Diego

Indeed, Hasegawa's F-4E "30th Anniversary" boxing contains all the necessary items to build a slated Kurnass. You will find 1/48th scale drawings showing the refuelling probe on the Hi-Decal instruction sheet. Alternatively, you can ask on the forum for a refuelling probe from the recently released, updated Italeri RF-4E kit, containing this element. Greetings Diego

Hi Craig, Wonderful work you have done on this Tiger! Congratulations ! Re shattering decals - do you mean the AFV ones or the aftermarket set ? I hope the TFB markings I sent you worked OK. Greetings Diego

Hello Craig, the "no lines at all" should not be considered as laziness, as the black walkways are indeed not there ( please note that the F-5F below is the only one with yellow "no step" bands applied on the wing, 3-7155 doesn't have walkways on the wings)

Hi Craig, Re "Ogaden War" book: A "history" sheet covering Iranian F-5A&RF-5A as well as ex IIAF F-5A serving in Ethiopia, Morocco, Jordan, Greece, South Vietnam and Vietnam (still wearing the Asia Minor camo) is scheduled for release during the next year. Also - even if not used during the Ogaden War - but covered in Tom's book, markings for Ethiopian (and Iranian) F-86F Sabres in Asia Minor camo are already available http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/HD48034( HD 48034 & HD 72064) and of course eligible as prizes in this GB. Another sheet, covering a.o. Ethiopian F-5Es is also in preparation. Greetings Diego / HDL

The best option to build an F-5A (or in 1/72nd scale is the ESCI/Italeri/ Wolfpack offering. The kit has engraved panel lines and is very good despite his age. The other alternatives are the really old Airfix and even older Hasegawa (Frog). As far as the F-5E is concerned, the HB is the best available option, the Italeri/Testors/Revell kit being similar but with raised panel lines. Unfortunately, the Italeri F-5F is a collector item, showing sporadically on e-bay at rather high prices... Greetings Diego

...available a.o. at Hannants.co.uk

Hi Dave, The color is "Brown Special FS 30140" - Tamiya's Red brown could be, indeed, a good match:-) Re TISEO pod - I always tought that the parts were included as "standard" in the kit - but if not, they can be easily scratched from a piece of transparent sprue... ...or maybe one of the GB participants could help you with these two small parts: http://www.cybermodeler.com/hobby/kits/has/images/has_09805_parts2.jpg that can be seen on the left side of the sprue Greetings Diego

Looking very sharp, Dave!!! Just one question - shouldn't the brown color be a bit more darker? Or it's the light on the photos, as it looks like the "tan" used on the S.E.A.(Vietnam) scheme... Greetings Diego

The black bellied IRIAF Phantom II had a squared camera nose. Here you will find all you need: http://www.hyperscale.com/2007/reviews/decals/hidecal48023reviewdm_1.htm Greetings Diego

Good choice indeed - the IRIAF Phantoms had a long combat career all over the years. IMHO, a sharkmouthed Iranian F-4E would be even more spectacular... Greetings Diego

Hi folks, I think, a list of operators and versions will be useful to see what can be done: The mighty Phantom was operated by no less than 12 countries: America: - USA (USAF; ANG; USN; USMC) Europe: - UK (RAF; RN) - Germany - F-4F; RF-4E - Spain - F-4C; RF-4C - Greece - F-4E; RF-4E - Turkey - F-4E; RF-4E Middle East: - Egypt - F-4E - Israel - F-4E; F-4E(S); RF-4E - Iran - F-4D; F-4E; RF-4E Far East: - Japan - F-4EJ; RF-4EJ - South Korea - F-4D; F-4E; RF-4C - Australia - F-4E Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, South Korea and Japan are still using the legendary fighter bomber today. There are also many interesting schemes for which new decal sheets have been released in recent times. It would be really cool to see in this GB an F-4 from each country operating the Phantom II Greetings Diego

Hi Mick, Great to see the RF-84G progressing so well. Your Thunderjet is a real beauty Greetings Diego

You have also these two sheets, HD 48011 including stencilling: http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/index.php?product_category_id=&product_division_id=&manufacturer_id=8045&code=&product_type_id=&scale_id=955&keyword_search=su-17&setPerPage=25&currency_id= Greetings Diego

You have also this sheet from HI-DECAL, with 3 options for A-6E TRAM (Desert Storm, Yugoslavia and last USMC Intruder): https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/HD48008 Greetings Diego

1/32nd scale decals covering the new RF-4ETM scheme, as well as other nice Turkish AF F-4E/ETMs - including full turkish stencilling for 2 jets, have just been released by TECHMOD and are now available at Hannants: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/TM32050 They are also already available in 1/48th and 1/72nd scales from HI-DECAL: http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/index.php?product_category_id=&product_division_id=&manufacturer_id=8045&code=&product_type_id=&scale_id=&keyword_search=F-4ETM&setPerPage=25&currency_id= - with identical contents Greetings Diego

Well, as far I know, all Kenyan F-5E/F wear the grey & green "jungle" camo scheme, developped by Northrop for Kenyan Tigers and applied at the factory. Also the former RJAF Tigers got this standard scheme. The "ghost grey scheme" was only a Northrop proposal and a shot showing a ghost grey F-5E with roughly applied Kenyan roundels has been diffused to illustrate the deal: http://forum.keypublishing.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=102434&d=1130940808 A profile of this a/c was drawn by Gérard Paloque for the recently published book about F-5s ("Planes and pilots" series). Greetings Diego

Hi all, Indeed, there are many possibilities, as the Phantom was operated by no less than 12 countries: US (USAF, USN, USMC) UK (RAF, RN) Germany - F-4F; RF-4E Spain - F-4C; RF-4C Greece - F-4E; RF-4E Turkey - F-4E; RF-4E Egypt - F-4E Israel - F-4E; F-4E(S); RF-4E Iran - F-4D; F-4E; RF-4E Japan - F-4EJ; RF-4EJ South Korea - F-4D; F-4E; RF-4C Australia - F-4E Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, South Korea and Japan still using the legendary fighter bomber today. There are also many interesting schemes for which new decal sheets have been released in recent times. Greetings Diego

Speaking about Iranian Tigers, here you will find some colorful options in 1/72 (HD 72052) and 1/48(HD 48016)scales: http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Rev4/3901-4000/rev3956-Hi-Decal-48016/00.shtm greetings Diego

Well, for the Beagle you also have two aftermarket sheets from Hi-Decal, covering a.o. several camouflaged options: http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/ISL/Hi-Decal_Line/1.72/72031-72040/72039/HD72039.htm and http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/ISL/Hi-Decal_Line/1.72/72041-72050/72043_IL-28/HD72043.htm Greetings Diego

The Hi-Decal sheet HD 72055 ( HD 48025 in 1/48 ) has 2 options for F-4Ds in Europe 1 scheme: - 111FIS Texas ANG ( MiG-killer ) - 127TFS Kansas ANG ( double MiG-killer, with special markings when flown by Gen Robin Olds ) and: - 93TFS Florida AFRes in unique "Flipper" 3 tone grey scheme - 704TFS Texas AFRes in "Cloud Grey" scheme as well as: - Iranian AF (MiG-Killer) in desert scheme - South Korea AF in Cloud Grey camo Here some more shots: http://www.ipmsdeutschland.de/FirstLook/Decals/HiDecal/HDL_48025_F-4Ds.html Greetings Diego

Concerning unfinished airframes - please note that these were "genuine" RF-4Es ordered by the IIAF that remained unfinished after the revolution, Iran cancelling all orders placed by the Shah (a.o. for more F-14A, F-4G, E-3 AWACS and F-16A/B) but the "white tails" were supplied long before the revolution, as they have been used for recce flights into the Soviet Union... It seems that there were 6 such "specialized" RF-4Es delivered to Iran in 1971, with no production numbers assigned, and were flown by mixed US-Iranian crews. These Phantoms were also A wired, just like some F-5As previously supplied to Iran - but in case of war these would be flown exclusively by US pilots, as Iranians never trained any "special weapons" delivery tactics. On November 28th, 1973, such an IIAF RF-4E was performing a mission deep in Soviet airspace when it was intercepted by a MiG-21SM, bort "240", from the 982nd Ftr. Rgt, based at Viziani, Georgian SSR. After firing two R-3S missiles that missed the intruder and experiencing a GSh-23 gun jam, the Soviet pilot, Capt. Gennadiy Nikolayevitch Yelisseyew, was ordered to ram the Phantom II, cutting off the RF-4 tail. During this maneuver, the MiG-21 lost his wing and crashed, killing the pilot. The Phantom II crew, the American "instructor" Col. John Saunders and his Iranian "pupil" Maj. Shohounia, ejected from the crippled jet and were captured after landing. Both flyers were later exchanged against a cartridge from a Soviet reconnaissance satellite that has accidentally landed in Iran. The Iranian jet hit the ground flying at something like Mach 2 and was competely destroyed, so nothing coud disprove the cover story of a "navigational error"... And, indeed, Yelisseyew became - posthumously - a "Hero of the Soviet Union". Another IIAF RF-4 was lost to Soviet fighters over the USSR in 1976. Greetings Diego

Of course, with pleasure: The first "Iranian" recce Phantoms were 2 RF-4Cs taken directly from USAF stocks that operated in Iran before the ordered IIAF RF-4Es were built. It seems that these 2 airframes later retourned to the US as the first IIAF RF-4Es were delivered. Something similar happened when 2 RF-4Cs, belonging to USAFE units stationned in UK and Germany were sent to Israel before the IDF/AF could get own RF-4Es, but in this case the RF-4Cs later retourned to Europe and were then photographed in USAF markings and Israeli desert camo. As IIAF RF-4s were also used for secret recce missions deep into the USSR, flown by US "instructors", and at least 2 were lost (one of those birds was rammed by a MiG-21 during such a flight), the US delivered some "white tail" ( read "without Bu.No.") RF-4Cs, converted to "E" standard with new engines, etc. to fly these dangerous missions. It should be however noted that each of these birds had different, sofisticated electronic and recce equipment, so there were by no mean "standardised". It seems that these birds got in Iran codes from existing "genuine" IIAF RF-4Es as well as from lost examples. Also in recent years it has been noted that some still active IRIAF RF-4E have parts from 2 different airframes, some main parts belonging to RF-4Cs and -apparently- even to RF-4Bs ( spare parts from black market or from US deliveries done in the 1980s?) Anyway, the complete story of iranian RF-4s is still waiting to be told. Greetings Diego

Hi Antoine, Well, not "directly", but as always via e-mail :-) Cheers Diego

Iran still operates F-4D ( mostly without chin radome, but also few with the RHWS radome update), the RF-4E ( some of them being RF-4Cs updated to RF-4E standard) as well as standard slatted F-4Es (The first F-4Es delivered to Iran were unslatted, but as they were were retrofitted with slats during the 1970s, an unslatted F-4E would by possible, but only with IIAF markings). As it has been already said, you can use available kits of the F-4C/D, RF-4C/E, and F-4Es, but avoid the Japanese versions, as they have different wingtips, unslatted wings, etc. Iranian Phantoms operate in the standard Asia Minor camo - several Es got a fierce looking sharkmouths during their overhaul 5 years ago. Two RF-4Es have been also repainted in the "air superiority" grey and blue camo, similar to the IRIAF F-14 Tomcat fleet. Markings for IIAF & IRIAF Phantoms are available from Hi-Decal ( www.hi-decal.eu) : http://www.hannants.co.uk/search/index.php?product_category_id=&product_division_id=&manufacturer_id=8045&code=&product_type_id=&scale_id=&keyword_search=McDonnell+F-4+Iran&setPerPage=25&currency_id= The 1/48 scale RF-4C/E sheet is currently sold out, but will be reprinted during 2015 Techmod has also released a 1/32 F-4D Phantom II sheet (under licence from Hi-Decal - contents being exaclty the same as HD 48-025 ): https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/TM32033 HTH Greetings Diego

Yes, the Iranian Sabres had a standardized camouflage pattern. The IIAF F-86Fs had a roundel above the port wing as well as below the starboard wing, but the IEAF wing markings were applied on the 4 wing positions. All these details as well as the complete patterns ( for Iranian, Ethiopian and Philippine camouflage schemes) will be of course shown on the Hi-Decal instruction sheet.