The Official F-4 Phantom II Group Build 2011

Got a few hours done on the cockpit this weekend. Was really pleased with the Aires film and PE panel faces. A bit of dry brushing and a medium-heavy oil wash and I think I'm done!

Next will be seeing if this baby fits into the kit fuselage!

Cheers

Casper the Chihuahua

Got a few hours done on the cockpit this weekend. Was really pleased with the Aires film and PE panel faces. A bit of dry brushing and a medium-heavy oil wash and I think I'm done!

Next will be seeing if this baby fits into the kit fuselage!

Cheers

Hi Casper,

Very nice work!!  Looks great! 

I will be especially interested in how it fits since I am also using an Aires cockpit in a 1/48 Hasegawa kit.

I am still fighting with matching the color with the Eduard photo etch.  It is not one of my best skills.

Ken

Fab cockpit Casper

Hey, after the cockpit-fit issues described by Rich, Ken, and Jim, I hope you dry fitted that beautiful cockpit before you did all that work!

I'm sure you did, but you shouldn't scare us like that....lmao.....

Wowee! I want to reach in there and fiddle with a few of the switches and knobs!

Thanks for everybody's kind words! For me the cockpit is usually my favourite part for the detailing but it is nice to have it done and move onto the main body of the plane, and don't worry I did extensive test fitting and made sure the resin tub all fits.

Cheers

My greatest accomplishment this week has been to mask and paint the inside frame work of the canopies and wind screen. Loads of fun on a 1/72 scale kit when you have fingers that seem as large as sausages!

But hey! It wouldn't be fun if it wasn't a challenge, now would it?

Greetings everyone!

I am still trying to match the color on the Eduard photo etch.  Like I said before, it is going to take some time since I have to wait for each new mix to dry before I can compare.  I am on my 9th mix.  So far I have used two different shades of green, some brown, and yellow.  It would be nice to be able to use one of those computerized systems that scans the color and then gives the mix ratios to match it.

Ken

I'm not sure about accuracy, but, why not scan a sample of the correct color into a program like Paint Shop Pro, and then get the RGB value, or CMYK then find a conversion tool on the net somewhere to convert it to FS numbers, or mixing ratios.

Son Of Medicine Man

Greetings everyone!

I am still trying to match the color on the Eduard photo etch.  Like I said before, it is going to take some time since I have to wait for each new mix to dry before I can compare.  I am on my 9th mix.  So far I have used two different shades of green, some brown, and yellow.  It would be nice to be able to use one of those computerized systems that scans the color and then gives the mix ratios to match it.

Ken

Sparrowhyperion

I'm not sure about accuracy, but, why not scan a sample of the correct color into a program like Paint Shop Pro, and then get the RGB value, or CMYK then find a conversion tool on the net somewhere to convert it to FS numbers, or mixing ratios.

 

Son Of Medicine Man:

Greetings everyone!

I am still trying to match the color on the Eduard photo etch.  Like I said before, it is going to take some time since I have to wait for each new mix to dry before I can compare.  I am on my 9th mix.  So far I have used two different shades of green, some brown, and yellow.  It would be nice to be able to use one of those computerized systems that scans the color and then gives the mix ratios to match it.

Ken

 

Hi Rich,

Interesting idea.  Have you ever tried it?

Ken

I have done it a few times, but I can't remember the address of the conversion chart websites.

Son Of Medicine Man

 

Sparrowhyperion:

 

I'm not sure about accuracy, but, why not scan a sample of the correct color into a program like Paint Shop Pro, and then get the RGB value, or CMYK then find a conversion tool on the net somewhere to convert it to FS numbers, or mixing ratios.

 

 

Son Of Medicine Man:

Greetings everyone!

I am still trying to match the color on the Eduard photo etch.  Like I said before, it is going to take some time since I have to wait for each new mix to dry before I can compare.  I am on my 9th mix.  So far I have used two different shades of green, some brown, and yellow.  It would be nice to be able to use one of those computerized systems that scans the color and then gives the mix ratios to match it.

Ken

 

 

 

 

Hi Rich,

Interesting idea.  Have you ever tried it?

Ken

All right, time to get the fuselage sewn up. The Aires cockpit is a perfect fit!

Cheers

Hi Casper,

That is great news about the Aires cockpit.  At least I have that to look forward to.

I am throwing in the towel on trying to match the paint color.  I don't think it would have ever looked right anyway.  I just ordered some stencils that I will use instead.  Tomorrow night I will work on the seat belts.  Time to start getting this thing moving!

Ken

Son Of Medicine Man

  Tomorrow night I will work on the seat belts

It's funny, I love doing the cockpits but I really dislike doing the seats I usually leave them till last as I put them in just before the open parts of the canopy are attached.

Cheers

That is cool.  Mind if I ask you a question?  With the Aires cockpit, you have to cut out the "Heads Up Display" portion from the Hasegawa fuselage to use the Aires part.  Was that pretty straight forward or is there some tricks or tips that you can share?

Ken

Hey ken, yeah that bit I found a little tricky. I cut away too much of the from trying to follow the curve of the console. Fortunately that will be hidden by the front windshield. You also need to 'thin' out the sides as much as you can as the resin sidewalls feature the locking mechanisms on their tops and need to blend in. I have a very small gap so I will do some careful puttying to make this seemless.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Casper the Chihuahua

Hey ken, yeah that bit I found a little tricky. I cut away too much of the from trying to follow the curve of the console. Fortunately that will be hidden by the front windshield. You also need to 'thin' out the sides as much as you can as the resin sidewalls feature the locking mechanisms on their tops and need to blend in. I have a very small gap so I will do some careful puttying to make this seemless.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Hi Casper,

Thanks for the info!  I will keep that in mind when I get to that point.  Hopefully very soon.

Ken

Hey Mike and Everyone Else,

Been a while since I was here last and I see there has been some great progress done here, Looks good guys!! In the time since last here I have had the pleasure of completing my F-4C from Monogram. She is straight out of the box, with only changes made to decals. This plane is from the 4th TFW  335th SQ out of Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro N.C. a base I grew close to and use to hear them going supersonic just as they flew over my house, before the supersonic laws that is. I use to wonder why it was thundering when the sky was clear? I hope you Enjoy looking as much as I had Building!!

James

BB -- it really looks the part, and to say this is Monogram's old offering is doubly remarkable. Top work, and a credit to this GB! Updating p1 now...

Mike/TB379

Thanks Mike, 

For a Mono kit it really wasn't all that bad a build, part of the reason I went right out of the box. By the way I just picked up a Promodeler F-4F I'd like to add to the group build if poss. it too will be from the 4th as I am also in the process of building one of EVERY type of plane they Have flown.  I look forward to adding the F then a G.

James

No worries James, the more the merrier. Is that 1:48? I'm thinking a Has reboxing? I'll add it to p1.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Hey Mike, yes that is the rebox Has kit and yes it is 1/48 sorry bout that.

What the heck?  I actually made some progress?  Things have been going so slowly on these builds even I almost missed my own progress!  So, school has started, and if you thought things were moving ahead slowly...you ain't seen nuttin' yet!  Still, I've done something...

So, here is a set of True Details seats.  The seats don't come with the ejection pull rings, so I made some out of yellow and black thread.  Looking at 'em now, I think next time I do this I'll twist the threads a little tighter.  The yellow and black looks a little too spaced out.

Here you can see one seat with the completed rings and the other with its rings in progress.

A couple more...

I've moved towards closing up the fuselage.  However, before I could, I needed to fix a little boo-boo... 

While trying to open up some vents, I accidentally sanded all the way through the plastic.

In order to be able to join up the halves, I had to replace 'em.

The fix isn't perfect, but I think it'll do.

OK, so I'm making progress.  I'm happy to see new Phantom fans joining the GB.  All the progress and builds are keeping me motivated. 

Keep up the great work everyone!

Cheers,

-O

Good job O.  Nice recovery on the vents.  Most excellent! 

Ken

Hi everyone.  I am still alive even if I did have to spend five days in the hospital.  Friday morning I had a hard time breathing and then the right side of my face went numb.  I couldn't talk without slurring my speach.  I called 911 emmediately.  The hospital ran all kinds of test and said my potassium level was low and I had a mild case of pneumonia.  They kept me for five days running all kinds of scans and every thing was still OK.  My lungs show no sign of cancer nor any other part of my body except for the initial cancer in my neck.  That means the cancer hasn't spread as fast as expected.  The pneumonia was clearing up with antibiotics.

On the question of the strike camera, it would be loaded in the right forward missile well only.  They could be mounted on the F-4D and F-4E.  The F-4E later came out with a combat documentation camera located under the right intake in a streamlined housing.  That took the place of the missile well mounted camera to free up the well for a missile.  On the lift side under the intake was a streamlined housing which mounted a gun camera.  It would also show missile launches.  A gun sight documentation camera was mounted below the combining glass gun site (not a HUD as everyone calls it).  It would record the radar images and launch of missiles.  It would not record pictures of the target as that is what the gun sight documentation camers did.  I hope everything is a clear as mud now      

Some great looking builds going on.  Makes me want to set behind my modeling desk and start sanding plastic.  Having lost a lot of feeling in my left hand makes it almost impossible to do that.  When typing I am using the six finger method.  Five fingers on the right hand and first finger on the left.  It gets the job done even of I get confused and try to use all five on the left and wind up striking a wrong key. 

Keep up the fine work being done.  A lot of Phantom Phixer Phros on the group build now.  I would be honored to have each and every one of you as an assistant when I was a Crew Chief.  That is how much I think of the job you are doing building the Phabulous Phantastic F-Phour Phantom.            

oortiz10

What the heck?  I actually made some progress?  Things have been going so slowly on these builds even I almost missed my own progress!  So, school has started, and if you thought things were moving ahead slowly...you ain't seen nuttin' yet!  Still, I've done something...

So, here is a set of True Details seats.  The seats don't come with the ejection pull rings, so I made some out of yellow and black thread.  Looking at 'em now, I think next time I do this I'll twist the threads a little tighter.  The yellow and black looks a little too spaced out.

Here you can see one seat with the completed rings and the other with its rings in progress.

 

A couple more...

 Cheers,

-O

 

I am glad to see someone mount the shoulder harness the right way.  So many people just let the harness rest on the seat back.  -O you nailed it right on the head with the seats.  The lap belts and survival pack belts is the way I remember them.  Just thrown on the seats.  We would straighten them up and lay them over the seat bucket before the crew would arrive.  Phabulous work.    You are now promoted to Senior Airman, and now be an Assistant Crew Chief.     

berny13

Hi everyone.  I am still alive even if I did have to spend five days in the hospital.  Friday morning I had a hard time breathing and then the right side of my face went numb.  I couldn't talk without slurring my speach.  I called 911 emmediately.  The hospital ran all kinds of test and said my potassium level was low and I had a mild case of pneumonia.  They kept me for five days running all kinds of scans and every thing was still OK.  My lungs show no sign of cancer nor any other part of my body except for the initial cancer in my neck.  That means the cancer hasn't spread as fast as expected.  The pneumonia was clearing up with antibiotics.

On the question of the strike camera, it would be loaded in the right forward missile well only.  They could be mounted on the F-4D and F-4E.  The F-4E later came out with a combat documentation camera located under the right intake in a streamlined housing.  That took the place of the missile well mounted camera to free up the well for a missile.  On the lift side under the intake was a streamlined housing which mounted a gun camera.  It would also show missile launches.  A gun sight documentation camera was mounted below the combining glass gun site (not a HUD as everyone calls it).  It would record the radar images and launch of missiles.  It would not record pictures of the target as that is what the gun sight documentation camers did.  I hope everything is a clear as mud now      

Some great looking builds going on.  Makes me want to set behind my modeling desk and start sanding plastic.  Having lost a lot of feeling in my left hand makes it almost impossible to do that.  When typing I am using the six finger method.  Five fingers on the right hand and first finger on the left.  It gets the job done even of I get confused and try to use all five on the left and wind up striking a wrong key. 

Keep up the fine work being done.  A lot of Phantom Phixer Phros on the group build now.  I would be honored to have each and every one of you as an assistant when I was a Crew Chief.  That is how much I think of the job you are doing building the Phabulous Phantastic F-Phour Phantom.            

Great to see your post Berny!  That is also good news about the cancer not spreading as fast as predicted.  It would be great to be able to make the trip to the museum again next year!

I apologize for calling the combining glass a HUD.  After seeing your reply I remembered that.  It won't happen again. 

It was great to hear your voice again and also know you haven't lost your sense of humor!  You are definitely a great guy to know.

Ken

Son Of Medicine Man

 

berny13:

 

Hi everyone.  I am still alive even if I did have to spend five days in the hospital.  Friday morning I had a hard time breathing and then the right side of my face went numb.  I couldn't talk without slurring my speach.  I called 911 emmediately.  The hospital ran all kinds of test and said my potassium level was low and I had a mild case of pneumonia.  They kept me for five days running all kinds of scans and every thing was still OK.  My lungs show no sign of cancer nor any other part of my body except for the initial cancer in my neck.  That means the cancer hasn't spread as fast as expected.  The pneumonia was clearing up with antibiotics.

On the question of the strike camera, it would be loaded in the right forward missile well only.  They could be mounted on the F-4D and F-4E.  The F-4E later came out with a combat documentation camera located under the right intake in a streamlined housing.  That took the place of the missile well mounted camera to free up the well for a missile.  On the lift side under the intake was a streamlined housing which mounted a gun camera.  It would also show missile launches.  A gun sight documentation camera was mounted below the combining glass gun site (not a HUD as everyone calls it).  It would record the radar images and launch of missiles.  It would not record pictures of the target as that is what the gun sight documentation camers did.  I hope everything is a clear as mud now      

Some great looking builds going on.  Makes me want to set behind my modeling desk and start sanding plastic.  Having lost a lot of feeling in my left hand makes it almost impossible to do that.  When typing I am using the six finger method.  Five fingers on the right hand and first finger on the left.  It gets the job done even of I get confused and try to use all five on the left and wind up striking a wrong key. 

Keep up the fine work being done.  A lot of Phantom Phixer Phros on the group build now.  I would be honored to have each and every one of you as an assistant when I was a Crew Chief.  That is how much I think of the job you are doing building the Phabulous Phantastic F-Phour Phantom.            

 

 

Great to see your post Berny!  That is also good news about the cancer not spreading as fast as predicted.  It would be great to be able to make the trip to the museum again next year!

I apologize for calling the combining glass a HUD.  After seeing your reply I remembered that.  It won't happen again. 

It was great to hear your voice again and also know you haven't lost your sense of humor!  You are definitely a great guy to know.

Ken

Glad to know the bad things have slowed somewhat, you might get back to sanding again.

Dom

berny13

oortiz10:

 

What the heck?  I actually made some progress?  Things have been going so slowly on these builds even I almost missed my own progress!  So, school has started, and if you thought things were moving ahead slowly...you ain't seen nuttin' yet!  Still, I've done something...

So, here is a set of True Details seats.  The seats don't come with the ejection pull rings, so I made some out of yellow and black thread.  Looking at 'em now, I think next time I do this I'll twist the threads a little tighter.  The yellow and black looks a little too spaced out.

Here you can see one seat with the completed rings and the other with its rings in progress.

 

A couple more...

 Cheers,

-O

 

 

I am glad to see someone mount the shoulder harness the right way.  So many people just let the harness rest on the seat back.  -O you nailed it right on the head with the seats.  The lap belts and survival pack belts is the way I remember them.  Just thrown on the seats.  We would straighten them up and lay them over the seat bucket before the crew would arrive.  Phabulous work.    You are now promoted to Senior Airman, and now be an Assistant Crew Chief.     

Bomber Boy:

it's a beautiful thing!!!

D'OH!!

I just realised I've not weighted the nose of my Hasegawa Phantom!! It wasn't included in the instructions. Does anyone have any experience with a non weighted Phantom nose? Will it work? Will it tip?

Cheers