Well I have made it to the office and made a start on my Phantom. I was going to do the Yellow Bird markings But a few of you had already mentioned doing it so I've gone for the only operational Phantom unit 892 SQN.

It was originally intended that two operational Naval squadrons should be equipped, one each for HMS Ark Royal and HMS Eagle. However, for political reasons, the refitting of Eagle was cancelled so 892 Sqn was the only operational one formed, and operated these Phantoms from March 1969 to December 1978.
Here's the kit


I have added some fuse wire to liven things up a bit

Next I have put the intakes on but the cooler intakes on the nose needed to be shaped in as you can see in the next pic

Now I'm of to make the HUD and liven up the area after being inspired by Gary's great work on his.

Nice to see another toom on the go, and an F4K to boot!

If HMS Eagle Had got its Phantom squadron I wouldn't have worked on F-4Ks (FG1) in the RAF.

I think that Revell or Airfix could do with doing a new tool british F4 in 1/72, as the fujimi kits whilst excellent are just too hard to get hold of.

keep up the progress reports Phil.

Cheers,

troffa

You don't hang around do ya Phil - cor blimey guvnor, don't you know, don't you know.

Whats the kits number Phil? Early kits had the 2 fuselage auxilliary door's in the wrong place, closed lower speedbrake and dodgy Spey burner cans...whereas later kits had all of these recitified. AND well worth looking out for Quickboost MB Mk 7 seats too.........

Well now that Models For Sale are importing Fujimi kits perhaps they will become more readily available.

I sold the last of mine a couple of years back when I made the switch to 1/48 scale, now I'm concentrating on 1/32 but I doubt we'll ever get a British Phantom in that scale so I might just hang on to my Hasegawa kits.

Not if the Trumpeter rumours are true.......

Sadly Ant, I understand that Fujimi aren't producing the "tombs" anymore- I suspect those that "Model's For Sale" have are left over stock.

BUT...someone, somewhere MUST have the tool's - be nice if someone could get a hold of them.....

They produced one last year - Alcock and Browne colour scheme - but mucked it up by including the F-4K armament/nosewheel detail

Nice start Phil - I'm watching this one closely *





*Actually I watch all Flory work closely because its ruddy marvellous

Nice one Phil - I know what you mean about those nose intakes, those and the main intakes are the only dubious parts of the whole kit fit-wise.

Nice to know it wasn't just me.

Steve.

(And guess who's got a few "in stock"!!!)

BUT Dave, the armament is fine for a Fighter - Sparrows & 'winders ( though the latter's of dubious accuracy on the FGR2 I think) and Vulcan...and how hard is it to snip off the links on the nose gear?

In fact this is a better option for a 56 Sqn A/C rather than the SNEB pods in the "Sharks Teeth" issue.

Is that 'in stock' as in for sale or in the stash Bill?

A bit of both I guess............. Certainly as I'll never build them all......

Just a small update. The cockpit done and the HUD seeing as the kit doesnt have one.

Phantastique workmanship as ever Phil.....however (ain't there always a smartarsed "however"..)
There were no F4K/FG1 "Twin-stickers", these were restricted to some FGR2's in the XTxxx range of serials, and it looks like you have the rear tub, thus equipped.
ALSO the rear right hand consul was more or less non existant. The side wall was flush (the FGR2 did have a small consul).
But..its your model...

:whistling:

Bill you shout away, there's no such thing as a smart ass.

I'm flying blind on this one so please shout out when I'm going off track.

Twin stick will be removed thanks the side console is covered by the side wall, the starboard panel and the breakers on the port side just I got carried away on the painting

The other thing is did it Carry the 600 gallon wing tanks at sea, as I'm missing one?

Next the colour The kit calls for gunship gray, I don't think so!

Ask me any thing of a Hornet, Eagle and the US grays and I'm there

That's a 1/72 scale cockpit?! WoW

Me needs to practice - LOTS!

cheers

Grant

OK I pulled the rear stick and check the joins ( if you don't no, I just brush on a coat of acrylic black, let it dry for 5 Min's and sand it off. works very well on small cracks and imperfections) A little bit of re scribing......Dam, run out of Dino tape..... and ready to attach the canopies.

Good tip using acrylic paint as filler there Phil, although I can't imagine much would stick on a kit of this quality

Coming along very nicely!


john

Catching me up Phil! Looking pretty good too. Like the extra cockpit detail.

Small update

I have masked up the canopies and put then on I use Tacky glue it's a PVA very grippy and drys completely clear.
Here's the pre shading.


and here's the main paint done. It's the Vallajo 053 Dark Sea green but is the match for 36118 Gunship grey I like it because it's more blue then gray and that's the look I'm after.
I then added a few drops of white to the paint and thinned it a bit more and went round all the panels with it to give some tonal variation.

The light was bad so I had to use the flash.

Oh and I have found out were my missing parts have been ending up

The little sod has been in the office and helped his self

Looking nice already... Like your parrot

Nice work Phil ,Looking forawrd to seeing more of this little beauty

Looking very good Phil'

Steve.

Nice bird Phil! A naughty bird by the sounds of it!

Jen.

At this rate I reckon you should be the first completed GB entry this weekend Phil?

I don't no about that Gary, but I hope to do the Exhausts in Alcad this afternoon and decaled tomorrow.

Looking great there.
Maybe the parrot is building something to enter to!!
Dave

Thanks Guy's,
Being a Macaw he is into destruction rather then contrition. He has the run of the house so he tends to grab things, take then some were quiet and destroy it.

Anyway I been at it with the Alclads and apart from me scratching a bit of when unmasking I'm very pleased with the results.
The photos don't do it justice really.






I used stainless steel for the main colour and Steel for the darker areas, Then I sprayed some burnt metal to give some heat stains.

Decaling done

Not the bet of decals as there very thick for the scale and very slightly of register. If any one else is doing one I would recommend some replacements.





Dose any one know what they carried at see. I take it they only carrier a centre line 600 gallon tank and not the wing tanks as I have yet to find a photo of one carrying all three for day to day operations. I know they would Carrie all three for deploying to too and from the ship but what about day to day load outs? Would they carrier 4 AIM-9 and 4 AIM-7? or something else.

Phil,
Maybe a replacement would carry all three tanks, if it were to meet the "boat" at sea (800+miles), but day to day ops would only carry the centreline, or the wingtanks, not both. A loadout during this period would be AIM-9Gs, or Ds, and AIM-7Es, 9 Limas came after they transferred to the RAF. How many you want is up to you. RN Phantoms could carry up to 6 1000lbers or 6 SNEB rocket launchers on the inboard pylons, as they carried a strengthened version of the TER, as well as cluster munitions. So you could do one with the wingtanks, 4 1000lb bombs on the inner wings, 2 AIM-7Es in the rear wells and 3 1000lb bombs on the centreline. Then again, Phantoms being the useful and adaptive creatures they are carried everything, in all combinations. I say just do what you think, chances are a Phantom somewhere will have carried it!
HTH, Joel

Thanks Joel,

I think I will go for A centre line tank in Gray and 4 winders and 4 sparrows.

Looking divine Phil, Can't wait to see that canopy unmasked , love the subtle weathering on the underside as well.

Nicely done Phil - was wondering what you'd do to the underside (weathering) - just about to start that area on mine and was hoping to pinch your ideas

Hi Gary,

Very simple on the bottom, a full wash with my gray dried and wiped off, then the dark brown on where you want it let it dry and then with a dry bit of kitchen roll rub it in. It take off most but give a great dirty look. The top side had a wash of the dark brown and then the gray for dirty and faded areas.
Now I'm having trouble with the little yellow marks around the canopies

Ta for the tip - might give that a go. Did you not get the "cut away" decals in the kit? Why not cut a very thin strip of Tamiya tape up into small sections and replicate them that way?

No decals for the cut ares I don't no if my eyes work on thing that small. Come back 1/48s all is forgiven

Well it's a job and a half but I've gone for Gary idea with the Tamiya tape


Now before I spend the next hour on the other canopy what do you think?

No forget it I hate it!

Right plan 'B' or is the 'H' seeing as I've tried painting it on, was even worse cut up decal , don't ask, rivet wheel with yellow paint rolled on,

Then it need some mirrors

Phil,

Which ever route you choose, remember these "dashes" are positioned right where the glass meets the frame. Probably a bit higher than you have them there.

I have some decals that would probably work for this - Yellow dashes from a 1.72 kit. PM me yoir address and I'll post them off to you straight away.

Just a thought.....I've used solid yellow decal strip (Xtradecal - good local hobby shops @ £1.50) and painted sections in the canopy frame colour with some success in the past.......

Looking nice very nice
Can't resist a great looking Phantom

Thanks for the offer Gary, But I've gone for a solid line in Tamiya tape.

I think it came out OK.
I'm still learning how to do all the little bits on 1/72 that I did on 1/48's and above. Lots of the little things you do on 1/48s wont work on 1/72s

Looks better - one tiny thing. Early Phantoms did not have the rear view mirror on top of the Naviagtors canopy - just in case?

Thanks Gary, No I hadn't noticed

I have only built a hand full of British aircraft before (Dose it show) I'm ashamed to say

OK it's all done.

A little teaser for the moment.


OK Mike, were are we putting the completed models

Sooooo menacing looking. Will await some side on pics Phil.

Top job.

Fantastic job , anymore pics Phil

Cor lummee! We've not got THAT far yet!

A 1/72 model with 'presence'. That is a wonderful finish Phil and a great angle for the photo.

cheers

Grant

A phumbs uph phrom tphis phantom phan Phil- PHANTASTIC!!!