Hasegawa 1/48 Phantom F4J

[colin]

Can anyone recommend a resin replacement cockpit for the above, I know Aires do one, but I'm not fully recovered from using one of theirs on a build sometime ago.

Just want one that will fit without too much cutting/sanding/swearing etc

Thanks

[Tiger331]

I know the feeling after struggling with both their (Aires) 'Designed for the Hasegawa kit' (not) cockpit detail sets (CDS) for the A-4E Skyhawk and F-104G Starfighter !. As I now understand it, they have improved in recent years but I suspect their F-4J Phantom II cockpit for the Hasegawa kit (appreciating the vintage of the kit) still fits into the former category. IIRC, Legend of South Korea do a CDS for the Hasegawa kit and I also seem to recall that both Cutting Edge and Avionix (Black Box) did similar. The advantage, for me, in using these sets is that they are all-resin. I do not always get on with photo-etched and far prefer to paint moulded in resin detail, even if it is more difficult. The Legend set is still available although their distribution can be a bit haphazard. The Cutting Edge/Avionix sets are currently out of production but occasionally appear on auction sites etc, especially since many modellers have now 'traded in' their Hasegawa F-4Js for the newer Academy offering.

HTH

[XV571]

Hi Colin,

Try the True Details set 48517: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/TD48517 .This is based on the basic Hasegawa tub with improved details such as sidewalls and sills. This should be a more-or-less drop in replacement. For me the Black Box/Avionix sets are still among the best F-4 cockpits since they have the correct, near vertical, rear bulkhead and rails for the ejection seats. You may even be lucky as I'm sure that Squadron (who now own both the True Details and Avionix lines) are starting to use the latter versions in True Details packaging. I have a TD F-4E set that is remarkably similar to the BB/Av sets but has the original instructions for the Hasegawa style cockpit!

My experience with the Aires F-4 sets is that you have to sand the cockpit floor wafer thin and remove as much material as possible around the upper edge of the cockpit and the resin sidewalls. This moves the cockpit up and allows clearance to the nosewheel well. You may have to fair it in around the sills but so far I've managed it on a FGR2 and a couple of F-4Js being converted to a F-4C and F-4D. I've even got the RF-4B set to fit in my Academy F-4B conversion using the Avionix RF-4 nose .

HTH,

Jonathan

[Ben Brown]

If I'm not mistaken, the True Details F-4 cockpits are the old KMC pits. The master maker is the same guy who owned Black Box/Avionix, and is now employed by Squadron. I just installed a KMC J pit into a Hasegawa kit. It fit well, without much fuss. It isn't as accurate as the Aires pit (it doesn't have the correct vertical aft bulkhead in the rear cockpit) but it doesn't cause headaches and swearing when you try to install it, either. The casting quality of the True Details stuff was below average for a while, but the most recent set I bought was fine.

HTH.

Ben