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1:72d Fujimi Fighting Cock F-4K


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8 hours ago, billn53 said:

Just be advised that Flory washes are water based and don’t like to stick to gloss finishes. Panel lines will come out fine, but if you’re goal is to “dirty up” the Phantom’s belly then best bet is to first put a clear semi-gloss or satin coat where you want the dirt to accumulate. 

I'm planning on a satin finish so hopefully will be OK in that regard.

 

Al.

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Just caught up with this again, I saw your first post then it fell off my radar. Great build so far! Although its not my style being of the Crab type it has rekindled memories of my youth in the cadets where I spent a week at an ATC camp in Leauchers climbing all over a grey Treble One Squadron aircraft. That's what really got me interested in aircraft and Phantoms in particular. I could almost be tempted to get another in that livery. Build is coming along nicely cant wait to see it completed.

Bob

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Right-oh.  Few days of stencil hell and I have the upper surface of one wing done!  Lot of stencils on these things!  Thankfully there don't appear to be as many underneath! Not entirely sure I've got them all the write way round - impossible to tell from the instruction sheet.  For instance, I'd have thought that 'No Step' markings should be readable for people standing on the wing.  I've put them facing outwards, which seems mad now I think of it.  Oh well...

 

49489002818_de386c62f2_b.jpgIMG_20200204_201751 by Alistair Henderson, on Flickr

 

As I discovered further up the thread, I need a code for the nose wheel door.  Bought myself a Hannants sheet full of letters (better use some more of them, or it was £8 for a letter 'A'!).  On looking at the nose wheel door, though, I don't think it's very accurate..

 

49489002463_6a497d8e04_b.jpgIMG_20200204_195930 by Alistair Henderson, on Flickr

 

Compare that with the real thing:

 

49489747757_c50c94fcdd_b.jpgScreenshot_20200204-213141.jpg by Alistair Henderson, on Flickr

 

Looks to me like the landing light and those 3 little dots next to it are too big on the kit, leaving little room for my code letter.  Guess I could fill\sand the light and the dots and paint them back in to make them more accurate (assuming my eyes are not deceiving me).  Does anyone know what size that code letter on the nwd should be?  I think I can just about fit a 6in letter on there as it is, but that seems awfully small...

 

Any thoughts much appreciated...

 

Al.

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Oh, and this turned up yesterday..

 

49489176073_fee0781484_b.jpgIMG_20200204_221111 by Alistair Henderson, on Flickr

 

I've watched the video on the Flory website and it looks pretty easy to use. I'm a little concerned about overdoing the weathering, though. These things were filthy underneath, so will use it there. Should I also do a panel wash? Never done such a thing before...

 

Al

Edited by alhenderson
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  • 2 weeks later...

Quick, small, update.  Progress has slowed lately due to the sheer boredom of stencils!  However, I'm through that now.  Ready for a coat of satin varnish prior to weathering and dirtying.  Although there's some construction to finish off first.  Inboard flaps on the wings and those funny engine doors are now both on.  I broke the little rod that's supposed to attach to one of the doors.  Bit of a blessing, really, as they are fiddly little buggers that you can hardly see when in place anyway so happy to glue the other door in place on its own.

 

 

IMG_20200214_072821

 

IMG_20200214_072851

 

Not nearly so many stencils underneath!

 

IMG_20200214_073500

 

Having never used the Flory wash I thought I'd better practise on something.  Found a spitfire lying around that I think the kids got at an airshow once.  Adding some paint to it first to make it slightly more realistic..

 

IMG_20200214_072902

 

And that's it for now.  Next up, coat of varnish, then weathering, landing gear, missiles and tanks.  Nearly there!!

 

Al.

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Disaster!  When I put the tailplanes on as a trial fit many weeks ago they were pretty firm, so I left them in and didn't glue them.  Last night, one of them seemed loose, so I tried to wiggle it out in order to glue it in.  And broke it 😞

 

 

IMG_20200215_164911

 

Need to glue that back on now!

 

Al.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Still going here!  Progress has been slow, but steady.  Finished the decals, put a coat of satin on her and have been playing around with the dark dirt wash.  It doesn't adhere to satin too well (as I was advised) so the effect is quite subtle.  Haven't yet managed to get the bottom quite as filthy as in many of the pictures I've seen.  But better subtle than overdone..  before:

 

IMG_20200224_185156_361

 

and after gently removing with a damp cloth:

 

IMG_20200225_200024

 

effect is even less pronounced on the camo:

 

IMG_20200225_200051

 

 

But overall I'm pretty happy, as I was concerned with over-doing it and making it look awful.  Might experiment with ways of making the underside a little more dirty, need to revisit the website and watch some of the videos for applying the dark dirt.  Also got the code letter on the nose wheel door.  Soon be time for landing gear, missiles and fixing that tail plane!

 

Al.

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1 hour ago, Chemguy3000 said:

Great looking Phantom. Have you considered oil paints for dirtying the underside? They are very forgiving.

 

David

Do you mean as in enamels, and dry brushing with them?  I hadn't no.  Was getting carried away with this new fangled wash malarky 🙂

 

Al.

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No, not enamels (they are not forgiving!). I mean artist oil paints. I use Winsor and Newton paints and Mona Lisa odorless thinner with great results for washes, and undiluted paint for heavier streaking. Turpentine can be used as a thinner as well, but will start to strip paint down to bare plastic if you are not careful. You should be able to easily find some videos.

 

David

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43 minutes ago, Chemguy3000 said:

No, not enamels (they are not forgiving!). I mean artist oil paints. I use Winsor and Newton paints and Mona Lisa odorless thinner with great results for washes, and undiluted paint for heavier streaking. Turpentine can be used as a thinner as well, but will start to strip paint down to bare plastic if you are not careful. You should be able to easily find some videos.

 

David

Ah, interesting.  Thanks for that hint!  Think I've seen Winsor and Newton mentioned on here somewhere else..

 

Al.

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11 minutes ago, moaning dolphin said:

Looking good so far, did you have the rubber tyres with this version? or are you going with the plastic ones?

Cheers now

Bob

It does indeed have the rubber tyres.  I've gone with them for the novelty factor as much as anything (plus it saves me having to try and avoid getting black paint on the rims!).  They seem to look OK...

 

Al.

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On 1/30/2020 at 9:36 PM, alhenderson said:

Apart from that, the topside looks more or less the same, you can't really see the stencils that have gone on - which makes me question why I'm bothering! 

 

Realised today that I need to find a code for the nose wheel door.  No black letters in any of my sheets (first kit for years so no stash to speak of).  Will mull that one over, wonder how hard it is to mask and paint a letter A? 🤔

 

Al.

You’re putting all of those stencils on because you know that if you miss one off one of us river-counters will spot it and tell you in no uncertain terms that you have!🤣🤣👺😫😫

 

I think (!?) that the codes were 8 inches high.  I hope you have more success drilling out the “traffic lights” than I did the holes in a pair of Buccaneer airbrakes last night if you decide to do that.

 

I’ve suffered from broken tailplane tabs on Fujimi Phantoms too, I hope your repair fares better than mine.

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25 minutes ago, stever219 said:

You’re putting all of those stencils on because you know that if you miss one off one of us river-counters will spot it and tell you in no uncertain terms that you have!🤣🤣👺😫😫

 

I think (!?) that the codes were 8 inches high.  I hope you have more success drilling out the “traffic lights” than I did the holes in a pair of Buccaneer airbrakes last night if you decide to do that.

 

I’ve suffered from broken tailplane tabs on Fujimi Phantoms too, I hope your repair fares better than mine.

No way I'm putting a drill anywhere near this.  Can't drill a hole in the wall for a shelf without it becoming a day long job with lots of mess and swearing!!  I have managed to smooth out the details of the traffic lights and the main light to make room for the letter.  Think I used an 8 inch one as well - even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and again 😂

 

Tried dry fitting the tailplane and I'm not optimistic about the repair - there's very little surface to join it to...

 

Al.

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54 minutes ago, alhenderson said:

No way I'm putting a drill anywhere near this.  Can't drill a hole in the wall for a shelf without it becoming a day long job with lots of mess and swearing!!  I have managed to smooth out the details of the traffic lights and the main light to make room for the letter.  Think I used an 8 inch one as well - even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and again 😂

 

Tried dry fitting the tailplane and I'm not optimistic about the repair - there's very little surface to join it to...

 

Al.

I think you and I might have been to the same d-I-y (destroy it yourself) classes as mine involves a lot of swearing too; none of the curtain rails I’ve put up is horizontal, even having used a spirit level.

 

You’re right about the lack of mating surface to apply adhesive/solvent to or into which to drill and pin; the anhedral angle on the tailplane doesn’t help.

Edited by stever219
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The closer I get to the end, the more progress seems to slow!  Anyway, have got the wheels on in the last week or so, still got a couple of the doors to do, plus airbrakes and missiles/drop tanks.  Oh, and fixing the horizontal stab 😞

 

Al

 

IMG_20200303_074526

 

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All the gear doors are on now.  Slightly annoyed with the front landing gear door.  Every picture I have seen shows the door pretty much snugly against the landing gear, but Fujimi have put a strut there to keep it further out.  I'm not about to risk wrecking the landing gear by trying to deal with it now, so it'll have to do.

 

IMG_20200305_073329

 

One more airbrake to do then I'm done with the fiddly bits.  Managed to break the struts that hold the main inboard landing gear doors, prob too fiddly for me anyway!

 

IMG_20200305_073358

 

And some weathering on the drop tanks.  Which, sadly, has only made it more obvious where I sanded the joins and took away the panel lines.. 😞

 

 

IMG_20200305_073451

 

With a bit of luck and a fair wind, might be finished in the next week.  Which will be kind of sad, cos I've really enjoyed it!

 

Al.

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Thanks for the warning about the nose wheel door Al; one of my Fujimi F-4Ms is close to getting up on its legs so I’ll check that before committing (too much) glue to plastic.

 

Those inner main gear door struts are a real pain; I’ve managed to break or feed the carpet monster with most of those that I’ve had.  My preferred MO now is to use “reverse action” tweezers (squeeze to open) and to install the struts before the doors and then carefully butt the doors up to the struts before the cement cures.

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1 hour ago, stever219 said:

Thanks for the warning about the nose wheel door Al; one of my Fujimi F-4Ms is close to getting up on its legs so I’ll check that before committing (too much) glue to plastic.

 

Those inner main gear door struts are a real pain; I’ve managed to break or feed the carpet monster with most of those that I’ve had.  My preferred MO now is to use “reverse action” tweezers (squeeze to open) and to install the struts before the doors and then carefully butt the doors up to the struts before the cement cures.

I think if I'd been paying enough attention I would have removed that strut completely.  I haven't actually seen any nose landing gear close ups to determine how much of a strut is there, if at all.  Live and learn, I guess.  One of those things, if I hadn't noticed in the pictures I'd have been none the wiser and not bothered, but now that I know I can't forget.  Ignorance is bliss!  

 

Reverse action tweezers sound like a great plan, must look them up!  As does a really sharp knife of some sort to reduce the chances of me breaking things while I hack away trying to get stuff off the sprue...

 

Al.

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I feel your pain on the Main Gear door struts, I carefully cut mine off and then fitted before painting hoping they would survive the process. As you can see I was only partly successful!

 

20200212_175905

 

The right one broke when cutting off and the end bit just keeps falling away! I think I have it somewhere in the box hopefully, The left hand one must have only just broke off as I only just noticed it. Trials and tribulations I guess!

For the nose wheel, I think there is a strut that connects it to the gear leg, but in reality is much shorter. Its that strut that closes the door as the leg is raised.

 

Bob

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My horizontal stabiliser repair lasted a grand total of 48 hours.  Brushed it while doing some extra weathering tonight and it fell off.  Not nearly as solid a repair as I had hoped 😞   As is hopefully evident from the picture below, the tab that goes into the slot in the fuselage has broken off, leaving a very small surface area to try and glue.

 

 

IMG_20200309_215639

 

 

Any clever ideas about how I might effect a better repair?  In my head removing the tab that is in the slot in the fuselage and somehow attaching something to the tailplane that can then fit into the slot sounds clever, but I'm not sure how to go about it, or if it is too tricky to do in this scale...

 

All thoughts very welcome.

 

Cheers,

Al.

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