The Official F-4 Phantom II Group Build 2011

berny13

 

Bockscar:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Berny, in case I am not interpreting correctly or missed it, did you work on the G Wild Weasel variety? Aircraft #'s if you recall?

 

 

 

I worked around the F-4G at Spangdahlm AB, Germany from '82-'85.  One tail number I do remember was 69-300, named "Arnold The Pig" and just called "Arnold".  Several members of the 81st TFS remember the jet before it was castrated and turned into a "G".

Arnold was painted in the standard SEA camo.  "Arnold" was painted on the left side of the nose in black block letters.

Thanks for that Berny...lol....it's Rich's call.....

Thunderbolt379

Son Of Medicine Man:

Hey Mike,

How about we dedicate this group build to Berny?

Ken

 

You got it Ken! I agree 100%. Sorry for the delay, I just got back from a weekend away and am catching up with the board action.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Guys, don't put your builds on hold just for me.  The next thing you know F-4Phantom will be on here saying I am trying to influence the group build or am running every thing.  We are all in it to have fun and cut some plastic.  I don't want the group build dominated by my situation.  I have enjoyed the chats we have had so far on this build and will continue to help in any way I can, if needed or wanted. 

berny13

 

Thunderbolt379:

 

 

Son Of Medicine Man:

Hey Mike,

How about we dedicate this group build to Berny?

Ken

 

 

You got it Ken! I agree 100%. Sorry for the delay, I just got back from a weekend away and am catching up with the board action.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

 

 

Guys, don't put your builds on hold just for me.  The next thing you know F-4Phantom will be on here saying I am trying to influence the group build or am running every thing.  We are all in it to have fun and cut some plastic.  I don't want the group build dominated by my situation.  I have enjoyed the chats we have had so far on this build and will continue to help in any way I can, if needed or wanted. 

Well Berny, that's the difference between theory and practice....lol....there's always a bit of black humour in life's sadder evolutions.....no disrespect to F4Phantom here Berny, but we don't run into situations like this every day, this build is dedicated to you.

berny13

Ken, we flew only air to air missions.  MIG Cap, Escort, Strike Cap, so we carried only AIM-7 and AIM-9 missles.  Only the '69 models were capable of carrying the new AIM-7F which could be identified by the stripe on the forward wings.  All of our jets were modified  to carry the AIM-9J.  We were the only unit in SEA that could carry them.  The AIM-7E would be loaded if there wasn't enough "F's" to load on each jet.

We always flew with 370 wing tanks and depending on the mission with or without a 600 gallon centerline tank.  An ECM pod would be loaded on one or both inboard pylons.  The type carried would be AN/ALQ-87 and AN/ALQ-101 pods. 

Hi Berny,

I just confirmed that the Hasegawa Weapons Set C has the AIM-7F and the AIM-9J.  The Hasegawa Weapons Set B has the ALQ-87 ECM Pods.  None of the sets carry the AN/ALQ-101 pods.  I will search to see if someone else makes them.

Ken

Bockscar

I took a look.  Normally that would be a budget buster, but the Hasegawa F4s are worth the extra if I can get the Wifey to approve.  Thanks for the links.

Berny.  It's not a problem.  Besides I already bought paint and decals .  LMAO

Rich

berny13

 

Thunderbolt379:

 

 

Son Of Medicine Man:

Hey Mike,

How about we dedicate this group build to Berny?

Ken

 

 

You got it Ken! I agree 100%. Sorry for the delay, I just got back from a weekend away and am catching up with the board action.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

 

 

Guys, don't put your builds on hold just for me.  The next thing you know F-4Phantom will be on here saying I am trying to influence the group build or am running every thing.  We are all in it to have fun and cut some plastic.  I don't want the group build dominated by my situation.  I have enjoyed the chats we have had so far on this build and will continue to help in any way I can, if needed or wanted. 

Sparrowhyperion

Bockscar

I took a look.  Normally that would be a budget buster, but the Hasegawa F4s are worth the extra if I can get the Wifey to approve.  Thanks for the links.

Berny.  It's not a problem.  Besides I already bought paint and decals .  LMAO

Rich

 

 

berny13:

 

 

Thunderbolt379:

 

 

Son Of Medicine Man:

Hey Mike,

How about we dedicate this group build to Berny?

Ken

 

 

You got it Ken! I agree 100%. Sorry for the delay, I just got back from a weekend away and am catching up with the board action.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

 

 

Guys, don't put your builds on hold just for me.  The next thing you know F-4Phantom will be on here saying I am trying to influence the group build or am running every thing.  We are all in it to have fun and cut some plastic.  I don't want the group build dominated by my situation.  I have enjoyed the chats we have had so far on this build and will continue to help in any way I can, if needed or wanted. 

 

 

Rich: 

Berny used the 'frustration' word twice to describe the G, er...F-4CE, maybe better to stick with an E....lol....

Here is some history on 69-7300.  No good photographs when in the standard SEA with the 52nd TFW at Spangdahlm. 

http://www.topflightimaging.com/7300gallery.html

Bockscar

Well Berny, that's the difference between theory and practice....lol....there's always a bit of black humour in life's sadder evolutions.....no disrespect to F4Phantom here Berny, but we don't run into situations like this every day, this build is dedicated to you.

I don't know what to say.  Somehow, Thank You, doesn't feel like enough. 

You've always been there to led advice, spares and anything else you could do to help anyone who asked.  This is our Thank You to You. :)

berny13

 

Bockscar:

 

 

 

Well Berny, that's the difference between theory and practice....lol....there's always a bit of black humour in life's sadder evolutions.....no disrespect to F4Phantom here Berny, but we don't run into situations like this every day, this build is dedicated to you.

 

 

I don't know what to say.  Somehow, Thank You, doesn't feel like enough. 

Ken, you can get away with just loading the AN/ALQ-87 pod and it would be correct for some missions we flew.  If you really want to load the AN/ALQ-101 pod, I have several and I can send you one.  Let me know.

One jet in every two would be loaded with the AN/ALQ-87 with the other loaded with the AN/ALQ-101.  On many missions they would each be loaded with both the 87 and 101 pod.  That would depend on what their mission called for that day.

Also the 1/48 scale Monogram F-4C/D has them if you have one of them. 

Attempting to build those intakes from scratch over the last few months, I saved up all kinds of styrene stuff, chocolate boxes, empty scotch tape dispensers, and vac-pac plastic - anything that looked like it had a rounded edge with a 1/4" radius approx. I've been studying the intake shape of the Rhino RM32002 resin intake and cut a few paper patterns to experiment, -I coulda' actually been building something....

Low and behold, while digging through a precious heap of styrene [C6H5CH=CH2 futures are going through the ceiling, what with the price of crude oil] I came across a vac-pac for a bourbon-and-tumbler-glass-combo I got for Christmas, I think I was about 5 at the time.

Actually, it is a left over from a former hobby, whiskey sippin', back when I had a liver, and more than one neuron, C2H5-OH, ummmm.....close to vinyl benzene, come to think of it, but a lot less chewy!

So it looks like that vac-pac can be sliced-n'-diced to make about 80% of the intake in a single sheet. I'll post pics if it all works.

If it doesn't work, I won't post pics....... I'll be out trying to find another bourbon set with the right vac-pac with a 1/4 inch radius, and after I finish the whiskey, I won't much care about finishing this flugging build!

berny13

Ken, you can get away with just loading the AN/ALQ-87 pod and it would be correct for some missions we flew.  If you really want to load the AN/ALQ-101 pod, I have several and I can send you one.  Let me know.

One jet in every two would be loaded with the AN/ALQ-87 with the other loaded with the AN/ALQ-101.  On many missions they would each be loaded with both the 87 and 101 pod.  That would depend on what their mission called for that day.

Also the 1/48 scale Monogram F-4C/D has them if you have one of them. 

Hi Berny,

Thank you for the offer, I truly appreciate it!  I found someone who makes an after market one.  Their name is Flightpath, and here is a link to the page.  You will have to scroll all the way to the bottom.

http://www.djparkins.com/acatalog/1_48th_Post_War_USAF_NATO_Russian.html 

Ken

Aaaahhhhhhhhhh! The first cuts were not so bad.....the radius fits.....this might work without the sour mash after all....

Very cool Dominic!

Hi Everyone,

I think I have just found a really handy tip to pass along.  I wear contacts and so with that, I use contact lens cases to store my contacts.  I replace these once each month.  When it was time to replace my last case, I looked at it closer and thought it could work as a paint palette.  So I tried it and it works great.  I even have bought extras just to use for this.  It is really good for mixing up a wash in a certain color, and if you have any left when you are done, you can seal it with the lid.  That way you can take a little out of a bottle of paint and put it in the case and seal the original bottle so that it is not left open to dry out while you are painting.  Also, you don't keep putting the brush back into the bottle of paint which results in clumps forming and you also keep the bottle clean.

Ken

Son Of Medicine Man

Hi Everyone,

I think I have just found a really handy tip to pass along.  I wear contacts and so with that, I use contact lens cases to store my contacts.  I replace these once each month.  When it was time to replace my last case, I looked at it closer and thought it could work as a paint palette.  So I tried it and it works great.  I even have bought extras just to use for this.  It is really good for mixing up a wash in a certain color, and if you have any left when you are done, you can seal it with the lid.  That way you can take a little out of a bottle of paint and put it in the case and seal the original bottle so that it is not left open to dry out while you are painting.  Also, you don't keep putting the brush back into the bottle of paint which results in clumps forming and you also keep the bottle clean.

Ken

Ummm, a picture Ken? It sounds like a great idea.....

Bockscar

Son Of Medicine Man:

Hi Everyone,

I think I have just found a really handy tip to pass along.  I wear contacts and so with that, I use contact lens cases to store my contacts.  I replace these once each month.  When it was time to replace my last case, I looked at it closer and thought it could work as a paint palette.  So I tried it and it works great.  I even have bought extras just to use for this.  It is really good for mixing up a wash in a certain color, and if you have any left when you are done, you can seal it with the lid.  That way you can take a little out of a bottle of paint and put it in the case and seal the original bottle so that it is not left open to dry out while you are painting.  Also, you don't keep putting the brush back into the bottle of paint which results in clumps forming and you also keep the bottle clean.

Ken

 

Ummm, a picture Ken? It sounds like a great idea.....

Here you go:

Ken

Hey Bockscar: I really don't do anything special masking. I use "Parafilm M" to mask and then using a new Exacto blade, and holding the piece very close, I squint through one eye and very, very, very carefully trim around the frames. Inside I just used a bit of Tamiya tape and trimmed it to fit.

I just removed the center piece as I didn't like the fit. I have to be super careful as it is cracked...Now I can touch up the paint there.

The parafilm is a bit tricky to remove as it sort of hardens over time and I use a whole lot of patience, and a pointy tooth-pick to scrape it away. It's still easier for me than cutting bits of tape to cover the canopy, esp. curved ones.

Hey Berny, the paint guide shows the center pane of the windscreen to be tinted blue. Would this be correct?

jimbot58

Hey Berny, the paint guide shows the center pane of the windscreen to be tinted blue. Would this be correct?

 

If you are talking about 260 than no.  The center glass was made up of several layers of glass like the safety glass in a car windshield.  When light would strike it at a reflective angle it would look tinted.  It should be clear glass. 

Hi Everyone,

I painted more trim on the cockpit tub last night.  I will work on it again tonight.  I was interrupted last night by one of my customers so I was unable to devote the entire evening on it.  This evening I will have to mow my Mom's yard so that will take some time as well.  At least I will have a three day weekend in a few days to finish it.

Ken

Well..  Looks like I will have a lot more time for other projects.  Last night, my Daughter's idiotice furry ball of mayhem ran through the room, probably scared by the fan in the living room again, and flew into my storage area like a V2.  The result is the loss of over 90 hours of work, and a lot of modeling funds.  My FGR.2 is scrap.....  So you might as well remove that one from the list.  I doubt I can talk the Wife into letting me replace that one.  The entire left side intake vane and the inside of the AM intake scoop cracked, flew off and have disappeared into carpet monster land somewhere.  Now the Daughter owes me a kit...

Rich

Geez, Rich, I'm sorry to hear that... All that effort and cost, and a beautiful project shaping up well -- what a loss. It makes me realise how lucky I am to have a cat who has absolutely no interest in my hobby stuff, other than the time he jumped onto the bench, picked up the beaker of sanding water and dumped it all over himself... With much regret, I'll take the FGR.2 off the build roster.

M/TB379

Sparrowhyperion

Well..  Looks like I will have a lot more time for other projects.  Last night, my Daughter's idiotice furry ball of mayhem ran through the room, probably scared by the fan in the living room again, and flew into my storage area like a V2.  The result is the loss of over 90 hours of work, and a lot of modeling funds.  My FGR.2 is scrap.....  So you might as well remove that one from the list.  I doubt I can talk the Wife into letting me replace that one.  The entire left side intake vane and the inside of the AM intake scoop cracked, flew off and have disappeared into carpet monster land somewhere.  Now the Daughter owes me a kit...

Rich

Wow Rich, that is terrible!  You must have the patience of a saint not to have taken it out on the cat.  That cat surely has more than 9 lives.

Ken

We have 4 cats.  The other three have a brain cell or two, but Abby (Short for Abby-Normal) is afraid of everything, and so dumb I can't figure out how she even manages to remmber to breath...  She has now been permanently banished to the front porch.  I'm going to sell some of my other kits I think and see if I can get a replacement.  There are two on eBay now, one is from the same guy I got the first one at.  I am also looking for the Revell Repop of it.  Same Molds, but without the metal wheels.  At least I have spare parts... If anyone sees one of these online, Revell or Hasegawa, please send me a link if it's at a reasonable price.  Thanks.

Rich

Son Of Medicine Man

 

Sparrowhyperion:

 

Well..  Looks like I will have a lot more time for other projects.  Last night, my Daughter's idiotice furry ball of mayhem ran through the room, probably scared by the fan in the living room again, and flew into my storage area like a V2.  The result is the loss of over 90 hours of work, and a lot of modeling funds.  My FGR.2 is scrap.....  So you might as well remove that one from the list.  I doubt I can talk the Wife into letting me replace that one.  The entire left side intake vane and the inside of the AM intake scoop cracked, flew off and have disappeared into carpet monster land somewhere.  Now the Daughter owes me a kit...

Rich

 

 

Wow Rich, that is terrible!  You must have the patience of a saint not to have taken it out on the cat.  That cat surely has more than 9 lives.

Ken

I may be in luck.  I opened the FGR2 box to inventory the spares, and I had forgotten that I had a spare set of fuselage halves.  Now if I can find a way to remove the wings, stabilators and cockpit, all I will have to replace is the resin intakes.  Wish me luck...  I have to go do a partial body transplant.

Rich

Well...  It looked like it might have worked, but the wings are too well attached, and I am still missing an intake vane.  I wonder what the maximum amount of replacement parts I can get from Hasegawa is?

Well, I got lucky.  I actually managed to saw out the cockpit module from my FGR2 without destroying it.  And I didn't even have to use debonder...  Just my razor saw.  That saved me about $20 in PE detailing and another $20 for the Mk 7 MB seats.  Not to mention all of the time I spent building and painting.  I was wondering something you guys may be able to help me with.  Some of the FGR2 images I have seen make it look like they had slotted stabilators, but the kit ones aren't.  Does anyone know if they are supposed to be slotted or not?

I just sent an email to see about some replacement parts.  All I need is the wing pieces, the stabilators, and the intakes.  I was actually able to salvage the nose as well.  I decided to bite the proverbial bullet and commit myself to rebuilding this by ordering a new set of True Details resin intakes for this bird as well as for good old 69-260.  Hopefully they will both come out well.

Rich

FGR 2 were non slotted, FG 1 were slotted,,,,,,,,at production and delivery

I am hesitant to say the "always" word, because I haven't seen every single pic of every FGR 2, lol,,,,,,there are so many exceptions in Phantom history

Thanks for the info.  I asked because I saw a pair of slotted stabilators on Bay that  was thinking of in case I have issues getting replacements from Hasegawa.At least I have the fuselage halves.  That would be the hardest part to replace since it's designed for the Spay engines.  I'm pretty sure I could eventually find replacements for the other stuff in spare parts kits that I see on eBay from time to time.

TarnShip

FGR 2 were non slotted, FG 1 were slotted,,,,,,,,at production and delivery

I am hesitant to say the "always" word, because I haven't seen every single pic of every FGR 2, lol,,,,,,there are so many exceptions in Phantom history

Hey Ken:

I remember those!

I may still have a couple hanging around. Yeah, can put the lidd on for a few days and still use the paint,

Thanks.