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

Good question, Jim, it's an absolute grab-bag of possibilities. I have a pic of one of the VMFP-3 bicentennial birds on the deckl of the Midway, mounting only a centreline tank and inboard pylons (no rails), while the box art shows another of the Marine RFs with a fit of three droptanks and no inner pylons...

On the cameras, I'm not even going to try to do anything fancy behind the windows, not in this scale, just a dab of silver so a light spot will show up against the dark interior. I agree re the wheels in your kit, that's an error in the instructions -- if it's the thin wing it follows that it must be the narrow wheels.

M/TB379

I might do the same, but maybe a drop of gloss black in the center of the silver to simulate a lens? Just an idea....

Well, the box photo (Not a painting or drawing) shows the pylons with missile rails, so I guess for  this aircraft, it is correct. Seems to vary quite a bit from what i could find.

As far as the clear nose section where the camera bay is, I'm not sure the best way to attach it. Would clear parts cement be best or my other thought is a Future dip, my usual masking method of Parafilm applied, scraping or sanding clean mating surfaces and then regular plastic (solvent) cement for a permanent bond. The Future would protect clear sections from fogging....

Your thoughts, anyone?

Hi Jim, I dry fitted the part the other day and was very impressed by how close the seams are -- it looks like no filler will be required at all, for which I'm very glad. For my purposes, Clear Parts Cement should be fine, and a lot easier than the Future dip (I have have some Future now, but haven't tried the technique yet.

I've been fitting out the seats for the RF with painted tape harness today, and am working on the hand grips now. Teensy lil funsters...

Cheers, Mike

Been working on the front office:

As you can see, I went with the 'sail color/radome tan' for that side panel as I found references going both ways. You can also see a few re-enforcement tabs I installed to better keep that seam along the bottom aligned. I had a few issues with one of the last  builds. I also added a bulkhead (not shown) between the cockpit and the camera bay. Probably wasn't necessary.

I haven't done anything with the seats as of yet. As a matter of fact, they are still attached to the sprues.

Excellent work, Jim! I know those parts intimately... The alignment tabs are a good idea -- I expected Hasegawa to not need them and ended up filling and sanding and adzing, while the Fujimi that I shimmed that way was a little more cooperative.

I got the seats almost ready to install, i just need to tidy up the yellow and black on the grips, maybe do something to suggest clasp hardware, then glue those suckers in. I'll have a photo of the tape harnesses shortly.

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Hi guys,

I've done a little work on the Fujimi F-4J today, basically using silver wire to create the faceshield handgrips on a pair of True Details seats. They're attached and the yellow is on, there's just the black to go, then I'll post pics. I'll blog about the wire method too. If I can get the resin seats in I can seal up the cockpits and get the -J and the RF-4B ready for paint at the same time.

I also weakened apallingly and dug out of my stash two more Fujimi Phantoms, an -N and an -S, to be finished for the ghost grey era, the -N in VF-151 markings, overall Light Gull Grey, and VF-103 in a triple grey scheme, both from Superscale 72-441. I'm not sure when I'll get to them, but the fact is I have another pair of True Details seats at a high state of readiness, once again needing just loops, soooo... I might be able to launch another bird in the short term. (And order up some more MB.7s...)

Cheers M/TB379

Soooo disappointed with the fit of the Fujimi four-piece canopy. Fit? What fit? I have a feeling this thing was meant to be posed open, period. That's not something I usually do, unless I have absolutely no choice, and I'm starting to think that's the case. Even superglue won't snug this thing down straight, and whiteglue is a joke... Anybody got any ideas? I can probably pry it off still...

M/TB379

Well;

Mike, do you have an F-84F canopy, closed, hangin' around....

Trade that for an one piece F-4J, I think it's Fuji or Tamiya, if you want to close it up. 4 piece canopy at 1/48 closed is a dance with the tolerance devils.

I'll have a look at stash.

Well gang, things have been pretty messed up here these last few weeks. I put Mom in the hospital back on the 23rd (I think) and after a stay there she went on to a rehab/care center. She finally was sent home last Monday, (Not sure if this was a good thing) and I have had little time for myself. Most days I don't get home until 11:00 or later after working all day, and often I find it hard to sleep. Sometimes when I can't sleep is when I found a bit of time to work on the Rhino here and there. It's a bit therapeutic to me, I guess, as I can relax a little. I am concerned as her physical and mental states seem to declining to me, although the visiting nurses don't seem to see it. Also adding to it all is work, finances, (mine and Mom's) the sudden arrival of spring and now having to care for two houses, two yards, mowing, yard clean-up, etc.

Here is a bit of what I have done before all this started and ongoing as I can:

I tried my idea of adding something to make it appear like a camera lens to the inside of the nose, my idea being silver with a dot of black in the middle: turned out to be a stupid one as it just sort of looked like a cartoon eyeball. I went back to the plain silver:

With plain silver:

I also added another "camera" to be visible behind the larger bottom window: It is centered there, this picture is just turned to the side and makes it look off-center.

And painted:

I did manage to do glue up some of the sub assemblies, though the main fuselage is only cemented along the top for now:

The clear part I masked and prepainted, plus I went ahead and used Testors liquid to put it in place as the clear parts cement wouldn't hold too well. I was just very careful to not use too much, using my Touch-and-Flow sparingly. I was a bit disappointed to find raised panel lines on it, when the rest of the kit features recessed lines.

Time will tell over the next few weeks, I guess, so we'll see what I can manage to do.

I also feel bad as I signed on for the Berny memorial build and haven't so much as laid a finger on the F-105G I listed there, with only time here and there to contribute to the Rhino. Ken knows some of my situation and understands though, so it's cool.

Jim

I have a suggestion in case you haven't closed all that up yet.  Why not use a hollow tube, or use a drill and hollow out the one you have in there now.  Paint the inside silver, then use Micro Crystal Clear or clear drying white glue to put a good sized bubble over one end, then put on a coat of gloss coat.  If you want a more rounded look, put a coat of Micro crystal clear, then take a tiny piece of saran wrap or another clear plastic wrap, and place it tightly over one end.  Then making sure it's straight up, drop one good sized drop of the same stuff, on top of the plastic wrap on the end of the tube.  This would make a rounded style lens.  I've done similar things before with Micro Crystal Clear from Micro-Scale..  Just a suggestion.

Rich

jimbot58

Well gang, things have been pretty messed up here these last few weeks. I put Mom in the hospital back on the 23rd (I think) and after a stay there she went on to a rehab/care center. She finally was sent home last Monday, (Not sure if this was a good thing) and I have had little time for myself. Most days I don't get home until 11:00 or later after working all day, and often I find it hard to sleep. Sometimes when I can't sleep is when I found a bit of time to work on the Rhino here and there. It's a bit therapeutic to me, I guess, as I can relax a little. I am concerned as her physical and mental states seem to declining to me, although the visiting nurses don't seem to see it. Also adding to it all is work, finances, (mine and Mom's) the sudden arrival of spring and now having to care for two houses, two yards, mowing, yard clean-up, etc.

Here is a bit of what I have done before all this started and ongoing as I can:

I tried my idea of adding something to make it appear like a camera lens to the inside of the nose, my idea being silver with a dot of black in the middle: turned out to be a stupid one as it just sort of looked like a cartoon eyeball. I went back to the plain silver:

With plain silver:

I also added another "camera" to be visible behind the larger bottom window: It is centered there, this picture is just turned to the side and makes it look off-center.

And painted:

I did manage to do glue up some of the sub assemblies, though the main fuselage is only cemented along the top for now:

The clear part I masked and prepainted, plus I went ahead and used Testors liquid to put it in place as the clear parts cement wouldn't hold too well. I was just very careful to not use too much, using my Touch-and-Flow sparingly. I was a bit disappointed to find raised panel lines on it, when the rest of the kit features recessed lines.

Time will tell over the next few weeks, I guess, so we'll see what I can manage to do.

I also feel bad as I signed on for the Berny memorial build and haven't so much as laid a finger on the F-105G I listed there, with only time here and there to contribute to the Rhino. Ken knows some of my situation and understands though, so it's cool.

Jim

Probably becuase I am some sort of masochist, I just picked up the old Revell F-4E Thunderbirds Kit off of ebay.  The one with the diamond.  I must be out of my mind!

Jim:

Nice work!

It's times like yours it is great to have the small tribulations of the styrene kind.

Probably worth the time to float the lenses as Rich suggests, besides, once done,

you get to be good at it. Of course, it all depends on your time and stress, and it

sounds like you've got your hands full for sure.

All the best with your mom, you know a lot of people don't bother,

so straight up, you are a solid guy.

One day I will get my work area organized the way you did......

Unfortunately, it is buttoned up already, Rich. Sounds like some interesting Ideas that I will have to try with the RF-4E Luftwaffe bird I have in my stash. (I should mention that Squadron is now offering AirDoc decals for Rf-4E's and also a set of decals for an A-7D with markings for Colorado Air National Guard... seems I accidentally ordered them both.)

Jim

So, yet another unexpected funeral.

I won't be spending any more time dealing with that.

I'll put that 'lawn mower' away!

Life is nasty, brutish, and short.

I'd liked to join this build with a OOB, old school kit Revell F-4B from the Jolly Rogers.

You're in! Welcome to the squadron,

Mike/TB379

My decals arrived today, found them on my front porch when I finally got home.....

Packed in a paper shipping envelope......

In the rain.....

Fortunately, the decals were each packed in a "zip" bag, although one did leak a little. The corner of the instruction sheet got a little damp, but decals were fine..

Narrow escape, Jim -- somebody up there likes you!

M/TB379

Hey Mike TB379

I tried to get the best picture I could with my cell phone of the F-4F for the Wall Of Fame. Since I seem to have, err, blown my budget buying decals, I can't afford to go and get some film for the old 35MM SLR for now and I have a bit of time to do this.... lets see how these turn out.

I'll do a few different sizes so you can pick the one you think best. If later I get a chance to make a better one, we can change it up.

Also, I wanted to remind you to update the Order Of Battle for my current build of the Hasegawa RF-4B, please?

Jim

Jim -- I think one of these should be fine. I'll take a look at each size and go with whichever looks the clearest. It's been a marathon job, but the RF is finally done!

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Mike, I might try to make an indoor shoot, I think. The sun and the white base made it look too dark. Hang on until I try again.

In the meantime, congrats on the RF, can't wait to see it. Did a bit of assembly work on mine, with a bit of persuasion being applied to a stubborn seam:

Going through my files and kind of like this one:

Or this one:

Although a bit cluttered, it's the best focus I seemed to be able to get....

Multiple sizes included again this time.

Thanks Mike TB379

Hey Jimbot, She's a beauty - well done  

Not much happening here - as usual

Jimbot:

A real beauty! Well done! 

Time to look at the F4-D. This is a BIG kit. As you would expect, the F-4s in 1/48 are about the size of a 1/32 BF-109 so in 1/32 it's a monster.

I'm adding the Eduard interior and exterior sets. I'll be retaining the Tamiya IP decals and using Eduard colour PE for the rest. I see no point in spoiling the effect of the decals by hand paining the other dials. I'm also adding Brassin ejector seat set The amazing detail on these seats should help sell the rest of the office.

As mentioned before, this is a big kit! So here's a comparison shout of the fuselage (without the nose BTW) next to my recently completed Sea Harrier in 1/24

Apart fro the Harriers front aerial, these two will be the exact same length. The F-4 is truly a large bird.

Cheers

DDDRRROOOOOOLLL!!! Seriously, I'm salivating...

M/TB379

I guess it's time to toss in the towel on participating in this or any other build. Looking after my 81 year old Mother with advanced COPD, has gotten to the point where I have no time to myself for anything. I have no choice but to go look in on her first thing in the morning  before work to give her all her meds, breathing treatments, and to be sure she has something to eat, then off across town to work, which is usually about occupies another10 hours of time. After work I go back to moms again to see to her needs, feed her, feed her dog and so on. I"m now getting up around 6 in the morning to be at moms by 8:30 a.m. and often don't see my house before midnight that evening, leaving me less than 6 hours to sleep. My sister is of little help, and incapable of more than casually dropping in on her sometime in the afternoon, believing that she is doing the "best she can". Ironically, she has not worked in almost 14 years.

As to myself, I have no time to eat anything other than fast foods, I no longer exercise, and my weight has jumped back up to over 300 pounds. Perhaps mom may yet outlive me at this point....

That sounds pretty rough Jimbot - life can be a *** sometimes.

I'm afraid I can't offer any help, but keep your chin up mate and take care.

Family comes first in my book and it sounds like your doing your bit looking after your Mom like that. It says a lot about your character and I'm sure she appreciates it. 

John.

Hell's bells, Jim -- that's more than most could cope with under any circumstances, it's amazing you've handled it this far. I'm co-carer with an aged Mom too, but she's a breeze by comparison. You have my sympathies and understanding, and I'm sure everyone here wishes you only the best of luck with both your carer responsbilities and employment situation.

We'll be here and you're always welcome, building or not!

Cheers, bud,

Mike/TB379