iainpeden

Linescriber, I'm interested in your answer. The Italeri one available in most of Europe as the F/G version (also marketed through Tamiya) had the slatted wing whereas yours has the (correct for Japan) "hard wing"; hence Ad-4Ns suggestion it was actually the Esci kit.

A good build. Just in case anybody is unaware the scheme was removed prior to the accident at Abingdon and she was in standard grey only.

There's already a grey/green one at Coningsby: https://www.seekanddestroy.info/blog/the-raf-coningsby-phantom-gate-guardian Back to the models - good job on both; that blue flummoxed many people at the time. However those panel lines are deeper than on the 1:1 original.

Looks about right - you have even got the radome a slightly different grey.

In the "West Malling" photo she looks very fresh and clean; the pictures in Robbie Shaw's book show her in standard matt/filthy mode. So the potential timeline is: June '88 - with display markings at Wethersfield August '88 - No markings and clean at West Malling (Scramble hasn't got a list of West Malling Shows at all unfortunately). Video of the West Malling display here - can't make out the code Mid Sept '88 - no markings and in a "used" state. Given the tragic events at Abingdon I wonder if anybody can confirm the display markings. No that it really matters given what happened.

Thanks Daz Probably explains why it's hard to find pictures if she was only in the scheme for a short time. Edit https://www.gluseum.com/GB/Wethersfield/314090455678516/Wethersfield-Airfield-Museum Has a picture of XV428, in the display scheme, apparently taken on the 5th June '88. And we thought it was hard getting hard information on WW2 a/c.

James I'm going back to the Bible on Phantom colours, "Phantom Squadrons of the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm" by Richard L Ward (Dick of Modeldecal. There were 2 Phantoms used in initial trials of grey, XV474 and XV418. Both had the RWR fitted at the top of the fin and so were not Alcock and Browne aircraft (XV424 and XV486). XV418 went to 19 sqn in 1978/79 in LAG with full size markings, but in pale blue/pink and black serials with standard stencilling (there's a challenge). XV424 initially went to 23, again in LAG, and retained the full size/full colour markings of the grey/green scheme; in addition she carried a red eagle on the nose, a black X on the fin and black serials. Initially she carried a black radome. She then passed to 56 in early 1979. The photo of her, taken 16/4/80 shows her with black serial, reduced size markings still in red/blue a red F on the fin (no markings on the nose gear door, and red checks on the RWR fairing. Also, on the nose under the windscreen 56 markings comprising the phoenix with red checks either side. stencils look to be of the grey/green era rather than the white toned down. Be interested to see your picture of XV424; key will be if the RWR is fitted or not. You may have a picture of her after painting for the trans-Atlantic trip but before all the fancy stuff was added. Another question for somebody. XV428, the 1988 display a/c which crashed at Abingdon in the September started the year with a blue tail and blue/yellow strips on the fuselage and the upper leading surface of the wings; she was coded CC in yellow on the rudder. I have 2 photos of her (F4 Phantom, Robbie Shaw) taken just 2 days before the accident (according to the author) but she is in the standard scheme with no blue fin or stripes. On the assumption the data on the photo is correct has anybody any idea why, or when, she would have reverted to the standard colours?

Jabba I guess you could crop them on the scanner by doing a preview then sizing it by putting the cursor on one corner of the picture and dragging the preview box to fit. Are they Vulcans or Victors being broken up in the back ground?

The 74 sqn a/c were refurbished and painted in the States using FS paints over a strong undercoat. I seem to remember that light aircraft gray was used for the undersides and flint gray as one of the upper surface colours. Barley gray and medium sea grey were always pretty close and got dirty very quickly; if you have a look at Robbie Shaw's book you can see how quickly. I was checking through my models and notice that I painted XV428 - the one that crashed at Abingdon - with Barley gray inner wings; something advised on the Modeldecal sheet and Dick Ward rarely (if ever) got that sort of detail wrong. A couple of years ago, on this forum, there was discussion around the accuracy of the new Xtradecal markings for XT863 - the 111sqn a/c at Greenham (IAT) in 1983. Basically Hannants had misread the colours on the newly painted a/c as just being Light Aircraft Grey overall when in fact, as proved by photos of her being repainted at Leuchars, she was in the 3 colour scheme - albeit brand new and clean. . If you search Airfix Phantom it's there somewhere.

Yes but like everything on the F-4 they are a bit grubby.

Welcome. With some of the big WW2 twin or four engine a/c I make I put a spar through the fuselage and don't glue the wings on. That way, when the end up in a box in the loft, the wings can be slid off for storage. ~It can also help with assembly as you are working with less awkward sections.

XV474 at Duxford had quite a few promotional stickers stuck on her in the first few years she was at the museum hence some of the staining and paint peeling. What is interesting,and is noticeable in the first picture,is the area around the cockpit showing a slightly different grey to the rest of the fuselage which extends onto the canopy frame -it's symmetrical and appears not to be over-spray as the rescue markings are original. I have the advantage of volunteering at Duxford in the hangar in which she is kept.

Might be best to take a day trip to Lowestoft.

My mistake; I knew she had been preserved and am pleased that she still exists. Being a Dak, somebody will probably get her back in the air again sometime in the next century.

I had my first ever flight in her as G-AMPO. It was at the RAF Waddington in 1978/1979 (ish) and I think she was in Air Anglia markings at the time.