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An F-4C, s/n 64-0776, of the 123rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 142nd Fighter Interceptor Group, Oregon Air National Guard out of Portland IAP. Caught on the Edwards AFB transient ramp, March 1984. Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester

FineMolds release of F-4 Phantoms rejuvenated my spirits to build one of my favourite aircraft. The F-4C limited release comes with seated crew making it easier to build the project I have in mind. The first years of US involvement with Phantoms saw them still in their original Light Gull Grey over White scheme. July 10th 1965 was the first air to air victories for Air Force Phantoms crewed by Captain's Roberts, Anderson, Holcombe, Clark, downing a pair of MiG 17s. This image gave some spark to the build with intentions of displaying an aircraft hooked up to a tanker. The only part of the refueling aircraft would be the boom, plugged into the spine AAR point. I will scratch the fueling boom using dense insulation foam and metal tubing and rod. Lucky for me the Digital Sim world has many visual resources and the important measurements came with the following image that outlines the lengths. The kit will require some backdating to bring it to 1965 standards, included is a slightly shortly radome chin pod. Although shortened already in this photo, I will check further as it may have to be shorten more still. Early Air Force Phantoms still had MB mk H5 seats installed and the important visual difference was the shroud around the upper section of the seat. This is one of a few excellent photos where you can see it. I trimmed the seat section slightly and using paper card to make the shrouds. Landing gear will be up and the fit of the doors was reasonable, nose excellent but a little less so on the main gear. The engine air aux doors are closed as well. The crew celebrating after the victory, the following day they received the Air Force Silver Star Award for the mission. The refueling for this mission took place prior to the engagement with the MiGs, so the aircraft will have fuel tanks and 8 missiles loaded. Early straight inboard wing pylons are needed along with early AIM-9s. The build is going well and I have a bit of work to finish on my F-15J also. Thank you for checking in.

Another test support fleet phantom with the 6512th Test Squadron at Edwards AFB. June 1983 in Air Defense Command Gray October 1983 with the ED tail code added, leading F-4C 64-0727 March 1985 in the test support albino scheme with patchwork external tanks May 1985 January 1989 with an unusual white radome May 1989 during a formation proficiency mission July 1990 September 1990 Thanks for looking, Sven

F-4Cs of the 122nd Tac Fighter Squadron, 159th Tac Fighter Group, Louisiana Air National Guard out of NAS New Orleans. Deployed to Red Flag 84-3 at Nellis AFB, April 1984. These F-4s normally carried the unit unofficial nickname, "Coonass Militia", in script along the vertical tail leading edge - a reference to the Cajun heritage of Louisiana. Lest they offend someone, the wording was painted over for this exercise. I don't know if the text was ever replaced after this exercise, but by the time they converted to F-15s, the name was changed to Bayou Militia. Doesn't have the same ring to it, but political correctness wins out. I seem to remember one aftermarket decal manufacturer covering the "Coonass Militia" in 1/72. I'm thinking it was either Modeldecal or Microscale. 63-7417 63-7471 63-7506 63-7556 63-7679 64-0673 64-0852 Thanks for looking, Sven

This is my Monogram Phantom in 1/48 scale. It took me quite some time to finish. Especially the intakes took quite some filling and sanding. It's more or less OOB, but I used a decal sheet from Caracal (ANG Phantoms) and an an-alq119 from the Italeri RF-4E kit. Paints I used were mainly Vallejo and Mig Ammo acrylics. Some oils for washing and weathering. When kit has raised panellines I use nail buffers to remove the paint from the panellines. O, and I added some RBF tags from Eduard and scratchbuilt rear-view mirrors and some other stuff for the cockpit. Hope you like my Spook.. Kind regards, Gerben

Hello everybody... Rather than do two separate RFI's for these I'm throwing them together here. I must warn you this RFI will be picture heavy. First up is a 1/72 Accurate Miniatures (Monogram) F-4C in the markings of 64-0852 of the 122nd TFS from the Louisianan Air National Guard. This was built for the Phantom single type build. The Camouflage scheme was a temporary one from Red Flag March of 1983. The Squadron along with Phantom's of both the USN & USMC wore similar schemes in similar colors. The next Phantom is a Hasegawa 1/48 F-4EJ. It is an F-4EJ # 87-8407 from the 306th Hikotai in aggressor markings from Komatsu Air Base in 1982. This was built for the 1980's Asian group build. I do hope these both meet to your liking. Please feel free to ask questions, comment, or pass on your thoughts ? Dennis Build logs:

F-4C of the 163rd Tac Fighter Squadron, Indiana Air National Guard, on the Edwards AFB transient ramp, October 1983. 122FW squadron bands on the rudder, from top to bottom: 113th Tac Fighter Squadron (Human Field, Terre Haute, Indiana), 184th Tac Fighter Squadron (Fort Smith, Indiana), and 163rd Tac Fighter Squadron (Fort Wayne, Indiana). Thanks for looking, Sven

Hallo I would like to show you my F-4 C from ZM work in progress. Just to mention, all my pictures you may see I took by my old Samsung batched and renamed by IrfanView and I put them on Flickr by an alias name. I intend to take you all with me, so I do show you also the tools and materials I work with. If there are choices, I will let you know my arguments. My decision. The kit, why from ZM. Why ZM, is quite easy. First of all I got to know the first models from them in Japan. I was thrilled. I built the Ta-152, the J7W1 Shinden, the P-51 and the J2M3 Raiden. At the Raiden I was confronted with some design flaws, I discussed them with ZM and they reacted and made all correct now. With some error log on their website, they are always improving. They are really awesome. At the P-51 the same thing, and they reacted well. So far, ZM is company who really makes models for modeler. Business is the second. The last Phantom I build s 40 years ago. No comment. I have to build the C, D, and S. The E will come soon from ZM too. I generally use for paint the Gunze C colors from Mr. Hobby. Why? Because it dries fast. Not as the H colors I used first, here you may wait 24 hours to touch a sprayed surface. With C colors, I can touch them at 30 minutes for sure! Therefore, I can build 6 hours straight ahead without major time breaks. The aircraft I want to build is any one of my extra decal sheet. The ordinance I want to build is as shown on picture 29, 30, 33: Station 1 and9 : MER with Mk.82 Station 2 and 8: TER with Mk.82 and two AIM-9 Station 5: MER with Mk. 82 Station 3,4,6 and 7 with AIM-7. To accomplish this I have an aftermarket resin set. Picture 17, 18 and 19. This set causes me some headache because of the centerline and outboard pylon. For the centerline and outboard pylon, I need photos, as attached. Until now I built straight from the box. I have etched parts, but I preferred to paint the Cockpit. Just to Close the Cockpit during WIP. Next time more. Happy modelling

Air Force Reserve 93rd Tac Fighter Squadron at the Gunsmoke air-to-ground competition September 1981, Nellis AFB. 63-7413 63-7500 63-7711 64-0655 64-0796 Thanks for looking, Sven

F-4Cs from the 184th Tac Fighter Squadron, Arkansas Air National Guard, at Nellis AFB in 1981 and 1983. At Green Flag 81-3, April 1981: 64-0919 64-0784 63-7629 64-0725 63-7455 At Gunsmoke air-to-ground competition, October 1983, chromed noses on the external fuel tanks: 64-0761 64-0748 63-7629 Thanks for looking, Sven

35th Fighter Wing maintenance training airframes, 1992. USAF s/n 63-7447 64-0910 Thanks for looking, Sven

F-4C, USAF s/n 64-0776, 123rd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Oregon Air National Guard. Seen at Edwards AFB, March 1984. Interestingly, all of the kill markings say they were made with AIM-9s, i.e., "MIG 21, 23 APR 67, AIM 9". According to Aces and Aerial Victories, the kill on 23 Apr 67 was with an AIM-7E, the first 22 May 67 kill with an AIM-9B, and the second 22 May kill with the SUU-16 20mm cannon. When retired, Miss Piggy first ended up at the McChord AFB Museum and now resides at the Seattle Museum of Flight in SEA 389th TFS markings. Thanks for looking, Sven

'407 was referred to as "The Elder", being the first F-4C built for the USAF. It spent it's whole life as a test and test support jet in USAF's Air Force Systems Command bouncing between the 3246th Test Wing at Eglin AFB and the 6510th Test Wing at Edwards AFB, finishing up at the latter. All of the air-to-air shots were taken on May 3, 1985. '407 transferred to Edwards in Feb 1985. The Armament Division tail code, AD, had been modified to the 6510th Test Wing tail code, ED, by painting over the A and replacing it with an E. The maintenance forms binder that follows the jet typically just has the serial number in large characters on the cover. '407's book had the serial number and the legend "THE ELDER" in large block letters. Refueling from NKC-135E s/n 55-3135 of the 4950th Test Wing out of Wright-Patterson AFB. The 4950th was part of AFSC's Aeronautical Systems Division, hence the ASD tail band. 1990 and now an "Albino Rhino" as part of the Edwards test support fleet. Gave up the Euro 1 paint scheme in early 1988. Name on the nose gear door... 1991 and retirement: The Elder was saved and is now on display outside the Flight Test Museum at Edwards AFB. Thanks for looking, Sven

Red Flag exercise at Nellis in April 1984. 182nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Texas ANG is playing adversary. Temporary grey paint applied over most markings, though the ejection seat warning marks look like they have been re-applied over the grey. Tail serials re-applied as well? The SA tail code shows through the grey paint. S/n 63-7421 63-7431 63-7638 with full-color national markings 63-7689 64-0904 64-0918 Another weathering challenge for a model. Thanks for looking, Sven

This was one of my favorite Phantoms at Edwards AFB. '727 was one of the most reliable Phantoms in the 6510th Test Wing Fleet. Operated by the 6512th Test Squadron as a test support bird, she rarely cancelled a mission for maintenance (CNX MX - I don't think she ever cancelled when I was scheduled to crew her), and usually came back Code 1. Not bad for a 15 to 25 year old jet. This is a USAF photo showing her chasing the YC-15 in 1976. She wears light gull grey top sides and white undersides. Unlike the US Navy scheme, her control surface uppers are grey. Note the US Bicentennial 'pretzel' logo on the vertical tail and the external tanks in SEA camo. The McDonnell-Douglas YC-15 was an Advanced Manned Short Take-Off Technology (AMST) prototype being evaluated at Edwards along with the Boeing YC-14. The YC-15 is fitted with a flight test nose boom and is trailing a static cone from the top of the vertical tail. The static cone is a way to more accurately measure the static pressure in the area of the aircraft - the theory being that large aircraft create such a large pressure disturbance around the aircraft such that it is impractical to make a nose boom long enough to get out in front of the aircraft pressure envelope. The cone is normally deployed about 150 to 200 ft behind the aircraft. Quite a family resemblance with its younger cousin, the C-17. Enough about the YC-15... This is '727 when I first met her in 1981. The pretzel is gone and the radome is now Air Defense Command Gray, as is the rest of the airframe. National insignia are smaller and the serial presentation on the tail has gone tactical. 1984, and I got to chase her on a training mission. Wrap-around camo, some paint touch up on the underside, and the ejection seat warning triangles sun-bleached to a distinctly pink color. One wing pylon in original SEA camo, the other in wrap-around. Aircraft serial number on the canopy frames. One of my favourite shots. Had a large framed version displayed in every one of my offices until 2016 In the shadow of our F-4 over the foothills of the Sierra Nevada range. 1989. Painted in the test support scheme that was phased in between 1986 and 1988. What we referred to as the "Albino Rhinos" and part of the "Bozo Fleet". That's the Air Force Flight Test Center shield on the intake, the Air Force Systems Command shield on the vertical tail, and the full serial number on the front nose gear door below the landing/taxi lights. Thats the serial on the forward frames of the canopies as well. In 1990, she was retired to the Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Center, AMARC (now AMARG), more familiarly known as "The Boneyard" (they hate it when you call it that). She was eventually sold for scrap and broken up (big sigh). Thanks for looking Sven

The phinal of my three 1/48th McDonnell-Douglas Phantom builds, this is the ubiquitous Revell F-4C/D kit built as F-4C serial 64-0776 operated by the 142nd FIG out of Portland, OR by the Oregon Air National Guard in June 1989. she was named 'Miss Piggy' and was a triple Mig killer. This is the fifth 'Revellogram' 1/48th F-4 that I have built and I still love this kit. On the downside it has raised panel lines and a couple of small issues but in general the kit goes together really well and the end result has that essential 'Phantomness' that I have loved since I saw my first Phantom air display at RNAS Yeovilton in 1970. This is my first Hill Gray painted Phantom. The paints are standard Humbrol enamels with Metal Cote applied to the jet exhaust areas. I have finally lost patience with my Harder & Steenbeck Ultra airbrush - it is almost totally bunged up and I can't unbung it - so I reverted to my ancient Badger 200 airbrush and it gave me really good results. The masking went well too and the result is a very clean looking Hill Gray Phantom The decals are from Speed Hunter Graphics 'USAF Phantom MiG Killers - Part 1'. Speed Hunter Graphics is a offshoot of Reid Air Publishing and is run by one Jake Melampy who is a superb aviation photographer and has published several books for military jet modellers in the USA. Hopefully the photos give an idea of the quality of these decals, they apply very easily and they are very detailed. The Oregon eagle on the tail fin below is a three part decal: Even the plain side looks good: 64-0776 is quite unique in that she is the only Phantom to have used each of its three weapons systems to destroy a Mig. I was keen to reflect this in the weapons loaded and I raided the new Academy F-4B kit which contains sprues with multiple versions of Sidewinders, Sparrows and a gun pod. This ANG F-4C carries 4 x AIM-4J Sidewinders, 4 x AIM-7F Sparrows and an SUU-23A 20mm gun pod. The decals and paints were sealed with a spray of Humbrol enamel matt varnish. I decided not to add weathering to this Phantom, the majority of ANG Phantoms of this time period were kept in very clean condition and from photos I have seen posted elsewhere 'Miss Piggy' was no exception. What would I do better next time? I lost patience with the gap behind the rear cockpit canopy, next time I will use filler here (as another Phantom modeller has shown here recently). i also didn't really pay full attention to the application of the decals and a couple of them have silvered. So that is the last of my three Phantoms, I really enjoyed building this one. Think I need to take a break from Phantoms for a while now! Comments and critiques very welcome Michael

Started nearly two years ago as part of the F-4 Phantom II STGB and completed yesterday as part of my mini KUTA, everything that could go wrong did go wrong with this 1/48th Revell McDonnell-Douglas F-4C Phantom serial 63-7702 operated by the Texas Air National Guard 111 FIS out of Ellington ANGB. The 'everything going wrong' streak lasted to the very end, even the canopies are at the wrong angle! She was painted in Model Master FS16473 'Aircraft Grey' with metallics in Humbrol Metalcotes, Superscale decals plus Experts Choice walkways, then all coated with Klear. Photos taken in sunlight to hide the defects:- However I am being harsh. This is my 6th completed F-4 in this scale and she is definitely an eye-catcher. Learned a lot from this one and looking forward to more Phabulous Phantoms Michael

Hello everybody, some photos of my F-4C in its Spanish form, the C.12 . of Ala 12 Revell kit, excellent decals from Series Espanolas, Eduard Aim-9B Sidewinders, Twobobs decals on Sparrows and Sidewinders. Mk-82 from Hase. Hope you like it, cheers, exdraken