Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted August 29, 2019 Share Posted August 29, 2019 Well after checking out the gallery last night I could no longer resist the temptation of participation. I have a number of F-4 kits in the stash. I will be joining with an old Esci F-4E, the decals in my kit are shot (pictures to follow soon) so I will have to do it with aftermarket decals. I have a variety of local decals to do a RAAF machine so some of those will be used. I also rifled through my aftermarket and found some Verlinden MB Mk7 seats and an Eduard PE set for the Hasegawa F-4E, I will use what I can from this one. I have made a start on the cockpit and nose wheel well so far, again pictures to follow soon. I think I will finish it in this config, but may substitute Snake-eyes rather that Slick MK82s. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 Been wanting to do an Aussie "E" for a little while now. Someday it will come to be, until then i will follow your build. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 Its always great to see another RAAF F-4E build Dennis. Here are my progress shots the box top Oh that's right, wrong box! but the contents are correct for this GB The fantastically preserved instructions and decals the decals I will be using some parts for the build Some parts clean up and etch work in progress and a test fit to make sure it all goes together 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene K Posted August 31, 2019 Share Posted August 31, 2019 Fast progress, RAY. Looks great so far! Your reference shot shows a HEAVILY weathered bird -- I didn't realize RAAF Phantoms were kept in such poor shape. Will you be weathering your model as heavily? Gene K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted August 31, 2019 Share Posted August 31, 2019 Nice start and topic! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomBigStu Posted August 31, 2019 Share Posted August 31, 2019 Very nice, a subject this host very much approves off 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted August 31, 2019 Author Share Posted August 31, 2019 Thanks gents, time for some putty after some more assembly. 10 hours ago, Gene K said: Fast progress, RAY. Looks great so far! Your reference shot shows a HEAVILY weathered bird -- I didn't realize RAAF Phantoms were kept in such poor shape. Will you be weathering your model as heavily? Gene K I think the weathering on these jets were not that bad, the RAAF only operated them for 3 years. I think reference image is a tad grainy. I have a few more images and will decide on a tail number soon. I want to do the same aircraft as a USAF F-4G. Most of the ex-RAAF airframes were converted to Wild Weasel jets. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted September 1, 2019 Author Share Posted September 1, 2019 I did some remediation work on the rear cockpit to fill a gap in the wall section of the rear fuselage The wheel wells were given a wall on the fuselage side and a bit of etch installed The fuselage also pinched in leaving a gap at the wing root, so I installed a couple of spareaders to push the lower fuselage out, rear one not installed at this stage Some glue applied to the major parts and set aside The resin seats were painted and some etch added and the start on some puttying 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted September 2, 2019 Author Share Posted September 2, 2019 Putty sanded and round 2 applied 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted September 9, 2019 Author Share Posted September 9, 2019 The seats are painted and in The Eduard PE designed for the Hasegawa kit doesn't look to bad in the Esci kit The HUD combining glass went in next with the canopy dividing clear part as well as the intakes which need some filler on the seams. and finally the windscreen also went on 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 Looks promising with the extra week we got by the mods! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted September 22, 2019 Share Posted September 22, 2019 A nice choice of subject Ray, I'm keen to have a go at one of these with the older Hasegawa -E kit, I'll be interested in how the Aussie decals go over a camo scheme too. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted September 22, 2019 Author Share Posted September 22, 2019 5 hours ago, exdraken said: Looks promising with the extra week we got by the mods! Oh, I wasn't aware of the extension, as I am travelling next weekend I didn't think I was going to get it finished by deadline. I managed to start painting it over the weekend. Some pictures to come. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted September 22, 2019 Author Share Posted September 22, 2019 4 hours ago, stevehnz said: A nice choice of subject Ray, I'm keen to have a go at one of these with the older Hasegawa -E kit, I'll be interested in how the Aussie decals go over a camo scheme too. Steve. Thanks Steve, I have one of the 'newer' (1990s) release Hasegawa kits as well and it was a toss up as to which to use. I may yet build another in the later config with slime lights and long gun muzzle with the other at some time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted September 23, 2019 Author Share Posted September 23, 2019 Ok, enough chatter, picture time. Canopy Masking Inside colour down The Esci kit comes the horizontal stab strengthening plates and RWR 'nib' on the tail, RAAF aircraft did not have these. So a few minutes of carving, filing and sanding and finally rescribing eliminated them Next was the rest of the paint and boy have I had issues, firstly my double action brush decided to stop working, an hour later with a freshly cleaned brush it still did not want to work. I finally discovered the schvetzer valve was not schvetzing. It has happened before and the pin in it needs lubrication, so it will be off to my airbrush man to get it working again. Which meant I had to resort tot eh single action brush which had also been recently cleaned and reassembled. It did work but paint control is terrible so I will have to pull it apart again I think. The result was very poor paint control from almost next to nothing to flood gates opening. I am not happy with the overspray between the colours, I will have to revisit it when the paint is dry as there are some 'puddles' I have to sand back. So even with the extension this one may not make it to the finish line at this stage 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted October 13, 2019 Author Share Posted October 13, 2019 After botching the paint, I had to go back and re paint, this time with hard masks Masking off, now the underside and metallic sections to do. So more masking to come. Oh, and congrats to all finished in time, nice builds in the gallery there! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted October 20, 2019 Author Share Posted October 20, 2019 Still working on this one, Paint almost done though I am not happy with the stabs which may get sanded back and repainted along with the bleed through around the tail. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 You've got an all nighter on then have you Ray. Steve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted October 28, 2019 Share Posted October 28, 2019 Very nice, some progress to report? Any Roos out there yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted October 28, 2019 Author Share Posted October 28, 2019 Nope, I still have to look at the paintwork, I have not been at the bench for a week or so but I might get some done this weekend, I have been tripping around the country for the last month it seems and the mojo is not there at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted November 4, 2019 Author Share Posted November 4, 2019 Decalling started, some detail painting to be done but it s almost there 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted November 14, 2019 Author Share Posted November 14, 2019 And it is now finished The nose gear door needs to be fitted I just noticed. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 Nice work! As luck would have it, my 20+ year old ESCI kit that stood half-finished in a shelf all dusted up has lost some parts (canopies, hardpoints & nosewheel) and the decal film has seriously degraded to brown. At that time, I didn't know about the RWR or strengthening plates not being used, so they're on that one... Fortunately, I just found & ordered a replacement ESCI F-4E online - the same boxing, and all! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomBigStu Posted November 17, 2019 Share Posted November 17, 2019 Great to see it finished and finished so well 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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