Zoukei-Mura F4J Phantom II 1:48 (WIP)....a couple of WIP boo-boos

I hear you, TB. Details are fun and if you enjoy it, it's great to spend plenty of time on them.

I feel I need to move forward on this one to keep me motivated, otherwise I'd be doing more. That said, that assy with the intakes and engines is not glued down yet, and until I do I still have time to play with the engines if I so choose.

Thanks John. Interested to know more about the Hasegawa. Being my first Phantom, I have no point of reference.

Coming along nice Greg. 

Thank you, Joe.

Nice tidy work Greg! Now that ZM is finally coming out with the long nose versions I can stop building the out dated Hasegawa kits, as the long nose Phantoms tend to be my favorite. 

Thank you, Nathan! I always enjoy hearing from you.

I'm glad ZM is releasing the style Phantom you like. Being a newbie, I'm just learning what a Phantom looks like, not sophisticated enough yet to differentiate between models.

FOUND IT!!! This is looking great so far Greg!!! ZM does have a habit of a complete engine build up that is usually hidden. But aint it fun to build this stuff?? I'll be looking for a ZM Ho-229 in 1/48 scale pretty soon. 

Looking forward to more of this beauty buddy.

Nathan T

Nice tidy work Greg! Now that ZM is finally coming out with the long nose versions I can stop building the out dated Hasegawa kits, as the long nose Phantoms tend to be my favorite. 

 

Joe! (Mustang)....so glad you found the thread, and thanks for stopping by. It would be nice to have you along for sure.

Johnny, I'm sure glad to have you too, and glad you found the thread. Thanks!

She is looking Phantastic Greg!

Well, turns out I should have listened to TB. He told me to paint those GE engines!

So here's one of those failures to plan ahead. After I glued on the engines, I realized there are two ports under both of them that will have little doors open down the road. As you can see, I had sprayed one a half-hearted gunmetal, and the other nothing....

This would drive me pretty much batty, and removing the engines is not an option because per ZM's sound advice, these don't want to move or break free down the road. So instead of fussing for my usual month, I masked them off ...

And got in there the best I could. I used some of the newer Vallejo Metal Color in the bigger bottle for the first time....

Better, I can live with it even though it's half-baked.

BTW, the Vallejo Metal Color is really neat. I watched some guy from Vallejo spraying it on at the nats in Ohio some years back, always wanted to try the stuff. Since I had it out I hit the engines with some on the accessible side to see how it looked....

The top half of the engines is the new Vallejo Metal Color. The bottom half is the old Vallejo Model Air color Gunmetal 71.072 I think maybe it is. The new stuff is surprisingly better at detail enhancement, finish, and color. It also dried very quickly as advertised.

Anyway, next time maybe I'll listen, TB.

Hey, thanks, Ernie! We just cross-posted.

Those engines are cool!  Looking good Greg 

That’s coming along nicely Greg!  The Phantom was the biggest, baddest jet fighter around when I was a kid.  I saw the Blue Angels fly them, and though they basically just flew around in a diamond formation, the thunder of those J-79 engines seemed like their very sound could crush you!

I’m another guy waiting for the long nosed USAF F-4E to come out.  According to ZM’s website, the “early” version is due out at the end of the month.  That’s the Viet Nam version with the short gun fairing and unslatted wings, which is the one I want.

Keep up the good work!  

Hey, everyone.

Aside thought on the engines.  Because they are really nice, I wanted to display one outside the model.  Unfortunately, that would of course leave a big empty hole in the model.  So, I reached out to the ZM-USA folks and was able to purchase the sprue with the engine parts (they are all on the one sprue) and bob's yer uncle, my dream is now possible...

One aspect of modeling for me is appreciation for the technology of the original machines.  For aircraft, the powerplants are a huge part of the story (and often the source of the success or failure of said machines) so it is nice when you can display some of that with the models.  It provides a nice illustration when a scale figure is placed next to one of these engines, really highlighting the size if nothing else.

Anyway, just a quick share and congrats Greg on your progress!

Regards, Robert

Thanks for sticking with me, John.

And you too, G. I hope this long-nosed version meets all y'alls expectations when it comes out. I'm looking forward to learning more about the various Phantom versions. It is neat you got to see the Blue Angels flying them. Really cool. It looks like they flew them '69-'74, my high school years.

Robert, that's sure a great idea on the extra engine. You may recall that ZM includes some moldings on the sprue itself to cut out and make a display (or maintenence stand). I sort of scratched my head at that since the engines need to be installed to properly locate the exhaust nozzles among other things.

Volks USA is the distributor of ZM over here. I met some folks from there at the Nats some years ago, really nice people. Maybe they'd be able to help with the extra sprue if anyone wanted to 'borrow' your idea.

Thanks for adding to the discussion.

Greg,

Yep, saw the Blue Angels in 1970 - I was in kindergarten!  I can no longer remember a lot of stuff from back then, but those F-4s stuck in my memory.

Revell did a Blue Angels four ship formation kit with stand in 1/72, as well as the Thunderbirds counterpart.  A friend had the Blues and I had the Thunderbirds.  Ah those were the days.

I am also building this model, but I got side tracked with some Titan models for a GW game.  Love your work, and I’m enjoying following along. 

Greg, I had forgotten about the 'sprue display stand' in the kit, but reminded of that, I'm sure that gave me the idea!  I cannot recall what the sprue cost, but I seem to remember ordering from the Volks-USA website.  Side benefit (besides getting *two* engines on the tree...) is the landing gear - wheels and all - are also on the sprue so can help spruce up another F-4 model.

I love spare parts!

;^)

Regards, Robert

Saw the Angels at the Reno airshow in '70, and the T'birds in '73 at Beale, and again in '75 at Shaw.

The first 2 were in Phantoms, the last after they transitioned out of double ugly.

She's coming along fine.  Hope other versions come out soon.  Will keep an eye out for the early "E".

Greg. Those engines look great . I like the Vallejo metal paints too, I thin them a bit more for me that is. But over all 

Looking great Greg

Gee, I'm a bit late to the engine party. Bravo Greg on your ingenious and effective recovery on the engine painting issue. It all looks to have come out in the wash. Well done my friend.

I just saw this WIP thread.  I want a few of those kits but mama gets a little red faced if I get too much.  You should see my closet.  Anyway, great job on the plane.  I'm working on the Monogram Black Bunny plane from the 80's and it has nowhere near the detail that kit has.  I did not spend as much time as you did on the cockpit as Monogram's is sparse with detail.  I will be using some of your techniques you shared on my Academy kits though.  Great job so far!!  I can't wait to see it finished.

Real G

Yep, saw the Blue Angels in 1970 - I was in kindergarten! I can no longer remember a lot of stuff from back then, but those F-4s stuck in my memory.

Wow, it's neat that you remember seeing them. The things we do and don't remember from childhood is interesting.

Real G

Revell did a Blue Angels four ship formation kit with stand in 1/72, as well as the Thunderbirds counterpart. A friend had the Blues and I had the Thunderbirds. Ah those were the days.

They were indeed. But isn't it just great that some of us are lucky enough to have rediscovered a childhood hobby (and the select few of you who never stopped building at all)? I recall mentioning to my older sister several years back that I had taken up building models again. She said "Oh, you used to sit in the basement and work on them for hours and hours on end".

knox

I am also building this model, but I got side tracked with some Titan models for a GW game.  Love your work, and I’m enjoying following along. 

 

I remembered somebody else had started another ZM Phantom. Now I remember!

I'm happy to have you and thank you for your encouragement.

Rob Beach

Greg, I had forgotten about the 'sprue display stand' in the kit, but reminded of that, I'm sure that gave me the idea!  I cannot recall what the sprue cost, but I seem to remember ordering from the Volks-USA website.  Side benefit (besides getting *two* engines on the tree...) is the landing gear - wheels and all - are also on the sprue so can help spruce up another F-4 model.

I love spare parts!

;^)

Regards, Robert

 

That's a neat idea using the extra landing gear with all that detail on some other Phantom. I like spares too. Unfortunately, I'm one of those who has a hard time throwing stuff out, so keeping spare parts is sort of a natural thing. My better-looking half doesn't seem to think it's so natural, though.

goldhammer

Saw the Angels at the Reno airshow in '70, and the T'birds in '73 at Beale, and again in '75 at Shaw.

The first 2 were in Phantoms, the last after they transitioned out of double ugly.

She's coming along fine.  Hope other versions come out soon.  Will keep an eye out for the early "E".

 

You guys who got to see these fly are sure lucky.

Seems to be alot of fans of the E version here waiting for it's release from ZM. Y'all have me interested.

crown r n7

Greg. Those engines look great . I like the Vallejo metal paints too, I thin them a bit more for me that is. But over all 

 

 

Thanks, Nick.

I wish I'd have tried the Vallejo Metal Colors sooner. I remember watching the guy demoing them at the show, and me thinking "It can't be that easy". It appears that it is.

lawdog114

Looking great Greg

 

Thanks Joe. I was catching up on your P-51 thread a bit ago and it occured to me that all these years and looking at your cockpits never gets old.