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Best F-4b Phantom kit out there?

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  • Member since
    April 2006
Best F-4b Phantom kit out there?
Posted by Irish3335 on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 11:38 AM

Looking to build an F4 for a friend who flew an F4b in Vietnam - what is the best kit out there for the build?  Looking to do a really nice detailed model without having to go crazy on modifications or aftermarket.  He flew with VF-51 in 1972.  Thanks for the help! 

  • Member since
    October 2014
Posted by Whistlingdeath on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 11:59 AM

The Academy kit. It's a couple years old now but it's very nice right OOB.

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Phoenix, AZ
Posted by Fly-n-hi on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 12:07 PM

You didn't say what scale you were looking at.

The new 1/48 Academy kit is probably the new "best" kit out there.

  • Member since
    April 2006
Posted by Irish3335 on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 1:16 PM

Sorry you are correct, looking at 1/48 scale, I already have the decals and carrier deck, just need the right plane for it!

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Sarasota, FL
Posted by RedCorvette on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 1:42 PM

Fly-n-hi

 

The new 1/48 Academy kit is probably the new "best" kit out there.

 

x2

Mark

FSM Charter Subscriber

  • Member since
    May 2011
  • From: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posted by Real G on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 1:56 PM

X3

Neal

“Ya ya ya, unicorn papoi!”

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: MN
Posted by Nathan T on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 2:19 PM

...X4, unless you like rescribing; then the Hasegawa kit works too.

..Edit- Unless you prefer Raised detail?

 

 

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: The NYC.
Posted by Ish47guy on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 2:40 PM

x5, plus its readily available.  When was the last time the Hasegawa F-4B/N kit was even available?  I remember buying several of the QF-4N boxing back in 2008.

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: MN
Posted by Nathan T on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 3:41 PM

Ebay, but the price is all over the place.

 

 

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: near Nashville, TN
Posted by TarnShip on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 4:51 PM

It is strange given how popular the Phantom is, but, there are only two F-4B toolings in 1/48 and only two modern ones in 1/72 (plus two 1/72 old tooling, and one that had the molds changed into a "half-J")

Rex

almost gone

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: MN
Posted by Nathan T on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 7:12 PM

Yes, and the Academy kit is still relatively new. There was definitely a hole in the 1/48 early Phantom market for quite awhile.

 

 

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: The NYC.
Posted by Ish47guy on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 10:10 PM

True words.  I missed out on the Cutting Edge F-4A conversion sets before Meteor shut down by a matter of days...

  • Member since
    April 2006
Posted by Irish3335 on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 2:31 AM

Thanks all, I have my direction thank you for the assist!

  • Member since
    October 2014
Posted by Whistlingdeath on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 10:04 AM

The Academy F-4B is really nice. I can try to post some pictures of mine later. I did it in F-4C markings, but you can probably get a sense of the details.

  • Member since
    October 2008
  • From: England
Posted by P mitch on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 10:10 AM

Have a look for the Eduard kit, link to their site below

www.eduard.com/.../Good-Morning-Da-Nang-1-48.html

I have one and its a full box including the Academy kit and a load of Eduard extras and a huge decal sheet. Only problem is they can be a bit pricey

Phil

"If anybody ever tells you anything about an aeroplane which is so bloody complicated you can't understand it, take it from me: it's all balls." R J Mitchell


  • Member since
    April 2006
Posted by Irish3335 on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 11:44 AM

Ok that looks like a great kit as well, but it says it is a limited edition and it doesn't have pricing for the states - I will shop around for a decent priced Academy kit, and post photos, I want to scream through the build in time for the holidays

  • Member since
    August 2014
Posted by Timdude on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 6:31 PM

are all Academy F-4 kits good or only certain runs?

  • Member since
    October 2014
Posted by Whistlingdeath on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 6:39 PM

There's just two in 1/48 as far as I'm aware. The B and the C/D.

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: near Nashville, TN
Posted by TarnShip on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 6:42 PM

There was a problem with them at one point, Tim. They were being pulled out of the molds without sufficient cooling time, and there were sink marks in some of the kits. This gave them various different faulty areas, sort of like the Heller F-8s that Testors ran through production too quickly, some of those kits had multiple wing sink areas,,,,you had to put putty on them like doing dry wall plastering.

I think that issue has been resolved though, and the Eduard kits didn't have that problem.

Rex

almost gone

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: near Nashville, TN
Posted by TarnShip on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 6:49 PM

hmm, I guess my "rememberer" wasn't right

It seems that it is/was a problem for the B or C kit, Academy or Eduard.

first 5 or 6 posts in this thread www.zone-five.net/showthread.php

(after that, we get talking about other things)

Rex, the Accidental CAG

almost gone

  • Member since
    April 2006
Posted by Irish3335 on Thursday, November 13, 2014 10:18 AM

Just picked up the kit on evil bay, $43 from South Korea - really nice kit, there are a lot of components to it all really well detailed and organized though - so next question has anyone done a build?  Love to see an in-progress of it as I would like to avoid the pitfalls that can come up.  This is build is for an f-4 pilot and I would really like to get it right.  Thanks again!

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: MN
Posted by Nathan T on Thursday, November 13, 2014 10:52 AM

I just missed a good deal on Ebay for the New F-4C from Academy. Got sniped right at the end. Went for 45 bucks or so. New ones are $62.00. I saw them from that same buyer in Soul, South Korea, but didn't want to wait so long for shipping... I ended up buying 2 Hasegawa kits to kitbash a late F-4D that will have recessed lines, using the Newer F-4J kit that has the recessed lines. Still ended up cheaper than buying the New Academy kit. I hope yours turns out to be a great build, sorry I don't know of any in progress builds of it off the top of my head.

 

 

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Central Florida
Posted by plasticjunkie on Saturday, November 15, 2014 7:51 PM

I have built both the Hasegawa and Academy F-4's and the new Academy is the winner. The fit is very good, has intake trucking, very well detailed pit and TONS of weapons and decals  that the Hasegawa doesn't bring.

Here are a couple of pictures of my Academy F-4B

 

 

 GIFMaker.org_jy_Ayj_O

 

 

Too many models to build, not enough time in a lifetime!!

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Central Florida
Posted by plasticjunkie on Saturday, November 15, 2014 7:55 PM

Jonathan

I have been a Tower Hobbies customer since the late 80's and got my Academy F-4B from them a while back on a special  promotion for $37. I haven't seen that price again.

 GIFMaker.org_jy_Ayj_O

 

 

Too many models to build, not enough time in a lifetime!!

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Cameron, Texas
Posted by Texgunner on Saturday, November 15, 2014 8:44 PM

Dayum Ernie that's a good lookin' Phantom my friend!   You got it goin' on with that beauty.Bow Down

Gary


"All you mugs need to get busy building, and post pics!"

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Central Florida
Posted by plasticjunkie on Saturday, November 15, 2014 9:14 PM

Thanks Gary. She is a looker by all words and just a pleasure to build. Academy outdid it with this one. The provided decal sheet is just gorgeous with about 300 decals and stencils that went on this build.  

 GIFMaker.org_jy_Ayj_O

 

 

Too many models to build, not enough time in a lifetime!!

  • Member since
    April 2006
Posted by Irish3335 on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 12:03 PM

Plasticjunkie that F4 is gorgeous!  Just the right amount of weathering as well, thanks for sharing that gives me a good basis to start from - so next question, i see yours is set for a ground attack, what would the ordinance load be for a CAP?  

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Central Florida
Posted by plasticjunkie on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 2:49 PM

Thanks Irish. I would go clean with 4 Sparrows and four Sidewinders for air to air MIG CAP.

 GIFMaker.org_jy_Ayj_O

 

 

Too many models to build, not enough time in a lifetime!!

  • Member since
    April 2006
Posted by Irish3335 on Wednesday, November 19, 2014 10:53 PM

Awesome, thanks for the answer - last question (I think!) drop tanks and center tank?  It was a flight into north Vietnam so I'm assuming full fuel load?

  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Central Florida
Posted by plasticjunkie on Thursday, November 20, 2014 6:31 AM

They sometimes carried either outboards or a centerline tank that were jettisoned prior to a fight. The kit has both types..

 GIFMaker.org_jy_Ayj_O

 

 

Too many models to build, not enough time in a lifetime!!

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