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Tiger Trails


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Delivery of the F-4J(uk)`s to the RAF started in the Autumn of 1984 with the first three arriving at Wattisham after a trans Atlantic flight named Tiger Trails 1. 


A further 4 Tiger Trails were flown before December 1984. 


Individual tails codes were not supplied until arrival in the UK and this model depicts the standard scheme each `J` wore on arrival. 


The only exception being ZE363 which gained a partial spray painted Black Tail after a technical fault led to a stop over at Goose Bay.  

 

 

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Super,  which kit and what scale?

I've the Tamiya 1/32 one awaiting the same treatment so any recommendations 're colour, paint etc are always handy.

Always liked the RAF Phantoms and this one is spot on, thanks for showing.:penguin:

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Thanks for the kind comments chaps. :yes:

 

1 hour ago, Jasper dog said:

Super,  which kit and what scale?

I've the Tamiya 1/32 one awaiting the same treatment so any recommendations 're colour, paint etc are always handy.

Always liked the RAF Phantoms and this one is spot on, thanks for showing.:penguin:

 

It`s a Hase 1/48 kit and to obtain this shade I simply used Tamiya Light Ghost Grey. In certain light it can appear to come across slightly duck egg blue with a tinge of green like the real J`s had. 


My advice to you on colour and which is in effect what I do, is look at a reference picture of the aircraft you want to recreate, mix some paints up and match it the best you can. In effect no F-4J(uk) left the paint shop in the US the same shade, so no one is ever going to be able to definitively tell you the correct shade of grey to use. It just didn`t exist as it was all mixed up in the San Diego in an effort to the RAF scheme requirement.

If however that seems more trouble than it`s worth, some J`s went through St Athens maintenance and came out the other side in standard RAF air defense grey, ZE354/R and ZE356/Q being two examples that did. 

 

Hope that helped?

 

 

 

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Lovely looking J. Great work on the finish, the grey looks perfect.

 

Came across a few of the original 74 Sqn guys that were part of the Tiger Trails and the work up. Especially one MCS fairy and his time in San Diego learning the systems (jammy barsteward)!

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