colin ritchie

However good , or bad this kit maybe as regards accuracy , its still a LOT more attractive a proposition that the 40 year old Revell antique tarted up with some massively overpriced resin bits .. so bring it on , I see at least one IAF Mirage to begin with in my future.. Hopefully Kinetic will carry on with thei IIIE, and maybe a Kifir or two in due course!

Nice work on what looks to be an excellent kit .. make me a little sad to think that this 72nd kit is SIGNIFICANTLY more detailed than 32nd Revell model I have gathering dust on my shelf.. ah well I live in hope!

Nice pics of the changes in this build... http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234940741-148-f-4e-phantom/

ARN-101 - it was a program to replace the weapons deliver and nav systems in the F-4 fleet, the prime difference is the large bulge on the upper fuselage, additional antennas , and a reworked WSO IP , to be honest , add the bulge , and you're pretty well good to go

1/32 F-4E decals - well here's a start http://www.reidairpublishing.com/category-s/1824.htm Speed hunter Graphice , a bunch of Hill Grey and Euro 1 F-4E's and G, But beware.. you'll need Slatted Tail planes to builf any of the E's in the sheet , and most of the e's are ARN-101 upgraded airframes.. so perhaps a trip to .. http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=52001 might be in order - superb products .. What might be dawning on you after looking at the decals and resin is that 1/32 Phantom building is neither easy of cheap! Welcome to the club - we're all broke! (possessor of 11 complete Tamiya F-4's)!

First up I have zero interest in this model , 1/72 is just too small for me , but looking at the instructions it does seem to a very complete and complex kit , and the price being quoted doesn't seem to be too far out of line for what seems to be a comprehensive and detailed kit .. I think revell seemed to have produced an excellent model .. now maybe they'll head over to cosford measure up the Do-17 and give us one of them is a scale I can work with.. 1/32!

Its now available to Pre order in Japan for the equivalent of £110.. so , what £130 or so in the UK.. I think I'll pass!

I'll take your word for that Mike, I'm one of those people who really can't see dimensional errors until I see diagrams of the discrepancies.. I put it down to my total inability to draw well anything! .. I appear to have a mind that simply doesn't see shapes that well I think I must be the perfect embodiment of the phrase, "well it looks close enough", its not that I don't care , its just that I simply can't see what the fuss is about usually!

Two stage Merlins are coming from HK, in fact I believe they would have been n the initial boxing until errors were identified in the test shots , As for Tamiya , don't hold your breath .. I think you'll see Bomber/PRU variants , but after that ,nothing .. If you don't believe me well consider the vast holes in Tamiya's 32nd Range , Early model Spits , Mustang B/c's Late model slatted wing F-4s F-4B/N/S 2 Seater F-16s , The list goes on , .. the pattern seems to be clear minor tweaks, to the initial tooling and but no huge changes to the initial release.. dammit!

I hate to ask the difficult questions but do we have any idea of the cost of this beast?

Yup that looks to the right Data Pod , I think 2 AGM-142's and a data might be pushing it as an operational load, and since there's no facility for A-M-7s of AGm-120's you're left with AiM-9's and there's no room for launch rails on an Pylon carrying a Popeye , so no Air to Air.. For an accurate Twin Popeye load out you need an IAF F-15D Baz, or Ra'am!

If it comes to pass then my master plan for a 350th force H will move on a little, My WE Sheffield has been complete and in the loft for so many years ...!

Feast your eyes ... http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=56288&p=679337 Pics that have surfaced of the kit . I'm in .. anyone else , (143 SQ Banff Strike Wing , preferably Max Aitkins MA-01)

Ghostmech strikes again....!

Different versions with different wingspans perhaps? Either way , it looks like a beautiful kit, the cockpit especially looks excellent

Nice, I really didn't see that coming , all you've got to do now is get the soundtrack Cd , put it on and play it at pain inducing levels while building it!

Well top hinest you really don't have much of a choise when it comes to D, only 3 units ever operated them My preference , one of the aggressor schemes - you very seldom see F-14 without tanks, and shoulder pylons ,

Welcome to ranks of LSP'ers .. its fun here , we have BIG models! Tamiya F-14A , hmm,, you don't say which version , there are 3 ,the initial release from the 70's , it was re-vamped a little ,and most recently in the early 2000s as the Black Knight version, The plastic in the box in each of the cases is essentially the same , the only real difference is the addition of extra weapons , especially in the Black Knights version, there's a Lantrin Pod LGB's bomb racks etc.allowing you to build a modern A with correct weapons As regards the basic plastic, its pretty good. ALthough it always looks to be like the kit was tooled by two separate teams of designers , coc cockpit ha beautiful engraved details, (apart from the heavy armour like panels that have to be removed), the rear of the airframe has raised panel lines- get an engraving tool and have at it! As to enhancements - a new cockpit really is a must have , if your building the model as an A , the the Aires resin/Brass pit is excellent , fits well, beautifully details, unlike the kit one which for the money they charge for it is shockingly basic . U/C bays also from Aires are I believe a good idea, they are a major enhancement over what's in the box. engines , well the kit ones are ok , not brilliant but if you're building it as an A they way be worth getting as are replacement wheels, they varied a lot in the Cats career and the kit ones are very basic and an an early design Eduard do a full range of sets as usual, however if your using the aires pit you can forget them, the same goes if your using the Aires UI/c bays , you can pass of the bulk of the Eduard airframe sets Decals - again depending on the kit you have , a new set of decals might be the way to go , with the A there is a HUGE choice of alternative markings , from High Vis early schemes to the battered washed out greys of the later low vis schemes B/D conversions - it can be done, and there used to be sets Tekniks that allowed you to convert the A to the later B or D models, but having done that in the past , I'b be incluned to stick with the A for the time being , and if ou want a later cat get the Trumpter kit If you're determined to convert it , have a look here http://www.wolfpack-d.com/htm/catalog32.html Wolfpack designs, they have a lot of options including a B/D airframe conversion, ( remember if you're doing a D you'll need a D pit , they're very different from A pits) Other than that have fun , its a great kit , it builds to an excellent model , and hopefully you'll have a blast!

I've been mulling this one over myself for a few weeks , having built a bunch of Has A-4s , the last one being a IAF TA-4J with a bunch of resin. I'm conflicted . On one hand the Has A-4 is crude , there really is no way to disguise it , cockpit is basic, the Flaps are fixed, the weapons in the box are less than appealing , and that's before you get to the biggest bugbear, the raised panel lines/ rivets . I've spent many less than happy hours engraving/sanding /filing and generally having a dreadful time removing them However the Trum A-4 is expensive , I haven't seen a delivered to the house price much less than £65-69 and that's too rich for me at the moment , bearing in mind the need to add in some pit enhancements , be they resin or PE , and perhaps some decals as well ., to be honest the rest of the issues don't really trouble me too much In my mind the appeal of the new outweighs the cheapness of the Has approach .. so I'll go back to saving ..

RRp is , I believe 36.99 , this from a post in from Hyperscale , 50% increase from the 109/Spit

I'm rather cynical when it comes to 32nd Scale F-4K/M conversions having had my fingers burned by Ce years ago , however If they produce the conversions, and If they're accurate sets , with Decals , then this could be a licence to print money for them , I just hope it comes to pass , I really do!

What £55 or so , seems int he right ball park ..

A Beautiful kit, beautifully built.. bring it on...!

ts a logical expansion , after the 104 , what other Jet had wider usage than the Mirage , and even in 1/32 , its still a fairly compact model , I can imagine that when IDF versions become available then its going to be a huge seller.. As some one who works in 32 exclusively , this is a really great day!

1/200 HMS Nelson, Rodney and Hood .. Oh dear me .... I think I may just have had a minor accident...!!! That is a LOT of plastic and a LOT of brass over the next year or so !! - anyone want a kidney?