lighter one (newer release) needed minor application of PPP in a couple of areas. I guess that as the molds wear down the gaps get larger. 

Very nice start! It's the little things like the wiring you added that give a build just that little bit more visual interest and take it up a notch I'll be following along.

Thanks rooster and dog for dropping in and commenting. More to come.

Wow, cool work on the cockpits. I have an Academy 1/48 F-4C to build and I'll be watching your progress and taking notes. Keep up the good work!

Max

Your attention to detail is amazing!

Toshi

Thanks guys for following the build.

Max

I have built both the B and J Academy F-4s and are light years ahead of the old Monogram or even Hasegawa's. Their C has the same fantastic details like intake trunking, recessed lines, great pit and TONS of weapons.

I did more work on both Phantoms. The intake detail is really poor so you can either work on the area and make it presentable or take a shortcut and add some FOD covers.

Here is where the Academy kit shines with great trunking detail. Anyway, I refuse to pay twice as much for an FOD set than what I paid for one Phantom kit! So I scratched out a set for each using plastic card and strip.

I traced the intake outline on the plastic card and carefully cut and trimmed it

Using some reference pictures, I used some strips to add detail

and bingo, FOD covers ready to be further trimmed and painted

The Navy Style refueling door was scribed. I used some Dymo tape to keep things straight. I forgot about the door and glued on the side plates first but will remember next time to glue them after scribing the door.

Fuel door scribed

Another area that needs attention is the elevator fit. They have a shoulder that leaves a nasty gap when attached to the fuselage. I carefully removed the shoulder as seen on the left part, giving a tighter fit.

Lots more to come....

Those are looking great. I love building the Monogram Phantoms. I'd tell you to use the Steel Beach update sets, but it looks like you have everything well in hand.

Darren

Thanks. I'm trying to keep this OOB much as possible but little things pop up and I rather scratch build them when possible. I could not see spending $12 + shipping for each FOD set on a part that cost me pennies to make and a few minutes of my time. Heck even the plastic sheet I used are those junk plastic cards that come in the mail. I remove the glossy film and give them a good sanding to roughen up the glueing surfaces so the Tenax can weld the parts together.

Mississippi

Roger that bud and thanks!

Ñooo you can dress up an F4 great job!  Ñooo means wow btw

LOL crown, I'm a Miami boy and well aware of the old Alvarez Guedez saying. Thanks for dropping by.

Ernie,

I admire your scratch building skill and looking forward to the rest of this build.I'm definately following as always.

Hope to see these and you in Orlando.

good  deal Im wrapping up a chevy and going back to planes for awhile

Thanks Jay. I'm planning to be at the show and undecided if I will be entering anything but still got some time to think about it.

Was attaching the nose gear retraction arm to both Phantoms when I dropped one on my man cave tile floor. I have been looking for it for the last hour. Talk about frustation, no where to be found!!

Where in the heck did the darn part fly off to?

I never did find the part so I used a spare from another kit that I plan to build in flight so on with the build.

A short update on my Phantoms...........

I will close up both pits cause I'm trying to keep the build as simple as possible and don't feel like scratching out the rail details and locking lugs so closed up it will be. To help improve the clarity quality I used a Q Tip dipped in Simoniz haze remover polish and applied it to both the inside and outside of the clear parts to really polish them up. I then dipped them in Future and carefully wicked all the excess and set them aside to cure. The clarity is incredible and will make it easier to view the interior details.

I sanded smooth any area that needed it and used PPP on the side intake parts that had some nasty uneven joins. The areas were sanded and polished out. The rear pit bulkhead on both Phantoms also needed PPP to even out things.

Both Phantoms are almost ready for a prelimiary primer coat to see how things sanded/polished out.

more to come........... 

Love the FOD covers PJ.

allan

Love the FOD covers PJ.

 

Thanks Allan. They just took a few minutes to scratch out from sheet plastic.

Everything looks fantastic.  Let us know how the primer stage comes out.  It's definately looking mean now!

Toshi

Thanks Toshi. I had to add more PPP on a couple of places that needed more filler. Hopefully I got the areas properly treated this time.

Looking nice!

Thanks Jim. Glad you like them.

Phantastic!

Phascinating watching you work on these Phantoms. What a marvelous WIP!

I think that I've lost a couple dozen small parts to my carpet monster in my hobby room. It is frustrating. Sometimes I find a part more than a foot away from where I could have sworn I'd dropped it. More often than not .. the monster wins.

Thanks guys and appreciate the comments.

Mike

What is really strange is that I have a tiled floor so I manage to find my parts within a few minutes after dropping them but not this time. I have gone all over the room and the part just vanished.

Not much to report about this build for now. I have been at the tedious job of masking the canopies with masking tape and attaching them in preparation for primer and paint. I have been re checking the few puttied areas and re filling and re sanding to get an invisible join. Next pictures will be primer and paint ones. 

Some progress done on the Phantoms. These are the markings they will wear. First is VF-84. This IMO is one of the coolest looking Navy schemes on the F-4. Fear the bones..

And the second will wear VMFA 235 "Death Angels"...

Got the black basing and marbling done and firstcolor on...

The USMC Phantom received all its colors...

Bottom view...

Same for JR...

and belly view...

Still need to shoot the NMF on the stab leading edge on both and minor touch ups. The NMF rear lower fuselage was done in Alclad and will take some other shades to simulate the heat stains. More to come........

I went back and touched up any areas that needed attention so both Phantoms are ready to be glossed up in prep for decals.

I started assembling the weapons and decided for the VF-84 one to go clean with a CL tank, Sparrows and Winders while the VMF 235 one will ready for mud moving work having a CL MER with Mk. 82's, two TERs with Lau- 10s on the inner stations with Winders, followed by wing fuel tanks and Sparrows. I think it makes an interesting payload.  

VMFA 235 transitioned from F-8s to F-4s soon after completing their Nam deployment and were stationed in Hawaii. VF-84 completed deployment in Nam and was sent to the Med by the time this paint scheme was used.

The Winders are left overs from Ademy F-4 kits and are excellent. The LAU 10s are from the Hasegawa Weapons Set B. I will probably go with the Acedemy AIM7s which are better than the old Monogram ones.

 I still have to work on the Mk.82s and MER so lots of gluing ahead.