The Official F-4 Phantom II Group Build 2011

El Taino

OK, according to my sources, the main body of the Phantom is 16440 (Gloss Gull Gray) -correct me if I'm wrong- But I see pictures of Phantoms with a flat, semi-gloss and glossy finishes. A dull finish ''should'' be a heavily used plane right? Well, I see dull finishes on clean planes. Which way should I go?

The correct color is FS16440, Gloss Gull Gray, but like any gloss paint, it will dull over time.  Navy aircraft are subject to harsh conditions when at sea.  Over time the paint will start to oxidize and turn dull.  They don't have time to paint the entire aircraft when at sea, just spot painting to prevent corrosion.  Not all jets get a paint job once they leave the carrier and return home.  Sometimes they may go two or three years before they are repainted.  They just send them to the wash rack and clean them as best they can.  A really bad looking jet may just get a paint touch up.  That is why you see aircraft with blotchy looking finishes.   

Thanks Berni.  This week seems to be one big disaster after another...

Rich

Sparrowhyperion

ARGH!    Okay, so I am now waiting on the FGR.2 until the PE cockpit detail kit gets here from the UK.  So I figure I will start the Testors 1/48 F-4F/G Wild Weasel.  Okay I open the box and the kit has no original decals, but a set of scratched to heck and back AM decals which aren' t even for the right bird.  Does anyone have a spare set of decals for this F/G, that they would be willing to part for for less than my first born...?  After the PE expenditure, I can't spend another large amount on this build for months and eBay is just too expensive...  I don't even care if its for a Wild Weasel.  Any F or G would be great at this point.  I just want to get one of these kits started.

 

This is not turning out to be my day.. 

 

Rich

Let me go theough my stash of decals to see if I have anything you can use.  I'll get back to you if I do.

OK, according to my sources, the main body of the Phantom is 16440 (Gloss Gull Gray) -correct me if I'm wrong- But I see pictures of Phantoms with a flat, semi-gloss and glossy finishes. A dull finish ''should'' be a heavily used plane right? Well, I see dull finishes on clean planes. Which way should I go?

On a side note, a few months ago I built the F4 from Testors for nostalgic reasons. I found out by mere accident that Testors rattle can 1233 Flat Light Aircraft Gray from Michales is actually flat Gull Gray.

Actually I have 2 identical kits.  Both the monogram 1/48 kits.  It's funny, my first Bomber was the old Aurora Big A Kit of the B-58.  The cool one with the red paint job.

I got one of my kits last year for a great price and then I lucked out again a week or so ago and found this one for so little I had to bid on it and I actually won.   I think I won because people don't like to trust new sellers and this guy only had like 16 sales.  I will always give them a chance as long as it's under $30.

I am keeping my first one sealed and I plan on building the new one.  I already broke the shrinkwrap and I'm getting a supplies list together.

Rich

Son Of Medicine Man

Rich,

Happy Birthday!!!

I also have a B-58 Hustler in the stash that I want to build someday.  It is one of the kits I built as a kid.  The one in my stash is a Monogram 1/48 scale.  What is yours?  I did a little research on them and it turns out that Grissom Air Force Base, which is just about an hour's drive from here, was one of the bases that they were stationed at.

Ken

Rich,

Happy Birthday!!!

I also have a B-58 Hustler in the stash that I want to build someday.  It is one of the kits I built as a kid.  The one in my stash is a Monogram 1/48 scale.  What is yours?  I did a little research on them and it turns out that Grissom Air Force Base, which is just about an hour's drive from here, was one of the bases that they were stationed at.

Ken

Fedex dropped mine off late yesterday afternoon.  It's really handy.  I think my only complaint is that there are only 4 holes, but 6 attachments, 4 alligator clips a magnifyer and a small magnet which I suppose is for metal parts.  I'll probably just bore out a couple more holes myself.

We got about 4" snow, and freezing rain and ice.  Just enough to really mess up my Birthday.  We were under a level 2 snow emergency all day and couldn't go out.  4 inches... 4 inches of snow and they call a level 2..  Dang, where I grew up we needed 2 feet or more before they even consider a level 2...  I really miss Boston.

The booth looks great.  I might get the ambition to build one when the weather gets better if I have enough wood left from y Daughter's Iguana cage...  That dang lizard has more room than we do...

The only positive thing that happened to me today was that B58 kit arriving.   I am thinking of seeing if there's a GB possibility for the Hustler.  I'd call it the 2011, Do The Hustle Build...   Whaddya think?  LMAO.  Anyways, stay warm.

Rich

Son Of Medicine Man

Hi Rich,

I am really sorry to hear about the decals.  If I had a set for an F or a G I would gladly send them to you.  This hobby definitely can burn a hole in your pocket book in a hurry!

Did your Helping Hands Octopus show up yet?  I have not had a chance to even open mine up yet.  I spent the last two days working on my paint booth and clearing sleet and snow off of the driveway and the sidewalk.  I do have the paint booth complete, just need to add a few finishing touches.

The exhaust fan I bought takes a new style light bulb base, GU24.  Here is a picture of the recepticle for them:

 

I looked all over for a store here in town that had any bulbs with the GU24 base and was 18 watt.  Nobody carries them in stock.  I had to order a pair from Amazon.com.  Good grief!

How much snow did you end up getting?  We got 6 inches of sleet and two inches of snow layered with 1/10th of an inch of freezing rain.  Very hard to shovel!  The plows were even having a tough time cutting through it.

Ken

Hi Rich,

I am really sorry to hear about the decals.  If I had a set for an F or a G I would gladly send them to you.  This hobby definitely can burn a hole in your pocket book in a hurry!

Did your Helping Hands Octopus show up yet?  I have not had a chance to even open mine up yet.  I spent the last two days working on my paint booth and clearing sleet and snow off of the driveway and the sidewalk.  I do have the paint booth complete, just need to add a few finishing touches.

The exhaust fan I bought takes a new style light bulb base, GU24.  Here is a picture of the recepticle for them:

I looked all over for a store here in town that had any bulbs with the GU24 base and was 18 watt.  Nobody carries them in stock.  I had to order a pair from Amazon.com.  Good grief!

How much snow did you end up getting?  We got 6 inches of sleet and two inches of snow layered with 1/10th of an inch of freezing rain.  Very hard to shovel!  The plows were even having a tough time cutting through it.

Ken

ARGH!    Okay, so I am now waiting on the FGR.2 until the PE cockpit detail kit gets here from the UK.  So I figure I will start the Testors 1/48 F-4F/G Wild Weasel.  Okay I open the box and the kit has no original decals, but a set of scratched to heck and back AM decals which aren' t even for the right bird.  Does anyone have a spare set of decals for this F/G, that they would be willing to part for for less than my first born...?  After the PE expenditure, I can't spend another large amount on this build for months and eBay is just too expensive...  I don't even care if its for a Wild Weasel.  Any F or G would be great at this point.  I just want to get one of these kits started.

This is not turning out to be my day.. 

Rich

John -- I better add the Italeri to page 1, then! I think that's build #65. With seven entries I think you're the most prolific builder to date, too!

I'll be interested in how those Hi-Decals perform, I have the same sheet but it's pretty old.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

That's the exact PE sheet I just snagged.  I got it from Aviation Megastore in the UK.  Now I have to wait until it arrives before I can do any more work on my Hasegawa FGR.2.  So it looks like I will also be doing the Testors 1/48 Wild Weasel.  I'll start that one first while I wait for the PE kit and try and figure out the easiest way to put the overhead pull loops from my Hasegawa kit seats onto my Verlinden Resin seats.

Helo H-34

 

Sparrowhyperion:

 

I have a question for you all... :)  I found an Eduard photoetch detail set for the FGR.2  and I was wondering just what is involved in using those.  I have up til now only used simple stuff like belts and the occaisonal filter screen for intakes.  Do I need to do any major surgery on the existing cockpit to use it.  It's the last one and it's discontinued.  And for $17.35 shipped, I am really really tempted but I want to make sure I can handle using ti before I decide to get it.  It is for the Hasegawa kit I am using.  It's half the price of the  Aires resin and PE kit.

 

Rich

 

 

I bought Eduards simplified PE set to use on an old 1/48 Italeri RF-4E Phantom ;

The basic PE set has all the istrument panels but no seat belts , so I was thinking of using two pilots from the Hasegawa ground crew sets ;

I also found an ALQ-187 pod from the Hasegawa weapons set to use , it looks like the IDF pod has two extra blades [front and rear] on their pod .

Italeri's RF-4E kit has raised panel lines but I think she will go together okay , I also picked up some Hi-Decals for the IDF RF-4/F-4 Phantoms ,

The seats in the kit aren't too bad either , they have the seperate piece with the two loops for the top of the seat and another loop on each of the lower sides of each seat .

I'll finish the 6 Fujimi Phantoms first before starting this one , I usually build in 1/72 scale but I have had this kit in the stash for a long time and I thought it's about time I got around to building her , so I bought the $8 PE set and IDF decals .

This Israeli reconnaissance Phantom was shot down in November of '73 by an Egyptian SAM ambush on a post Yom Kippur war mission , both crew ejected at an altitude of 15,000m at Mach 1.7 into an outside tempeture of -60 degrees C , the pilot was captured by egyptian soldiers but sadly the navigator was killed .

                                            John .

 

Sparrowhyperion

I have a question for you all... :)  I found an Eduard photoetch detail set for the FGR.2  and I was wondering just what is involved in using those.  I have up til now only used simple stuff like belts and the occaisonal filter screen for intakes.  Do I need to do any major surgery on the existing cockpit to use it.  It's the last one and it's discontinued.  And for $17.35 shipped, I am really really tempted but I want to make sure I can handle using ti before I decide to get it.  It is for the Hasegawa kit I am using.  It's half the price of the  Aires resin and PE kit.

 

Rich

I bought Eduards simplified PE set to use on an old 1/48 Italeri RF-4E Phantom ;

The basic PE set has all the istrument panels but no seat belts , so I was thinking of using two pilots from the Hasegawa ground crew sets ;

I also found an ALQ-187 pod from the Hasegawa weapons set to use , it looks like the IDF pod has two extra blades [front and rear] on their pod .

Italeri's RF-4E kit has raised panel lines but I think she will go together okay , I also picked up some Hi-Decals for the IDF RF-4/F-4 Phantoms ,

The seats in the kit aren't too bad either , they have the seperate piece with the two loops for the top of the seat and another loop on each of the lower sides of each seat .

I'll finish the 6 Fujimi Phantoms first before starting this one , I usually build in 1/72 scale but I have had this kit in the stash for a long time and I thought it's about time I got around to building her , so I bought the $8 PE set and IDF decals .

This Israeli reconnaissance Phantom was shot down in November of '73 by an Egyptian SAM ambush on a post Yom Kippur war mission , both crew ejected at an altitude of 15,000m at Mach 1.7 into an outside tempeture of -60 degrees C , the pilot was captured by egyptian soldiers but sadly the navigator was killed .

                                            John .

Sparrowhyperion

I have a question for you all... :)  I found an Eduard photoetch detail set for the FGR.2  and I was wondering just what is involved in using those.  I have up til now only used simple stuff like belts and the occaisonal filter screen for intakes.  Do I need to do any major surgery on the existing cockpit to use it.  It's the last one and it's discontinued.  And for $17.35 shipped, I am really really tempted but I want to make sure I can handle using ti before I decide to get it.  It is for the Hasegawa kit I am using.  It's half the price of the  Aires resin and PE kit.

 

Rich

You had better jump on it while you can.  At half the price you can't go wrong.  Most photoetch comes with instruction sheets so it will tell you if any thing needs to be removed. 

I have a question for you all... :)  I found an Eduard photoetch detail set for the FGR.2  and I was wondering just what is involved in using those.  I have up til now only used simple stuff like belts and the occaisonal filter screen for intakes.  Do I need to do any major surgery on the existing cockpit to use it.  It's the last one and it's discontinued.  And for $17.35 shipped, I am really really tempted but I want to make sure I can handle using ti before I decide to get it.  It is for the Hasegawa kit I am using.  It's half the price of the  Aires resin and PE kit.

Rich

For what they charge you for these two little pieces of resin that probably cost them about 3 cents to make, you would think they could at least stick in some thin wire loops.  I am not buying their seats ever again.  I am half tempted to just resell these on eBay and get something else.  I think I saw some full cockpit sets on Hannants web site...

Rich

sidure

I have the same deal with the Verlinden 1/32 resin seats I got, plus it says it has PE included. What I got was two frets of nothing but strips of brass coloured PE. Honestly I could make better belts myself with foil from a wine bottle and there are no buckles. The loops are of course missing. The kit loops look very good so I may graft them onto the resin. In addition I picked up an Eduard set of belts for the seats but the loops are too thin and flat for my liking. Either way I will make something work.

Steve

 I have been playing with the cockpit of the "F". The kit instructions for the seat call for 3 colors to be used. Black headrest, Khaki for the back, and khaki green for the seat itself. I went searching for photos and actually found 2 different pictures of "F" seats, both were not very good, but they were actually a dark green on top, Khaki (tan) back and black seat. I decided to move forward with that and gave them a semi-gloss finish. The belts appear to be a darker tan, so I painted a strip of masking tape and began attaching strips for the belts. They really make the seat stand out, with one problem: how to simulate metal buckles. I tried to look for some AM parts but I couldn't really find anything, plus I said this was to be an OOB and if I start adding PE parts, then it's no longer an OOB build, is it? It looks a bit tacky to just paint a bit of silver there, so any ideas? Keep in mind that it is 1/72 scale and not a great deal of detail can be seen anyway.

Later I must tell of my near disaster for the "Geasel" but it is late for now and I must hit the sack.

I have the same deal with the Verlinden 1/32 resin seats I got, plus it says it has PE included. What I got was two frets of nothing but strips of brass coloured PE. Honestly I could make better belts myself with foil from a wine bottle and there are no buckles. The loops are of course missing. The kit loops look very good so I may graft them onto the resin. In addition I picked up an Eduard set of belts for the seats but the loops are too thin and flat for my liking. Either way I will make something work.

Steve

Hmmm.  I do have the loops for the original kit seats.  I might be able to carefully cut them off of their little top piece and CA them onto the resin...  Or I could file down the top of the resin seats and replace it with the top piece from the stock seats.  The trick is doing it without making it look like crud.  I have some sanding rods.  I just wish I had a vise for stuff like this.  Resin is way too easy to crack or split without something to hold it tight.

Rich

mississippivol

Rich,

I don't have the Verlinden ones, but did get some for a 1/72 kit for later. They didn't have the loops either. Probably wouldn't come out right with the type of casting that was done. I'd find some wire or stretched sprue to duplicate them with.

Glenn

Rich,

I don't have the Verlinden ones, but did get some for a 1/72 kit for later. They didn't have the loops either. Probably wouldn't come out right with the type of casting that was done. I'd find some wire or stretched sprue to duplicate them with.

Glenn

Rich, I have their 1:32 seats and they're the same... I expected PE loops, but the instructions say "use wire." What a jip! Verlinden purport to be the best of the best, then go and shortchange the product like that...

M/TB379

Hi folks.  I hope your builds are going well.  I had a question for anyone who is using the Verlinden Mk 7 ejection seats.  I bought a pair, but they have no ejection loops.  No bottom one and no top two.  Is this normal for the kit?  And if it is, what would you do about it?    I noticed it when I was putting on the last black base coat.

Rich

Thanks, Bocks!

Right, page 1 updated with all of John's builds, and Rascal1957 and Eatthis are added to the list, though I don't see a final descision on kit selection in subsequent pages. If you gents could let me know what you'll be building I'll add in the details.

Cheers, M/TB379

Hey Mike;

You're a busy guy!

Eatthis was on page 34.

We're lookin' out for you!

Rich -- thanks for the link, I'll check out the goodies!

Dominic -- darn, have I missed some folks? GRRR, let me fix that...

John -- you sure can, I'll update your listing to six! It just looks so amazing to see them all!

Cheers, M/TB379

Mike ;

There is a sixth 1/72 Fujimi Phantom that's been lurking in the shadows , a USMC RF-4B "Spirit of America" VMFP-3 . A previously started build she went together the same as the other five Phantoms .

If it's okay , I'll add her in as well ?

                                     John .

Howdy Rascal 1957,

did you get signed up alright?

If you did I'm not seeing your moniker on the billboard. I didn't see Eatthis' either.

Dominic

Ive got a few seats for 1/48 F-4's

We got about 3 inches last night andd there is supposed to be more tonight but no one can agree on a figure.  Either way it's going to be a mess.

Son Of Medicine Man

El Taino: Very nice job on those seats.  Very well done!

Rich:  Apparently we have lucked out so far.  We are situated right inbetween the freezing rain and the snow, so we are getting mostly sleet so far.  Which means not a lot of accumulation so far and no downed power lines!  But the forecast is still calling for 7 to 11 inches of snow tonight.

Ken

El Taino: Very nice job on those seats.  Very well done!

Rich:  Apparently we have lucked out so far.  We are situated right inbetween the freezing rain and the snow, so we are getting mostly sleet so far.  Which means not a lot of accumulation so far and no downed power lines!  But the forecast is still calling for 7 to 11 inches of snow tonight.

Ken

YIPPEE!  Wifey got me a nice Zona razor saw as a pre Bday present.  Now I can start more work on the seats...   I think she was trying to placate me to not strangle her cat after the great semi-gloss black paint incident.  I was thinking of picking up the whole cockpit detail set on Hannants but it's about as much as I already spent on the kit and I would be in the dog house for a year. lol

Rich