ahh many thanks berny. from everything ive read in this GB you are definately the man when it comes to the phantom. so reading your list of changes ill just pony up the dough and buy a -4j instead of butchering my -4c. (1/72nd scale this time). thanks again and i hope you are felling alot better.

Better late than never, I suppose.  Well, I finally finished my F-4B.  It was a Monogram F-4C, converted to a thin wing B.  It is a lot rougher than I would have liked, but I did learn a lot from doing this conversion.  Lesson 1- avoid olive drab plastic!  I learned quite a bit, that will hopefully make my current and future builds, less rough.  I have not place to display it right now, so it is going in a box, so I didn't hang the ordinance on it.  Anyways.....

T-bolt, thanks for letting me take part.  Enjoyed it.

Cheers,

Greg

Hey Greg, it was worth the wait! Sharp clean build, she looks fine without ordinance- more of the sleek look.

Thanks Gamera!  I am gradually wearing the wife down on getting a display cabinet, so I don't have to box them up when done.  Good thing it takes me months (years) to finish anything.  Thanks for joining up on the nightfighter build too.

Cheers,

Greg

Gregbbear -- that's a job to be proud of, you started with a difficult, older mold and turned out a clean, respectable buiuld in every way. To use the line from Blade Runner, "You've done a man's job, sir!"

I'd update page one, but I'm in an internet cafe on the other side of the world and it'll have to wait til I'm home. Go ahead and take a badge of course -- late hits are still completions and group builds are about getting models done the right way in whatever time is right for them -- at least that's one way of looking at it!

Terrific work,

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Thanks Mike, I appreciate it.  My first badge!  Pretty cool.

Cheers,

Greg

I love this group!

Greg -- I'm home in Aus and recovering from both my trip and an illness while away, and have finally had a chance to get to group build admin tasks -- your finished build is on the Roll of Honour on page 1!

Eagledocf15 -- glad you've enjoyed it! If you'd like to build some Rhinos, there'll definitely be a Rhinomania II in future!

We have seven completions on the lead post. Is anyone out there still interested in completion under the terms of this build? Please feel free, but if you'd prefer to perhaps take a fresh shot when the next Phantom build comes along, that's fine too. I'm very conscious of the fact my own entry never got beyond the mid-point...

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Thunderbolt379

...if you'd prefer to perhaps take a fresh shot when the next Phantom build comes along, that's fine too.

I'm ready for part two when it comes!

Hi Frank! Well, that begs the question -- how soon would folks like another crack at the Phantom? There was a lot of interest in this build but only about a 25% completion rate, which is entirely understandable with the weight of building going on, the time of year and all.

This build was ostensibly January 1st to June 31st, so would the same timeframe be attractive for a second go round? Builds proposed for this one could easily be carried over to the next, it's just a question of what's prefered and convenient for participants.

I was proposing a Self-Propelled Artillery GB to be starting around October, but that one kinda went by the wayside due to overcommittment in so many ways. Frank, we talked about an M1 Abrams GB to run throughout 2011, and I would still be very happy to host that one.

Let me know your thoughts, folks -- when shall we renew out committment to keeping the Phantom on the frontlines of the hobby?

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Mike,

Sorry I missed out of this one.  To be honest, I had avoided the F-4 in the past due to the over-used phrases (IMHO) "Phabulous", "Phantastic", etc.  It seemed to me that everywhere I looked I saw those phrases.

Fast forward a while, and as I read more about the plane and the men who flew it, I experienced a new appreciation for the Rhino (I like that one much better!).  By this time, this GB was nearly over so I opted to sit it out, knowing that my glacier-like building speed would hold it back.  But as soon as you say the word, consider me ready to take up the challenge for part II!

And as for the Abrams GB, I admit that the one I have almost finished has ground to a halt due to my lacking armor weathering skills.  Not sure I am ready for another one just yet, maybe down the road?

Frank -- SMILE -- buzz words can get overused, that's true! My favourite is Phantom Phanatic...

No worries, we'll get some pheedback from pholks on their Phantom-building appetites and I'll certainly line up round 2.

Armour weathering? Frank, you astound me -- I'd have thought you had the skills by the bushel! Honestly, there's very little difference to aircraft weathering, technique by technique, and I find a similar approach works well inasmuch as that less is more. The more heavy-handed, the less realistic, and it takes an artist to pile on mud and filth and make them look lifelike. Oil wash, drybrushing and powder pigments pretty much do the job, applied over a paintjob with built-in tonal variation and fading. I've completed 14 armour kits so far and it's become like clockwork.

I'll moot the Abrams build on the Armor forum and see what kind of response we get, I rather fancy knocking out a Tamiya M1A1... I'm presently building my first Dragon, an older Imperial series StuG, and it's less than a sublime experience. A Tamiya would be a relief!

Cheers, Mike

Sorry I have been out of touch but my build is done except for Mavricks and the ECM pod. Here's a pic.

XR81 -- looking good! As soon as you're ready to call her done, let me know and I'll list her on page 1.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Despite the fact that I have already over committed myself, I would gladly join round 2!  This time I would go with a more straight forward 1/72 scale version.  Maybe a longer build period too?  Anyways, I enjoyed the build, and the GB.  I not only increased in skill, but learned a bit about one of my all time favorite planes.  Thanks for hosting it T-bolt.

Cheers,

Greg

A pleasure, Greg, the Phantom was the #1 warplane when I was a kid and I've never forgotten her alure, so to celebrate her in the hobby is a total blast.

Well, guys, a longer period has been suggested! What do y'alls think? I know it's Turkey Day over there and only the most hardcore styrene addicts will be on the forums over the national holiday, but I'm tabling the possibility that Rhinomania II should be a year instead of six months. All of 2011, with a launch on January 1st? Or beginning at midyear? What do you think?

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Xradio: looks great! Hope you'll post more photos soon.

Mike: Thanks again for the fun GB. Sorry but I'll have to skip out on round two. I'm hoping to start the new year as:

'2011: The Year I Finish All the Stuff I Started In 2010.'

Thunderbolt379

...we'll get some pheedback from pholks...

 AAACCCKKK!!!

Thunderbolt379

 

Well, guys, a longer period has been suggested! What do y'alls think? I know it's Turkey Day over there and only the most hardcore styrene addicts will be on the forums over the national holiday, but I'm tabling the possibility that Rhinomania II should be a year instead of six months. All of 2011, with a launch on January 1st? Or beginning at midyear? What do you think?

One year starting the 1st of January sounds perfect to me!  I think I could actually finish one in that time, as long as I stick to this kit...

Wow, Frank, ambitious build... That would be, what, 288th scale?

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Thunderbolt379

Hi Frank! Well, that begs the question -- how soon would folks like another crack at the Phantom? There was a lot of interest in this build but only about a 25% completion rate, which is entirely understandable with the weight of building going on, the time of year and all.

This build was ostensibly January 1st to June 31st, so would the same timeframe be attractive for a second go round? Builds proposed for this one could easily be carried over to the next, it's just a question of what's prefered and convenient for participants.

Let me know your thoughts, folks -- when shall we renew out committment to keeping the Phantom on the frontlines of the hobby?

Cheers, Mike/TB379

I have been watching this GB with much interest.  Nice efforts by all.  I have a 1:48 Hasegawa RF-4C that I want to put together with the aftermarket Aires photo bay.  If you organize another GB, I am in.

Hutch

Hi Hutch -- terrific, interest in round 2 is already gathering pace!

Looking forward to your build!

Mike/TB379

I am almost done with my D model and I would like to do another PHANTOM starting after Christmas if thats what everyone is talking about. I have 6 more 1/48 kits to choose from. Xradio.

Great -- we got a build in gestation here! Thanks, XR!

Oh goodie I too have been lurking in this group and haven't done an F-4 yet. And seeing as how I made parts for them at one time I am in for a year long build. Should be able to start mid year I think. So count me in Mike would you please.

Well I have finished my "rough" representation of an F4D that I crew-chiefed on in 1980 at Kunsan AFB, ROK. This is only my second completion since the 1980's. Instead of saying what is wrong with it I will say it was armed for the anti-tank role at the time, gun and 4 mavericks along with ECM capabilities. We were in the middle of subdued markings at the time. A few months later we were an F16 base.

Well done, xradio81 -- it's great to see a bird recreated in this way. Great work! Your build is on page 1 now, which brings us to eight completions.

If anyone else would like to press on and grab the badge, please feel free!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Randy, you were a Phantom doc? Wow, we'll be pumping you for stories!

Glad to have you abaord, I'll be getting the official proposal for Rhinos 2 onto the Aircraft forum shortly.

Cheers, Mike

Thunderbolt I cant say I was a Phantom doc, although I did make the radar array that went in the nose cone on them and a few other parts in the hydrolic systems. The antanna on the F4 I nic named Freddy ( Night Mare On Elm Street ) because it was a nightmare to machine, funny thing was the nic stuck. The jets I have been building I did make parts for but I like the WWII aircraft best to be honest.  The F-104 and F-14 my Dad worked on when they were in development, and I later made parts for them so those two hold a special place for me.

SMILE -- there's are a million stories still to be told, my friend, and yours is one of them! It's great to have folks who worked on the beast itself in the hobby, and every story is worth telling!

Cheers, Mike

Thunderbolt379

Wow, Frank, ambitious build...

With a solid year to build, I might even up the ante LOL.

Glad to see the interest in part two is there, consider me on board when it is up and running.  Do you mind if I work on a badge?