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Phantom FG.1 XT597 A&AEE 1982 1:48


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The Phantom FG.1 pre production airframe XT597 (currently for sale at Everett Aero) was used by the A&AEE from 'birth' until retirement. She conducted the sea trials on the USS Saratoga and later went on to clear weaponry and systems before squadron service.

By 1982 she had acquired some FGR.2 outer wing panels, a Doppler 72 radar panel under the nose and an air of scruffiness about her in the pictures I can see.

Having the Hasegawa 1:48 FG.1 kit and the extra correct nose for XT597 but no decals left me with a odd spare part until I got ahold of the RAM Models Early British Phantoms sheet. Having already built XT596 (currently at Yeovilton) from this set this seemed like a great opportunity.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234997445-phantom-f-4k-no2-xt596-royal-navy-a-aee/page-1

So, on to my build...

Work in progress is here:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235006034-phantom-fg1-148-hasegawa/page-1

The build is as accurate as I can make it, however I have added some artisitc licence. The tanks have Post Office red tips (This was a pure guess, but looks interesting) but are quite chipped and marked as by 1982 I figured the bulk of XT597's work would have been as a Tornado chase plane. For this reason I fitted an FGR.2 Strike camera in the port forward sparrow recess as it could have been used for taking film of the subject aircraft in flight.

Here is a picture of the completed build, along with a picture of XT597 in her pre-rasberry ripple finish and the decal instructions...

image_162.jpeg

image_161.jpeg

Edited by At Sea
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Great job. Out of interest, it appears in the photograph that the outer part of the underside of the wingtip could be red.... Anyone confirm or agree?

Peter

It does look like it. Must be pre 82, or post painting of the wing tip swap.

That or At sea needs to start over... ;)

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Great job. Out of interest, it appears in the photograph that the outer part of the underside of the wingtip could be red.... Anyone confirm or agree?

Peter

Outer wing tip was indeed red as per the tail fin from about 1972 to 1982.

I was tempted to do it but the roundels have a white outline which I haven't got.

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