MiG Killers Group Build, 7/07 to 6/08

Gentlemen,

I am sad to announce that my Monogram 1/48 F-4J will be going back on the shelf. I messed up the canopy fit so bad using the Legend resin set that no matter how hard I try to fix it I am messing it up even more. I am still going to build Showtime 100 but I am going to get an older Revell 1/48 F-4J kit to replace it and use that instead without any resin detail except maybe a PE set if I can find a set to use and build it OOB with my own modifications.

The problem is the canopy does not properly align with top of cockpit tub and will not sit flush and line up with the other canopy parts. I tried to remedy this using several techniques and none worked. My only way to save this kit is to get a vac form canopy for it and I have no idea where to get one.  

Anyway, it will be a week or two before I can start again.

(plays Taps)

Oh man,

That's terrible.  At least you still have all that nice armament and landing gear to use. 

Taps are being playing.  Showtime 100 went down, but Driskol and Cunningham flew again.

Semper Fi,

Chris

Chris,

Scrap Happens! I am replacing the Monogram F-4J with a Revell F-4J and it will still be Showtime 100. It's not a total loss since I can get a Vac-Form canopy later for it, trim it to fit then finish it as a Marines F-4J.

Rand-

Sorry to hear about your F-4.  Even though I am not in this GB, I still pop in and read and look at the awesome work you guys are posting here.  Taps are being played here too.

Thanks Frank.

Well Guys,

I just scored the Revell kit from ebay so it will be a week or so before I can start again. Nice thing is the Revell F-4J is essentially the same kit. Not often I win an auction and only pay start bid price plus shipping and be the only bidder so thats a plus.

Anywayyyyyyyyyyyy, Showtime 100 WILL BE BUILT!!!!

Definitely good Karma!!

Will that solve the USAF/USN wheel issue too?

About ten years ago I was on a job site inspecting the stuff I do, and it was at Portland Intl, which also is/was a base for the Oregon ANG. This was an open parking garage right across the loop road from the runway, where F-4s taxied to right here and took off. It was pretty incredible, and really noisy too.

Loving to listen to you guys develop this up.

Mike,

I have limited space for displaying a model so they all get hung up and this is why I choose canopy closed. I will leave the canopy hatches loose for removing to show off the detail in the pit but when I hang them they are closed. My F-4E came with an extra one piece canopy I am considering putting that on it after I do some mods to it. Hopefully with some luck I fit it and use it. Its not a total loss, the model is still good and I can still finish it but the canopy it came with is FUBAR. I am seeking alternatives and maybe I'll get a Vac-Form Canopy for it.

I have a question about the Air Force's SEA camo colors, even thought it will probably be another week before I start painting.  The Tamiya instructions call out Tamiya Spray paint:

AS-16 Light Grey (USAF)

AS-13 Green (USAF)

AS-14 Olive Green (USAF)

AS-15 Tan (USAF)

These colors aren't very easy to find, plus I'd rather shoot from my AB than from a can.  I'm going to replace the AS-14 Olive Green with XF-58 Olive Green, but the other 3 colors have me at a loss.  Color Charts on computer Screens don't seem to help very much.  Do you guys have any ideas?

Semper Fi,

Chris 

ridleusmc wrote:

I have a question about the Air Force's SEA camo colors, even thought it will probably be another week before I start painting.  The Tamiya instructions call out Tamiya Spray paint: AS-16 Light Grey (USAF) AS-13 Green (USAF) AS-14 Olive Green (USAF) AS-15 Tan (USAF) These colors aren't very easy to find, plus I'd rather shoot from my AB than from a can.  I'm going to replace the AS-14 Olive Green with XF-58 Olive Green, but the other 3 colors have me at a loss.  Color Charts on computer Screens don't seem to help very much.  Do you guys have any ideas? Semper Fi, Chris

Chris, The colors I show on my F-4E's SEA scheme are as follows 

AS-16 Light Grey (USAF) ..........Model Master Camo Gray FS36622 (underside)

AS-13 Green (USAF)................ Model Master Dark Green FS 34079

AS-14 Olive Green (USAF)......... Model Master Medium Green FS 34102

AS-15 Tan (USAF)................... Model Master Dark Tan FS 30219

The model master colors would be the correct ones. You need to get a cross reference at:

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/colorcharts/stuff_eng_colorcharts_fs.htm

Look up on the chart for the FS #'s and see what Tamiya paints match it to the colums on the right.

Hope this helps.

Thanks AMM,

I tried the missile nose technique you explained earlier.  I love the results, but several pics I took didn't look very good. 

Semper Fi,

Chris

Chris,

Glad to hear my seeker head technique worked for you. To get them to show up in pictures you need to take the picture looking head on at the missile tip but off center. They look darn good too after painting.

EDIT:

My Monogram F-4J has now officially been reassigned to the shelf. The canopy is FUBAR and even Berny agreed it was beyond repair. Good news is, I have a Revell 1/48 F-4J on the way to replace it so. Showtime 100 WILL be built! Kit should arrive by Friday

Oh, wow, Rand; after all of that work....

 Mugs' phantom is going ok right now; still rescribing the landing gear doors before moving on to the fuselage.

Glenn

Glenn,

The Monogram F-4J kit is not a loss. There is still a chance I can finish it. I got an offer for a canopy assembly to replace the one I ruined and I am going to take the offer. Soooooo....

Stay tuned Gents. Showtime 100 is down but not out yet.  

Hey guys. Got some work done on my Phantom, will post pics as soon as I get my computer back on the Internet. I also like the looks of the AIM-9' with the clear seeker heads on my Phantom. Can anyone give me a color scheme for Vietnam F-4s? Also can some give a little more info on acft 67-0281(F-4E)? Good luck on Showtime 2 there AirM. Charlie

Charlie, Check out my colors question on page 11 of this thread.  Rand helped me out with that question for my F-4C, it could apply to your F-4E. 

Rand- Glad to here that Showtime 100 may survive.  Plus, you'll have another Phantom for your shelf. 

Assembling all of these missiles and bombs makes me happy that I've never been an ordinanceman (aka BB stacker).  Here's all the subassemblies, LG doors and other assorted parts.  I decided to just post the Sidewinder pics. 

Semper Fi,

Chris

Chris,

Your Sidewinders look great! Once painted and decaled they will look like the real thing. Add a tad bit of shading around the fins on both your AIM-9's and 7's after you paint them to make them stand out on the model. Our Phantoms will have nice sharp FANGS!

Glad to hear that the F-4 may be salvaged with a new canopy. A lot of nice work needs a good canopy. BTW I have built a few Hasegawa F-4's and the kit comes with two types of wheels, regular size and larger ones for the reinforced landing gear. I have a spare  set so if you want them they are yours. Cant find them at this minute but the made it to one of my spares boxes and I can dig them out.

Steve

Thanks Steve!

If all else fails at least I have the other F-4 to fall back on just in case.

One question... Are they Navy style F-4 wheels?

Rand, the wheels come from the Hasegawa F-4J kit and they are the Navy version. The kit supplies two sets of wheels due to a modification made to reinforce the undercarage for heavy loads for carrier operations. Later j models had a bulge in the upper wing to accomidate the larger reinforcement and subsuquent larger wheel. I used the larger wheel on my marine F-4 so I have a standard size as spares.

Steve

Steve, Could you please post a picture of the wheels for me to compare size with the kit wheels? My J does have the wing bulge and I would like to see if are same size as kits wheels.

Thanks.

sidure wrote:

Rand, the wheels come from the Hasegawa F-4J kit and they are the Navy version. The kit supplies two sets of wheels due to a modification made to reinforce the undercarage for heavy loads for carrier operations. Later j models had a bulge in the upper wing to accomidate the larger reinforcement and subsuquent larger wheel. I used the larger wheel on my marine F-4 so I have a standard size as spares. Steve

All F-4J aircraft had the bulged wing and gear doors.  It was the F-4B/N and early RF-4B aircraft that had the smaller gear.  The reason the USAF wheels are different is they used an Anti Skid braking system and the Navy/Marines did not.  The brake housing was totally different so different wheels had to be used.  You could not take the USAF type wheel and put it on a Navy Phantom because there was no way to mount it. 

Air Master Modeler wrote:

ilovef-4 wrote: Glad to see you go the info you needed there Air Master. Great job on the cockpit and the mating of the bride and groom. Update on my F-4E, rescribed panel lines on th fuselage halfs and ordered intakes, wheels and int/ext detail kits. Also cleaned up some ugly pieces on the wings and slabs. I will post pics as soon as I get batteries to take pics. Still looking for info about the aircraft that I plan on doing. I was wondering how you made the heads on the M-9 missiles. Charlie Ahhhhh, Young padwan, making clear seeker heads for AIM-9 Sidewinders is easy! 1. Take the clear sprue that your models canopy parts came on and cut off some of the rounded plastic that the held the parts to the sprue tree, cut off about 1/16" of an inch from the sprue. Use a razor saw blade to cut them. You may want cut more than you need just incase the carpet monster gets hungry he will have snack. Now file down the flat ends and set them aside. 2. Get your AIM-9's out and cut 1/16th" off the tip and file tip flat. 3. Take some super glue (CA) and glue the clear rounded pieces to the missile tips and secure it by brushing on some more Super Glue (CA) at the tip and let it cure. 4. After CA has cured take 400 grit sand paper and sand sides flush to the missile shaft and the tip sanded round,  5. Next take a 4 grit nail polishing stick and polish only the tips untill they're clear as glass, start with the Buff grit and work down to the Polish grit. 6. Paint your missile accordingly but dont paint the top tip on the missile. Mask off the tip before painting.  7. Viola, Realistic looking missile seeker heads on your AIM-9's. Before adding stripes brush on some Future or gloss coat the missile. I used decals for missile stripes and they will adhere better to a glossy smooth surface, and seal decals with gloss coat after and mask tips again before spraying on a clear dull coat. Let me remind you that I have been doing this for years and perfected my technique so, if you make a mistake keep working at it until you get it right. Patience and persistace will pay off. This is the way I do it and hope this helps you toward getting them looking like the real thing.

Sorry guys, but the AIM-9 seaker heads were not clear.  They were tinted to prevent damage to the GCU from bright sunlight.  I paint mine by using 50% royal blue, 50% violet with one drop of gold.  That is the closest I can come to the color used on the Sidewinder. 

OK Guys, here is my progress on on the Crusader.  My camera always makes the grays darker than they really are.  The pit details are decals.  Use Tamiya and Model Master Acryils.  Have to wet sand then future so i can put some of the decals on before i can put the missile racks on.  Enjoy

Berny,

Just to clarify, is the tint blue or violet? I am asking because I just tested this on the AIM-9's for my Phantom and mixed in a few drop of future to make it look transparent and it came out as transparent violet-blue. Is this correct?

berny13 wrote:

You need to use a very dark blue, such as royal blue.  The lens should be a darker color of blue/violet.

Berny, Thanks! Your knowlege of the Phantom is awesome and I always enjoy your advice.

OK guys... The Almighty Guru and Omnipotent Ali Babba of Phabulous Phantoms has spoken! Get those seeker heads tinted!

That's an ORDER!

Mist086 wrote:

OK Guys, here is my progress on on the Crusader.  My camera always makes the grays darker than they really are.  The pit details are decals.  Use Tamiya and Model Master Acryils.  Have to wet sand then future so i can put some of the decals on before i can put the missile racks on.  Enjoy

Mist,

If you dont mind some critique here is a little advice. Go back over re-sand the front section top of IP hood and ahead of that near nose, I can still see where you puttied. Paint over the red stripes on the sidewinders and instead, using old decals cut some black and yellow decals into strips 1/2" long by 1/32" wide and apply those. This will give those AIM-9's a more realistic look.