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Alconbury Flying Club Phantom, keeping an eye on things, day or night.


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As with just about every fighter plane in the USAF in the 1950's and 1960's, the F-4 also had a dedicated reconnaissance version, the RF-4C. You could say this was the first true modern tactical recce platform. Traditional cameras, IR cameras and Side Looking Radar, the RF-4C had it all. And combined with a big, strong airframe, a two men crew, and two powerful and reliable J-79 engines, it was a world beating design. First flown in 1964, with more than 500 built, the last operational RF-4C's were only retired in South Korean service a few years ago, and the export RF-4E is still flying today in both Japan and Iran.

 

In the early days, though, there were some issues to be solved with these brand new jets. As explained in the book Tactical Reconnaissance in the Cold War by Doug Gordon(highly recommended):

 

The RF-4C's of the 10th TRW did not feature in the success of the 1967 Royal Flush, a fact which led to a flight of four Voodoos indulging in an impromptu flypast over RAF Alconbury with their refuelling probes raised in the classic single digit salute! In fact the Phantoms of the 10th were not very photo capable for a while. Larry Garrison:



 

"...the photo systems were quite a ways behind the airplane and the RF-4 at Alconbury was unable to take much photo for the period 65 to about 67. They essentially had a great flying club for a while."

 

I will be building a 1/72 Hasegawa RF-4C as a very early, about 1965, Alconbury based jet, in the US Navy colours of light gull grey and white. The decals come with the kit, although they are the traditional Hasegawa style, with the creamy white, so some decals will have to be sourced elsewhere. In the end it will look something like the ones below, although mine will be FJ-023.

 

EXu6K21.jpg

 

So far I just glued the cockpit bits together and put it on the lower front fuselage part. I also glued the right front and rear parts together, which makes things easier to align later on.

 

VQwlopC.jpg

 

I don't plan to use any aftermarket, apart from some decals. But you never know, I might get some seats or exhaust.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

 

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Great subject choice and straight into its progress, no messing about, nice start. Always enjoy seeing some reference photos of the planned subject as well :thumbsup:

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Painted the cockpit, added the decals, and glued the tub into place. Because of the black paint it's kinda hard to see, but the things that are supposed to be cameras are also installed in the nose. Once it's all closed up and painted, you can't really see much in there anyway.

 

ekNvva1.jpg

 

And then the fuselage was glued together, and the wings were added. Suddenly it starts to show the beautiful elegant lines of a Phantom. :mental:

 

rEGVjMs.jpg

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Well, I glued some more parts on, and painted all the intake bits. First the interior sections in white, and then all the stuff that will be visible on the backside in Light Gull Grey. The intakes are not glued on yet, but looks like they will fit pretty good on this build. (One of the weak points of any F-4 kit, fitwise, are the intakes, in my experience). So next up will be glueing the intakes on, put the clear parts on the nose and add the canopy bits. Also the larger pitot tube on the tail has to be removed, and the flash ejector doors will be glued in place. I've decided to keep these shut, since that's what they are on almost every photo of a static RF-4C.

 

8Q8bUQK.jpg

 

One of the less enjoyable jobs on this model will be the removing of the arrow shaped reinforcement plates on the tailplanes. These were not yet present on these very early RF-4C's

 

PkQU5ak.jpg

 

Still plenty of things to do before paint can fly.

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Thanks! It went easier than I thought it would go, although you never know for sure untill there's paint on them.

 

I was looking for some pics to see if these had Corroguard on the wings and intakes, when I noticed on this photo they also lacked the RWR bumps on the nose. So I filled the locating holes for those, and removed them from the parabrake door as well. As you can see, the wings and intakes did have Corroguard. (The shiny stuff on the leading edges)

 

Ea5tAIq.jpg

 

Here's a nice clear pic of a Nebraska ANG jet that shows the RWR bumps. They are located on either side of the large camera window.

 

GvKIb9D.jpg

 

I just need to blend in the left intake a bit, mask the clear bits and it's ready for paint.

 

M43k6HB.jpg

 

Thanks for looking.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, final update before I go on vacation to Japan tomorrow. I'll be back on the 8th, so just enough time to finish it before the deadline.

 

Got most of the paint on, only the metal shades left to do. The white and black is Tamiya, the Light Gull Grey is Gunze. I'm not sure if I like their version of it.

 

ls3eVhZ.jpg

 

Andre, I have that sheet. When I get back I'll compare it with the kit sheet and photos of the real ones, and see what I will use.

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There does seem to be hint of brown in the Gunze paint that isn't present in the photos you posted earlier of the subject aircraft :( 

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  • 1 month later...

My name is Pete and I have failed this Group Build :(

 

Vacation and work got in the way, sadly, so my RF-4C is still unfinished. I might be able to have it done by next weekend, but that's way too late, obviously. 

 

So far it is painted, all the decals are on, and there is some weathering. All I need to do now is to give it a flat coat, and put all the small stuff on.

 

NtMDRU8.jpg

 

I am sorry. I should start building earlier in the GB next time.

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You didn't fail Pete. You simply ddin't get finished by the deadline. If you hadn't even bothered starting then you would have failed to try but you are well on the way to having a phabulous Phantom phinished soon there ;) Please keep the updates coming :goodjob:

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