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F-4J (UK) Phantom


Shaun

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  • 2 weeks later...

Would anyone happen to have a template for the underside wing/fuselage strengthening strap that the F-4J(UK)s had? I vaguely recall someone posted the template on a thread on Britmodeller but I've had no luck with the search! :(

Thanks in advance.

Graham

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Would anyone happen to have a template for the underside wing/fuselage strengthening strap that the F-4J(UK)s had? I vaguely recall someone posted the template on a thread on Britmodeller but I've had no luck with the search! :(

Thanks in advance.

Graham

Off the top of my head I think one of the 1/48th scale kits has them included, otherwise I'm sure they're available as aftermarket. There was a thread over on ARC which I can't find either, so in the meantime, how about these:

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/DougC4/lowerfuselageplates_zps1d09bc50.jpg

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/DougC4/F-4JampSstrengtheningstrap2_zpsa35cdea5.jpg

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/DougC4/plates_zps231a76d9.jpg

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o641/DougC4/F-4JampSstrengtheningstrap1_zpsba6906a0.jpg

Hope that helps!

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The strap is included in the 48th Hasegawa F-4S kits.

Plans are in Jake Melampys Modern Phantom Guide but worst case, pictures of the Hasegawa strap are included in the above links that could be scaled using the kit parts next to it.

Edited by Dr Evil
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  • 2 weeks later...

Going back to the original colour topic .... all will be revealed in Vol2 of the British Phantom to be released at Telford in November.

The overhauled aircraft were painted at NARF North Island in a glossy three-grey finish which attempted to match RAF specifications. The Barley Grey substitute for upper surfaces was close in appearance to Flint Gray and the Medium Sea Grey substitute for the inner upper wings was close to Neutral Grey, while the Light Aircraft Grey substitute for the lower surfaces was close to Light Gull Grey. Nine aircraft had an odd appearance, with the upper colour having a blue-turquoise tint. One oddity was ZE355/F904 ....

This was the result of a primer paint specification being misunderstood by the Mexican manufacturers. In the USA and on arrival in the UK, all carried a NARF F numbers starting with 901 on the forward facing nose gear door.

The colours were difficult to distinguish in less than ideal sunny conditions. All 15 had a dual coloured radome, with a horizontal grey division line on the lower portion of the radome. All aircraft were later repainted in the UK during deep maintenance with the standard primer and colours common to the FG.1 and FGR.2 three-grey air defence finish.

Pat Martin

Well, I'm certainly looking forward to Volume 2 Pat!! Volume 1 is superb - well done!!

I'd also take issue about all 15 being re-painted in 'proper' RAF colours. There was one 'parked' at RAF Manston for some time after their retirement, best colour match I could describe for its 'Flint Grey' areas would be 'Eau-de-Nil', though the sky was also that colour that summers day!!!

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  • 2 months later...

Finally finished my Tamiya 1/32 F-4J(UK) after nearly 18 years in progress! :)

The list of extras is as follows:

Avionics/Black Box F-4J Cockpit Set

AMS Baggage Pods

Eduard F-4 Phantom Placards
Eduard F-4J Detail Set
Eduard Brassin F-4 Ejection Seats
Eduard Brassin F-4 Wheels
Master F-4 Pitot/AOA Probes
Nautilus Models F-4 Reinforcing Plates
Quickboost F-4 Intake Blanks
Yellowhammer F-4J(UK) decals
Painted with Xtracolor enamels and weathered with Promodeller and Humbrol washes and powders.

photo3-3.jpg

photo2-4.jpg

photo4-1-1.jpg

photo3-2.jpg

photo2-3.jpg

photo1-4.jpg

Graham

Edited by ghaynes
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If of any use I just realised in the walkaround section we have many pics of F-4J (UK) Phantom ZE360 (Oscar), originally DoD Bu number 155574, pics taken at the Manston Fire Training Centre by Alex (Akcy190) This is one of only 2 F-4J(UK) aircraf to survive, the other being in Duxford in USN paint.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/77085-mcdonnell-f-4-phantom-ii/

Julien

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Does anyone know which airframes were repainted in standard RAF colours?

I only ever photographed three F4J(UK)s. Only one was in standard RAF colours:

ZE351 / I : Standard RAF colours, St Mawgan 1987:

9776856831_eba1dd8f37_c.jpg

9781813454_0ac09778af_c.jpg

ZE359 / J : Original colours, St Mawgan 1987:

9764194933_12defb8035_c.jpg

9781974543_f44a395d15_c.jpg

ZE353 / E ; Original colours, Waddington 1990

10104059744_4f4d07da25_c.jpg

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I only ever photographed three F4J(UK)s. Only one was in standard RAF colours:

ZE351 / I : Standard RAF colours, St Mawgan 1987:

9776856831_eba1dd8f37_c.jpg

9781813454_0ac09778af_c.jpg

This one is also in the original colours (although it has a replacement radome in standard RAF colour). The tell tale sign is the lack of full colour ejection seat warning triangles and other full colour stencilling. The only ones I saw repainted when I was based at Wattisham were ZE354/R, ZE361/P and ZE364/Z.

Graham

Edited by ghaynes
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If I remember rightly only one F-4(UK) came through major when I was at St Athan (leaving Oct 89), even though there was a dedicated team for these aircraft, where the resprays would have been carried out.

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I can heartily recommend all of Ian Black's books, I have most and they are terrific photographic essays of the RAF in the grand old days of the cold war. The latter Desert Air Force and Desert Fist are terrific too. You can pick some of the books up on Amazon for sometimes as little as 1p plus postage or a couple of quid second hand. Obviously a very accomplished aviator but also an extremely talented photographer.

I will be embarking on the F4JUK road soon, apart from the Hasegawa any suggestions on a good base model to work with, as the Hassey's cost a damn lot. I have the Xtradecal 74 Sqn history decal set which includes the F4J plus some UK Phantoms and Spits and other good stuff. The FG's are on the way from Hobbylink, worked out a nats under £15 each including postage for the RN FG1 edition (includes RAF options too). Was out of stock but ready to ship a few days under two weeks from order.

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Well, my advice when building an F-4J(UK) is not to use lacquer thinner to thin enamels for an enamel wash over acrylics. Don't ask me how I learned.

Welcome to the (fortunately small) ranks of modelbuilding's unintentional pioneers. I joined by using Testors liquid plastic cement to thin Xtracolors enamel; it worked well enough that I painted the undersides of two Spitfires before I realized something was wrong, maybe when I tried to clean the airbrush. I've had no trouble with the paint flaking off, though...

John

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  • 2 months later...

So what acrylic grey should I use for a repainted jet in RAF greys?

I use Xtracrylix Barley Grey and Xtracrylix Medium Sea Grey for for the upper fuselage and wingtips, and Xtracrylix Light Aircraft Grey for the underbelly. Alternately you can use paints from the Gunze Aqueous range: Barley Grey (H334) and Medium Sea Grey (H335) and Light Aircraft Grey (H332).

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I will be embarking on the F4JUK road soon, apart from the Hasegawa any suggestions on a good base model to work with, as the Hassey's cost a damn lot. I have the Xtradecal 74 Sqn history decal set which includes the F4J plus some UK Phantoms and Spits and other good stuff. The FG's are on the way from Hobbylink, worked out a nats under £15 each including postage for the RN FG1 edition (includes RAF options too). Was out of stock but ready to ship a few days under two weeks from order.

What scale ?

If 1/72, you could look for the now OOP Esci F-4J kit that was also issued with RAF decals. The Fujimi kit is maybe even slightly better, although both lack a good cockpit. The Monogram kit was very good but with raised panel lines.

In 1/48 scale I'd go to the trouble of rescribing the monogram kit, better than the Esci one. This however was recently reboxed by Italeri and has RAF markings from the box

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