Lootenant Aloominum Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Inspired by John Trotti’s 1984 book Phantom Over Vietnam, I built my Academy 1/48 kit as the aircraft that features most prominently in that book. Trotti describes the dents and a missing panel of this aircraft in some detail. My plastic modelling patience and ability falls short of the amazing craft-work of some on this forum, but my 'quick and dirty' approach still gets reasonable results, in my opinion, as long as you don't look too closely. Here is the page on my web site describing the build, with more pics: https://everardcunion.com/plastic-models-2/plastic-models-vietnam-war/48thtrottif-4/ 23 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve27752 Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Looks good and appears to be in a vertical climb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 (edited) It's way over the vertical! Lootenant, thank you for a memory rush. I read that book many times in the 80s and no longer have it, but I remember it well. Your model (and the book review on your website) are both beautifully judged. If anyone here hasn't gone to the website, I strongly recommend that you do. Edited March 9, 2020 by Work In Progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMCS Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Niiiice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted March 8, 2020 Share Posted March 8, 2020 Very nice job and you've answered a question for me. I looked long and hard for decals for VMFA 314 because I wanted to model Trotti's F4. Having read you build log now I know the Academy kit is the way to go. I don't suppose you know of any 1/72 decals? I too have the book of course and have re read it a few times. It's been criticised for being a bit technical. which I suppose it is but having a background in aviation I never noticed. His description of an entire mission from start to finish is what really sucked me in though. I'll be searching for an Academy F4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lootenant Aloominum Posted March 9, 2020 Author Share Posted March 9, 2020 That is the only F-4 kit I know of that provides decals for the black knights. (I looked on and off for years before I discovered those alternative schemes for the Academy 'Gray Ghosts' kit.) However, I just discovered VW 3 and VW 17 decals are available in 1/32 scale: https://www.largescaleplanes.com/reviews/review.php?rid=1934 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nev Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Lovely model. I read Phantom Over Vietnam as a teenager in the 80s and it remains one of my all time favourite aviation books (along with Firebirds by Charles DeMoulin and First Light by Geoffrey Wellum). As noelh describes, it is quite technical in parts but I enjoyed this as it goes into the detail of what being a fighter pilot involved. I would describe it as 1/3 technical, 1/3 war stories, 1/3 philosophical musing over the nature the Vietnam War. I must pick up the Academy kit, I have long wanted to build the "Superbomber" he describes in the book, an F-4 loaded with 24 x 500lb bombs used for CAS>. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fewr9fkr9595 Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 17 hours ago, Steve27752 said: Looks good and appears to be in a vertical climb. More in a dive judging by the smoke alarm on the ceiling 🤣 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Nicely done! Nothing 'quick and dirty' about that to my eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exhausted Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 That's a very convincing Phantom, for shorebased Marine Corps service. It appears to be starting its dive, or evading fire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Nice!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phildagreek Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Like it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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