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A friend and fellow model builder offered me a Tamiya 1/48 F-4B to build as a joint project. His proposal was to build the kit configured in-flight. He wanted the model delivered to him primed and ready to paint. He would finish the model and install the model on a stand as a display model. Not being one to turn away a challenge, I accepted. And, I would be chopping up his expensive kit to build the Tamiya wonder kit. Another bonus, I could deliberately abandon the kit half done, thus staying in my usual lane. Being a display model, the kit will be assembled with parts from the box. No effort to super detail or add aftermarket parts other than the KSL resin parts. Here's the configuration: - Full crew - Landing gear being retracted - Speed brakes retracted - Flaps at 60° extended - Ailerons drooped - Wing leading edges drooped - Aux air inlets close - Centerline fuel tank - Inboard wing pylons Shortly, the Tamiya kit, along with resin KSL flap sets, K48143 and K48144, were delivered to my home. Here's the progress so far: Aux air doors closed. Nose gear modified to represent the extended strut. The three images below show the preliminary layout with and without torque links. This image shows the MLG about half way retracted. The MLG mounts were cut from the lower wing. The MLG struts were cut and extended with plastic rod. Mock ups of the extended gear shown below. The torque links and shrink strut parts were crudely modified as not much is visible. Landing gear assembled and painted. And, all that I was willing to do with the cockpit. Next up, cutting the wings for the KSL leading and trailing edge flaps. Don

Hello again, everybody. With Grumpy Unwins P9546 in the books, it's time to start something new. This time, it's the new 48th scale Tamiya F-4B, in the markings of an as yet to be determined bird from VMFA-115, the "Silver Eagles". I'm building this mode for H. Lee "Shiloh" Logan, former CO of VMFA-115, and my former boss from my days at Gulfstream. A lot has already been said about the build of the kit, so instead of providing an exhaustive, step-by-step description of my process so far i will just provide a sampling of the construction highlights so far. This build is a prototype of sorts, much like GYPSY 203. I will be adding some aftermarket to it, but i'm not gonna go crazy (thats what the Mosquito PR 34 project is for...). It's serving as something of a "baseline" build to evaluate the engineering and Tamiya's tastes in colour selection. So far, construction has gone smoothly... I have gotten up to step 20, which is right after fuselage-wing mate, and prior to installing the intakes. so far, the only real issues with fit have been around the fuselage-radome break point but up to now, nothing too difficult. Up next, the intakes. Keep your knots up and your powder dry (as Lee used to tell me...) -d-

Ok this went for being a GB I was sort of interested into a OMG I must build GB and it’s all Tamiya’s fault with their beyond gorgeous and stunning new F-4B!!!!! I expect we might sea 1 or 2 of these in the build? So I won’t go into detail about the model, pictures will be the best way, but I looks amazing and worth ever penny/cent/lek….first born child. Things of note though, first a warning, once you take it out of the box, you’ll never get it all back to fit properly in the box. Plus, the sprue tree for the clear parts!!!! To get it to fit I ended up cutting all the bits off and placing them in separate bags for protection……. though not that they need them with that cage around each of them! Scheme, well no decision for me, a VF-31 bird. They only operated the F-4B for about 3 years (the F-4J model only for 2 years), and for some reason it just happens to be the least photographed aircraft they operated. Even the F2H-3 Banshee they used is more photographed (and yes, I have a 1/48th one in the stash in VF-31 colours). Not helping too is the fact there are no decals available for their F-4B’s, luckily there is very little difference in scheme between the B & J versions so I can use the Galaxy Decals F-4J’s one for this build and mix-n-match these and kit decals for the correct numbers I need I have only managed to find 6 photo’s of their F-4B’s, been searching everywhere (unfortunately there are a lot purporting to be F-4B’s but are actually F-4J’s when you check the detail) and there is 5 or 6 variations of the scheme. In this photo there are 3 variations!! I'm not sure if that'll be a help or hinderance, it's going to be fun! …and finally… yes there will be AM!! A new and correct early version Fin Cap from Flying Leatherheads… ……. and correct early version Bang Seats (kit comes with the later Mk.7’s with no seatbelts) and seatbelts...... which I don't need now! Plus fingers crossed Quinta Studio 3D Decals for the cockpit, due for release this week!! Can’t wait to start, and the bench is almost clear of current projects too…….