hopkp

Thanks for the heads-up, much appreciated. However, I'm on the wrong side of the Atlantic to benefit, I'm afraid. Sadly, past experience of buying from the US or Japan has shown that when shipping costs, customs clearance/handling fees and VAT are all factored into the equation the price just gets crazy!

Possibly not, might need to get creative and also put some in the front part of the engine nacelles and behind the rear bulkhead? It might also be a good candidate for a brass undercarriage!

Guilty as charged, mixing up my EJs with my EJ Kais; for the record, I'd happily buy both, whoever does them (likewise the F-4F and F-4F/ICE, along with pretty much anything Phantom-shaped, accurate, well-detailed and in 1/48). Guess we'll just have to wait and see what they do and when; ZM is unfortunately not one of those companies (like Eduard, for example) that releases kits like clockwork to a regular schedule, there are usually long gaps between announcements and releases (e.g., the 1/32 Fw 190s).

As I said in my original post, from the guy who's in charge at Zoukei Mura - in his 'Old Man Blog No. 112'. See here: https://www.zoukeimura.co.jp/en/sentiment/oyajiblog_112.html Scroll down to the end and you'll find the following text: Many of you were lucky enough to secure your every own Zoukei-Mura SWS F-4EJ Kai “Phantom Forever 2020” kit for your F-4 Phantom II collections. For those of you who were unable to order in time, I would like to truly apologize for the disappointment. Here in Japan, we had a waiting list of hopeful customers, but in the end none of the pre-order reservations were cancelled, letting down everyone on the waiting list yet again. To make it up to all of you, we have decided to release a standard version of the F-4EJ Kai kit (with JASDF 302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron markings) on June 12, 2021. Our brave Phantom II, which as gave all its power as the guardian angel over the skies of Japan for so many years, will now be brought back to life in this SWS kit. This kit will also be produced in a small quantity, so I recommend that you add it to your collection sooner rather than later. To me at least, 'small quantity' would equate to a limited edition?

Looks very neat, however I just have to ask - how did you go about attaching the Eduard seatbelts to the cabin roof? I'm asking because I can't for the life of me figure out how to attach them to both the seats and the roof and make it look realistic - which you seem to have managed very well!

We can only hope..... Like you, I've always had a soft spot for the Italian F-104s, having seen them at air shows and also having been lucky enough to spend a day at Grosseto shortly before the F-104s were retired. I also think that the RSV's 'Icarus' special colour scheme (http://www.916-starfighter.de/Large/Special/AMIcol6827.htm) was one of the coolest ever applied to a Starfighter. Mind you, I also remember the German 'Marine' F-104s very fondly, having seen them at air shows too a number of times (most memorably the year that one of 'The Vikings' demo pair came close to going supersonic at Fairford). Thinking about it all makes you realise how drab and soulless things like the F-35 are in comparison.....

Referring to earlier posts in this thread, I think it might be premature to assume that Kinetic won't do a 'proper' F-104S. I was looking this afternoon at my copy of the F-104G/TF-104G kit and noticed that the part for the 'faired-over' cannon port is already present on one of the sprues (though admittedly this isn't specific to the F-104S) and - more importantly - that the halves of the single-seat fuselage both have what look to me to be two 'semi-opened' locating holes in exactly the position that the additional strakes are fitted to the F-104S. These locating holes are not present on the fuselage halves of the two-seater version. So, it may well be that Kinetic will add a new sprue with dedicated F-104S parts - i.e., the additional under-fuselage strakes, the central strake with the revised leading-edge angle, intakes with the necessary revised panel lines, etc.

The ZM F-4EJ Kai is, I'm sure, a really nice kit, but it was only a limited edition so if (like me) you haven't managed to get one by now then you're not going to. According to a recent newsletter that I saw somewhere from the guy who's in charge at ZM there will be another boxing of the F-4EJ Kai, but that'll be a limited edition too. There would therefore appear to be room for someone else to do one too?

I can confirm that the Special Hobby AJ-37 and SK-37E kits that I have in the stash have corrected canard parts; mind you, as I'm not a Viggen expert, I guess all I can say for certain is that they're different to the ones in my Tarangus JA-37 kit! However, on the grounds that this series of kits was a joint venture between Tarangus and Special Hobby, I think it would be logical to assume that the Tarangus kits now also include the revised parts. However, as to how you could tell whether you were buying an old or a revised kit I'm afraid I've no idea, others on here may know more. I've not tried building one yet, but from a quick look (e.g., taping the main airframe parts together) it's definitely not a Tamiya 'shake and bake' sort of kit, but it would - in my view anyway - be unfair to call it 'sloppy and mediocre'. Think 'upper end' short-run and you'll be in the right ballpark.

Don't know if this helps or not, but I'm pretty sure there was an issue with early examples of the Special Hobby 1/48 F-86K that resulted in the main undercarriage bays not fitting properly. Special Hobby resolved this in subsequent issues of the kit by providing resin replacement parts for the bays and a small correction for the instruction sheet (my kit has these additional parts/instructions). An e-mail to Special Hobby might get you the replacement parts if they still have them?

Well, they've done the Do 217N in two versions, so hopefully they'll at least eventually do the 217K as well.....

Very nice, I'd forgotten how good that kit was. Pity that Revell/Monogram never went on to do other Do 217 versions.....

Thanks for the useful info., I was undecided about this one (like you already having the Hasegawa one) but may well go ahead and get one now.

I know the catalogue says 'new tooling', but I wouldn't bet against it being a re-issue of the kit that appeared years ago under the 'Mauve' brand. Academy has a track record of re-boxing other manufacturers' kits - for example, their B-25s and early P-51s are all re-branded 'Accurate Miniatures' kits and I think it's generally accepted at this point that the F3F will also be from that stable.

Never mind the day after tomorrow, what's wrong with next week?

Nah, the day after would be better, no need to rush into anything.....

I know that problem - I used to be a procrastinator, but lately I'm just not sure anymore.....

You mean for this clip?

Just about sums it up alright!

I dunno, it looks pretty good to me with everything opened up.....I'd be very happy with it if I'd built it!

Couldn't agree more, I always enjoy these threads even though I've never met any of the people concerned. No pressure, but I'm also looking forward to some model-making eventually ensuing.....I'll definitely be buying one of these kits, as I have very fond memories of building a Heller 1/72 one many years ago in my now sadly long-departed youth. I also love the fact that Dora Wings is doing subjects like this in 1/48, it's the perfect scale for them.

Thanks for the info. - odd omission by Kinetic, but I guess there are plenty of 'general' etched sets around that can supply them!

Just curious re. the ejection seats - does Kinetic supply lap belts on the etched fret or just the ones for the seat backs?

Just a great big yawn for me, I'm afraid.....and that's coming from someone who loves the F-4! There's already more 1/48 F-4s in my stash than can be built in one lifetime, so my money this year will be gong to the likes of ICM, who are at least doing kits of subjects that haven't been done to death already.

Now that's what I call impressive box art! (You know, the kind of thing that would make you go and buy the kit even if it was a subject that you might not be all that interested in.....) With a bit of luck they might make it available as a print like they've done with some of their other artwork.