Paulaero

Major construction complete Still amazed by how well this fits and how fine the details are, it really was a revelation back in 1986. Small amount of filler around the intakes and that's the only place any has been needed. Outer wing panels removed, committed to the folded wings now As ZZ top said, "She's got leg's", well undercarriage ones..... Next to fold some etch.

Coming on nicely but not helping me leave the one I have in the stash where it is !!! Always like eduard engineering 😃

Great work, looks really the part,I have one in the stash,,,,

Be interesting to see this next to the FUJIMI /Italeri build.....

Cockpit fitted and assembly under way. The fit and engineering are as good as I remember when the kit was first released circa 1986, I was working in a model shop in Nottingham when this was released and we were opposite a Beatties branch. They were the first in the country to get the Phantoms as they were imported by RIKO which was part of the same parent group. The Beatties manager brought me over one of the Silver Jubilee boxings as she knew I was mad keen to joint the RAF ! That built up kit is safely tucked away in the loft and has been for the last 12 years having been refurbished prior to moving house. I think it will look well next to this one as its also an FG 1 in 111 markings. A dry fit of the wing assembly revealed a gap along both side easily remedied with a section of sprue to slightly spread the fuselage

Cockpit under way, not going overboard on this as am doing canopy's closed Intakes assembled, I have thinned the heavy detail on the splitter plates

The Phantom is s straight forward build, undecided about the wing fold yet, not sure about the Gannet, I sold off one of the Alley cat kits, lets see if I regret it ???

Fujimi kit in a bit of an oversized Italeri box. Its a long, long time since I built one of these, about 1991 in the overall Blue scheme. The kit has been updated with better burner cans and the aux intake doors moulded open on the under side but there are some strange inaccuracies statring with the box calling it a F-4M FG.1 The K was the Navy version and its defiantly not a FGR2 in the box which was the M Assembly underway.....

Time to cut plastic..... A few more goodies to start with

Is the term iconic over used ?? Well this GB made me re visit this series from 1976. The Ark, Phantoms, Buccaneers, Gannets, Sea Kings, Wessex. Yeap you can hear the music now...... I grew up listening to it as my mum was a big fan and still is. That's how I first saw the series aged 8, I had the Airfix Super flight deck, remember them. So I am going to start with a mighty toom.....Looking through the stash am going for the Italeri re boxing of the Fujimi mould and it will be joined by a Sword Gannet AEW3. Now the problems started as in the Sword pile ( Yes the stash is way out of control) was a twin seat Harrier T4N and whilst searching the decal stash for Phantom decals I found decals for an all black T4N.... Need help now but while that jumped out I thought it could be joined by an all black Hawk, from the Hawk stash ( Yes there is a separate stash of Hawks) that's a bigger problem as @Fritag has lamented how pretty a jet it is I have bough up a few, well 24 at last count. On the positive side this will spur me on to get a couple of SHARS finished to sit in the back ground and an Airfix Buccaneer (the old mould) that's waiting a few finishing touches. Am off to clear the decks , no pun intended !

Don't forget FAA GB starts 22nd July.......

Coming along very nice, I have one of these in the stash, next to a Hasegawa one and deciding which one gets to the bench....... ???

Vac form clear plastic packaging is also useful especially battery packs......

That does look so right. I have a number of " what could have been" builds so inspired by this. Just a thought for the door, do you have any clear plastic sheet ? Heat up a section ad drape it over a suitable radius , then trim the door size out and mask the window......

I built a 'Few' of these Steve, very early injection. A couple of swipes with the sanding sticks and the parts mate well. Use something like mek pak as the plastic is quite soft and it ends up self filling a lot of the joints. 👌

Yes I'm in been waiting to get a Navy Phantom on the go....

Its been a long long time since I saw one og those Steve, look forward to your progress

Very good service, from them. I have ordered two sheets. They are laser printed. The sheet for the Jetstar A320 is close to the next to start(when I get some finished) This may give me the excuse to get it started, we flew on one in December into Sydney and my daughter got to visit the flight deck. They look to be typical laser printed on one sheet....

I feel your pain Rob, I have so many on the go too and must resist new releases but they wont' stop releasing em... Resistance is futile........

Keep at it Matt, the thing's an epic build, I've got wheels and exhausts on mine, airbrakes and aerials to go,,,,,

Very nice job. Another one in my stash , just wondering where to put it as you have said. Trouble is have been on both Emirates and Singapore machines so am thinking one livery on each side.....

Great job, LAG and day glo, what's not to like and nice to see its not been weathered like its been dragged out of the fire dump !!

That is very nice but it doesn't help me resist adding one of these to the stash !!

To put it simply..... You nailed it.