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1/48 - McDD F-4B/N & J Phantom II by Academy - released - new VMFA-333 F-4J boxing in 2023


Homebee

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Well there's definitely going to be Air Force versions - there's an insert on the spine for the refuelling receptacle and if you look to the left of the nose in the first picture you can seen the backseater's control column. Also I can see the long DECM antennae for the F-4N and most interestingly the long exhaust cans for late model F-4s; given the Korean connection could this be a clue to a F-4E? The pictures also suggest there are could be both slotted and unslotted stabilators allowing you to do both an early and late F-4B meaning that when the F-4D comes out, a F-4J is feasible with a bit of mix and match and a little aftermarket. I'm not holding my breath for Mk5 ejection seats though :lol:.

Can't wait for this, hopefully it'll be out by October as stated in the Google translation of the mmzone page. I reckon by the time it hits the UK it'll be about £30-35 which will significantly undercut the Hasegawa kit (and will have a full set of ordnance to boot).

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  • 3 weeks later...

Some more pictures of a finished 1/48th Academy F-4B kit.

Of interest in these images the AN/ALQ126 system antennas near the Sparrow missiles bays...

Not appropriate for the F-4B version but indicating a future F-4N boxing. :yahoo:

Source: http://www.mhd.eu/ma...z/F/details.htm

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V.P.

Edited by Homebee
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  • 2 weeks later...

Those built up picks scream "buy me" at the top of their lungs! The thought of future c/d/e variants fills me with joy. LN, WR and Turks, oh my!

Steve.

'RF-4C wouldn't hurt either.

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I deffinately have to buy one now! Luckily I just sold the old hasegawa one! This is normaly not my cup of tea, but a F-4B in sundowners colours have been on my list for some time now.

Cheers,

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With trunking for the intakes too, and a sensibly located gate for the windshield. Academy's engineers have really been thinking about this one. I can see one ending up in my stash, even though I do have several. Wonder if the Hasegawa kit decals will fit...

Jens

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there's more than a wiff of the Tamiya 32nd F-4 in the parts breakdown , the singlepiece upper fusalage, seperate rear metal exhaust section , u/C bay walls , and so on .. its the perfect approach to tooling a whole family of small scale F-4's .. I just wish Tamiya had produced this version first .. it would have saved me a bunch buying the CE B conversion

And yes to me 48th is small scale .... :evil_laugh:

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Looks like Christmas has come early for us Phantom Phans! :Tasty:

MMZ have some more detailed pictures of the kit:

http://mmzone.co.kr/...view.php?id=321

All the signs of future versions are there. As well as the previously mentioned slot for the refuel receptacle, the different AIM-9 versions and U/C bay breakdown; there's the F-4J radome, DECM antennae for both F-4N and F-4J/S, the wider tyres, Air Force wheel hubs and nosewheel door, short and long burner cans, a LORAN aerial, a F-4D style undernose sensor and a pair of instrument panels for different versions. I can even see the two different styles of intake for the base of the fin. There may even be the doors for the photoflash bays of the RF variants!* It would have been nice to have both coaming types included - but I suppose they had to draw the line somewhere :).

*Edit: I've had a closer look at the pics and instructions and what I thought were the doors are actually the infill panels for the spine; so you get the boom receptacle as well as the plain panel.

Academy really seem to have done their homework on this kit and used the advances in moulding technology to achieve the maximum number of options without too much over-engineering. If the later wing comes with provision for the slat actuators (which I'm sure it will) the F-4S is also a possibility. That could then lead on to the later long nose F-4s.

I have spotted one small boo-boo though - the designer copied the 'kick-in' step on the trapezoidal access panel just below the pilot's cockpit onto both sides! It should of course only be on the left side. Revell did the same with their 1/32 F-4s. A wipe over with a tiny bit of filler will soon sort that though.

If Academy tool up the 'bulged' wing in the next few months and release the rest of the family soon after, 2013 could prove to be a very expensive year...

Edited by XV571
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • Homebee changed the title to 1/48 - McDD F-4B/N & J Phantom II by Academy - released - new VMFA-333 F-4J boxing in 2023

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