Navy Bird

Thanks, Mark - that would be immensely helpful. Let me know when/if you find the magazine and then I'll send you a PM. Cheers, Bill

The old Hawk kit? Go for it! Cheers, Bill

Nice craftsmanship so far! This is giving me some ideas for my 1:72 kit that is languishing in my stash... Cheers, Bill

Some "exhausting" work this evening: First, the cool gubbins for inside the cans: Verlinden did a nice job with the detail on these PE parts. The true test, though, will be to see if they actually fit! The curve of the arc and the overall length of the piece need to be nigh on perfect. If the length is off, the ends of the PE will overlap (or show a gap) and if the curve isn't right, the edges of the PE won't line up with the edges of the plastic. No need to worry, Verlinden nailed it: I think it looks a lot better with the PE! What colour should the inside of the exhausts be? I do not think that the Spook had the characteristic white interior that you see on many modern jets. I've looked into a few Phantoms at air shows back in the 80s and they had sooty black exhausts, IIRC. I'll probably make the inside a dark metallic colour. I'm also spending some time on stuff like the gear doors, tyres, canopies, etc. Not much fun there. Cheers, Bill

Thanks guys! The question about the red and white A&AEE Javelin was more for me to learn about the differences in the Mk.9 as opposed to the Mk.7. I don't really have my heart set on making the fancy one! That said, didn't Airfix release a Mk.9 version of this Heller kit? Did they change the fuselage sprues? Cheers, Bill

Ouch! I don't like hearing that, I hope you mend well and soon! Cheers, Bill

Thanks! It took several sessions over several days, but mostly to allow for the setting solutions to do their work. There are not a lot of decals to put on, it's just a lot of time fettling with them for final position, etc. For example, the blue areas consist of just five decals (not counting the splitters which are painted). I started with the two around the cockpit, in order to make sure the cockpit outline aligned properly. I was concerned that the spine decal would be an issue, since it had to align with the two decals on the front and the base of the vertical tail on the aft end. I shouldn't have worried, the spine decal fit perfect! Thanks! I think it will turn out OK. I'm always going to think it isn't finished without those stencils - I'm fighting the urge to find an aftermarket sheet and put them on anyway! Yeah, I hate thick stickers like T-Rex hates doing push-ups. Cheers, Bill PS. I'm not sure I'll have enough time to finish this before the deadline, but I'll do my best!

Thanks again! I was just perusing the kit again, and I found resin drop tanks and ventral tanks hiding amongst the sprues. I suppose they were part of the Maintrack conversion as the resin appear identical. The fancy red and white Javelin (XH897) is a Mk.9 isn't it? To make that from this kit would require new wings, reheaters, etc.? I should probably stick to the Mk.7, and will investigate aftermarket stickers. The decal sheet in my copy of this kit is pretty old and likely not useful. Cheers, Bill

There may have been some swearing involved, but step back and look at what you have created - this will be one of the nicest Tracker models on the planet! Cheers, Bill

Thanks, guys. I wanted to make sure there wasn't some "un-buildable" aspect to the Heller kit (or the Maintrack conversion) before I started. Sounds like it may be the best way to get an F(AW) Javelin in the gentleman's scale. Whose bang seats were used in the Javelin? Stever219 is right, the kit seats are pretty basic. Maybe there are aftermarket seats available? Anyone have any good recommendations for references on the Javelin that would help this deprived Yankee modeller? Cheers, Bill EDIT - This site has a history of Javelin ejections - it seems Martin Baker Mk. 3J and 3JS seats were used in most production aircraft. Mk. 2 seats were used in the prototypes and early production.

Stickers! Yes, stickers indeed. The decal sheet that proudly announced "Realised By Cartograf" certainly didn't act like any Cartograf decals that I've ever used. Perhaps "Realised" meant that Cartograf designed the decal sheet. I think I could go for that, as there weren't many fit problems - the size and shape of the markings match the model precisely. The problem is that the decals are quite thick, and don't like to nestle down into the nooks and crannies. In other words, they acted like typical Hasegawa (or Tamiya) decalcomania. Ugh. Gallons of decal solvent if you've been there. Somehow, though, I got them on: I cut away portions of the decals that I knew had no chance of ever snuggling down - places like the air inlet on the base of the fin and the antenna fairing at the rear of the fin. These areas were painted after the decals were applied. I used Gunze H322 Phtalo Cyanine Blue as it's a pretty good match. I also substituted slime lights from a Monogram ProModeller (Scalemaster) sheet as I felt the colour was better (a yellow green instead of yellow). There are no stencils provided with the kit, and that makes this Spook look absolutely naked. Phantoms are covered in stencils - but this plane at this moment in time didn't have any. I don't see any of the typical F-4 stencils in the photos of this specially painted aircraft. So I guess I'm off the hook and don't have to add any? I'm also debating whether I should use a semi-gloss or flat top coat. I suspect it was somewhat shiny, but the photos don't show a real glossy surface. I'll probably go with semi-gloss tending towards flat. Here is the aircraft recently at the Aviation Museum of Kentucky with all of its evil and naughty paintwork removed. Looks like some fading while it was sitting outside in the sun too. As I mentioned previously, it has since been moved indoors. Cheers, Bill

Hi mates, I managed to acquire the above items from a vendor at a model show for a pretty nice price (I think). He only wanted $5, so I figured what the heck, even though I know nothing about this kit or the resin conversion. I suspect, though, that there are some Britmodellers here who know all about these items. So... Good kit or not? The resin (cockpit/nose and tail/exhaust section) looks pretty basic but will probably get the job done. There is a vacuform canopy as well. Let me know the good, bad, and the ugly. I'd love to have a 1:72 Javelin in the collection, and I figure building this kit/conversion will be the fastest way to ensure that Airfix scale down their exquisite 1:48 Javelin. Cheers, Bill

I should have some photos soon - the stickers are just about finished, and she's looking quite, how shall we say, colourful! Cheers, Bill PS. I've found out that this aircraft is currently at the Aviation Museum of Kentucky and has been moved indoors after having been out on the tarmac for quite some time. Kentucky is part of the "Bible Belt" here in the US so I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that all markings having to do with the Devil or scantily clad women have been removed from the aircraft. Even the serial numbers (must have been a demonic code) have been removed. Oddly enough, the "Spook" is still on the fuselage sides and the name "Phantom" appears on the placard.

You guys have probably already seen this, but here is one wife's perspective: http://www.starshipmodeler.com/perspective.htm I'm very lucky that my wifey feels almost exactly the same way. Except for the "inexpensive" part. I haven't convinced her of that yet! Cheers, Bill

You won't be disappointed. I've had mine for several months (whenever it was when it first came out in the US) and it doesn't have any of the mould damage issues that have delayed it since then. It's a beautiful kit. I only wish I would have had the time to build it by now! Cheers, Bill

Nice work, Cookie! I really like your posing the Spook and Lightning together, they make a great contrast. Two very "functional" looking aircraft - love them both! Cheers, Bill

Yes, sah! Just placed an order for a red one from UMM-USA, along with a whole lot of other stuff that I'm told I don't need. But what does wifey know? The price from UMM was OK, $40. Cheers, Bill PS. Methinks I'll put paint on this one! EDIT: I received the kit, and the General's advice was well taken. This is one superb set of resin castings, they should be framed and hung on the wall at the Louvre. I received the Black and Gold kit by mistake - I thought about keeping it, but it wouldn't look right without John Player Lotus decals. I sent it back and got the Red and Green version. Now the big question is...red or green?

I think only the early A models had working glove vanes. They were deactivated on A, A+ and D (rebuilt) models, and omitted on new build B and D models. If VFA-103guy still peruses these parts, he can tell us more. Or perhaps Tailspin Turtle can comment, he knows more about this stuff than I ever will. Cheers, Bill

Holy Frijole! That's a lot of models! But what are those near the bottom that don't have any wings? Cheers, Bill

Tony, I have to ask. How many built models in your collection? Cheers, Bill

Exactly. "Bolted in closed position" was what prompted my question. A model of an F-14A could have them posed open, in which case the separate parts for the glove vanes (including the pivot) make sense. Personally, I think it would be great if Fine Molds did a normal, boxed release of the F-14A after they finish up with the Model Graphix F-14D. Lots of beautiful, colourful schemes for those early 'Cats. Cheers, Bill PS. I wish Fine Molds had chosen to offer the wings with deployed slats and flaps. Since I don't have Part 3 yet (which includes the wings) I don't know if they can be modelled in "oversweep." I think it would be nice if they could.

Hi mates, All that masking for a tiny strip of blue around the lip of the intakes! And while I was at it, I painted the coaming and the canopy sill flat black. Remember, at some point I have to add the Verlinden PE piece on the canopy sill, but portions of the plastic will show through. I thought it would be easier to paint them separately. I suspect the Verlinden piece will be added at the very end. I also painted the splitters blue, and I will add them shortly. Just a little touch-up first. I used Gunze H322 Phtalo Cyanine Blue as it is a very close match to the blue in the decal sheet. Hasegawa recommends Gunze C110 Character Blue (which I think is a rattle can) but I don't have any. Several areas on the fuselage will need to be painted, as decals are not provided. I've been thinking about the front of the fuselage where the radar will go. We've already seen the Verlinden PE that will be used as a base for the resin yoke, and I think I've got a good idea of the colours to be used there thanks to my friends here on BM. That PE part has some areas where the underlying plastic will be seen, and that's why I added the "plug" up front. As everyone probably knows, the radar unit pulls out of the fuselage for service. I think I will paint the front "plug" a dark grey to provide an illusion that you can see inside. Now that the intake lip has been painted blue, I can add the RHAW antennae to the upper part of the intakes. I left these off until now so that it would be easier to mask the intake lip. But what a place for sinkholes! Nothing that a few molecules of putty can't fix. A somewhat delicate sanding job though. Still thinking about whether I should do a panel line wash. It appears that this aircraft was painted fresh in this scheme as part of the retiring of the F-4 from this squadron. I believe the aircraft became a gate guard afterwards. The photos show a very clean bird. For what it's worth, here is one of the photos that led me to believe the fuel dump was left natural metal. The more I look at this photo, I think it is natural metal on this bird. This is what looks like a nice bicentennial scheme on an F-4N from VF-151 off the USS Midway. The fuel dump certainly isn't red or white (the tail colours) and it's much darker than the Light Gull Gray. VF-151 often had a tail with black at the bottom, but this fuel dump doesn't look black either. It looks to me like it's the same as the natural metal at the rear of the aircraft. Interestingly enough, Hasegawa have you paint the fuel dump silver for the VF-151 scheme in kit Ka2. Weird. I think they all did this just to confuse me! Cheers, Bill

No, I don't usually use a primer. I'm lazy. For me, Model Master paints have a habit of clogging the tip on my airbrush (especially the flat colours) so I've been using Mr. Color Leveling Thinner with them. I find that really helps, but it will prolong the drying time a bit since the Leveling Thinner is essentially a retarder. Cheers, Bill

Thanks for the clarification. Another hazard of trying to interpret USN F-4 black and white photos on my part! Cheers, Bill