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Hi guys, long time no see. I am
with a Phantom this time. I hope you all like it.
There are many articles and
reviews about his kit, so I think I would keep this less detailed and just name
some joints which I consider interesting and worth discussing. I admit that this
kit is one of the highest quality in the market. It's one piece fuselage and
wings are really impressive. Well, it's a shame that I built this kit this late.
But it's better than never.
This Phantom is finished some
half year ago. Actually I built a total of two. The story is that while I
finished the fuselage of the first one and was spraying the final semi-gloss
clear over the model, the clear cracked all over. I guess it is because I
sprayed in a hot humid place and then took it into an air-conditioned room. The
paint couldn't accommodate the temperature change so it cracked. I could not
think of a way to make it good. CC bought me a new one which is the one you are
looking at. The sad thing is I could not save the BlackBox cockpit installed in
the scraped one.
| BlackBox cockpit
is highly recommended, though what you see here is only the ejection
seats. The seats are further enchanced with Eduard photo etched parts.
They look great. |
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| Eduard set is
also used to replace the original instrument panels.
I used the new color photo
etched set originally designed for F-4E. With a little modification, it
looks satisfactory in this J model. |
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Other Eduard parts are used to
modify the exhaust nozzles, canopies, landing gears, landing gear bays,
parachute bay, steps, weapon pylons, and the bombs. I have also scratch made
some parts to make the cockpit bulkhead looks busy.
Eduard placards provided a very
convenient way to detail the MERs, landing gear bays, and cockpit.
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Here is a list of the aftermarket
parts I used :
- (a) BlackBox set #CS32001 F-4J
Phantom II;
- (b) Yellowhammer decal sheet
#YHD32-03 F-4J VFMA-235 "Death Angels";
- (c) Eduard photo etched part
#32041 F-4J Phantom II;
- (d) Eduard photo etched part
#32072 F-4E Phantom II interior set;
- (e) Eduard photo etched part
#32074 F-4E Phantom II Armament Set;
- (f) Eduard photo etched part
#32509 F-4 Phantom II Placards;
- (g) The Gunsmoke Range,
Flightpath, 1/32nd Scale AIM-7 Sparrow Missile Set;
- (h) The Funsmoke Range,
Flightpath, 1/32nd Scale AIM9L/M/R/S Sidewinder Missile Set; and
- (i) Clear plastic lens of
2.5mm dia. for missile seeker lens.
I only loaded ordnance on one
side, so I have two different looks with one single model.
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| Contrary to the
famous detail of this kit, intake duct is what this kit is notorious for.
Even with Cutting Edge intake, I couldn't make the inside of the ducts
smooth. I believe this is the reason people preferred to cover it with FOD
covers. However, production of 1/32 FOD covers has stopped. May be there
is only a few people building this kit now so aftermarket manufacturers
found it not economical to produce this item. So I made a pair by myself
with plastic sheet and Eduard 1/48 FOD set. The result is acceptable. |
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The decal I used is of
Yellowhammer. It's VFMA-235 Death Angels. I really like the red radome with
white stars.
Here I want to thank Mr. Paul
Osborne who gave me a lot of information and advice on my work. I've made
modification according to his advice and I could now confidently tell you all
" This is how she looked in 1972 ! ". There is only one thing which is
still outstanding - the correction on dihedral angle of the outer wings. Please
forgive me, Paul.
Last, the most important one,
thanks CC !
Douglas
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