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1/48 Hasegawa RF-4E Phantom II


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For next project, I'm going to build an RF-4E Phantom II. The scheme will be one the Hellenic Air Force's Anniversary schemes. This one is from 2005, and seen at RIAT that year.
I've got Ioannis Lekkas' superb Under the Skin book, as reference source, and there'll be Eduard seats, and Aires nozzles used.
The HAF took delivery of 2 different versions of the RF-4E, the original US was sourced, and then some ex-Luftwaffe jets, of which this build is an example.  There are some minor differences between the two, and this will be taken into account through the build.


30745787240_fbc40438f0.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

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I've made a start on the cockpit. This will be OOB, as the detail is very good. The Eduard seats are brilliant, with lots of shiny, coloured PE. :)

31346587500_b113d29b0e.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

31726139945_3b2c3bc558.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

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So these Eduard Brassin seats. Astonishing! Detail level, of the resin, is very good, add to that the amount of PE there is, and I've great hopes for the end result.
Main seat frame is black. This was then drybrushed with a mid-grey, and then some Aluminium to finish off.
I've airbrushed the seats cushions. The head restraint and seat base are Olive Drab, and the seat backs are a lighter tone. They were then finished off by drybrushing the cushions with a very pale mix of Olive Drab.
Next up will be the PE........cover me, I'm going in!!

 

31352931720_a792e74deb.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

 

31688476016_63631ca071.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

Edited by Wee Beastie
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Just a small update today. 
The ejector seats are now complete. Done in a number of short sessions, all the belts are individual (argh, the eye strain!). 
The main belts came printed a light blue, so I've repainted those a light khaki, as per the reference photos I've got of the Greek Phantoms.

 

31753343256_90bc5b53d2.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

 

31446274060_524a1a5010.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've now finished the cockpit, and it's all ready to fit into the fuselage. I am using the kit supplied parts, as the detail is pretty good. The kit comes with 3 different instrument panel options, so I have picked the front & rear panels that closely match the Hellenic ones.
The seats have also been test fitted too.

32057043246_973038dc67.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

31285653273_c9869bbdb0.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

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With the cockpit done for now, I'm starting to make some progress on the fuselage.

This photo shows the difference between US sourced RF-4's (bottom wing pictured), and the ex-Luftwaffe ones.  Reference source, Phantom Under the Skin Vol II, by Ioannis Lekkas.

31808882330_49c424302d.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr


These next two photo's show the difference before, and after the alteration made to the wing tip.

32035608352_cdf429bc06.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

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There was a rectangular "lump" on the wings upper surface, which has been removed, filled and sanded back, then panel lines re-scribed.

32065845871_cf2d598acd.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr


The are no slime lights on the ex-Luftwaffe Phantoms.  This is easy to rectify, as they are engraved into the fuselage halves.  So, I skimmed with filler, and sanded down, and they are now dealt with.  Also, some of the gaps have been filled too.

31342615024_240ed20435.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr


Intake mouths added. Aires resin nozzles assembled, which will be fitted after painting.

32035608272_2d7ee3b702.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

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Ian..

 

OMG.... Those seat are one of  the BEST  I have ever seen and the Cockpit and instrument  panel is SO real .   :yikes:

 

SUPERB workmanship  ... MY favorite jet too.

 

keep up the excellent work. 

 

:yikes::worthy:

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Made another small alteration, this time to the rear-most camera bay's lower viewing window. 
The ex-US supplied Phantoms had a wide, rectangular, window (first photo), whereas the ex-Luftwaffe jets had a narrower window, which protruded out.
So I've cut off a piece of clear plastic sprue, cut it to shape & size. Painted the inner surface Tamiya Clear Orange, to represent the camera lens, then cemented it lengthways over the original window (subsequent 3 photo's), and masked it off.
The last photo shows everything ready for priming, now all the remaining antenna, etc, have been attached.


32196213556_b15edfd84f.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

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Hi Jens

Thank you for the information Jens, but I am using an RF-4E kit, and far as could see there isn't an option on the nose cone.  Also, the shape looks ok to me.  

There is a distinct lack of RF-4 kits out there, the E version the only one I could source, so I'm doing the best I can. Perhaps if you have a spare RF-4B, or RF-4C, the C preferably as the the HAF RF-4's are early E's (info I was given by a source in the HAF), I'd gladly make the changes. 

I am intending to build another HAF schemed RF-4E, at a later date, but after several months of waiting for the correct kit, I bought the version I have here, and decided to do what I could. It may be that I will have to do the same again for building the second one. :)

Cheers

Ian

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Small update. 
Black primed all the necessaries on Tuesday morning. 
Yesterday morning, I tried some "marbling" pre-shading. Not tried this method before, but I've seen it done by some of you fellow modellers, so thought I'd try it. What do you think?

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On 11/1/2017 at 8:24 AM, Wee Beastie said:

Hi Jens

Thank you for the information Jens, but I am using an RF-4E kit, and far as could see there isn't an option on the nose cone.  Also, the shape looks ok to me.  

There is a distinct lack of RF-4 kits out there, the E version the only one I could source, so I'm doing the best I can. Perhaps if you have a spare RF-4B, or RF-4C, the C preferably as the the HAF RF-4's are early E's (info I was given by a source in the HAF), I'd gladly make the changes. 

I am intending to build another HAF schemed RF-4E, at a later date, but after several months of waiting for the correct kit, I bought the version I have here, and decided to do what I could. It may be that I will have to do the same again for building the second one. :)

Cheers

Ian

 

There is a general lack of Phantom kits on the market because they are all in my basement. ;)

Joking aside, the original Greek RF-4Es are Block 66/FY77 airframes, while the ex-German ones are Block 46-47/FY69 airframes. The block 66 airframes are unique in that they are the only RF-4s with slatted wings.

Jens

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18 hours ago, Jens said:

 

There is a general lack of Phantom kits on the market because they are all in my basement. ;)

Joking aside, the original Greek RF-4Es are Block 66/FY77 airframes, while the ex-German ones are Block 46-47/FY69 airframes. The block 66 airframes are unique in that they are the only RF-4s with slatted wings.

Jens

 

Hi Jens

 

Yes I was aware of the slatted wings on the Block 66 jets.  These were the ones originally supplied by the USAF.  The Phantom Under The Skin reference book show these, and other slight differences, too.

And you're right about the lack of Phantom kits.  Having said that, since I replied to previous post, Lucky Model have had some new stocks of Hasegawa 1/48 Phantoms in! So, I've ordered the RF-4E "Hellenic Special Scheme", which is the correct version of the RF-4E, and it's in the other scheme I won't to do too!  Very happy :D

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Now for a bit of colour!
I bought Hataka's HAF pt1 paint set, which has the 3 colours for this scheme, plus the colours for SEA coloured schemes they have. I had heard some mixed reports about these paints, but Hataka changed their formula last year, which improved the paints. This set is one of those improved sets. I had no problem with them, and although designed specifically for airbrushing, I still thinned them down (3 pts paint, to 1 pt thinner - 18psi). Paint went on very well, and covered well too.
Field Green ( FS34095 / RAL6003) applied first, then the Dark Green (FS34079). Black Grey (RAL702) will be the last colour to be applied.
All free-hand, no masking! Took the plunge, and it seems have gone ok........... so far!


32288598005_6f1aac2509.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

32288598575_4c352a9abe.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

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Got the last of the camo colour on. I'm still happy with the way the Hataka paints have turned out.
Nose cone sprayed too, after fitting the Master Model pitot tube.
Also started on the tail colours, starting with the dark blue. The forward part of the tail fin will be light blue.

31465402674_9ab7cf60c7.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

31465402754_97e8857ca9.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr


 

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Some careful masking, and the lighter blue tail colour is on, and I've also sprayed the exposed metal area around the exhaust area, and the bare metal on the tail stabilisers. This has been done with different Vallejo Metal Colours.
The excellent Aires resin exhaust nozzles are painted, and weathered too. They just need a varnish to seal them.

31996270050_894edd45e2.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

32373494095_5e7bbaa7c7.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

32373493485_011d1f9899.jpgUntitled by ian gaskell, on Flickr

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