The Official F-4 Phantom II Group Build 2012: Rhinomania III

I wish to carry over my builds.

1. 1:48 Scale Craft / ESCI F-4E, True Details Wheels, Verlinden seats, Aires Cans, and Fox One Decals to depict F-4E-38-MC 67-362 "Paula 01" 58th TFS Gorillas TDY from Eglin to Udorn 1972. This aircraft was borrowed by Steve Ritchie and Ed DeBellvue (555th TFS) and dispatched two Mig-21s on 8Jul72. My father was the Flight Line Expiditer for the 58th at that time.

2. 1:48 Hasegawa F-4J with AirDOC conversion to F-4D, Airies Cockpit, Airies Exhaust, Cutting Edge Seamless Intakes, and Xtradecals to depict F-4D 66-502, 48th TFW, RAF Lakenheath 1975. My father was a WSO in this wing from 74-76, and sat Nuke Alert.

Hello all and Happy New Year!

A quick re-cap for the benefit of any newcomers who join up and weren't part of last years Rhino build:

My current entry is a carry over from last years build, Hasegawa's F-4F Luftwaffe 'JG74 Mölders, done in a 'Norm 72' scheme. It is OOB build with little detailing done with the exception of a few things like a sludge wash to accent panel lines, turning some brass rods to replace the pitot tubes and weathering.

The Kit:

At this point, I am fairly far along with it as I just finished all the decals on the upper surfaces. However, sometimes I find it hard to find the time to sit down and build and when I do, I am not the speediest builder as it is. After all, it is a hobby, not a race! Therefore, even though I am this far, it doesn't mean I will earn a badge first! After all, it took 20 years for me to complete my F-4G for my first badge! LOL!

So far:

A bit blurry, but from the front next. You can see on the left where I had to repair the yellow line as it stuck to my finger at the front and part was lost. I used a yellow marking from one of the weapons sets to replace it and will add the red dots shortly:

Underneath is painted FS36320 Dark Ghost Gray instead of silver as the kit calls out for, as research showed that the planes in the field, though painted silver at first, quickly faded to a dull gray. Any one who has owned or seen silver cars can testify to that. I decided to go this way as the silver paint would have been too difficult anyway. Also, my sludge wash on the line shows real well here:

My choice of the colors on top was made to be the shades shown as research showed so many variations from dark green to a more olive color that a bit of artistic freedom was called in-so I went with the darker shades. It's my build!

More blur here-my camera is not great:

I have also been painting wheels, doors, etc. and am prepping the rest of the underwing stores:

The long pylon in the middle rear is one I copied from a Fujimi kit for the centerline as Hasegawa did not provide one. I am trying to decide between the 600 gallon tank or adding more interest by slinging a rack of MK-82 bombs there instead. Some Sidewinders will grace the other two pylons or maybe.... ? I don't know yet.

Anyway, hoping to see some old friends here and some new ones as well. Not to mention losing one friend whom we lost along the way last year.

Jim

Dear Thunderbolt 379, I would like to re-join with my stalled builds from last time.  School kind of swallowed me up, but I finish in April, so I will be able to finish this time....

1/72 Accurate Miniatures F-4J

1/72 Fujimi F-4N

1/72 Fujimi F-4S

Thanks!

Cheers,

Greg

I'd like to join this group build--the Phantom kit I would build is the Monogram 1/48 F-4C (recently reissued).

Welcome aboard, SuperB60ce and Giantsfanatic, and welcome back participants from last year!

Decalling my Fujimi -K, which will be posted as a completion on the 2011 build thread...

Cheers, Mike/TB379

I'm involved with a couple of other group builds right now but I think I can squeeze in the Hasegawa 1/48 RF-4B Phantom by next year.

Going to throw my hat in the ring with these two for now.

1. F-4EJ 1/72 Hasegawa with CAM Far East Phantom decals
2. RF-4C 1/72 Hasegawa

Not sure when I'm going to start since I have a few other builds going but it will be soon.  Have to post this to push me along.

Welcome to the squadron, Archangel Shooter and 68GT -- you're on the build roster at this time.

Another day of decaling looms, this -K has a LOT of markings...

M/TB379

Put me down for this

Not sure when I will start but I have a Hasa RF-4B USMC in1/48

Cheers

RF-4B USMC in1/48

Put me down for this

Not sure when I will start but I have a Hasa RF-4B USMC in1/48

Cheers

RF-4B USMC in1/48

I would like to join with revell F-4F 1/48 thanks.

I am going to take the plunge this year and finally build the aircraft I've always wanted to build. I am building Tamiya's 1/32 scale F-4J. The challenge for me here is adequate references and decals for what ever Navy or USMC variant I choose to built. I already have AM ejection seat (they are bloody spectacular) and those MBs will be a kit in themselves.

I was a non-starter last time due to work commitments and other conflicts, but now am ready to jump back in.  These are on my bench in various states of non-completion:

1/32 Revell F-4J as a Blue Angel

1/72 Airfix F-4B, probably as VF-51

1/72 Revell/ Monogram F-4D

Mark

I am looking to build a Phantom variant that was a significant historical one from the Vietnam era. However, decals are limiting my options. I could use some suggestions for decal source for an F-4J 1/32 scale.

I would like to join. Will be doing monograms recent release of F-4C. Will be converting to D depicting OY-463 with some AM. Still debating on scribing panel lines but most likely will.

Troy 

Welcome to the squadron, PeterJB, Beckyhead, RedCorvette and TroyH!

Beckyhead -- as I recall, Superscale did very good service to the Phantom of the Vietnam era in their earlier days, but comparitively few were available in 1:32 as until the advent of the Tamiya kits building options were limited. I do remember Showtime 100 in their big scale range, and a check of old catalogs (they have been reproduced online, I'm sure) would turn up the range. CAMdecals, Eagle Strike, Eagle Cals and Aeromaster all have big Phantoms in their ranges and there must be some of the 'high point' -Js to be found. Good hunting!

Mike/TB379

CAM is alive and well for the larger scale builders

http://camdecals.com/

they have you get the markings separate from the data,,,,,,,but, the old "classic" 1/72 sheets I have look very good now if unused, and performed well for the ones I did use so far

Thanks for information. CAM site has too many sold-out products. Still trekkin'

Hi gang! Friday saw the arrival of the Hasegawa RF-4B on my doorstep when I returned home from the drudgery and servitude of work. Looking it over, it looks like I might  be my next Phantom entry here if I ever get the "F" completed! TB/Mike: I will let you know when I make my official decision. I think it would be a change of pace from my usual fare of all Airforce jets bristling with weapons, and build something from the other side as it were, and unarmed as well!

One oddity I noticed about the aircraft is that the instructions show using the wider wheels for the landing gear, but the wings do not have the bulges as later Phantoms do! I think this is an error on Hasegawa's part. Looking over other Kit instructions using Hobby search shows all other "B" Phantoms in 1/72 using the narrow wheel sets.

As to the "F": I have nearly completed all the decals, top and bottom, but still have much to do.

I need to:

Paint and install all the hanging bits underneath the plane. This includes trying to correct the flare/chaff dispensers on the weapons pylons, should be angled downward on the outboard sides. The kit ones are all wrong, and even the inboard ones should be a bit longer. I haven't fully decided what to arm it with yet.

Paint all metallic areas.

Finish landing gear. Install.

Add wash to landing gear bays.

Paint and add decals to stabilators, including metallics. Install same.

Gear doors. Install.

Apply further decals once metallic areas are done.

More weathering as needed. Oil stains, exhaust, what ever.

Final finish coats, etc.

And etc., etc., etc.!

Mine will be 1:48

Troy

Hi--

Here are a couple of pictures of the Phantom kit I am building:

I have an Airfix F-4B that I started over 30 years ago, looks all there. So that is my entry

Don

Here are a few pictures of the progress so far.

This is a picture of the parts that needed filling.  Everywhere you see white is filling.

Here is the beginning of construction.  I added some fishing weights to the nose to make sure the model won't be a tail-sitter.  Did I use too much weight?  Don't want the landing gear to collapse some day. 

The fit of the horizontal stabilizers was very loose, not good at all, so I snipped some pieces of sprue and glued the pieces inside the tail to "trap" the tabs of the stabilizers in place.  It turned out to be pretty sturdy and won't show when the fuselage is closed up.

Well, started on the ejection seats first, these things are kit unto themselves and I am only half-way finishd with one. Added some details such as cabling and painted based on references. I am using a combination of Model Master Acryl and Tamiya paints.

Front view.

Side View

I used 4mm wire for details. MM Interior Black for overall color. According to the references, the upper and lower seats were never the same colors, so I varied a little. I also used a little yellow pastel for highlight the chute kit by the headreast, and used white and brown pastels to add a little depth and "used" feeling to the seats. I drybrushed with a light gray, but used Tamiya Chrome Silver for some highlights..based on references.

The frustration with the kit was that the cushions were part of the seat, instead of being a seperate pieces. This made airbrushing a little complicated. 

I could use some help on how to use those seat stencils that came with the kit. They are so darn small, but I know how cool they  would look!  Any ideas?

...

I guess I will join in.. I have a Monogram F-4C I am going to build up armed with Falcons and a gun pod. I haven't decided on markings yet.

Here are a couple of more in progress photos of my build of the 1/48 Monogram F-4C.  The first photo is of the wings (upper wings glued to lower wings).

Here's a photo of the putty needed around the horizontal stablizer.

How old is that monogram kit you are building? The last time I build a 1/48 Monogram Phantom (Black Bunny from the "Evaluators") was in the early 80's!

Did you use acrylics or enamels? How did you do your sludgewash...it looks realy great and makes those panel line pop?