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I bought from ebay a part started Phantom FG.1 with no decals and a missing canopy. So I went looking for some decals to complete it with and came across the RAM Models set, however this still left me needing stencils, so I figured a bit of artistic licence, build a very early FG.1 and use an F-4 B/N set, this would at least be in period, my thinking was the YF-4K's were painted and finished with the stencils McDonnell had available until the British specific ones were made. Sounds likely to me anyhow! The RAM models set is not cheap but they went down extremely well, nicely coloured and in register. As a nice bonus I swapped one version (700P NASU) decal set for a canopy. :-D Kit, Hasegawa 1/48 Phantom FG.1, Decals Ram Models early Phantoms, stencils KitsWorld F-4 B/C/D/N. Paints, Humbrol EDSG Enamel, Halfords white primer and all the rest by Tamiya. Built OOB apart from decals. Enjoy.

A bit of fun. Saw the egg plane for the F-4EJ and though it would not be too hard to make a F-4M. Well yes and no, hacked off the top of the tail, glued on a bit of scrap plastic. Easy. Then cut the nose down and was left with the gaping hole in the bottom, after Inhad joined up the fuselage. Bum. So with a lot of patience and a bit of luck got it filled and sanded smooth enough to make a FGR.2 egg plane. Seen here with his bigger brother. Enjoy.

I am currently building the Hasegawa 1/48 Phantom as XT900. Is there an off the shelf blue for the tail or am i going to need to mix it? TIA https://www.squadronprints.com/item/264_PhantomFGR2_0_0_924_1.html

Afte my work in progress Tornado IDS I fancied a bit of light releif. Built in a week using the Revell re-boxing of the Classic Hasegawa Phantom. Air-Doc decals. Eduard zoom cockpit details. Humbrol rattle can except for the barley grey which was airbrused enamel Humbrol. Humbrol metal cote for the bare metal, aluminium and polished steel. Tamiya acrylics for the little bits. The kit wheels look awful but I had some Tornado main wheels knocking about which look more like it. Sidewinders are the left over ones from the Revell Tornado IDS which I shaved the noses down to look a bit more Aim 9-g like.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234992412-hasegawa-phantom-fgr2-92-squadron-148/ After building the above kit in a week I enjoyed it so much I could not help but dig the other one out of the stash! We have all agonised over which scheme to build, simple answer is build both! Eduard zoom cockpit, tamiya tape seat belts, Aires wheels, AirDoc decals, Humbrol Aerosols and Tamiya acrylics. Enjoy. :-)

Source: http://www.academy.co.kr/6q/board_news_main.asp?pMenuId=BOARD00002&pCode=6225 For its home market Academy has just released a ROKAF F-4D version (ref. 12300) from its recent McDD F-4C Phantom II USAF Vietnam War. This boxing is already available at various Korean ebay sellers. http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=1%2F48+F-4D+Academy&LH_PrefLoc=2 V.P.

Hello! As a late christmas gift, let me introduce my finished F-4ETM. Actually its done for a while, but I had no time to shot some almost good pics and write this text, thanks for my exterminations examinations. Whatever... Some of them made with and without flashlight, I can not decide which tone is closer to the real.

Goood evening ppl! My brand new project is this Turkish ETM Phantom. While I waiting for get the correct color for my Sparviero I started something different. As can be seen on the photo, I going to use the HDL's decal sheet. I was thinking about buying a resin cockpit and ome whatever but I guess that'll do for a good and quick joybuild. I want to build this one: My plan is to load it to the maximum. What is for sure is the two underwing droptanks and four AIM-9 on the underwing pylons and I am thinking about to put on the centerline frop tank and two or four Sparrows. Three drop tanks and eight AAMs imposing, isn't? As I see they useing the same drop tanks, that the Revell includes. Anyway the quality of the moulds remembers me to the old Heller and Kovozávody Prostějov kits... And so on. Flush everywhere. I dont know what happened to the Revell. Anyway fits well thanks God.

Hello all, First WIP on britmodeller and I begin with some phantom builds, maybe 4-5 by the end (If I stick with them all long enough ). Some will be in flight, some parked with possibly flaps down. I know they will not be up to some of the standards set here (unbelievable dedication to detail on this forums) but I hope to learn a lot in the thread and you guys enjoy as much as I do some of my builds. So first up, some of the decals. The airdoc sheets are excellent, especially the grouped stencils for the luftwaffe jets, some are unbelievably tiny! The model decal sheet is old but hopefully usable, I'll spray some micro decal film on them to make sure they do not brake apart when I eventually place them in water. The first along the line will be an F-4J from 74 Squadron, not sure exactly which one yet, but it will be a repainted jet in barley grey as I'm not too fond of the odd blue/green on the US painted jets. This is the Hasegawa kit which to me has captured the phantom shape the best out of any kit in 1/72. I fitted some resin intakes from goffy models and they did not fit very well at all. I bought a few sets a while back and since they seem OOP, maybe because they make steps to the lower fuselage/side fuselage of greater than 1.5mm! Certainly will not use them on any other phantom kits. I will use the slotted stabs from the fujimi kit. The load will be 4xaim-9L, 4xSkyflash from Hase F3, 2 wing tanks and a fujimi gun pod. Currently just finishing the seam work and will begin the rescribing. I read off the forums that the 3M blue tape is ideal for rescribing and I have found exactly that, far better than dymo tape, highly recommend it if you have not tried it yet. Here are some seats and pilots. 2 are fujimi and 2 are hasegawa, they still need details adding yet. Also two pilots for the F-4J, Revell nato crew I think, still need work but I have always been rubbish at painting figures . The second jet along the line is an FGR.2 from 2 squadron circa early seventies. Thinking of using full colour roundels on this and a final gloss finish. It is the Fujimi FG.1 Navy kit converted buy using a spare hasegawa fin tip, filled the catapult hooks and will use stabs from a revell/hase kit. I will go ahead and purchase the odds and ordinance phantom recce suite as I need the strike camera and E.M.I recce pod. I was thinking of buying another fujimi kit for these spares and build that into another FGR.2 but seeing a few go on eBay recently at £40-£50 , I'll get the OAO replacement set. Again the cockpit needs to be finished, atm just finishing the filling phase. Nice fitting kit but had a few sink marks in a few places. Thats all for now, probably a few days cleaning up the F-4j before primer. I will try and use xtracolor paints as much as possible but for the barley grey. I think humbrols hue is a better match, so I have a question. If I mix humbrol matt barley grey with their 'gloss cote' will it spray to a nice glossy finish like xtracolor and actually dry? Best regards, David.

F-4J VF-96 Showtime 100 1:72 Academy Does the F-4 Phantom really need an introduction? Probably one of the most recognisable aircraft ever which severed with many NATO and Allied Nations Air Forces. The aircraft was originally developed by McDonnell Aircraft as a long range, supersonic interceptor/fighter bomber for the US Navy. Its use would then expand to the US Marine Corps, the US Air Force and many other nations. The F-4J model was an improvement of the original F-4B for the US Navy and Marine Corps, the emphasis to was improve air-to-air capability. new engines would give additional thrust, a AN/APG-59 pulse Doppler radar couples with an AN/AWG-10 fire control system would give a look-down shoot-down capability. Larger main wheel would be fitted giving rise to the larger wheel housing bulges similar to the USAF F-4C. New slatted tailplanes would be fitted, along with ailerons dropping to 16.5° which would bring down the aircrafts landing speed. Zero Zero ejection seats would be fitted to enhance crew survivability. There would be no IRST sensor under the nose of the F-4J. Show Time 100 is probably the most famous F-4 Phantom in the US Navy. Lt Randy Cunningham and Lt(JG) Willie Driscoll were to shoot down 3 MiG's on the 10th May 1972 while taking part in the Linebacker campaign. This would make Lt Cunningham the top scoring US Navy pilot and ace in Vietnam taking his tally to 5 victories. Lt Driscoll as the Radar Intercept Officer would also become an Ace in line with US practice in crediting both crew members with victories. Showtime 100 or F-4J 155800 would not be so lucky, as on the return from the famous engagement she was to be hit by a Surface to Air Missile. Both crew would eject to safety. Both crew members would receive the Navy Cross. It is sad to reflect that Randy Cunningham will be remembered more for his subsequent corruption conviction than his Navy record. The Kit There was quite a lot of talk when Academy announced the release of a new tool F-4J in 1.72 scale, this turned a bit to scepticism when it became apparent this would be snap together kit, however this has proved to be a bit misleading. The kit is designed in multi coloured plastic with the ability to put it together without any glue, or paint; and to this extent a set of stickers is provided in addition to the normal waterslide transfers. However this has not resulted in a toy like model. The kit features full length intake trunking with engine fan fronts and one part exhausts. The detail level appears to be outstanding and modeller who have the kit say that the fit is good. The one downside that is visible straight away is that the weapons supplied seem to be a little undersize. In a flashback to the Matchbox days the kit arrives on multi-coloured sprues. You get three sprues of white plastic, two of grey plastic, and two of black plastic. In addition you get a one part main fuselage (no pesky centre seam to deal with), and a one part (closed) canopy. All the parts look to be well moulded with no flash. Construction starts with shockingly enough with the cockpit. The control column and rudder pedals are made up fro the front seater, these are then added to the cockpit tub along with the front and rear bulkheads and rear side consoles. Next the front instrument coaming, and the rear engine bulk head are added to the one part upper fuselage. Following this the completed cockpit tub, two internal bulkheads and the one part engines are added to the lower fuselage/wing part. Once these are in the upper fuselage can be attached as well as the rear fuselage part above the engines. Once the lower wing & main fuselage parts are together its time to work on the underside of this main assembly. The aux intake doors are added along with the arrestor hook. Construction then again shifts to the top side. The three part ejection seats (no firing handles supplied) are made up and added to the cockpits. The full length intakes are then constructed. These are four part. A front and back, the engine face and the splitter plate. It would like the splitter plate can be added later for painting purposes, but the modeller would need to double check this. Once made up the intakes are attached to the main fuselage along with the radome. Next up the upper wings are added, along with the tail plane and the fin cap. Construction then moves back to the underside of the aircraft. The main landing gear legs are made up (leg, wheel, strut and door). The tyres on these are split n the traditional way. The main gear, the gear doors, and underwing airbrakes are then added. Next up is the nose gear. This consists of the main leg, scissors, retraction strut, and small door. This sub assembly is added along with the main nose gear door, and then the cooling inlets on the nose. It should be noted that all gear doors can be fitted in the closed position and the landing gear left off if the modeller wishes to do so. The last construction step is to add the underwing stores. Fuel tanks are supplied for the wings, and the main under fuselage one. Sparrows are supplied for the fuselage wells, and for the inner pylons Sidewinders and what look to be 5000lb bombs are supplied along with their TER's. It is slightly disappointing to see the weapons look undersize. Lastly the canopy is added, this is one part and can only be used in the closed position. Decals & Stickers Once again for an F-4J we get markings for Showtime 100, as it is probably the most phamous F-4J it is understandable but still frustrating. As well as these marking you get markings for another F-4J from VF-96 on the USS Constellation at that time, nose number 107 (again flown by Lt Cunningham this time with Lt Smith in the Back seat. Unlike other Academy kits these decals seem to be in house and not by Cartograf. They seem to be well printed with minimal carrier film, no registration issues and seem to be colour dense. There is not much to say about the stickers, they look well printed, how long they will stay on for I dont know. Conclusion The kit has main items in its favour such as the one part upper fuselage, full length intake trunking and one part exhausts. The kit should make up into a good looking model, it still looks toy like in some ways to the reviewer (more so if you look at the weapons). The kit should be useful in helping to bring younger modellers into the fold as it can be assembled without paint, glue or waterslide decals and will look pretty good if done like this. Adult supervision will still be needed as there are parts to be removed from the sprues and trimmed. The kit should also appeal to adult modellers who will make a good job of the kit. Recommended. Review sample courtesy of UK Distributors for

So finally I've got round to posting this, I got the Academy 48 Phantom in Hannants when it was a rather exciting new kit and have held onto it since then. When this came out it was a challenger to the Hasegawa monopoly on this aircraft in the scale and apart from the dodgy multi-coloured plastic it looks like a rather good kit (in particular the munitions included) so I've elected to turn down the aftermarket offerings already springing up and build it OOB. It will only be my second 1/48 build, so I'm looking forward to it! -Flash

Hello! It is another my kit. In the assembly did not have any problems. The model is very high quality and pleasant. Painting- MR Hobby paint, heat-resistant panels- Super metallic MR hobby. Weathering- oil dots and tamiyas pigment.

I'm running a little behind on this one; too many irons in the fire. I know many modellers dislike grey schemes, and I completely understand that stance, but my favorite Phantom scheme is the final RAF grey one. When I was young, I came across a National Geographic article about the Falkland Islands, and it included pics of 1435 Flt Phantoms, and I was hooked. My plan is to build a Fujimi FGR2 in the grey scheme of 92 Sqn with a blue tail using a Modeldecal set. Then it can fly around the living room, I mean sit respectfully on a shelf, next to the blue-tailed 92 Sqn Lightning I built in the Lightning STGB. Full circle! Hockeyboy and 3rd Placer have been building the same kit, and I am going to copy them as best I can. No really, I've been taking copious notes. Note #1 - Invent amusing names for the pilots. Let's see... Flt Lt's B.L. "Blight" Youtale and R.E. Heat. Note #2 - Post a pic of the box and decals. Oh, already did that one. This is going well.

Eduard is to rebox, as Limited Edition release, the Academy 1/48th McDD F-4B Phantom II as "Good Morning Da Nang" - ref.1186 - and as "Phantom Bicentennia" with Brassin resin adds on, HGW fabric seatbelts and Furball decals. Academy new 1/48th F-4C and F-4D will follow. Source: http://www.eduard.com/store/out/media/InfoEduard/archive/2014/info-eduard-2014-01EN.pdf Box art? Anyway Vietnam era VF-84 F-4B markings were different. See here: http://www.almansur.com/jollyrogers/phantombones Looks like a F-4B with VF-84 F-4J markings... V.P.

As above really. As Hasegawa let Revell use the moulds a few years ago surely it is time for a re-release. The kits still pass muster, Fujimi & Hasegawa, and the subject matter has not changed. Aftermarket declas a still about. Airfix disappointed this year, but someone out there must see what these things make on ebay and must sense the business case for a re pop of these excellent kits!? I guess I am just hoping that someone in a model company sees this and if we get enough activity on this thread then maybe they'll take notice! It would sell a lot better than a Javelin! :-D

Instead of making a seperate thread for each of my (many) projects I will post them here. All kits are Hasegawa 1/48th scale. First off is my F-104G from Taiwan:

Having recently built an Academy F-4EJ (same kit) I know the failings of this kit before I begin, this should make it easier to plan ahead and correct things before assembly. One of the major things I need to do it rescribe the entire kit as it has a mixture of raised and very lightly engraved lines. I havent decided which decals to use yet. I have the supplied Revell decals but I also have the spare decals from the Academy kit.

I managed to find this little gem on eBay recently... One of my favourite aircraft of all time and a legendary combat plane, i have very fond memories of watching these at Mildenhall and Weathersfield as a kid so im really looking forward to this build. The plane in question is 68-0493 which had a confirmed Mig-21 kill in July 1972. Its a good looking kit with plenty of detail, very little flash and a really nice decal sheet so it should go together quite well. Im going to try some different paint on this build, im usually a Tamiya kinda guy but ive heard good things about Hataka paints and the colours are apparently a really good match so looking forward to giving these a try.

I have started the Testor Phantom to represent one I photographed from my office window circa early 1990s. I am unable to read the full serial number so the kit decals will have to do. Lou

Ello gents and ladies.... I caved..... So there will be another 32 scale Spook in the house.... It will also be a Luftwaffe one and a F-4F, but the scheme has yet to be decided..... I hope that it will be a colourful one and an easy one... As time is a big thing here.... Pictures and so on will follow in the next couple of days. PS: Due to family illness I am giving a heads up already at the start that I might not finish, but the build will give me the time off and the inspiration to keep it going.... So, from the south west part of Norway.... So long for now... Ørjan

Afternoon folks - I am wanting to do a 1:72 Phantom for 23 Sqd in the green/grey camo and wondered which companies did decals for this squadron? thanks chris

Hi everybody; first completed kit of the year (but actually started back in mid September 2014), it's HASEGAWA 1:72 McD F4-J Phantom II, in VF31 livery, AC100 (ca. 1980). It's my first "serious" attempt at 1:72, as I mainly do 1:48; it was intended to be a quick OOB build to sort of recover after a troubled Italeri RE2002, but I got tempted along the way and added a few extras: - Eduard PE Zoom Set - pre-painted cockpit interiors and IP - An old Eduard PE detailing set, including speed brakes, canopy frames, Aux Air Doors, Sidewinder rails and various other bits - The excellent Hypersonic Models outboard wing pylons - Weapons and TERs kindly donated by Cookenbacher - Some minor scratchbuilding I used Acrylic Lifecolor Light Gull Grey for the main AC painting, Tamiya Acrylics for other colors (airbrushed), Lifecolor Acrylics for brush painting (seats, minor touch-ups), Model Master Metallizers (buff) for metallic parts The kit has a few points that need extra-care for a good fit; moreover, my build has some flows , like a few (quite evidently) misplaced decals, some seam lines I only spotted after painting the whole model, etc. There's quite an extensive WIP thread here, if you fancy knowing the whole story. I definitely learnt a lot from this build and the WIP thread, with many contributions in terms of help, useful hints and tips, support and cheering up; so, thanks to everybody who followed it. Enough blah-blah, here come the pics - any comments welcome:

Well I can't resist any longer! I tried not to but resistance is futile, or so it seems. Despite already building for another GB I just have to build a Phantom. So here is my entry. I am going to build the Hasegawa RF-4E as an RF-4EJ of the JASDF. I bought this kit second hand last year and some of the interior has been sprayed black but no construction has taken place. The kit I have is for a special scheme Luftwaffe RF-4E and a picture of the box is below. I am not a huge fan of these schemes and would like to do an actual service aircraft and for a long time I have liked modern Japanese aircraft, especially their RF-4E's with their unique colour scheme so I intend to build mine to look like the aircraft below. A good friend of mine who has built a couple of JASDF is hopefully coming to my rescue with some decals, but if not I think I have enough to do one in their original grey and white colour scheme. And if that's a complete failure I know I have some markings for an IRIAF RF-4E, nothing like keeping your options open is there! Don't expect stellar advances with this as I am already building for the French GB and have tentatively promised them another (I seem to have zero will power lately!) but I shall hopefully make a start later this week. Thanks for looking. Craig.

Hi guys! This is my another project in 1/48 - Eduard (Academy) Good Morning Da Nang. I have started it some months ago and now decided to continue my build here. I'll be very glad to hear any comments of my work. P.S. I beg you pardon but my english is not very good now because I've got out of practice for a long time!

Hey everyone and here's the latest from me, finished for the Phantom GB here on Britmodeller. Yes, it's Airfix's ancient (1971 issue) F-4B Phantom that I think I bought out of sheer nostalgia and also after reading the excellent Osprey book pictured below (which has the kit's wingman on the cover). The full WIP thread is here but to recap: Kit: Airfix 04013 F-4B Phantom 1/72 Details: Some panel lines rescribed, Eduard Zoom photoetch for the kits seats and cockpit (which was scratchbuilt) Paint: White from a rattle can, all other paints Revell Acrylic, brush-painted. Johnson' Klear, Flory Models Wash, W&N Matt varnish Decals: Mix of Airfx kit for the Stars & Bars and Afterburner decals for squadron markings, A/c: VF-21 'Freelancers' of Lt Dave Batson & LCDR Rob Doremus, Callsign 'Sundown 102', USS Midway, 17 June 1965 - Mig 17 shotdown. Definitely not the most detailed or accurate F-4 kit out there by a long way but it was the first time I used etch, first time I built an F-4 and I had a lot of fun with the build. She might be a little too Matt in finish (hard to tell when most of the pictures were B&W) but I'm happy how the old girl cleaned up and I think she looks like a Phantom! Thanks for looking and until the next time! Dermot